[Bandit240]

Over the weekend i got a 1981 VW Rabbit truck. The body is in great shape, but the diesel motor has been killed. Going to have to rebuild the head on it. The timing belt popped on it wile it was idleing and bent most of the valves. Ive spent all day trying to find the right tool to get the head bolts out. It doesnt have much rust at all, just a little bit on the battery tray. Going to get it running and probley run it on used veggie oil, or just stick 2 15 gallon tanks under it for long range use. Best part is I got it for $300.

[hickey]

awesome! Those Biodiesel trucks are so cool, the best part about it is that apprently it smells like a french fry cooker while driving.

[Paco500]

I was always oddly attracted to the rabbit pick-up. That and the Subaru Brat.

Nice find. Although $300 may have been a bit steep. I wouldn't have payed a dollar over $280.

[Bandit240]

Yea the biodiesel does smell like what ever the oil cooked when running. My dad has a 1985 Toyota truck running on it. If im hungry when i ride in it, i make him stop for something to eat. This is to hold me off untill later this year when i try to import a 1982 Nissan 720 Dualcab diesel from australia.

[The Godfather]

Kudos on the no fossil fuel feature, but will it pass an emmissions test?

[Bandit240]

Dont have those here. No worries about it. South Caorlina rocks....

[IceEnclosure]

For emissions testing, once a year I had to take my cat-less x-pipe off my car and replace it with the factory h-pipe, complete with 4 catalytic converters. HATED that.

no longer emissions testing around here though.

[MM-o4]

lol, smells like cooking food. that is excellent. I would be forever eating/hungry in it.
I want to have a drive of one now just to find out.

MM

[ambush]

Volkswagen+Low Emission = way cool!

[Bandit240]

Well i got the head off today. Looking good, no bent valves or broken pistons. The valves are stuck. Going to try free them later. Only thing looking bad right now is a hairline crack between the valves on #1 cylinder.

[alligator]

Hmm. That hairline crack doesn't sound good.

What do you have to do to convert it to another fuel? And where do you get enough to make it run?

[Sky Captain]

The head is toast.
I have 2 of those trucks parked over in Dahlonega.(at my uncle's farm)
Both Diesels. I may actually have a spare head somewhere.
More than likely the engine was run hot cracking th ehead between the valves.

[KeriVit]

cool. can't wait to see it done over.

[Spliffdaddy]

Dude. I've always wanted to do a VW Rabbit Pickup project. Except I'd use a 16V gas engine....or a turbodiesel from a Jetta.

I've owned a few of the 80's diesel VWs and they really aren't all that great. 52 horsepower and something like 75 lbs/ft of torque doesn't make for a ball of fun. Besides, the fuel economy doesn't justify the weak performance.

If you get that puppy running, adjust the fuel volume screw on the injector pump - then dial down the idle (the only 2 adjustments you can make on the pump). You'll get a lot more power (and use more fuel, too).

The most common source of failure in those engines is either a bad injector pump (expensive) or a broken or slipped timing belt (destroys the valves). There's not much else that can go wrong.

It's a loud, rough, and wimpy engine. I can't really think of any good things to say about it. Well, it does rev to 5,000rpm.

[zwiebel_]

I am looking at this right now for my first project



Yeah, the rabbit truck is quite unique.

[wdlove]

I wish you all the best with your rabbit truck and biodiesel.

[Bandit240]

Well got the valves out of the head today. They didnt look bent, but they are. Even broke one trying to get them out. New ones are ordered and on the way.

[Spliffdaddy]

A few more things to check that always need attention on those 80's VWs...

The strut bearings at the very top of the front shock absorber thingies probably need replaced ($60-80 pr) - else you'll get a lot of rattle when you hit bumps. Heck, you might want to check the struts themselves. They seem to wear and/or leak pretty often.

The front outside constant velocity joints on the axles are a weak spot on the FWD VWs. Keep them properly greased and replace the rubber boots when they develop splits. Buy the appropriate drive axle when the "death clicks" start. It might click for 6 months before the CV joint actually breaks - or it might last a day.

The shifter bushings are probably toast. That would explain any sloppy, vague feeling shift lever. The lever should be tight and the gear changes should feel positive - so replace those worn nylon shift linkage bushings - they're cheap.

Check the motor mounts while you're under the hood. The one at the bottom near the back of the engine, especially. When you accelerate in reverse, the engine gets torqued in a backward direction (the back of the motor will rise) and it lifts on the rear mount to the point of separating the steel from the rubber block. And pretty much all VWs are running with a broken rear motor mount. It makes the engine feel buzzy and rough. It's only like a $20 part.

The smallest details make a world of difference in the driveability of those VWs.

Strut bearings, shifter bushings, motor mounts - if those 3 things are in good shape, the car will *feel* tight and be a pleasure to drive.

PS, resist the urge to upgrade the wheels. Every style ends up looking funky except for the factory steel wheels with the chrome hubcaps.

If you can find the front bumper & air dam from a GTi - it'll improve the looks of the front of that truck.

I see you've got the 1980-81 vent windows in the doors. Well, one fell off. That's normal. That's some sorry-ass glue they used on the hinges.

[phantomdragonz]

Originally Posted by zwiebel_

I am looking at this right now for my first project


.

Pinzgauers are nice... but a unimog is much better!

Zach

[Bandit240]

Both wing windows fell off, one is a peice of plexiglass. The shifter bushes are toast already, ordering them soon. The motor mounts and strut bushes are good in it. Its a pretty low miles truck for the age.

http://www.vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4740

Thats my thread on a VW Diesel fourm, i have a post in there with links to all the pics of it.

[Spliffdaddy]

Holy cow. That might be the straightest VW pickup left on Earth. Definitely worth fixing.

That was a steal for $300.