Funny, I much prefer having a pull cable. As long as it doesn't come off in your hand, you know it's working. I would spring for a control cable though, and pass up the fence connector "****". We used to use locking control cables, pull them out and twist them locked at the end of the day -- kept things from roll-starting if you didn't mean it

 

I just joined the club. I had the local VW dealer order me one and I'll try shaving the tip down a little. If it eats this one I won't throw another one at it. $50 a pop is a little too much when all I really need is a plunger that can't cost more than a buck to make. I think my cable will be a little bit more high tech than FTD's though.

Hey Alec, remember that conversation we had about not leaving running equipment unattended? It ran for about an hour and a half.

 

I was wondering why you hadn't had trouble with your solenoid plunger yet . . .

You know, if you set it up correctly, I think you could use a manual shut-off cable as a "valet switch" -- it would take a little trial and error to get the "valet" position set, though.

Sorry I jinxed you

 

I told you this club was growing fast.

 

Whats the big deal with pulling a cable. Guess I am used to doing it for years on farm tractors. Only in the last few years have most of them gone to an electric shutoff.

 

I've been a member since I bought my truck - it already had a cable installed. I thought that it was kind of a poor man's security device being tucked up under the dash...

 

Got the new solenoid in! The part description on the VW box was "stuck", which is what the old one was. I didn't remember putting it in that tight after I gutted it. Before I installed the new one, I chucked the plunger in a drill and sanded the end flat, then put a good radius on the edge. Hopefully this will let the fuel flow past without catching the edge and tearing out a chunk. I stretched the spring a couple coil lengths to make sure it seats well enough to kill the motor. I took the truck out for some "testing" and I was very thorough. It shuts off with the key for now, I guess we'll see if it's a long term fix. I'll do some more testing in the coming week.

The Bosch p/n in the FAQ was no help to the VW guy. The VW p/n is 028-130-135-B

 

Ok well the Piers made it 7 months and just quit all the sudden, So I guess Im gonna have to do the pull cable thing Unless anyone has found a cure????? I cant believe they cant make one that stays working for longer then 7 months.

 

Try doing what I suggested in the post right above yours. Mine is still working, I did it in August.

 

OK I will do that but Im lost on the VW thing???? Can you explain in more detail Exactly what you done? Please, Did you take any pics?

 

The shutdown solenoid is available from your local VW dealer much cheaper than through Dodge or Cummins.

I didn't take any pics of the procedure, I didn't have a camera then.

When you get the new part you will notice that the tip of the plunger is concave. I chucked the plunger in a cordless drill and ran it against a piece of 400 grit sandpaper until the end was flat. Once it is flat, stop. The rubber is very thin here, you don't want to sand down to the metal. Then I radiused the edges, still using the drill and sandpaper method. This makes the plunger a little shorter, so I stretched the spring a couple coils to make sure it would seat.

I don't make any guarantees that this will work, your PDR one went 7 months and mine has only been in for 5 months. It just seemed logical to me that since these all fail by getting a chunk got torn out of the edge, the best fix was to try to make the edge stiffer (by getting rid of extra rubber) and getting it further out of the fuel flow path.

 

Yeah Thats why I cant understand why they cant make one that lasts. Lets see, VW dealer Whats a VW? Man I live in the Sticks, Im not even sure where a VW dealer is. Do you have a Part number or What did you tell them for what you wanted?

 

The part # is in the 1st gen FAQ. Also, somebody posted a little while ago that he got one from NAPA for around $40, so you might want to try that. Lie to 'em and tell 'em you have an '85 Golf diesel.

 

Dave, Whats bothering me is where does that little chunk go? Is it going somewhere and plugging something up? Also i just pulled the Peirs out and a big chunk was missing, I sanded it down in the Cordless and I dont see why it can be reused with the spring stretched a little???

 

Is that why you told me to flatten off the end of mine? I did it using blind faith. So far I haven't lost one yet. I'm not blowing a lot of dark cloud either, but that is destined to change. I guess I will go find a nice coke cable and hang it up somewhere in my garage. That way I will never need it.