VW Rabbit Diesel will not start after cylinder head was replaced - help

I just completed installing a rebuilt cylinder head, timing belt, and tensioner, in my 78 VW Rabbit Diesel. The engine turns over, but will not start. It looks like a fuel delivery problem because there is no smoke, or fuel smell. According to the Bentley manual, the fuel system is self priming.

Also, the fuel gauge is now not working now...I added a few more gallons of diesel, but the gauge is totally dead (at empty)...

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Jeff

Open a union on a injector or two and crank. If you get a squirt of fuel it's primed. If not you'll need to prime the pump. I use a small gasoline electric fuel pump just before the fuel filter and wire it to the stop solenoid. Mount it somewhere and make it percent. Your old diesel will run much better with it. fuel gauge and not starting might be a sign of a electrical problem. After the above, check for 12v on the stop solenoid with the key on. If no

JoBo

Jeff: Make sure to fill the fuel filter with diesel. Then loosen the unions on EACH injector and crank the motor for 10-15 seconds at a time and wait the same amount of time to let the starter cool. When fuel starts to leak from a union, snug that one back up and continue until you have all of them purged of air. Make sure you connected the glow plug wiring and physically check the 50A fuse on the firewall. These have a tendancy to crack right through the 'A' and it is hard to see. Check your fuses to make sure they are not the reason for your fuel gauge to quit. TEMiller