Funny,  that's how I used to bleed the system on my '82 Rabbit Diesel
Pickup....

(opening the nut that is)  Early VW diesels had a priming pump on the filter
housing.  Later ones just let you use your starter motor.  (Have a good
battery....)

Seriously,  check out any manual for the Diesel Rabbits on how to bleed.
(Check your library for a Chiltons, or equivalent)

Tobin Copley wrote:

>
> I'm going to be opening up the fuel system in my 82 vanagon diesel
> soon, and am looking for a step-by-step description of the correct
> method of re-priming the fuel system once I get it back together.
> Once when I ran out of fuel, the tow truck guy just bled the air out
> using the 10mm nut at the top of the fuel filter, but I understand
> this is both incorrect and unreliable.
>
> The Bentley manual does not discuss this at all.
>
> Could someone please provide me with step-by-step instructions, or
> point me to a site that does?  It's the sort of thing I should learn
> (and my wife should learn) anyway...
>
> Thanks!
>
> T.
> --
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Tobin Copley   Bowen Island, BC, Canada              tobin.copley@ubc.ca
>
> '82 westy 1.6L NA diesel ("Stinky")
> '97 son Russell                                   =============
> '99 daughter Margaret                            /_| |__| |__|:| clatter
> 1995: 'Round US, Mexico, Canada 15,000 mi       O|.           .| clatter!
> 1996: Vancouver to Inuvik, NWT   7,400 km        ~-()-==----()-~
> Previous buses: '76 westy deluxe (Daisy), '76 westy standard (Mango)