Engine getting noisy the past few thousand miles...would an additive help?

bubbagumpshrimp

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2013
Location
Virginia
TDI
'13 Jetta TDI
From day one...I thought my engine ('13 CR TDI) was VERY quiet for a diesel, so I'd like to start by saying that. However, in the past few thousand miles...the sound of the engine (diesel pitter patter) is getting more pronounced. Not early MKIV TDI noisy, but just more noise. This sound is similar to what I would expect to hear with a vehicle that's a tad low on oil (i.e. One where if you dump in 1/3-1/2 quart and the top end quiets down). In this case though...the oil is completely full.

Other than this thing (which may or may not be an issue....I'm wondering if it's normal for more noise to occur as the engine continues to break-in), the car runs like a champ and I have no reason to think that there's anything wrong with it. I get 41-42 MPG on a commute that I tend to run 75 MPH with a lot of stop and go traffic and the engine doesn't burn or leak oil, so I would say that the engine seems healthy.

I'm open to trying an additive if it might address this concern. What brought up additives for me is that I was talking with my brother last night (he has a new diesel truck) and he mentioned that an additive might do something for me. He then proceeded to tell me to Youtube search TDI's rolling coal though, so I'll take his advice with a grain of salt, lol.

Edit: The other thing I'm tempted to do is run down to Southern States and top the tank off with their 45 cetane blend and see if that does anything for me. Thank you for any advice that you can offer up.
 
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Fav40

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Nov 3, 2013
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Orange County NY
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2014 Passat TDI SEL (BB 2/17/17) 2017 Passat V6 SEL Premium
Many Additives have Cetane boost. No need to drive too far to try for 45+ Cetane. Try adding something that adds Cetane boost and some lubricity first.

Maybe injection pump ?
 

bubbagumpshrimp

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Jul 12, 2013
Location
Virginia
TDI
'13 Jetta TDI
Many Additives have Cetane boost. No need to drive too far to try for 45+ Cetane. Try adding something that adds Cetane boost and some lubricity first.

Maybe injection pump ?
Are there any additives to stay away from? I.e. Don't do well with the CR fuel system.

Stanadyne is the one that my brother mentioned.
 
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jettawreck

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Aug 2, 2004
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Northern Minnesota-55744
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2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
When "cold" or even after warm up?? Typical and normal for diesel to be a lot "noisier" when ambient temps drop and ECU advances the injection timing. You should hear mine at below 0*F, and colder. Better yet, an old 7.3 Powerstroke or Cummins.
 

bubbagumpshrimp

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Joined
Jul 12, 2013
Location
Virginia
TDI
'13 Jetta TDI
It's a bit more pronounced on cold start ups, but it's a bit louder overall during all operating conditions at this point. We aren't talking LOUD noise though. This is still by far the quietest diesel vehicle that I've ever driven.
 

millerman61

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Nov 25, 2012
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Chesapeake, Virginia
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'13 Jetta TDI Premium w/Nav, DSG. Bought back on 12/23/16
Mine has gotten louder as the miles have gotten higher also. I am at 50k. Mileage has improved and I have always use PS as an additive. I would have to describe it as a minimal change and if it hadn't sounded so much like a gasser when I first bought it I probably wouldn't have even noticed.

It has always be louder on cold start when the temperature drops and it is noticeably quieter after it is fully warmed up.
 

redbarron55

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Navarre, FL.
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2012 Touareg TDI Executive
I assume your engine is stock with emissions so what I am saying has no bearing on your issues.
I have a 2009 with 240,000 miles + and this oil change I used Royal Purple HPS 10 - 40 and the prescribed Lubri-Molly amount (by the additive manufacturer.
I could head my engine get quieter as it ran after initial start up.
Royal Purple doesn't suggest the additive by the way. I have used this is some industrial gearboxes to good effect, however. I have also used the RP in the plant as well an I like the results we get with their products.
I used a treatment of the lubro-molly in this car at about 40,000 miles and I have no way to know if it helps the long term life of the engine. The theory of the molly is that it embeds in the pores of the metal and provides additional protection in the case of cold starts etc. for some time. I have no idea on it's effect on the catalytic converter or DPF.
If the car did not have a DPF etc I would use the RP HPS since it has the older additive packages that are not compatible with the new emissions equipment.
With a car with all of the emissions equipment (which we should all operate) the Castrol oil specified with 507.X should work just fine especially with the roller cam drives in the CBEA + engines.
It is possible the engine in your car is broken in and developing more compression and a little more noise. That and a very small amount od wear on the piston skirts for a little slap, perhaps.
I think this latter is what is happening perhaps along with the insulation on the back of the hood being loose by now like it has done on all of my cars.
 

bubbagumpshrimp

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Location
Virginia
TDI
'13 Jetta TDI
Mine has gotten louder as the miles have gotten higher also. I am at 50k. Mileage has improved and I have always use PS as an additive. I would have to describe it as a minimal change and if it hadn't sounded so much like a gasser when I first bought it I probably wouldn't have even noticed.

It has always be louder on cold start when the temperature drops and it is noticeably quieter after it is fully warmed up.
That might be my issue too. I have to admit that when I test drove my car, I was shocked at how quiet it was. It really did sound like a gasser.

I assume your engine is stock with emissions so what I am saying has no bearing on your issues.
I have a 2009 with 240,000 miles + and this oil change I used Royal Purple HPS 10 - 40 and the prescribed Lubri-Molly amount (by the additive manufacturer.
I could head my engine get quieter as it ran after initial start up.
Royal Purple doesn't suggest the additive by the way. I have used this is some industrial gearboxes to good effect, however. I have also used the RP in the plant as well an I like the results we get with their products.
I used a treatment of the lubro-molly in this car at about 40,000 miles and I have no way to know if it helps the long term life of the engine. The theory of the molly is that it embeds in the pores of the metal and provides additional protection in the case of cold starts etc. for some time. I have no idea on it's effect on the catalytic converter or DPF.
If the car did not have a DPF etc I would use the RP HPS since it has the older additive packages that are not compatible with the new emissions equipment.
With a car with all of the emissions equipment (which we should all operate) the Castrol oil specified with 507.X should work just fine especially with the roller cam drives in the CBEA + engines.
It is possible the engine in your car is broken in and developing more compression and a little more noise. That and a very small amount od wear on the piston skirts for a little slap, perhaps.
I think this latter is what is happening perhaps along with the insulation on the back of the hood being loose by now like it has done on all of my cars.
It does get quieter after the initial cold start.

Yup. My car is 100% stock. As far as I know...it's only ever had that specific Castrol oil in it.

I'll have to check and make sure that the Insulation hasn't shifted. Thanks.
 

Fav40

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Orange County NY
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2014 Passat TDI SEL (BB 2/17/17) 2017 Passat V6 SEL Premium
I'm shocked how loud some 4cyl gasser motors are in comparison.
 

tdiatlast

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Jan 21, 2009
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Fort Worth, Texas
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2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
Normal. Traded my 2012 at 40k miles, it was louder than the first day. I'm at 36k with my 2014, definitely louder than the first day.
Rode in a top-of-the-line 2015 Accord V-6, and I have to admit that I was startled by how quiet the Honda was. But...well...it's a Honda...reliable, comfortable, reliable, quiet, bland, quiet, reliable, smooth, state-of-the-art NAV, lights...boring...unlike our VWs!!!
 

bubbagumpshrimp

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Joined
Jul 12, 2013
Location
Virginia
TDI
'13 Jetta TDI
Normal. Traded my 2012 at 40k miles, it was louder than the first day. I'm at 36k with my 2014, definitely louder than the first day.
Rode in a top-of-the-line 2015 Accord V-6, and I have to admit that I was startled by how quiet the Honda was. But...well...it's a Honda...reliable, comfortable, reliable, quiet, bland, quiet, reliable, smooth, state-of-the-art NAV, lights...boring...unlike our VWs!!!
Yup. I drove a '15 Accord recently (I'd like a car that's a bit larger at some point in the near future). Very nice car, but very boring to drive.
 

rwolff

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Mar 10, 2002
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Lesser continental mass, Tosev 3
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None yet
Another possibility: did the engine start getting noisier after a fill-up? Around this time of year, the switchover to winter diesel starts, and depending on what is used to lower the CFPP, the cetane number can drop (won't happen if they use the equivalent of PS, will happen if they dilute the D2 with D1). Virginia is a bit too far south to need winter diesel this early in the season, but if you normally fill up at a station with a lot of heavy truck traffic going north/south (e.g. the I95 corridor), they may have switched over to avoid causing problems for their northbound customers.
 

GWbiker

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Jul 13, 2015
Location
Arizona
TDI
2015 Golf S TDI 4dr.
Normal. Traded my 2012 at 40k miles, it was louder than the first day. I'm at 36k with my 2014, definitely louder than the first day.
Rode in a top-of-the-line 2015 Accord V-6, and I have to admit that I was startled by how quiet the Honda was. But...well...it's a Honda...reliable, comfortable, reliable, quiet, bland, quiet, reliable, smooth, state-of-the-art NAV, lights...boring...unlike our VWs!!!
I traded a 2006 Accord 6m transmission with 35K miles for my '15 VW TDI. Best gas mileage I got with the Honda was 31MPG on highway W/O A/C.

With the TDI, I get 36MPG average city and 51MPG average highway.

And the TDI is more fun to drive.......and mess with Prius drivers...:D
 

bubbagumpshrimp

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Joined
Jul 12, 2013
Location
Virginia
TDI
'13 Jetta TDI
Another possibility: did the engine start getting noisier after a fill-up? Around this time of year, the switchover to winter diesel starts, and depending on what is used to lower the CFPP, the cetane number can drop (won't happen if they use the equivalent of PS, will happen if they dilute the D2 with D1). Virginia is a bit too far south to need winter diesel this early in the season, but if you normally fill up at a station with a lot of heavy truck traffic going north/south (e.g. the I95 corridor), they may have switched over to avoid causing problems for their northbound customers.
Nope. This has been going on for at least the last few thousand miles. At this point, they might just now be making the change to a winter blend.
 

tikal

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adjat84th

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'01 Jetta TDI/'15 Golf TDI
I would chalk it up to the cooler weather, possible cold weather fuel switchover, and the fact that it's breaking in a bit more for you. I run opti-lube in both our TDIs and I can tell when the wife has forgotten to pour it in at time of fill up (or I forgot to fill the bottle up)...it's a noticeable difference in sound at least to my ears.
 

LRTDI

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Red Sox Nation
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RIP 16 GSW... Just the LR diesel now
Assume that the oil and coolant levels are correct? Anytime I think the engine is louder than normal, its at or approaching the Low mark.
 

DPM

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Mar 16, 2001
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Newtownards, N. Ireland
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2019 Rav4 AWD Hybrid, Citroen C4 BlueHDI
how long since the last oil change (I don't see it here, but maybe I'm missing it) and is there any chance the oil has sheared down a touch?
 

bubbagumpshrimp

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Jul 12, 2013
Location
Virginia
TDI
'13 Jetta TDI
how long since the last oil change (I don't see it here, but maybe I'm missing it) and is there any chance the oil has sheared down a touch?
I'm coming up on ~1,800 miles to my 40k service (I got my 30k done early at ~28k...so I'm closing in on that early)...so close to the recommended 10,000 mile interval.

I checked the oil again. It had gone down a small amount, but was still well within the recommended amount.

I topped off the oil (I added ~1/4 quart). That was the third time I've done that from the same 1qt bottle in ~36,000 miles (I bought a bottle of the recommended Castrol oil from the dealer early on).

If you want quiet, then try an Audi.
I wasn't complaining about it. I just was wondering if it's normal for the engine sound to become more pronounced over time.

Assume that the oil and coolant levels are correct? Anytime I think the engine is louder than normal, its at or approaching the Low mark.
The coolant is full and the oil level is full. There was no change in sound level when I added ~1/4 quart to full top it off.

If you have Autozone or similar nearby you can try any of the well known diesel additives and see if it makes any difference: Stanadyne Performance Formula , Power Service Diesel Kleen + Cetane Boost , Liqui Moly Super Diesel Additive, Howe's Diesel Treat ,etc.

I would suggest maybe using an app with your phone to measure the noise before and after. There is a study out there reviewing some of these apps for noise measurement.
I would chalk it up to the cooler weather, possible cold weather fuel switchover, and the fact that it's breaking in a bit more for you. I run opti-lube in both our TDIs and I can tell when the wife has forgotten to pour it in at time of fill up (or I forgot to fill the bottle up)...it's a noticeable difference in sound at least to my ears.
I'll have to do some research on the various fuel additives. If I can narrow it down to one that sounds good, I may give it a try. Thank you.
 

Rico567

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Jun 13, 2003
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Central IL
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2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
When we bought the Passat new (our first diesel), I decided after reading some threads on the HPFP to start using and additive right away. I use Opti-Lube XPD (white bottle) and have put in 4 oz. per fill-up since new. We have 35K on it now, and I can't tell any difference in how the motor sounds. Nice and quiet, generally. Did the additive have anything to do with this? Some folks will tell you yes, some no.
 

tikal

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GWbiker

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2015 Golf S TDI 4dr.
Diesel motor is noisy? Try driving a Mercedes Benz series 110-10-10 Diesel.

A 190Dc. Neighbors a block away could hear me start the motor.

That was back in the day when Diesels got a bad rap.....;);)
 

adjat84th

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Virginia Beach, VA
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'01 Jetta TDI/'15 Golf TDI
Bio in a CR? I don't think that would do me any favors.
You can run bio in the CR motors, and no additive can match the amount of lubricity that just 2% bio adds to the fuel. You just don't want to go high in the percentages. I can't recall the exact number, but B10 is coming to mind. I'm sure someone else can chime in there.
 

bubbagumpshrimp

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Jul 12, 2013
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Virginia
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'13 Jetta TDI
Diesel motor is noisy? Try driving a Mercedes Benz series 110-10-10 Diesel.

A 190Dc. Neighbors a block away could hear me start the motor.

That was back in the day when Diesels got a bad rap.....;);)
Yeah...that's just it...I've driven noisy diesel vehicles. i.e. Hummer, 300k mile '95 E300D Mercedes (my first diesel vehicle), Freightliner, International, etc. big rigs, etc.

My TDI is definitely not "noisy" compared to those. It's just noisy compared to where it was when I got it.;) It's not a problem for me...I just wanted to see what other people were experiencing with theirs.

You can run bio in the CR motors, and no additive can match the amount of lubricity that just 2% bio adds to the fuel. You just don't want to go high in the percentages. I can't recall the exact number, but B10 is coming to mind. I'm sure someone else can chime in there.
Yeah B5 unless your state mandates higher then higher is fine. Max 20% i believe.
I'd have to look around. I have no idea where I'd go about buying bio diesel. With my area...you're doing good just to find a station that has diesel (I'm lucky and have two down the street from my house).
 
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