TDI injector cleaner

RedTDIowner

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Location
Crestwood KY
TDI
2014 Audi A6 3.0 TDI
First time poster here. I am curious as to what fuel additive you all recommend to clean the injectors on my TDI. I have had it a couple of years and it has 65,000 miles but I have never added anything to the tank to clean out my engine. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

The offical VW site does not recommend or sell any fuel additive/injector cleaner product for the TDI. I used to own a Volvo 740 GLE turbo diesel so I am somewhat familiar with diesels. In case you don't know, VW made the diesel engines for volvo's passenger cars.

The local Volvo dealership here in Louisville used to tell me to just add a bottle of automatic transmission fliud to my diesel fuel tank. They said it would clean the injectors and lubricate the pump. Any truth to this?
 

Hamsterdiesel

TDIClub Enthusiast , Veteran Member & HO5G CoFound
Joined
Jul 30, 2002
Location
NH
TDI
1999 Golf IV, Black and now 2015 Reflex Silver Passat SE
VW recommends Stanadyne. Many people here use Power Service Diesel Kleen. Power Service has 2 formulas - one for summer use, and one for winter use. I use one or the other year round.

It's also a real plus that Power Service is carried at Wal Mart!
 

RedTDIowner

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Location
Crestwood KY
TDI
2014 Audi A6 3.0 TDI
what makes you think you need it?
Well diesel is a pretty dirty fuel and most engines build up stuff in them after many miles of use. I thought most manufacturers of any type of fuel injection engine (gas or diesel) recommended fuel additives and injector cleaners after so many thousands of miles to clean out your injectors and engine. Is it better to just not add anything or is adding a bottle to the tank every 6 months or so good to keep your injectors clean?
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
I would agree with the additive at every fillup strategy. If you do wish to clean up above and beyond that, track down some <font color="blue"> LM Diesel Purge </font> ...it's the strongest around.


DIESEL PURGE
Professional product for doing a remedial cleaning of the injection system on the engine. Cleans injector nozzles in minutes. Eliminates engine knocking, "nailing" and vibration. Restores engine power and response, eases starting, accelerates engine warm-up for faster full-power delivery. Reduces smoking and soot emission. For all Diesel engines to restore proper operation of the injection system. Observe the application instructions printed on the container.
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
Also:


PRO-LINE DIESEL INJECTOR CLEANER
Reduces pollutant emissions and exhaust gas opacity before a smog test. Successfully tested under international standards. Cleans the injectors and the entire fuel system and removes harmful deposits. Prevents sticking and gumming-up of injector tips. Raises the ignitability of the fuel and improves combustion process. For all atmospheric and turbocharged engines. For preventive and problem-solving use.
 

RedTDIowner

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Location
Crestwood KY
TDI
2014 Audi A6 3.0 TDI
What does everyone think of the comments in my original post about adding automatic transmission fluid to your diesel tank to clean out the injectors and lubricate your pump?
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
What does everyone think of the comments in my original post about adding automatic transmission fluid to your diesel tank to clean out the injectors and lubricate your pump?

When ATF is burned, is it ashless


Is ATF intended to be burned in the combustion chamber
 

MacGyver

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2000
Location
SW Ont, Canada
TDI
1997 Jetta, black
ATF is an 'old school' trick. May or may not have been beneficial 20-30yrs ago. Supposedly harmful to your catalytic converter, which diesels didn't have many moons ago.

Why second guess chemical engineers? There are many excellent reputable products (like LM mentioned above) that are designed to do exactly what you want. Get one or more & be happy.
Unless you are willing to put diesel or injector cleaner in your automatic tranny, why put ATF in your diesel engine?
 

DickSilver

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2004
Location
Kentucky
TDI
2004 B5.5V, 1996 B4V
When my Mercedes 220Diesel was new (early seventies) my trusted MB mechanic also recommended ATF instead of the then-extant fuel system cleaners as "it does the same thing for less money." I'd have to admit to never having seen any technical analysis to prove this to be true. However, I used ATF in the 220D for 280,000 miles with no ill effects and never any injector troubles.

However in today's higher-tech world where our USA #2 diesel fuel is the same old crap and engine design has advanced orders of magnitude, I use Power Service in the silver bottle to get 6 points cetane improvement. I see the ATF story as an old urban legend.

...
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
What stores carry diesel purge
IMPEX has the LM products. I think danix does as well. They're highly regarded.

Some specialty forengn car shops and parts suppliers do to. Not many. Diesel purge works the best. A car every 20-30K or so does the trick.
 

TGOLF

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2001
Location
Gig Harbor, WA.
TDI
2014 JSW Black/Cream, 2000 Golf silver/black
I've used LM Diesel purge before , but I just put it in the fuel tank...see link it recommends actually "purging.." http://www.mindspring.com/~houlihan/merc/purge.htm
I use diesel Kleen it each fill up now. So haven't felt the need to use LM Diesel Purge...

Question is do you think you actually have to do the "purging" as in the link or can you just put in the tank at fill up?
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
they really want you to get the stuff into the pump in the highest possible concentration. I don't feel like taking lines off and waiting for the car to consume that whole container of Purge so I simply dump the Purge (or DieselKleen) into the fuel filter when I do my annual change and leave it at that.
 

TGOLF

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2001
Location
Gig Harbor, WA.
TDI
2014 JSW Black/Cream, 2000 Golf silver/black
Adding the purge at the fuel filter change...that sounds good to me.

I'm with you, why take off those lines if you don't have to.
 

RedTDIowner

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Location
Crestwood KY
TDI
2014 Audi A6 3.0 TDI
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I surely won't be adding ATF to my fuel tank. I found a local VW mechanic here in Louisville that carries the Diesel Purge and Wal-Mart carries the Power Service Diesel Kleen. Looks like I am now set. Everyone's input was greatly appreciated.
 

cek1

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2001
Location
SE PA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL
My Mercedes mechanic recommended the atf too. I never did it though. He did tell me about filling the fuel filter with diesel purge. It always worked well with my 300D. A noticeable difference in smoke output.
 

pepper10

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2004
Location
Manchester, NH, USA
TDI
:)2002 A4 TDI , 2006 A5:)
Adding Diesel Purge to the fuel filter is a waste of money. The injection system is designed to return overflow to the filter when below freezing and to the tank on warm days. This overflow is flowing at a rather fast rate by the way. This means that out of the can, you are actually using maybe about 25%! To effectively clean the system with this product, you should unplug the line to the pump from the filter and the return line to the filter and put them both in the can until most of the solution is consumed. This can take ~30 minutes... You can also pour the solution in a different container if it would make it easier. The key is not to dilute it with fuel. It's the concentration that makes it so effective.
 

cek1

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2001
Location
SE PA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL
Hey, I live in Medford too! Where are you finding B-100 around here? You doing it yourself or is there a station around?
 
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