Recommendation for old fuel

Thorshammer

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Location
Lakeville, MA
TDI
2004 TDI Wagon
Hello Everyone,

This is my first post. I am a Master Mechanic with multiple brands, but have limited diesel experience. My son bought his first car, a Mk4 TDi Wagon (BEW), and we are going through it now. EGR clean (will do manifold later), brakes, a pair of front fenders (corrosion here in New England). The fuel is old, about 2 years, but it started up, and I took a sample, and I don't see any micro, but I am sure there must be some. I have a couple questions:

-Would it be okay to run the tank down using like Stanadyne or Power Service, then change the filter?
-What will be the changes to the front if I leave out the rust causing foam rubber baffles in the front fenders?
-Why is the H E double hockey sticks does the cowl drain right into the inner fender well, where all the debris goes as well. and does someone make a kit already to redirect this water/debris to the ground, away from the cavity behind the inner fender

Thank you in advance for the replies!

Thor
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Welcome! The fuel is likely fine, but you may want to put some white PS in just because you do not know what season it was formulated for.

You can leave the foam out, gassers are like that, they survive.

I clean that whole area, thoroughly, make sure it is dry, and use Flex Seal in a can and spray the whole underside, and put another coat on after the fender is in place, over the joint to the body. Then just know that every couple years it is wise to remove the fender liner and clean any debris out.
 

ToBiN

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2017
Location
Colorado
TDI
2013 Sportwagen TDI/M6; 2006 Dodge 3500 Cummins/M6 Mega Cab; 2011 Jetta TDI/M6 (sold)
You may want to try running Seafoam through the system before the filter change. I like PS products but know many vehicles that have histories of injector failures prevented running Seafoam every 6 months.
 

KLXD

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Location
Lompoc, CA
TDI
'98, '2 Jettas
I'd stick to something designed for Diesels over something sold to mix with gas, diesel, motor oil, dumping down the intake, etc.

Is Seafoam recommended for your autos, sticks and axles too?
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
I've only used seafoam transmission (auto) once without good results. I read somewhere on these forums to never use seafoam in the oil, or in the fuel. LiquiMoly Diesel Purge or PS are the best to use in the fuel system.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Welcome! It's great to have another TDI owner in Massachusetts. I'm not far from you (Duxbury).

We have a Passat here at IDParts that hasn't been refueled since 2010. We don't move it often, but it starts up fine. I wouldn't worry about the fuel. When you change the fuel filter pre fill it with Diesel Purge to give the injectors and fuel system a shot of cleaner when you start the car. Even if you don't do that, you'll probably be fine.

I hope your son enjoys the TDI. My sons have both driven them exclusively since getting their licenses, and wouldn't drive anything else.
 

WildChild80

Veteran Member
Joined
May 30, 2016
Location
Nashville, AR
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI 2000 Jetta TDI 2000 New Beetle TDI ALL 5 speeds
You may want to try running Seafoam through the system before the filter change. I like PS products but know many vehicles that have histories of injector failures prevented running Seafoam every 6 months.
Are you saying running seafoam prevented failures or they couldn't run seafoam due to failure...

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

ZippyNH

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Location
Southern NH
TDI
2015 JETTA TDI SE
Jet Fuel, diesel, and 100LL avgas really don't degrade with age like modern unleaded fuel...
As long as the fuel has been kept dry, and dark to stop algae growth (in the water) or bacteria growths, it should be fine.
You can by biocides and algaecide to put in a full tank of fuel then change he filter if you did have an issue to kill the remaining organisms in the fuel system, followed by a (or a couple) filter changes....
I would change the filter when done with the fuel...but I bet it's fine...since you don't know if it's summer/winter fuel, do add some anti gel....just to be safe IMO.
 

Thorshammer

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Location
Lakeville, MA
TDI
2004 TDI Wagon
Thanks everyone!

IndigoBlue I stopped in to pick my parts up a few weeks ago. It was nice meeting you folks. I'm the former VW Group guy, we talked about meetings with Winterkorn.

Flex seal is a good idea. I cleaned the surface corrosion, and epoxy painted the area, replaced the plastic fasteners and screws (got em' at IDP!), but hadn't thought about the flex seal....

Thanks again for the responses.

Thor
 

JB05

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Location
Il.USA
TDI
Golf,2005,anthracite blue
I use a spacer in the bottom screw on the fender liner to leave a gap so debris does not accumulate. It seems to work.
 

hey_allen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Location
Altus, OK
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
I sucked the tank dry on a parts car that had been sitting for a few years, and other than a little dirt that I let settle out, it didn't prove to be an issue.


I did mix it into fresh diesel around 50% for the first 5 gallons that I used. The second can was used at maybe 75%.
 

ToBiN

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2017
Location
Colorado
TDI
2013 Sportwagen TDI/M6; 2006 Dodge 3500 Cummins/M6 Mega Cab; 2011 Jetta TDI/M6 (sold)
Are you saying running seafoam prevented failures or they couldn't run seafoam due to failure...
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Running Seafoam prevents injector failures.

Father in law ran the CARQUEST in Florence CO for 30 years. He met the Seafoam rep personally. Didn't want to take on his product, kept turning him away until one day the rep was there the same time brother in law showed up with his POS S10 truck. Couldn't get it to run right. Seafoam rep offered to test his product on the POS S10. 15 minutes later, truck is purring. Smooth. Its a good product. After that day CARQUEST in Florence stocked Seafoam. And now that father in law is retired, he still uses it in his vehicles.

1997 K1500 Chevrolet 350 with the spider injector. Common to clog and fail after 110k miles or so. Father in law ran Seafoam every 6 months. now 215k miles, still has the original spider injector.

2006 Dodge Quad Cab, 5.9L Cummins. Runs Seafoam every 4th tank. Now 274k miles, original injectors.

I use it, like my father in law, every 6 months in all of my vehicles fuel tanks. I haven't had to change out injectors on my Seafoam cars. Most of my vehicles are all over 200k miles. Only recently was I able to afford under 100k mile vehicles and I will start their regimen of Seafoam and PS products too.
 

WildChild80

Veteran Member
Joined
May 30, 2016
Location
Nashville, AR
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI 2000 Jetta TDI 2000 New Beetle TDI ALL 5 speeds
Running Seafoam prevents injector failures.

Father in law ran the CARQUEST in Florence CO for 30 years. He met the Seafoam rep personally. Didn't want to take on his product, kept turning him away until one day the rep was there the same time brother in law showed up with his POS S10 truck. Couldn't get it to run right. Seafoam rep offered to test his product on the POS S10. 15 minutes later, truck is purring. Smooth. Its a good product. After that day CARQUEST in Florence stocked Seafoam. And now that father in law is retired, he still uses it in his vehicles.

1997 K1500 Chevrolet 350 with the spider injector. Common to clog and fail after 110k miles or so. Father in law ran Seafoam every 6 months. now 215k miles, still has the original spider injector.

2006 Dodge Quad Cab, 5.9L Cummins. Runs Seafoam every 4th tank. Now 274k miles, original injectors.

I use it, like my father in law, every 6 months in all of my vehicles fuel tanks. I haven't had to change out injectors on my Seafoam cars. Most of my vehicles are all over 200k miles. Only recently was I able to afford under 100k mile vehicles and I will start their regimen of Seafoam and PS products too.
If you showed me a Ford 6liter with 300k miles with original injectors I'd be more impressed, not saying it's not a good product but good normal maintenance will get you good results too.

I've got 308k on stock injectors in my 2000 TDI with no seafoam... claiming it prevents failures is part crap shoot, some vehicles are turds from the time it leaves the plant...you can't say it would have failed if you didn't use it. Yes the spider injection systems do suck but my dad has one with close to 300k without nothing more than unleaded gas in the tank.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

ktmkris

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Location
monroe nc
TDI
MALONE TUNES DEALER , 2005 beetle tdi dsg, 1998 vw beetle 2.slow, 2003 beetle turbo s, 1998 beetle 2.0, 2006 beetle bew
If you showed me a Ford 6liter with 300k miles with original injectors I'd be more impressed, not saying it's not a good product but good normal maintenance will get you good results too.

I've got 308k on stock injectors in my 2000 TDI with no seafoam... claiming it prevents failures is part crap shoot, some vehicles are turds from the time it leaves the plant...you can't say it would have failed if you didn't use it. Yes the spider injection systems do suck but my dad has one with close to 300k without nothing more than unleaded gas in the tank.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Sea foam won’t really help 6.0 ford injectors. They fail on the oil side not the fuel. I have seen quite a few high mileage 6.0 powerstrokes without injector issues when running Schaefer’s oil.

I am on my 3rd 6.0. Really great trucks
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Those darn heui injectors making a fool out of all of us :) you ever found a way to un-stick them? I know they get gumed up if you don't change your oil often enough.
 

WildChild80

Veteran Member
Joined
May 30, 2016
Location
Nashville, AR
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI 2000 Jetta TDI 2000 New Beetle TDI ALL 5 speeds
Those darn heui injectors making a fool out of all of us :) you ever found a way to un-stick them? I know they get gumed up if you don't change your oil often enough.
Rev X did a good job to unstick them, expensive but it was short lived, most times it's the pintle valve that actually wears down or the 15 other issues they have.

I love the 6 liters, helped a good buddy go through an excursion so many times chasing injection issues(where the rev X comes in) but he should have a machine that'll go for a while, new hpop, rebuilt injectors, seals in the oil manifolds and I know I'm missing half of the stuff we did...

I love the vdubs because they are simple in relative terms of diesels and do pretty good in fuel mileage and long term wear and reliability.

I do put seafoam pretty high on the miracle in a can list, I took an old tiller that had sat for 2 years with ethanol fuel and added a little fresh gas and some seafoam and it was purring within a few minutes. I've since switched to non ethanol fuel even in my truck but it doesn't get driven sometimes for 2 weeks and I don't want to worry about fuel going bad, rust in the tank and everything that goes with e10

for my diesels, I use diesel purge when I change fuel filters and usually nothing else between filter changes, sometimes ATF or 2 stroke oil on the 18 hour road trips...it's a lot of 3k RPM interstate cruising and figure the pump likes a little more lube.

To the OP, when I bought my first TDI, it had sat for a year or so when I bought it. It had suffered a water pump failure but stayed in time...after the timing belt, I ran the tank out and put fresh fuel and it didn't seem to make much of a difference...

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

WildChild80

Veteran Member
Joined
May 30, 2016
Location
Nashville, AR
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI 2000 Jetta TDI 2000 New Beetle TDI ALL 5 speeds
Sea foam won’t really help 6.0 ford injectors. They fail on the oil side not the fuel. I have seen quite a few high mileage 6.0 powerstrokes without injector issues when running Schaefer’s oil.

I am on my 3rd 6.0. Really great trucks
I keep hearing about Schaefer but our bad boy outlaw xp mowers would burn close to a quart in 50 hours of use but the as trucks don't seem to use any. This was the story I was told when I went to work maintenance, I'm wondering if the rings weren't seated when they started using the Schaefer oil.

I would love to see how a 6 liter would do on Schaefer's as soon as you could run it.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
Seafoam is basically naptha. Yeah, there's other stuff in it, but.....

There's exactly one place I STRONGLY recommend using it regularly (every ~6 months in warm areas, or yearly in cold ones with short seasons) and that's on 2-stroke outboards. One can SeaFoam + ~1/2 - 1 gallon of gas in a pony tank, hook it up, start engine on muffs, let it run until it warms up then shut it down. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes, do it again. It'll look like the mosquito truck came by when it's running and your neighbors may think your boat is on fire.

When it is tolerable instead of ridiculous shut it down (still nice and warm!), hook up the regular fuel, dunk the boat and run the snot out of it for a good 10 minutes or so to blow all the REST of the crap out you loosened up.

Why do this on a 2-stroke? Because it will keep your rings from sticking and ultimately breaking, trashing the power head.

I would never put the stuff in a diesel fuel system or in a crankcase, EVER. Again -- it's pretty close to straight naptha and I wouldn't trust it to not result in a trashed pump due to lubricity problems, never mind that if it loosens up gunk from the inside the pump guess where it's going to go? Yep -- right into the injectors.

I wouldn't have any problem putting it in a gas-powered engine and it might well clean the injectors there pretty nicely, along with any garbage that might in the ring lands -- which shouldn't be an issue on a modern 4-stroke unless you're running dino oil on an engine with the top compression ring up right on the firedeck -- in which case it might have the same benefit it does on the 2-stroke marine engines.

Maybe.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
I managed to restore a 2.Slow MKIV years ago by running seafoam through the oil. Then proceeded to drive it for seven years. Was misfiring on three cylinders when I bought it. You should have seen how many chunks of solid carbon came out. Would definitely recommend on a gas engine in fuel and oil. Never on a diesel. But that's my opinion.
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
The problem with putting it in the oil is that it's not oil and thus will do an unknown amount of damage to the film strength of the oil in places where it REALLY matters (like the mains and cam!)

It'll also clean the ring lands out real good and other oil passages, but the risk of severe bearing damage is very, very real.

Now down the gas hole is a different matter.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Oh believe me I hear ya, I only run it in the oil to restore an engine (only gasoline engine) and that's to clean out and gunk and junk from prior owners not keeping up on their oil changes and such. I don't do it as a regular service kind of thing. Oil passages in diesel remain amazingly clean and carbon free compared to their gas counterparts. Engine with 400k on it? Clean it up and get shiny metal. Gas engine with 60k? Brown stained metal and carbon deposits. Diesels will always be the superior engine in my opinion.
 
Top