Got a TDI 1 hour ago... click here for silly questions galore!

Just got a 2001 Golf TDI 5M, car looks and drives like new (btw, the girl who sold me the car is from Germany and "Schumacher" is her last name, no relation)... car is silver with black cloth and hub-caps, pretty stock... perfect for modding

Luckly, for you, I'm already a VW driver and have contracted the "modding virus" a while ago, however, I'm unsure of how much of my knowledge apllies to Diesel engines. My other car is a '99 Passat Wagon, 1.8T 5M.

Test-driving the car in Manhattan was a blast, this thing is made for the city, I was sold in one block.

So here is my modest list of silly questions:

- Can I get an Up chip around New York without having to ship my ECU?
- Are mods like suspension, sway-bars, brakes, lighting interchangeable with regular Golfs, and to what extent?
- How many of you use sythetic oil, why and how often? Will regular oil hurt the engine?

- Any special advice for someone getting their first Diesel?
- Does anyone recommends a specific Diesel brand? Anything along the LIE, NY?

Not too bad, right?

It's a pleasure to be here, happy driving.

::R::

- Can I get an Up chip around New York without having to ship my ECU?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">you can contact jachille@upsolute.com for upsolute.

- Are mods like suspension, sway-bars, brakes, lighting interchangeable with regular Golfs, and to what extent?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">yes, the suspension is the same as any 4 banger, same with swaybar and brakes. what you get depends on your cash flow

- How many of you use sythetic oil, why and how often? Will regular oil hurt the engine?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">AMSoil or Mobil Delvac 1 - 5w40. i think most here change to synthetic within the first 5k or so. DO NOT USE REGULAR OIL!

- Any special advice for someone getting their first Diesel?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">EGR and CCV mods ASAP. let the engine warm up a bit for nailing it and let it cool down if you where hto rodding (just like your 1.8T). do the vent trick and get up to 2 more gallons fo fuel (can't do that on your 1.8T )

- Does anyone recommends a specific Diesel brand? Anything along the LIE, NY?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Amoco Premier, if you can find it. otherwise go to heavy traveled trucks stops where the fuel is always fresh and use additive with each tank. i.e. Power Service silver bottle summer, white bottle winter

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- Are mods like suspension, sway-bars, brakes, lighting interchangeable with regular Golfs, and to what extent?
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yes, the suspension is the same as any 4 banger, same with swaybar and brakes. what you get depends on your cash flow

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not quite true about the brakes. Thet TDI shares the same brakes as the 2.0. The 1.8t/vr6 have slightly larger brakes. They also have seperate caliper carriers that can be changed out to accomodate even larger brakes. In order to upgrade the tdi brakes, the entire bearing housing has to be changed ($$) A few have done it (myself included) and it is a noticeable improvement. Bottom line is its more expensive to upgrade the brakes on a tdi and 2.0 than it is on a vr6 and 1.8t.

There are no silly questions! Only silly and stupid answers. Always feel free to ask any questions here that you may have, as many of these people really do know there stuff.

Garrettp just about covered all the bases.
Most importantly, don't use regular Dino oil. While Mobil Delvac 1 may be a trifle hard to locate, it is as close as your friendly UPS truck, often less expensive than locally IF you can find it.

Enjoy your new TDI. You'll not be sorry you traded!

This isn't THE Renato Sunico from NY is it?

sa

Any special advice for someone getting their first Diesel?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Do not ever let it run out of fuel! That can be bad for the fuel pump and injectors, expensive.

Oldpoopie, congrat's to you and yours on your wedding

i guess i should have been more specific on brake upgrades. when i think of a brake upgrade i think of it as replacing the whole kit and kaboodle as you have mentioned and thanks for clarifying.

thanks for the thanks! Pics are available thanks to the wife scanning for hours and hours.

Thank you for the warm welcome, I can't wait to start driving this baby 5 days a week...

All your answers made sense and were very encouraging, thanks... however, since I'm still light on the TDI "jargon" I'd like to know what EGR and CCV stands for and (if possible) get a link or an explanation on "what/why/how" for this mods. (this one must be a beginner's classic )

Happy Driving,
:: R ::

- Can I get an Up chip around New York without having to ship my ECU?
- Are mods like suspension, sway-bars, brakes, lighting interchangeable with regular Golfs, and to what extent?
- How many of you use sythetic oil, why and how often? Will regular oil hurt the engine?

- Any special advice for someone getting their first Diesel?
- Does anyone recommends a specific Diesel brand? Anything along the LIE, NY?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Suspension mods: Should be the same as any other Golf.

Oil: No, dino oil won't "hurt your engine." It will not protect it nearly as well as synthetic, though, and therefore it'll wear out faster. In other words, it's not like dino oil will viciously attack your engine. It just won't do a very good job. Synthetic is MUCH better, and even the most expensive motor oil is a negligable expense in the greater scheme of things. SPEND THE MONEY!

Advice: Don't put gasoline in it.

-mickey

Originally posted by renato:
[QB]
<snip>
however, since I'm still light on the TDI "jargon" I'd like to know what EGR and CCV stands for and (if possible) get a link or an explanation on "what/why/how" for this mods. (this one must be a beginner's classic

)

QB]

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">For an explanation of some common acronyms, see here.

-Lee

The question real question is "What are you doing on the fourms 1 hour after you bought your car?"

Get out and drive it!

The question real question is "What are you doing on the forums 1 hour after you bought your car?"

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> funny... I actually don't have it on my driveway yet, still transferring papers and such, while waiting for some small dings on rear bumper to be fixed (part of the deal)...

I'll be picking it up in Manhattan Friday night, can't wait! Than I'll probably spend the night memorizing the Owner's Manual and discovering hidden features, and the entire Saturday cleaning, buffing, shining, getting acquainted...

all in preparation to that rewarding and satisfying afternoon drive...

thanks all

A couple notes on diesel fuel in the New York area.

There is no Amoco Premier available north of Philly.

You can find Texaco with a C-45 (or maybe 48?) Around. Hess will also sometimes have a high cetane. I'm currently buying a C-45 from a shell station, but I dont' think it's actually Shell's fuel, I may go in and ask..

It is very hard to find high cetane fuel in the New York City area. I have found 3 different stations, one in New Jersey on Route 46, just over the GWB, it's a Hess and you have to get it going East bound on 46 almost before you hit the GWB heading into NYC. The other two stations are all up here in either Westchester or Putnam counties and are out of your way, especially if you are heading towards LI...I haven't found a high cetane station down your way yet, although I haven't spent a lot of time looking.

As far as truck stops, or where they move a lot of diesel, there are a couple of them in the Queens area out towards Jamaica, but you should probably start checking out stations off the LIE, if thats what you use heading out onto LI.

I would very much like to know if you find decent fuel down that way.

I carry additives with me, all pre-measured out. I carry them in 20 oz. coke bottles. Someone mentioned on another thread how badly these things stink, and that is certainly true. I find put in the individual bottles, I don't have that problem. They are also very easy to dispense, even on days when I really don't want to feel like I just filled up with diesel....

The additives I use are soy shield, amsoil cetane boost and power service diesel suppliment. I base the measurement on 15 gallons and getting C-40 fuel. I over-do the suppliments, but I like how my cars runs....

If you have other questions, ask away...

dj

For the BEST fuel, do a search in the fuels and lubricants section under 'BIODIESEL' or just hop over to:

www.biodiesel.org

or here:

www.biodieselnow.com

And congratulations! Always great to have new members all ga-ga about their cah!

Drive well,

BeetleGo

well, another CB5 member has found their way over - soon you will be wishing that B5 had a TDI in it! there are, as far as I know, four of us now - myself, you, atomicalex, and, umm, sorry I forgot the other fella's name (Rob?).
Enjoy it!

Yes