New TDI Owner

Hello all.
I am a new Jetta TDI owner here in the Pacific Northwest. I am wondering if anybody has general tips and tricks to keep my new baby In great shape. I am not looking for mods so to speak, just general driving tips and care tips. Any inside knowledge would be great. I am very excited with the TDI. So far into day 3 I love the little guy. Thanks all. Will be reading through the forums

Rootbeer


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Hi Rootbeer -- I am only a one-year member, but I will chime in anyway and say, "Welcome to TDI Club!"

A couple quick thoughts to start you off: Look through the forums for advice on breaking in. Diesels like to be pushed, and babying the TDI in its early life can cause piston rings not to seat properly. Also, a few members have found their VW dealers did not know these cars require a special synthetic oil, rating 507, and some make it a practice to ask VW service to show them the oil they are using at the 10,000 mile service.

As you read the forums, remember that people with problems -- or strong enthusiasm -- post here. (In statistics, this is "confirmation bias.") The vast majority of owners, driving millions of trouble-free miles, DON’T post here.

I hope you enjoy your car as much as I do mine. Cheers, Joe

Thanks for the heads up. Interesting about seating the pistons...so far so good.


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I do have one question. My wiper arm bounce (I assume because they are making too good of contact) when it's raining. It's not a smooth wipe. It's almost as if they are sticking....hmmmm


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rootbeer said:

I do have one question. My wiper arm bounce (I assume because they are making too good of contact) when it's raining. It's not a smooth wipe. It's almost as if they are sticking....hmmmm

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They might be. Clean the windshield with Bon Ami Original 1886 Formula (the red jar). http://www.bonami.com/index.php/products/powder_cleanser/

so far what I have learnt you have to walk your car out for longer run at least once per week, just like you walk out a dog LOL

Most common cause of this is someone got wax on the windshield.

offnote said:

so far what I have learnt you have to walk your car out for longer run at least once per week, just like you walk out a dog LOL

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Only if you are short tripping it all the time. Otherwise things happen automatically as they should. My previous commute was 5 miles one way. Every 3 weeks I took it up on the highway to let it regen. My current commute is 35 miles one way. I don't do the every 3 week trips any more as it happens like it is supposed to.

rootbeer said:

Hello all.
I am a new Jetta TDI owner here in the Pacific Northwest. I am wondering if anybody has general tips and tricks to keep my new baby In great shape. I am not looking for mods so to speak, just general driving tips and care tips. Any inside knowledge would be great. I am very excited with the TDI. So far into day 3 I love the little guy. Thanks all. Will be reading through the forums

Rootbeer


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Click to expand...

Keep every one of your diesel refueling receipts, and add a diesel additive with every tankful (PowerService, Stanadyne, Howes, or OptiLube).

Thanks all for the advise. Just drove it through a downpour. Handled like a pro


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Another tip, valid for all turbo engines:
After a trip, make sure the car runs for a while at low RPMs, so the Turbo has time to cool off.
When I'm about to get home I start driving "like a grandma", keeping low RPMs for a few minutes, specially if the weather is very warm or very cold.
Also, when the engine is cold (below normal operating temperature), don't push the engine. Let it warm up before putting the pedal to the metal.
And a personal thing: I use a nitrile glove for fueling, as most diesel handles are nasty with diesel, and diesel takes forever to remove from your steering wheel, seats, etc: buy a box for cheap at Amazon and keep it in the trunk.
Enjoy the torque!

Sinner said:

Another tip, valid for all turbo engines:
After a trip, make sure the car runs for a while at low RPMs, so the Turbo has time to cool off.
When I'm about to get home I start driving "like a grandma", keeping low RPMs for a few minutes, specially if the weather is very warm or very cold.
Also, when the engine is cold (below normal operating temperature), don't push the engine. Let it warm up before putting the pedal to the metal.
And a personal thing: I use a nitrile glove for fueling, as most diesel handles are nasty with diesel, and diesel takes forever to remove from your steering wheel, seats, etc: buy a box for cheap at Amazon and keep it in the trunk.
Enjoy the torque!

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A comment about turbo chargers: What is said here is true for spark ignited engines. This is not so important for diesels. Why? Spark ignited engines are always operating at a "stoichiometric" air/fuel ratio. This results in rather high exhaust gas temperatures. Diesels, however, always use un-throttled air. Reduced power is caused by throttling the fuel injected into the cylinders, never throttling the air. As a result when diesels are severely throttle the exhaust temperature is quite low due to the excess air. Also, even under full power these tdi engines are never near stoichiometric anyway. That is why it is possible to get more power out of them just by increasing the injection. That along with the higher expansion ratio results in an exhaust gas temperature that is a whole lot lower than our gas buddies. As a result, turbos just last much better in diesels.

JohnWilder said:

A comment about turbo chargers: What is said here is true for spark ignited engines. This is not so important for diesels. Why? Spark ignited engines are always operating at a "stoichiometric" air/fuel ratio. This results in rather high exhaust gas temperatures. Diesels, however, always use un-throttled air. Reduced power is caused by throttling the fuel injected into the cylinders, never throttling the air. As a result when diesels are severely throttle the exhaust temperature is quite low due to the excess air. Also, even under full power these tdi engines are never near stoichiometric anyway. That is why it is possible to get more power out of them just by increasing the injection. That along with the higher expansion ratio results in an exhaust gas temperature that is a whole lot lower than our gas buddies. As a result, turbos just last much better in diesels.

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so you're saying turbos don't need to cool off after a longer ride?
I heard also something like that today's turbos are cooled automatically.

Opinions being what they are, everyone is entitled. All the same I think it important to sort out superstition from reality...

Break In - In past decades this was something we accepted as part of a new vehicle. Today is a different story. Your owner's manual should be your guide. The only sound advice is not to abuse. Ring seating was either good from the factory or not. Contrary to superstition your economy and performance will not much change over time from brand new onward. What will change are your driving habits as you and your TDI become accustomed to one another.

Turbo - Mr. Wilder couldn't have explained it better. Our little turbo has very little mass. It, therefore, does not retain heat. Combined with the fact that it would be highly unusual to go from full bore to total shutdown, your turbo does not require any special thought or procedure. Try to understand that gasoline engines are fuel engines controlled by air. Diesels are air engines controlled by fuel. Totally different beasts.

Regen - Should you find your fans running at high speed after shutdown, the system is likely in the process of a regen. It would probably be best to drive the car for the few minutes it takes to complete the process mostly for the sake of the cooling effect offered by the airflow.

Driving the diesel - You don't say whether a MT or DSG. If a DSG, then you may disregard the following:

Your TDI produces useful torque (power) from roughly 1300 rpm's upward to 3300 rpm's. While the engine will twist well beyond 3k and pull below 1.3k rpm's, neither is of much benefit to you the driver. Much better to shift down than lug a diesel even if the engine seems to be pulling well as this is one situation where too much fuel is a bad thing. This is one time when EGT's have the capacity to go off the charts. Lots of fuel and lots of air combine for extreme combustion temps which result in high exhaust temps.

Overall advice - Do not abuse! Service your NMS properly and on schedule. Make absolutely sure the proper oil is used. No substitutes allowed.

Keep your filters clean. This is the first commandment of diesel.

In cold weather it might be best to give your car a mile or so before you really lay on the go-pedal. DO NOT START THE CAR AND ALLOW IT TO IDLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO WARM IT UP. Not only will the engine not warm up, you somewhat risk washing the cylinder walls with raw diesel. This is mitigated by our ECU, but why take a chance?

Otherwise there's nothing special or magic about your TDI from the standpoint of vehicle maintenance and care. On the other hand, from your driving experience you'll likely find your TDI to be very special and the economy to be nearly magic.

So... Drive more and worry less. You made an excellent choice and your TDI will reward you in so many different ways.

offnote said:

so you're saying turbos don't need to cool off after a longer ride?
I heard also something like that today's turbos are cooled automatically.

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No, turbos are not cooled. Actually the part of concern is the bearing between the turbo and the compressor. This bearing has a rather high oil flow to it. This is not necessary to lubricate it as much as remove heat being conducted from the turbo side. As said previously, gas engine turbos just get hotter. If you turn the engine off immediately after hard running you run the risk of the bearing going dry while the turbo is still spinning. This is why you want to idle the engine for 20 seconds or so to allow the turbo to slow to minimum speed before turning off the engine. This allows the turbo to coast to a stop while there is still oil in the bearing.

Again, this is not such a problem in diesels.

It is still not a bad idea to let things cool down a tad before shutdown with absolutely any turbo vehicle. Just leaving the engine on while you take off your seat belt and do up your coat is helpful.

While diesel EGTs (and therefore turbo temperature) are not as hot as gassers they are still higher than the flash point of motor oil.

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Most folks don't drive crazy hard and then simply turn the engine off! (If you find yourself in this situation it should only be a one off experience) Even the drive up the street to your home or looking for a parking spot in a parking lot should be enough! Drive more, worry less. Diesels are much more durable than gassers.

Thanks all for the info. FYI driving in a headwind clocked 48.9 mpg on the highway for 2 hours. Driving home with a tailwind clocked 53.4 mpg.....


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rootbeer said:

Thanks all for the info. FYI driving in a headwind clocked 48.9 mpg on the highway for 2 hours. Driving home with a tailwind clocked 53.4 mpg.....

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and aren't diesels sweet?