Keeping the emissions off my car...

Folks, I have done a few things to my TDI NB. The car is Dark Blue. I have had both the front grill and the back ?grill? (where the reverse lights are located) painted white. Yesterday I took the time to polish and wax the little car.

Today, after driveing 90 miles to work, there is emissions on the back of the car. It really shows up on the white!

Is there anything that can be done about it? I am wondering if there is a wax or something that it has a much harder time sticking to, or something.

Sam

Extend your tailpipe about 5 or 6 more feet.

Being an RVer, I've seen folks spray Pam (cooking oil) on the front of their class-A RVs to make it easier to clean off bugs. I'm not sure I'd put any non-automotive stuff on my new car, though. I think your best bet would be a good wax, like Maguires. They also have a spray cleaner you use between waxing that works really well.

If you don't already, put some biodiesel in there! B20 (20% bio, 80% petrodiesel) will reduce your soot significantly. Higher concentrations are even better.

Originally posted by Sam Carleton:
Is there anything that can be done about it? I am wondering if there is a wax or something that it has a much harder time sticking to, or something.

Sam

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wax, YES, of course! Wait 'til the new paint cures..perhaps 90 days or so. Probably a bit longer due to cold weather. Use a synthetic based wax and stay on top of it. You will likely need to clean the area every couple of months to keep it in top condition.

A few things to reduce soot (pick and choose):

a) burn biodiesel in at least a B20 blend

b) get better-quality fuel, like true Amoco/BP Premier (difficult to find, but worth it)

c) use good-quality fuel additives, like Stanadyne or Diesel Kleen Power Service (silver bottle) and Fuel Supplement (white bottle for winter)
I do all three in my 2002 NB and notice absolutely zero soot, even when the car is cold (like -5F and I floor it. No sooty bumper, either. Not a trace.

our Golf had a tank of petrodiesel in it when we bought it, and we definatly noticed soot on the car- we've been running B100 with NO soot build-up! If you can't see it on the car, you're probably being that much nicer to the air, your neighbors/kids, etc.!

Go Biodiesel!!!

the Jetta only had 1/4 tank or so upon purchase- not chance for the soot to build!!

I would LOVE to burn biodiesel, but in the part of the world I live in, it does not seem to be avaiable at any gas stations.

Sam

P.S. For those of you wondering, I live in Northern Cincinnati and work in Columbus. My bug get to go about 200 miles a day!

I make no recommendation and have not tried this myself as the car is too dirty to care. Back in my motorcycling days , we used to use lemon fresh pledge for everything, shocks, crome, paint, helmet, windshield, and everything that didn't move fast enough to get out of the way. That might help, anybody else try this?

Sam,

Check out Fuel Depot/World Energy -- 2 McWherter Dr, Delaware, Ohio 43015; (740) 363-1516; No restrictions

Looks like they are about 30 minutes north of Columbus. There's another in Ohio... check out www.biodiesel.org for more listings.

That was one of my concerns with the "white diesel" when I was looking at colors. I was surprised in a good way.

I've got the "Cool white" too. I can't think of the name of the polish I use but it comes in a blaze orange bottle. It's something like finish 2000. It's on most of the shelves around here. If you don't get an answer from somebody else, I'll dig up the name. I only wax twice a year, the wax goes on.... and off easily.

When you did your mods, you by chance didn't change the angle of the tail pipe to straight out the back did you? Keep it pointed to the ground. That extra swirl of exhaust will get on the back of the car a lot faster if it's pointed straight out the back.

PS-if you come up with a good way to keep all the wonderful salt of the car, let me know. Ha Ha.

[ February 04, 2003, 10:49: Message edited by: TimS ]

Originally posted by TimS:
When you did your mods, you by chance didn't change the angle of the tail pipe to straight out the back did you?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Nope, left the tail pipe

Originally posted by TimS:
PS-if you come up with a good way to keep all the wonderful salt of the car, let me know. Ha Ha.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, I don't know how to keep it off, but I have figured out a way to get it off a lot quicker:

Waterproof your garage by putting in a drain and then painting the floor with something water proof, put in a spicket in the garage and a heater, and then wash the car in the garage when it is below 32 deg outside!!!!

I am going to look into this, I am afraid that putting in the drain would cost a pretty penny, but the rest of it should be pretty easy

Sam

Originally posted by SwimmerDave:
c) use good-quality fuel additives, like Stanadyne

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have been burning Stanadyne since Tuesday night and can already tell a difference, even in the snow, the white bumber looks a heck of a lot better then it had without the additive.

Thanks!