Kerma TDI economy kit

[Gamikatsu]

Hello!

So I found a local to me. Absolutely pristine Jetta TDI. 2003 ALH 5 speed. 165k miles. Garage kept one owner old guy car. 100% intact. All engine covers, seat covers floor mats, everything is intact as new. No northern rust! I'm 99% sold on it. With the upcoming 2-4 years of gas going up, I'm ready for another round of 50+ MPG.

My question is. My budget would also allow for the Kerma TDI economy kit. They claim 10-15% increased fuel economy and 30% more torque. Who here has it? Reviews?


Thanks.

 

[hskrdu]

Your best fuel economy will come from driving style, the cumulative effect of many small factors, and keeping everything in good running order. If the nozzles are tired you could replace those and try to get a small FE bump, but otherwise you're better off focusing on the basics. Also, a higher-money pursuit of increased MPGs is often not associated with lowering cost of ownership, so if your intentions aren't clear other posters will not be able to give helpful advice. For example, spending $1,985 on Kerma's "ECO TDI Kit - Max MPG" is (IMHO), crazy. Maybe if your nozzles were beat and you needed a new turbo. Even then, I doubt you's see the claimed increase in FE, unless you have other issues. More to the point, you'd never see the return via lower fuel expenditures, so financially it doesn't make sense. The other pursuit is simply the best FE, and here, if the car was new to me, I'd spend that money on a boatload of other things- especially without a full maintenance history.

 

[Gamikatsu]

Your best fuel economy will come from driving style, the cumulative effect of many small factors, and keeping everything in good running order. If the nozzles are tired you could replace those and try to get a small FE bump, but otherwise you're better off focusing on the basics. Also, a higher-money pursuit of increased MPGs is often not associated with lowering cost of ownership, so if your intentions aren't clear other posters will not be able to give helpful advice. For example, spending $1,985 on Kerma's "ECO TDI Kit - Max MPG" is (IMHO), crazy. Maybe if your nozzles were beat and you needed a new turbo. Even then, I doubt you's see the claimed increase in FE, unless you have other issues. More to the point, you'd never see the return via lower fuel expenditures, so financially it doesn't make sense. The other pursuit is simply the best FE, and here, if the car was new to me, I'd spend that money on a boatload of other things- especially without a full maintenance history.

Thank you for the input. I miss my 99 Golf TDI. But that car was a giant problem child because some kid before me tried to race car it. I want a little old guy owned car so I can drive it like a little old guy.

Thanks!!!!

 

[hskrdu]

You've probably already read it, but just in case:

tips for fuel economy

I've put this together in an effort to help some folks diagnose what may be a loss of fuel economy (MPGs) with their TDIs. Keep in mind, many of these items can work against your car in concert to add up to a sizeable increase in fuel consumption over time, so please don't dismiss any one item...

forums.tdiclub.com

If I was getting a TDI that didn't have actual maint receipts (and wanted to improve FE):

1) TB TB TB (and all the associated kit) service.
2) Full maintenance update:
a) Change all fluids and filters
b) Suspension refreshed all around
c) New MAF, EGR, intake cleaning, etc.
d) Every vacuum line replaced, all hoses and lines checked
e) All brake components checked (incl e-brake and lines)
f) Engine, nozzles, turbo checked
3) LRR 105/65/15 tires
4) Lightweight VW Avus 15" wheels

Next, establish a baseline of economy. Otherwise you have no idea where to improve things.

 

[Nevada_TDI]

All of the item list above are important. If you do not have receipts on service, especially the timing belt, don't drive the car as I am sure you know a timing belt event can be a $2000 catastrophe.

I have one experience with the improvement of fuel economy: due to the fact changing the injector nozzles is a good idea at that mileage, you start with .205 nozzles a Stage 2 tune. With .205 nozzles and a Stage 3 tune, I got 52mpg at 72mph with 4 adults and luggage to Tulsa, Ok and back. But the biggest contributor of fuel economy is having a light right foot.

 

[[486]]

But that car was a giant problem child because some kid before me tried to race car it. I want a little old guy owned car so I can drive it like a little old guy.

yup
leave it stock

most I'd do is some crappy drop-in 'tune' to get rid of the EGR and get you more reasonable smoke and timing maps

 

[Nevada_TDI]

Have VWMikel write your tune and have Franko6 assemble your injectors and new nozzles.
EDIT: When something says they can give x percent (10-15%) increase fuel economy and 30% more torque, you cannot do those two things simultaneously...Drive it like you stole it with a lot more torque, and compromise FE, or drive it like Granny did and get an improvement in FE. You can't have it both ways at the same time.
Do you have any idea how many miles and years it would take to recover the "kit" cost, I do not understand why you have to buy their $987.00 turbo to make it "work". Someday Kerm* will get a visit from Karma, and wake up the night before Christmas with all three ghosts saying, "Dude, you really messed up, and it might be too late to fix it."

 

[Tdi_greenhorn]

yup
leave it stock

most I'd do is some crappy drop-in 'tune' to get rid of the EGR and get you more reasonable smoke and timing maps

Example of a drop in "tune" to delete an egr on an 03 ALH?

 

[Bob S.]

From the outside looking in, on an "old guy" babied car w/ that milage, intake clogging should be expected. Given your location, should you decide to optimize for MPG, also consider RocketChip.

 

[[486]]

Example of a drop in "tune" to delete an egr on an 03 ALH?

anyone's "stage one" garbage should be pretty innocuous and include an EGR delete

 

[Andyinchville1]

HI,

With the mods in my signature I went from approx 46-48 MPG to approx 51-53 mpg driving essentially the same way I have always driven

So I believe with the right parts MPGs can go up while still driving the same .... of course if you hypermile it'll go up even more.

As a side benefit of the mods, you will most likely also get more power if you need it in addition to the MPG gains if you don't always use the power.

The kit may be a nice totally contained pkg to get more MPGs but I have not researched the kit myself.

Hope this helps.

Andrew

 

[Lightflyer1]

Which will never pay for itself. If all you want is to see the number go up some, then proceed with all of that. If you want to save money get your car running good and drive it better. Use some of that saved money for a few tools for DIY things if you don't already do that.

 

[Vham1of7]

You've probably already read it, but just in case:

tips for fuel economy

I've put this together in an effort to help some folks diagnose what may be a loss of fuel economy (MPGs) with their TDIs. Keep in mind, many of these items can work against your car in concert to add up to a sizeable increase in fuel consumption over time, so please don't dismiss any one item...

forums.tdiclub.com

If I was getting a TDI that didn't have actual maint receipts (and wanted to improve FE):

1) TB TB TB (and all the associated kit) service.
2) Full maintenance update:
a) Change all fluids and filters
b) Suspension refreshed all around
c) New MAF, EGR, intake cleaning, etc.
d) Every vacuum line replaced, all hoses and lines checked
e) All brake components checked (incl e-brake and lines)
f) Engine, nozzles, turbo checked
3) LRR 105/65/15 tires
4) Lightweight VW Avus 15" wheels

Next, establish a baseline of economy. Otherwise you have no idea where to improve things.

Forgive me but TB?

 

[Lightflyer1]

Forgive me but TB?

Yep always a given unless the previous owner can furnish documentation of who did it and with what parts. Preferably a trusted tdi mechanic. Critical for the engine to even run and people have been known to lie about the belt or done wrong.

 

[Nevada_TDI]

As above says, if you cannot verify a proper timing belt job, stop driving the car and get the timing belt done right away...A broken timing belt can cost up to $2000.00 and might change your mind about getting the car running again

 

[PakProtector]

The timing belt is a *MOST important thing. These beasties will make a fair sized repair bill if it comes apart. I got my '04 with 70k on it, and 20k/4 years on its TB. It came out at 108k. The next one will be on-time and done by somebody who knows what is what, on that you may rely...

congrats on finding a nice one BTW.
cheers,
Douglas

 

[2002_auto_tdi]

Which will never pay for itself. If all you want is to see the number go up some, then proceed with all of that. If you want to save money get your car running good and drive it better. Use some of that saved money for a few tools for DIY things if you don't already do that.

While I like bragging rights, this is the most reasonable temptation to avoid increases in mpg for bragging rights I have seen yet. I'd rather have the bragging rights because there are "worse" automotive hobbies like getting tickets but tempting post.

 

[Andyinchville1]

In theory the cheapest way to mod a car is to upgrade parts, one at a time as factory parts wear out or you need to replace them as preventative maintenance .... that way the only extra cost is the extra cost of the upgraded parts vs the factory oem parts prices ...

Many of may mods came as a result of the above over the past 200K miles or so (some were just mods tho for sake of modding because the factory pieces were still OK (examples of this were my intercooler , exhaust , fender liner without vent and maybe a few other pieces ... the rest were upgrades because the factory pieces were giving up the ghost (like the 10 MM pump , injectors, worn suspension etc...).

So in summary ... maybe mod as you need to?

Andrew