1400 miles (2254 km.) on 1 tank!!

tgriz

New member
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
TDI
2005, Passat, not purchased yet
Hello,

I'm very impressed. Do you have a stock fuel tank? Is that 25 gallons? ... if my math is correct.

A second question, could you give me a feel for the TDI fuel economy when new vs. broken in, and about how long was the break-in period.

Thanks.

Tom
 

RIP TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 16, 2000
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
TDI
'15 GSW SE 6MT...... '01 Golf GLS 5MT.... '96 Passat Variant....
Your math is correct.

Can't help you with break-in vs. post break-in mileage (both of my TDIs were pre-owned), but others will probably chime in on this.
 

BleachedBora

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Location
Gresham, Oregon
TDI
'81 DMC-12, '15 GL350 CDI 275 hp/448 tq - '81 Caddy CJAA, '05 E320 CDI 250hp/450 tq, '23 ID4 AWD Pro S Plus
It is called a B4 Wagon...ergo 25 gallon tank. Read the post.
-BB
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
How would that 1400 miles per tank be possible? What was done to the car to reach that?
Two things:
1, fill it.
2, drive it.

I've had two consecutive, filled to the brim tankfulls since May. One returned 1401 miles, the next 1374 miles. I didn't run dry on either. Some small, unknown amount of fuel was still in the tank each time. In hind sight I think that the second one could have gone close to 1450 miles.
What is the upper limit to distance on one tankfull? My opinion is that almost 1,800 miles is not an unreasonable estimation.
 

Daniel_Odulo

Active member
Joined
Oct 8, 2005
Location
San Jose, CA, USA
TDI
Jetta, 1999.5, Black
Here is the pulse frequency adaptor.
The link is old and no longer points to a valid item, and I don't know enough about this to locate the correct item in their catalog. Would you be able to post an updated link?

Thank you!
 

abbeyinc

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2006
Location
Alamosa, CO
TDI
Had two B4 TDi sedans, currently running a 96 B4 TDi wagon.
What is the "vent trick?" That could come in very handy in AK.
 

Mike_M

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2003
Location
Phoenix, AZ
TDI
Black 2002 Jetta GLS
abbeyinc said:
What is the "vent trick?" That could come in very handy in AK.
Check out the how-tos under the "TDI 101" forum and search for "ventectomy".
 

deeker

Active member
Joined
Sep 22, 2006
Location
Boulder County
TDI
02 US VW Golf GLS TDI Stick
Brand new to club and TDI's - got 1 today!

Chris Bell said:
Both sedans and wagons are officially listed as having 18.5 gal. tank, but the wagons have a larger overflow tank than the sedans, so that when you fill up using the "vent trick", the sedans will hold about 20.5 gals and the wagons about 25 gals.
>>>What is the vent trick? I looked it up in FAQ with no luck?
 

Mike_M

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2003
Location
Phoenix, AZ
TDI
Black 2002 Jetta GLS
deeker said:
>>>What is the vent trick? I looked it up in FAQ with no luck?
Try the TDI 101 forum. There's a "how-to" linked from there. If it's not listed as "vent trick", it might be "removing your vent" or "ventectomy".
 

wjdell

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2006
Location
Central Florida
TDI
06 Jetta TDI DSG PKG 1 17" VV Campy White/Beige
OK - 1400 Miles - now do it without stopping and you will really have a accomplisment. Lets see at 75 you could average 70 and travel 20 hours. I could have done that when I was young. I could drive Orlando to Cleveland in 14 hours.
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
wjdell said:
...at 75 you could average 70 and travel 20 hours.
Yes, 75 kph can easily yield 70 mpg, but usually measurements don't mix metric and Imperial unit in the same equasion (think Mars lander).

Unfortunately 75 mph does not return much more than 40 mpg for a yield of just over 15 hours elapsed time.
 

wjdell

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2006
Location
Central Florida
TDI
06 Jetta TDI DSG PKG 1 17" VV Campy White/Beige
OK still 15 hours thats a long time and that takes a young and well disaplined bladder.
 

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
Believe it or not I never looked at this thread before today. Anyway, I'm planning my trip back from NoLa in a B4V. I've located a place in Asheville that has all blends of bio and I'm wondering how fast I can go and still make the 943 miles to my house on one fill.

AFAIK the car's in good shape, will have a GQ ecu with RC3 in it (as soon as I get there) and has stock wheels and Bridgestone tires.

I know I'll get lectured on this, but I'm not good at going slow. I was originally planning on setting the cruise at 80, but I know that won't cut it. What about 75? 70? I honestly don't think I can tolerate any slower than 70, as I've got about 1,700 miles to cover in the weekend.
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
well, I've noticed our mileage fell off precipitously as speeds exceeded 70mph. I've seen as low as 36-37 following hi-speed hi-jinx.

Also, the Prudent Man will carry a litre of compliant oil and check frequently while touring in the B4. ;)
 

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
I already shipped oil, the ecu, diesel purge, additive, and some tools. I'm also bringing some books on tape and a Sirius unit to keep me amused.
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
There was a big mileage hit at 3k rpm and over, much more than the increase in air drag might indicate. I found that up to 2500 rpm the speed increase and mileage decrease were pretty much uniform.
Keep under 3k and the thousand miles will be possible. Keep under 2500 and it is a near certainty.
 

highender

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2006
Location
Northern California
TDI
2012 Jetta TDI
all vehicles use more gas/fuel when they go faster and air wind resistance becomes a factor...

The fastest production car, the Bugatti veyron 16.4 , can go 250 mph....but uses all 26.5 gallons in 12 minutes....which works out to about 2 miles per gallon....!!

cayenne turbo gets only 5.5 mpg at 170 mph.

It is the wind.

My jetta tdi gets better mpg when going about 50 to 60 mph in 5th gear......
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
highender said:
My jetta tdi gets better mpg when going about 50 to 60 mph in 5th gear......
Better than what? Where is the comparison?
Better at 50~60 than at 70~80?
Better in 5th at 50 than 4th at 50?
 

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
Asheville NC to Boston: Filled with B30 or thereabouts in Asheville, cruise set at 75, BIG tail winds (I have to be honest). This was as I was getting close to my exit in MA:

.

I drove around for another few days and added 24.5 gallons at 1128 miles. It still wasn't in the white (below the red).
 

deezulmark

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2006
Location
Elizabethton, TN
TDI
96 Passat Wagon
Don't let it get in the white!

IndigoBlueWagon said:
I drove around for another few days and added 24.5 gallons at 1128 miles. It still wasn't in the white (below the red).
Hey IndigoBlue - enjoy the incredible range but don't go below the last red tick. You'll be sitting beside the road. There is no reserve once the needle is all the way down. You had very little reserve if you put 24.5 in.

I got my 96 B4V in August. Drove it home from NJ to northeast TN 700+ miles (from an unvented fillup). Needle was just under the last white tick before the red. Loaded up the family next day and headed out toward central TN to visit friends. Fuel prices approaching Knoxville were good and getting better. Diesel was actually cheaper than unleaded! Needle was just starting to touch the white "empty" mark and I saw a billboard with a good fuel price at an exit just 3 miles further and said "that's the place". 30 seconds later I felt a subtle power loss and in and another 30 seconds later we were sitting on the shoulder. A little cranking yielded no hope of one last spurt to get to the next exit.

AAA guy was great and got there in just a few minutes. Knowing the issues with getting diesels restarted, he suggested we just flatbed the car to the fuel pump and fill it all the way to get max fuel pressure. Took us to another place at the same exit (with even better fuel price). Took 19 gallons (no venting) to click the pump off. First crank attempt 20-30 seconds no dice. Let the starter cool. Second attempt it caught and ran a little and quit. Third time she ran and I finally exhaled.

If memory serves that was just shy of 900 miles from an unvented fill.

Relatively painless experience that cost a total of 45 minutes but taught an important lesson! Unlike many other cars, the gage in this one does NOT give you any reserve once it hits the peg. Running out in bad weather out in the boonies would have been much more painful, so choose when you want to take that kind of risk.

Since then have enjoyed several fully vented 1000 mile+ tanks and didn't have to get too far into the red to do it. May try 1200 or so sometime, but ONLY if I have a spare gallon on board! The kids sure enjoyed the ride in the truck though!
 

deezulmark

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2006
Location
Elizabethton, TN
TDI
96 Passat Wagon
Speedo/Odo calibration...

While we're on the subject of range and best economy vs. speed:
The previous owner of my B4V put oversize tires on. 195/65R14. Knowing that the odometer would read low and affect mpg calcs, I tracked my tripo vs. the mileposts all the way through the 300+ miles of VA bringing the car home and found my adjustment factor to be nearly 4%.

Then I assumed that my speedo would be reading low as well and on the next road trip adjusted accordingly in the interest of better mpg - drove close to 65 thinking I was doing 70. However, after doing stopwatch vs. milepost calcs with the cruise control nailed right on 65mph, the timed calculations agreed almost perfectly - within tenths of a percent. Ran long times over many miles to minimize error. Sometime will borrow a GPS to verify.

All this to say that with stock tire size beware that your indicated speed may read a bit high. Maybe VW did that on purpose to give you some cushion with "the law"... Stopwatch your own speedo or check with GPS.

Mark
 
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