dealer checking fuel quality

[740GLE]

failure prone using what fuel? their specs or what we find in mom and pop stations?

 

[CryoTech]

you guys in richmond - whats your take on west broad VW service?

I live in Gloucester and I wont touch a Casey dealer with a 10 foot pole, let alone my transportation.

 

[Brian's96TDIPASSAT]

Over the past 10 years, the demeanor of quite a few of the posters on these forums has gone from supportive and helpful and investigative, to completely hostile toward the poster and not the subject of the post itself.
This particular post started out with a TDI owner simply stating what happened to him during his visit to the service area of his new car dealership, while he was trying to work out a stereo problem.

Because during my career, I worked in and managed a technical failure analysis lab for a steel company, I made a sarcastic (most people don't understand sarcasm today unless you inform them beforehand that the following statement is intended to be sarcastic) comment regarding VWA and their approach. For that I was subsequently belittled for my blatant stupidity regarding the facilities at Bosch.
I made another comment, simply stating what the AMERICAN BILL OF RIGHTS states in Amendment 4, and what a individual owner was obligated to provide to VWA or anyone for that matter, and was immediately bundled in with any and all WACKO POLITICAL radio talk forums (I strongly believe in the 2nd Amendment too). The last time I checked both Republicans and Democrats were still considered AMERICANS and referring to the Constitution did not make you a wacko.

The point of this current response is to explain to those who care, and those with reading comprehension problems too (oh I didn't say sarcasm is coming before writing that, too bad P-nut) that over the past three model years there have been problems with the fuel systems in the VW TDIs driven in the United States.
It is (to the engineering mind) obvious by the request from VW for a fuel sample from the individual TDI owners' tank, that the wholesale diesel fuel supplier has evidenced to VW that the problem is not theirs.
It can also be inferred that the material suppliers have vindicated themselves from blame also.
I still don't buy that the total chain of material suppliers are clean, from what I have seen in the processing anomolies in the scores of cold forging operations and subsequent heat treatment facilities that I have audited during my career.
I would also hazard to say that VW has, to a statistically acceptable quantity of data points, and "6 sigma" resultant, satisfied themselves that the problem is not with the retail fuel seller.
VW is now at the end of the line, sampling the fuel in the tanks of the end user, us, the owners. And I will bet that in random sampling of fuel in our tanks they are going to find various trace problems, to in their minds, a significant degree.
I say this because those of us who are on this board, and have been for several years, will not be going to the dealer for work on our cars in the first place, and the preponderance of new TDI purchasers are new first time diesel buyers.
Now we have had reports on the board from newbies that they have from partially to a full tank, refueled with gasoline. A few have caught the problem before they turned the key, several have not.
To find a problem with a sample in a laboratory it simply depends on how tightly you want to standardize the machine and what National Bureau of Standards calibration standard you are working with. Most samples will probably test clean but I would bet "6 sigma" will not test clean. Based on that testing, VW will turn a colder shoulder to the victim of a future failure.

I still think the cause of the problem is (very random) with the forger/heat treater and resides in inconsistent inadequately controlled finished forged part cooling rates.

I think senaters and congress members should be forced to wear uniforms like Nascar drivers so we know who they're corporate sponsor's are

 

[dmarsingill]

I had the 10000 mile service done. They did not ask for a fuel sample.

Donald

 

[i64w2gohome]

you guys in richmond - whats your take on west broad VW service?

Opinions may vary, but my experience has been good. I've had 10k & 20k service done there, plus a sunroof replacement covered by warranty after it blew out on I-295 last February at 65 mph.

It has also been valuable to go in armed with knowledge, reminding service writers of TDI-specific items. West Broad VW has been responsive to my questions and is willing to allow me to meet with the mechanic/s during maintenance visits.

Before purchasing the Golf, I had an Audi A4 from the same dealership, so I've been going there for the last 4-5 years.

 

[specsalot]

failure prone using what fuel? their specs or what we find in mom and pop stations?

Failure prone to the fuel that gets pumped into them every day in the US. How long will your HPFP last if:
1. The overflow valve sticks closed or becomes obstructed?
2. The overflow valve sticks open?
3. The Aux Pump loses 20% of it's capacity which may not be picked up by the EDC 17 unless you are lead foot Louie.
4. HP pump down increases by 20% elevating the LP casing median temperature 30 to 50 Deg F?

 

[texnkeroburner]

Got my 20K service done today, was not asked for a sample. I didn't mention it either. Service writer said he's never seen one bomb outside of gasoline misfuels. He had one lady do it twice within 3 weeks, ouch!
I did mention how I will never buy anything but Shell diesel and even sticky about where I buy it too. He mentioned that everybody should stay away from Walmart diesel and the like, low quality and volume, high chance of water contamination. Nothing we here don't know but the public wouldn't. He has not heard of any replacement program or a "new" pump any different than what I have.

I'm about to get my 20K service done in Texas and I'll report back if they ask for this "sample."
This is a very interesting topic though, it seems to me that things are really heating up towards some type of final resolution to the fuel bomb, recall or some type of admission that there really was a design defect and a "soft recall."

 

[Vidgamer]

Walmart is low-volume?! Well, I hope most of the problems are mis-fuelings, because I don't like the idea of having to guess if a particular station has "good" fuel or not.

 

[PlaneJob]

Walmart is low-volume?!

I lol'd when i read that. Murphy USA (That's 'Wal-mart diesel') sells so much fuel around here. The attendant says they are getting 2 to 3 drops a week. It's Texas, and we are near a lake, so you see a lot of coal rolling bubba trucks hauling their boats around and you see the horse trailers, and the campers...
Does anybody have a link to an unbiased lab analysis showing the 'Wal-mart Diesel' is somehow of a lesser quality? lower lubricity? contains water? or is this just conjecture stated as fact?

 

[CryoTech]

walmart around here doesnt sell diesel. I buy mine from a fuel supply place that sells bulk as well. Thier tanks are above ground under sheds.

 

[Fordcougar]

I wouldn't worry about Walmart Fuel, most of the Murphy's Stations are less than 5 years old,
using newer tanks, and they are pretty busy.. some of the truck stops I was going to have
been in operation for 15+ years... I assume the tanks meet regulations but who knows.
Anyway My Murphy is 3 months old. and the Fueling handles are clean, and the car seems
to like what it drinks(until someone can prove that any other diesel is better than another, I'll shop here)

While some of it is marketing http://www.murphyusa.com/About_Us/Quality-Fuels.aspx

Murphy USA gasoline and diesel fuel comes with a 100% unconditional guarantee.
If your vehicle ever has a mechanical problem caused by our gasoline or diesel fuel, we’ll
pay for the repair. To stand behind that guarantee, Murphy USA goes to great lengths to
provide you with the best quality gas on the market.