First diesel! Need some help winter-proofing.

[GucciTDI]

I bought my first diesel last week a 2000 Golf, so now my question is how do I winter-proof if so that it will run all winter in the cold Canadian climate.

I know I probably have to use different oil and maybe coolant, but what kinds would I use.

Would there be anything else, also my drivers heated seat does not work. Where would be the best place to look.

Thaanks!

P.S the plug in my vehicle seems to be ground down. Is that an expensive or hard fix.

 

[dandywriter]

Where in Canada? Big difference across the Great White North! With more info, you'll get better answers...

 

[PeterV]

You did buy a 16 year old car...

OK first find a guru near you to assist in your proposed issues and do a VCDS/VAG COM scan of your car,. This will guide you in fixing your issues.

Also look under the, and I will day here canada does not help you get help here you will have to admit Canada is pretty big, trusted mechanics links.

ONLY use g12 VW coolant. Only use the spwcifies oil for your car.

I be snipy here ,,,, put away the Gucci loafers age greasy youn have time to get your car ready for teh winter.

OH ane READ READ READ here.

 

[yatzee]

1. Good strong battery
2. Diesel from a place that moves a lot of volume
3. No glow plug faults. If there are faults, change all 4 (don't be cheap and change 1)

Those are the requirements. After that, I'd suggest a frostheater or similar product for creature comforts.

 

[fouillard13]

new/strong battery. thin oil. dieselkleen 911 (red bottle) as well as the dieselkleen WHITE bottle for winter. block heater.

havnt had the jetta for a winter yet, but my 2005 5.9L cummins started up just fine in -45 last winter with the above. there was a week last winter east of edmonton where we were literally the coldest place on earth. -58C or something with the windchill. -45 without.

remote start is very nice to have.

and if you really wanna go all out, get a webasto/espar heater.

 

[Drivbiwire]

You southerners! (I used to Live in Barrow....)

Arctic Prep for a TDI:
- 80Ah rated battery with less than 3 years in service
- 95C Coolant Thermostat
- Coolant: 70/30 Ratio of G-12 or 60/40 G-13
- Timing, Fully advance mechanical timing to the TOP of the range (Blue Line)
- 0w40 Engine Oil (Mobil 1)
- Lower Engine Cover completely installed
- Block off Intercooler (Backside of Intercooler so air cannot pass thru)
- Remove grill, cover up 75% of the radiators front side, Bubble wrap or some sort of plastic, reinstall grill
- Power Service (White Bottle 4-6 oz per fill up)

Extra options:
- Coolant Heater - Plug in type
- Heating pad on the underside of the oil pan
- Larger Coolant to Oil heat exchanger
- Functional EGR (increases gas flow to extract exhaust gas heat to the cooling system)

 

[GreenLantern_TDI]

See all other posts just fall short then DBW follows up with the full story. To add the thermostat needs to be fully functional. They are cheap. I just replace mine every TB job.

 

[Drivbiwire]

One idea for the arctic, simply by-pass the radiator all together. Run the hose from the Side of the head directly back to the thermostat inlet.

Use the largest diameter hose you can to increase the volume for some cooling mass to go back to the engine.

Cap off the two hoses at the radiator inlet and outlet for spring time.

If the engine starts getting hot for whatever reason, just run the interior heat up and increase fan speed.

Really, there is not much if any need for the radiator when temps drop below -10C.

 

[scooperhsd]

You may feel the need for a fuel additive. As pointed out by yahtzee - not strictly necessary, but if you feel the need - use something recommended on the board - Powerservice in the White bottle is good, Standyne, any number of others.

Also to add - start the fall / winter season with a new fuel filter / good air and cabin filters.

With a 2000 Golf - make sure your battery is a 94R - the dealer OEM battery is actually pretty good. If you can't find the 94R - get a Group48 - that's the same one that the New Beetle TDI uses because it doesn't have the space for the 94R.

And as with any car in extreme conditions - have the car in as good of mechanical condition as possible before the cold weather arrives.

 

[GreenLantern_TDI]

Yeah i also use optilube winter formula. Id rather over additive instead of gel up.

 

[CoriolisSTORM]

For those of us in the south east US, is there much of a need for winterizing their diesel cars? My FIL uses an engine block heater on his old F250 diesel, and some of our diesel tractors are cantankerous in the winter, but that's about all I know. I might have a few mornings thus coming winter in the single digits or teens for lows, but they're not often, maybe a week or so every year.

 

[scooperhsd]

I have NEVER had to do anything about "winterizing" my Beetle since I first bought it in 2003. Just follow the common - "good fuel, good oil, good battery" and you will be FINE !. Single digits are not an issue when you follow that mantra - heck I've personally started at temps below 10 F without issue - and there are people who get plenty colder than that who do not have any issues. Read your owner's manual on cold weather starting, or if you don't have one - first turn the ignition on - the "pig tale" will light indicating the glowplugs are working. WAIT for the glowplugs to go off. Wait an additional 5 seconds. NOW turn the ignition all the way and let the starter crank. Stay OFF the throttle. Let the engine idle long enough to not sound like a truck / tractor, then drive off . Don't press it too hard until the engine is warm.

Heat - NEVER turn the fan to max in an ALH (and probably the PD's, and maybe the early CR's) . All you will succeed in doing is draining the engine of any heat it has built up. Make sure to use the Recirulation .

One thing I WOULD do - when taking a road trip north (warmer area to colder area) , before shutting down for the night, make sure you fillup with local fuel (and maybe the powerservice white). Consider this - my Beetle (45 MPG) literally has enough range to go from Jacksonville FL to well north of Washington DC on a single tank, or DC to Boston. - Fuel requirements are distinctly different for the starting and ending points for the winter conditions.

 

[Drivbiwire]

Fuel additives like Power Service have 2Ehn, which raises Cetane and helps the fuel ignite easier on cold weather when starting.

Also it keeps free water from forming, this is what scuffs your fuel systems high pressure sliding surfaces regardless of temperature.

Water forms after the fuel is cooled after being heated by hydraulic forces (upwards of 200-250F in the circulation loop when running, higher yet on PD's and CR engines). When the fuel cools in the tank after shutdown, fuel additives prevent condensation of suspended water thus forming free water which can lead to immediate system wear or damage.

Ever wonder why HPFP's fail? This is part of the reason!

 

[Steve-o]

Keep the insides of the windows clean. Dirty windows seem to collect condensation, which will freeze when the car cools off. You don't want to be scraping the windows inside the car...

You also may find that your floormats collect water, which will increase the humidity inside the cabin. I find it effective to leave the windows (all four of them) open just a crack, in the garage or in the parking lot, so cross-ventilation and convection let the humid air escape. And if your car only has carpeted floor mats, you might want to look into a set of rubber/polymer mats for winter.

 

[CoriolisSTORM]

Keep the insides of the windows clean. Dirty windows seem to collect condensation, which will freeze when the car cools off. You don't want to be scraping the windows inside the car...

You also may find that your floormats collect water, which will increase the humidity inside the cabin. I find it effective to leave the windows (all four of them) open just a crack, in the garage or in the parking lot, so cross-ventilation and convection let the humid air escape. And if your car only has carpeted floor mats, you might want to look into a set of rubber/polymer mats for winter.

My other vehicle is a Wrangler. It needs windshield wipers on the inside!

 

[DieselCecil]

Drain and flus your\r cooling system and install 50% Prestone or Xerox antifreeze.

Keep some Howes anti-gell around and in the car and ANY time you're expecting temperatures below ) far. add some to your fuel BEFORE it gets cold or your fuel will turn in to jello!!!

If your area experiences low temps all the time it's best to just keep anti-gell in the fuel because it has to be in the lines and filter too, or it won't do you any good.

If the car starts Ok at 35-40 degrees your glow plugs are working properly and you're ready to go. Any diesel worth it's weight will start without plugging it in at temps ABOVE -15 f, but if it gets colder than that either garage it or buy yourself a block heater for it.

Otherwise you just bought a plain ole' car!!!

I was in my semi truck in 1993, up in new Brunswick, and it was so darned cold that cars wouldn't start in the motel parking lot, even thought they were plugged in!!!

AND NEVER USE EITHER TO START A DIESEL CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEVER. NEVER NEVER!!!

 

[DieselCecil]

You did buy a 16 year old car...

OK first find a guru near you to assist in your proposed issues and do a VCDS/VAG COM scan of your car,. This will guide you in fixing your issues.

Also look under the, and I will day here canada does not help you get help here you will have to admit Canada is pretty big, trusted mechanics links.

ONLY use g12 VW coolant. Only use the spwcifies oil for your car.

I be snipy here ,,,, put away the Gucci loafers age greasy youn have time to get your car ready for teh winter.


I put good old Prestone in my Golf. What's it gonna do? Melt? Blow up? Oh....and it has Shell Rotella oil in it too!!! Guess I'm dead in the woods now!!!

 

[DieselCecil]

Oil viscosity has NOTHING to do with starting an engine. If it has a good battery and the starter spins like it should and the car is in decent shape and has good compression it will start.

 

[scooperhsd]

DieselCecil - you may have driven the big rigs - but that does not make you an expert on VW TDI's.

Oil viscosity IS important - it is an indicator of how long it will take cold oil to get to critical bearing surfaces (especially in the turbocharger) - using a 5W40 vs using 15w40 can mean a difference of over 1 minute before fresh oil is in the bearings. I'd stick with the 5w40, thank you very much.

Any VW TDI with good oil, fuel (blended for the local area) and battery (stock battery and oil, btw) will start in interior Alaska /Arctic Canada in -40 without any heater - that's how VW tested them. The coolant heaters are mostly for creature comfort (you can't put a block heater on these - there are no block plugs for them).

 

[miningman]

I would be inclined to agree with Scooper here. My two tdis are used in Caklgary which gets down to minus 30 Centigrade every year, maybe not that often , but Saskatoon , La Ronge , Northern manitoba , the only real difference is the number of days per year is gets to minus 35 or minus 40... THe only time Ive had a starting problem was with the daughters car when it was minus 25 C, and wouldnt start at work where she has no plug ins. Once I got to checking it out , found out that TWO glow plugs were burnt out. Cant really lay that at the feet of VW.

 

[fouillard13]

Oil viscosity has NOTHING to do with starting an engine. If it has a good battery and the starter spins like it should and the car is in decent shape and has good compression it will start.

huh?

when its -30 or so, the oil is roughly 4x thicker, and the battery only operates at approx 1/4 the power... thats 16x harder to start than in the summer.