I need help/advice on breaking in my new 2011 Jetta TDI DSG engine

Pyke

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Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Location
Texas
TDI
2011 Jetta TDI--- DSG
I am reading this thread:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=252501&highlight=2009+engine+break

I am following those rules. I am fixing to go out for a drive around the hill country (up hills, down hills, some flat roads, some stops...). My normal commute is a 70 mile one way highway drive, 70 mile back... and know I need to break in this engine right... so I need to go out and do this.

My question is, is this thread still accurate? Also, how do I tell if the engine is warmed up? I have no gauge for this? (I may be mistaken... as you can tell I am not a car savvy guy... slowly becoming one as I am LOVING THIS CAR and learning everything I can on it so I can have this car forever. Also, because once a week I plan on washing my car inside and out, and inspecting it).

So, yes my first few tanks will not be good gas mileage... cause I won't baby the engine. I will let it break in. So anyways, any tips and tricks are welcome.
 

JSWTDI09

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Jan 31, 2009
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Las Vegas, Nevada
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2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
My question is, is this thread still accurate? Also, how do I tell if the engine is warmed up? I have no gauge for this? (I may be mistaken... as you can tell I am not a car savvy guy... slowly becoming one as I am LOVING THIS CAR and learning everything I can on it so I can have this car forever. Also, because once a week I plan on washing my car inside and out, and inspecting it).

So, yes my first few tanks will not be good gas mileage... cause I won't baby the engine. I will let it break in. So anyways, any tips and tricks are welcome.

That break-in thread is still good. It's the best place to start. As for when your car is warmed up - this depends a bit on ambient temps. Since you live in Texas (where it probably doesn't get too cold) it should be fully warmed up in 10 minutes of driving or less. Diesel engines warm up very slowly at idle, so after a few seconds for the oil to circulate through the system, just start driving. Take it easy for the first few miles and then do not baby it too much. IMHO, it is a pity that VW has dropped the temperature gauge (not that it was all that accurate). Unless you live in a cold climate, the engine actually warms up fairly quickly once you start driving. I also live where it is relatively warm and my car is up to normal temps within a mile or two. I do not know where in Texas you live, but you probably do not see much in the way of sub freezing temps either.

Have Fun!

Don
 

snakeye

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Joined
Dec 13, 2009
Location
Montreal, Canada
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2003 Jetta and Wagon, GLS 5sp
That break-in thread is still good. It's the best place to start. As for when your car is warmed up - this depends a bit on ambient temps. Since you live in Texas (where it probably doesn't get too cold) it should be fully warmed up in 10 minutes of driving or less. Diesel engines warm up very slowly at idle, so after a few seconds for the oil to circulate through the system, just start driving. Take it easy for the first few miles and then do not baby it too much. IMHO, it is a pity that VW has dropped the temperature gauge (not that it was all that accurate). Unless you live in a cold climate, the engine actually warms up fairly quickly once you start driving. I also live where it is relatively warm and my car is up to normal temps within a mile or two. I do not know where in Texas you live, but you probably do not see much in the way of sub freezing temps either.

Have Fun!


Don
I read somewhere on this forum that because of the way the engine is designed, you don't need to wait for this. Still I'm sure waiting a few seconds is good, and definitely drive the car asap after that. Idling a cold engine will just warm it slightly, and idling a warm engine will just cool it off.

I wonder if the owner's manual says anything about the way you should drive the engine before it's warmed up. Since there's no temperature indicator, could you get away with constantly beating the crap out of a cold engine until you cause damage, and then get it fixed under warranty? Or is the danger of pushing a cold engine hard a bit overrated and not that harmful at all? Maybe the ECU prevents damage by limiting fuel/timing/etc?
 

Pyke

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Location
Texas
TDI
2011 Jetta TDI--- DSG
I read somewhere on this forum that because of the way the engine is designed, you don't need to wait for this. Still I'm sure waiting a few seconds is good, and definitely drive the car asap after that. Idling a cold engine will just warm it slightly, and idling a warm engine will just cool it off.

I wonder if the owner's manual says anything about the way you should drive the engine before it's warmed up. Since there's no temperature indicator, could you get away with constantly beating the crap out of a cold engine until you cause damage, and then get it fixed under warranty? Or is the danger of pushing a cold engine hard a bit overrated and not that harmful at all? Maybe the ECU prevents damage by limiting fuel/timing/etc?
I'm a technical writer, and let me just say, the VW manual is CRAP. Whoever designed it, did not know how to properly organize.
 

snakeye

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Location
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2003 Jetta and Wagon, GLS 5sp
I'm a technical writer, and let me just say, the VW manual is CRAP. Whoever designed it, did not know how to properly organize.
I agree. Manuals should be 100% stupid proof, and finding info in it already drove me nuts a few times. (and I don't consider myself THAT dumb). :D
 

doctorclark

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Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Location
San Diego
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2011 Jetta TDI DSG Sedan
The manual has so many liability-limiting warnings, disclaimers, and cautions, you can barely find the content in each section. On top of that, each section has a preliminary warning to go look at the other warnings earlier in each chapter.

The entire manual would probably be ten or twenty pages long if not for the unbelievable amount of warnings.
 

NickBeek

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Upstate, SC
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2013 Passat TDI 2006 Dodge Ram
Pyke, I do a lot of highway driving too. What I have been doing to beak mine in is to down shift to 5th while on the highway then shift back to 6th. In this way you can alternate the RPMs while maintaining a relatively steady speed. Then on top of that you can vary speed some to get the desired results. I also have been using moderate acceleration from stop lights and when entering the highway. I am now passed the 1000 mile mark so I am slowly raising my shift points and maxing out at 4000 rpm this week and using some full throttle launches too. Next week I will work up to red line and continue to use some full throttle launches. One more tip that I have not seen here but leaned on a truck forum is to find a safe place to accelerate up to high RPMs and then let off and coast down to a stop while in a low gear (using engine braking). Repeat several times. This is just another way to help seat rings and can also be achieved on a long down hill run.
 

Pyke

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Location
Texas
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2011 Jetta TDI--- DSG
Thanks! That is what I have been doing:

Either in Sport Mode, or Manual... up to 3,800 max (usually 3,000rpm) and when on highway, I knock it down to 5th.

What I am wondering, I am not a car guy... does each gear need to spend a specific amount of time in 3,000-3,800RPM to get whatever to set correctly?
 

JSWTDI09

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Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
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2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
What I am wondering, I am not a car guy... does each gear need to spend a specific amount of time in 3,000-3,800RPM to get whatever to set correctly?
No. How long you spend at different rpms is not that important. What is most important is that you vary the rpms and that you demand full boost at least occasionally. Full boost pressure is necessary to ensure that the rings seat properly. In other words floor it occasionally in third or forth gear (however do not get a speeding ticket - the cops will not buy "I was just breaking in my engine" as an excuse).

Have Fun!

Don
 

georgia jean

Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Location
Virginia Beach
TDI
none
New automatic

Buying a new 2011 golf TDI and also unfamiliar with diesel. But I'm learning more from this site. My golf will be automatic. Would be the break in procedures also apply to a automatic?
 

cbishun

Active member
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Jan 21, 2011
Location
Toronto
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2011 Jetta TDI HIGHLINE - DSG & NAV
what about diesel additivies? are you suppose to use them on a new car while breaking in? if so how often?
 

Pyke

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Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Location
Texas
TDI
2011 Jetta TDI--- DSG
what about diesel additivies? are you suppose to use them on a new car while breaking in? if so how often?
Diesel Additives are recommended by users here... but not talked about at VW. Don't let them know you use it. I use Opti-Lube XPD.

Quick question, so as long as every 10/15 miles I drop it into 5th for 1 mile, I should be good? I am over 1k miles now... woot!
 

NickBeek

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2013 Passat TDI 2006 Dodge Ram
Before 1000 miles I was doing 5 miles in 5th, then 5 miles in 6th, along with varying the speed while in each gear. Don't forget to do some spirited acceleration. I am over 1000 miles too, and have been using full throttle some this past week while limiting RPMs to around 4000. Next week I plan to explore the entire RPM range up to red line. :D
 

ShawnG

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Jan 7, 2011
Location
Lebanon, PA
TDI
2011 Jetta TDI
One thing I have noticed with the DSG is the rev-limiter is set at around 45-4600RPM--not the red line. I'm over 1k and planned on exercising the full rev range to the redline (5k rpm) but whether in "D", "S" or "D-M", shifts happen automatically at 4500ish RPM, even with the pedal to the floor.
 

Pyke

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Location
Texas
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2011 Jetta TDI--- DSG
I have noticed that too Shawn. Personally, if it switches... fine... I am breaking it in right IMO.
 

Rgarza06

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Dec 6, 2010
Location
South Texas
TDI
11' Jetta TDI
damn all the break in period is complicated lol i just drive it around 70 on hwy and giving it half throttle in red lights getting it up to 35 40 mph and just cruzing it until i get to another light haha i kinda thought i was around the same page as the break in period :p
 

snakeye

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Location
Montreal, Canada
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2003 Jetta and Wagon, GLS 5sp
I wouldn't take this breaking in theory too seriously. Rev it up a few times, sure, but don't abuse it cause someone on an internet forum told you to. Besides, doesn't the owner's manual tell you to do the complete opposite, to take it easy for the first few thousand miles or something?
 

NickBeek

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Location
Upstate, SC
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2013 Passat TDI 2006 Dodge Ram
The break in procedure in my owners manual says to take it easy for the first 600 miles not exceeding 2/3 of the RPM range. Then from 600 to 1000 gradually use the entire RPM range. (paraphrasing).

Diesel engines do need to be worked pretty good while breaking them in. Not beat to death, just worked hard. With my Dodge truck the manual said to take it easy for 500 miles then OK to tow. I did that and hooked up my camper (9600 lbs) at 500 miles on the clock and pulled it through the foot hills around here to the lake and home again. The following week my fuel mileage went up. I repeated this every weekend from July until Thanksgiving. My fuel economy rose slightly every following week for many weeks. My Dodge has 157K miles on it now and runs great, and does not need added oil between changes. Dyno runs along the way after doing some mods have shown that my engine is producing very good power to the wheels, slightly better then expected with my mods.

So yeah working a diesel is a requisite to a good break in.
 
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Derrel H Green

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Jun 2, 2002
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An '05 MBZ E-320 CDI (W-211) replaced the '10 TDI JSW
Same Here

One thing I have noticed with the DSG is the rev-limiter is set at around 45-4600 RPM--
not the red line. I'm over 1k and planned on exercising the full rev range to the redline
(5k rpm) but whether in "D", "S" or "D-M", shifts happen automatically at 4500ish RPM,
even with the pedal to the floor.
:)

My JSW does that also. Yet my friends '09 DSG sedan goes to 5K RPMS.
Mine surprised me the other day when I went to give it an Italian
tune-up by going higher to 4600 RPM before it upshifted! :p

What I think is happening is not that we are hitting any rev limiter,
but what the computer is saying:
'Jack, you are past the point of the highest HP already, so why go any further?
I am going to command an upshift. I've seen enough already. So there!'


I have noticed that too Shawn. Personally, if it switches . . . fine . . .
I am breaking it in right IMO.
All I know is that mine will be right at 24K miles by its' in-service date which is 02-22-10
and it runs like a fine swiss watch, so my way of breaking it in must have been correct! :p

I never pounded it or took it too high when it was cold, but after it was fully warmed up,
I would 'exercise it' taking it up from say 1500 RPMs to 3000 RPMs or higher sometimes,
using third or fourth gears, and then allow it to backoff, and then repeat.
Drove the people behind me nuts, but I do'n't care!
In other words, flexing it, but not using full throttle.

So by now at almost 24 K miles, it runs really well and gets excellent F E. See my Fuelly.
They tell me that it is not completely broken in yet at 24 K miles? What do I know!

:D

D
 

Max Period

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Dec 30, 2010
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Toronto Ontario Canada
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2011 Jetta Comfortline
My 2011 DSG upshifts at 4400 rpm on S mode with the accelerator pedal on the floor. So the redline marked on the dash does not always indicate the actual engine operating max rpm.
 
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