PD Owners, please confirm or dispell:

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
I have a Jetta TDI PD with about 45k on the clock, bought used as CPO from VW dealer with extended warranty.

My concern: how many of you PD owners, if you pop the hood with the engine on and running, if you pull out your oil dipstick, can see blow-by gases escaping?

I'm trying to ascertain if, as others have commented, more crankcase pressure is normal on PD engines, or if I have a developing issue on my hands.

Again, all PD owners please, with a warm engine, pop the hood with the engine running, pull out oil dipstick and observe any/all blow-by gases/fumes.

Please post back with test results, mileage on car, oil brand used, any mods.

Thanks a bunch.
 

Borborygmi

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Location
Cedar Park, TX
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon
It is normal to have positive cranckase pressure. Do you expect a vaccum? Why would you check the oil with the engine running, anyway?
 

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
i understand *some* positive pressure is normal, however on my previous generation TDIs, there wasn't ANY indication of it if you pulled out the dipstick with the engine running. You could even open the oil filler cap and not get splashed with oil.

I don't expect a vacuum, but i don't expect to see billowing clouds of gases either, indicating TOO MUCH pressure.

What i want are PD owners' reports of how much blow-by they are observing, if any, and if it correlates at all to mileage, oil and/or brand usage, any mods, etc.

Again, PD owners only please.
 

osesu96

Veteran Member
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
Mooresville, NC
TDI
2004 Jetta GLS TDI - Platinum Gray
andreigbs said:
i understand *some* positive pressure is normal, however on my previous generation TDIs, there wasn't ANY indication of it if you pulled out the dipstick with the engine running. You could even open the oil filler cap and not get splashed with oil.

I don't expect a vacuum, but i don't expect to see billowing clouds of gases either, indicating TOO MUCH pressure.

What i want are PD owners' reports of how much blow-by they are observing, if any, and if it correlates at all to mileage, oil and/or brand usage, any mods, etc.

Again, PD owners only please.
course, my question would be to define "too much" blow by when removing dipstick or oil fill cap. How much is too much? Not trying to bust chops, but my PD has always had "whispy" amounts of blow by gases when I removed the oil fill cap. Is it extreme? I don't know as I've never seen a case of extreme blow-by.

From my perspective, you are probably worrying about something that isn't that big of a deal. Do you get good mileage? I would think only after you see some decline in performance or mileage should you worry about things such as this. Drive and enjoy.

This PD owners 2c.
 

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
thanks for your input, osesu96. i just want to see what others are noticing when they lift up the dipstick with their PD running. obviously billowing clouds of smoke/gases would be scary and I'm not expecting that kind of response. I am interested, however, in posts from PD owners who may not be noticing ANY blow-by, not even a little bit.

BTW, don't bother removing oil filler cap; it's just a lot noisier. by removing dipstick a few inches, you see if any blowby is wanting to escape from the bottom-end. that's what i'm mostly concerned with.

a non-issue? maybe to some, but i'm paying close $500 a month for the next 4 years, so i don't want an untimely end to my TDI-ing experience and still be left with a loan, anyone else? I just don't want to ignore any tell-tale signs my engine may be giving out, that is all. I thought we could put together results from other PD owners who are (should be) equally invested in their car's well-being.

I do enjoy driving it, trust me. Can't wait to get chipped.
 

mickyTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2003
Location
Longford, Ireland
Yes it's normal. My PD130 does it and always has and my fathers PD100 Passat estate does it too. It could be because of the high pressure injectors producing more crankcase pressure or just the design of the PD engine.
 
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Dunno513

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Location
Mirror Lake, NH
TDI
2006 NB PD-TDI DSG
I remember when I first changed my factory fill oil. I pulled in from a 30 minute drive, it sat for 10 minutes while I prepared, and when I poped the oil fill cover I was amazed at the "steam" that came out. I still get a little from my elf oil, but no where near what I first got from that factory fill.

I suspect this is the same vapor that you experience when checking the oil with a running engine :confused: . I do suggest that you check it while not running in the future tho ;)
 

DrewD

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2004
Yep, mine does it too but doesn't burn any noticeable oil and I get about several of oz of oil and fluid in my provent between oil changes.
 

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
thanks dunno513, i too have noticed after my oil change with the second case of Elf that the steam escaping was less. I think we could attribute some of the blow-by to continuing break-in of the engine? \

as far as mickyTDI, i have heard the same from other Euro PD owners and i tend to agree that it seems to be more or less normal for PDs, but the question is why? your theory of higher injection pressures makes sense. 27,000 psi will have some force, no? i guess it's normal to observe it at the oil filler cap, but why in the bottom end of the crank, where the dipstick comes out of? that's the only bit that slightly worries me. i will keep an eye on it as mileage increases, also plan to stay with the Elf DID and see how it progresses.

i encourage others with PD engines, especially the Euro guys who have had these engines available for much longer to weigh in and share with us N.American folks their observations.
 

d2305

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2004
Location
Pensacola FL
TDI
14 Ram EcoDiesel
I checked yesterday, and no noticeable blow by was noted. It may be temperature dependent as it was about 55* when I checked. BTW have you had your EGR cooler replaced?
 

Dunno513

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Location
Mirror Lake, NH
TDI
2006 NB PD-TDI DSG
I think we need to put some oil onto a hot plate and see what it does when it is heated to operating temperature. My guess is this vapor is from the hot oil and nothing else. Just my $.02
 

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
d3205, yes i've had the M6 recall done. this steaming or blow-by is what i checked for first, before i even bought the car. it was sitting on the dealer's lot, i started it up and first thing i did is pull out the dipstick. i compared this to my older TDI which had NO blowby or steam or gas, nothing escaping out, not even out the oil filler cap, and i compared it to older diesels that i've had that you could tell were "tired", just by seeing the amount of blowby.

i was reading on the forums about lack of PD service records and service tech's lack of knowledge about proper oil, etc. and was wary of the condition of the motor. it was after a few of you had chimed in, especially you Euro folks, saying that it seems normal from what you all had noticed that made me feel more comfortable about the purchase. it had only 28k miles on the clock, and even if the wrong oil had been used, like 505.00, it's not likely much damage could occur. figure 5k on the right oil from 0 mi, then possibly wrong oil being used. i don't have any service records, only a carfax report.

i think the steam we are seeing may be from the temp. of the oil, as dunno513 suggests. the top end will have more pressure, since the injectors are there, so steam is maybe expected. i'm beginning to feel more comfortable, though it goes against everything i know about diesels. thanks for your inputs guys, the more people we have reporting in, the better we can all feel that it's not blowby that indicates worn-out or tired engine.
 
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