Trying for 500k with ALH. Need longevity and efficiency upgrade advice.

[Corvairer]

Hello all. I've had my '03 ALH 5sp wagon for about a year now, and after learning to love it, I've decided to make a hard attempt at hitting 500k. I want to run my plans past you all before I start work.

I am the 2nd owner, and it's been well taken care of up to its current 362k miles. It is currently bone-stock. This is my first diesel, as well as VW.

My only concern about making my goal thus far, is that it pushes oil (a few drips) past the oil cap when I get into higher boost. I replaced the cap gasket and no change. It starts fine in the cold with inop GPs and doesn't misfire, so I chalk it up to a normal occurrence for a high-mileage turbo diesel.

After scouring the forums, I've come up with a game plan to improve fuel efficiency and longevity:

1. EGR Delete while keeping ASV for runaway reasons
2. minor nozzle upgrade (no idea what size) with accompanying tune
3. Oil pump/chain replacement
4. OMI & afe dryflow (if I can find them)
5. Cat delete
6. Tacotaco SMIC upgrade (the factory one is barely hanging on)
7. Boost and oil psi gauges

Is any of this useless? Any further recommendations? I'm trying to keep this budget af. Ive also considered going through the head at 400k, but I'd like to take it to a half mil without opening it up.

Thanks

 

[jmodge]

Best way to longevity is to not fix what isn’t broken, maintain as needed only, my opinion

 

[oilhammer]

Yep, it left the factory in a pretty good state. At the next timing belt interval, the oil pump chain and tensioner would be a good idea. They are cheap and not hard to do, and I have seen a few suddenly break or the tensioner shoe cracks.

EGR delete won't net you anything, nor will the catalyst.

Messing with the already excellent air filtration system will SHORTEN the engine life, not lengthen it. Although I would (if it has not been already) cut out the snowscreen and if necessary switch to the cold weather air filter element. Your 2003 wagon may already have the newer type air cleaner, some did. Look on the air cleaner lid, if the Mann+Hummel part number for the element has a " /1 " at the end, then it already is the newer type.

Extra gauges are just eye candy and extra things to break/leak.

 

[Corvairer]

Yep, it left the factory in a pretty good state. At the next timing belt interval, the oil pump chain and tensioner would be a good idea. They are cheap and not hard to do, and I have seen a few suddenly break or the tensioner shoe cracks.

EGR delete won't net you anything, nor will the catalyst.

Messing with the already excellent air filtration system will SHORTEN the engine life, not lengthen it. Although I would (if it has not been already) cut out the snowscreen and if necessary switch to the cold weather air filter element. Your 2003 wagon may already have the newer type air cleaner, some did. Look on the air cleaner lid, if the Mann+Hummel part number for the element has a " /1 " at the end, then it already is the newer type.

Extra gauges are just eye candy and extra things to break/leak.

Noted on the oil pump.

The EGR delete would primarily for more ease of access behind the engine from above, and in my inexperienced opinion, potentially better for the engine in the long run by ending its regimen of eating its own sooty waste, lol.

It does indeed still have it's snow screen, and I cleaned it out at the last oil change with a new air filter. I'll continue to monitor it for now and upgrade it at the next filter service. We don't see much snow in GA, but I do intend to take it on road trips into different climates.

The air filtration, nozzles, tune, and decat would be purely for efficiency's sake. I understand and agree your point about the air filter. Would removing the cat add any benefit in efficiency? As it is not monitored, and they lose effectiveness as they age, I assumed it's removal could only improve things. The nozzles and tune are for a very minor power bump, but mostly improved mpgs, if that's a real thing. Also the EGR delete would necessitate tuning it out as I won't deal with a MIL in my face for long, lol.

The gauges are more for peace of mind. The more, the better, imo. As it ages I want to keep a close eye on anything that could potentially shorten its life.

Please don't take my further questioning as rejection of your knowledge and experience, I just need to grasp the logic for myself. Thank you for your input, sir.

 

[oilhammer]

The catalyst is certainly not as efficient as it perhaps once was, but it isn't doing anything to lessen the efficiency of the engine (there is no feedback on the VE TDIs) and it can only help (the environment) and really doesn't have any downsides. It is not a restriction, the turbocharger that is the size of a potato is going to me the limiting factor as to how much air can go through the engine.

Having the EGR in place will quicken the engine's ability to get up to temp, which improves longevity and efficiency. It is probably not a HUGE amount, especially in the south, and of course you can tweak things with software to dynamically change that as well, if it is still present.

I have a sticky thread in the Fuel Economy section for some tips to make sure the car is working correctly, and much of that will also transfer over to longevity. The ALH really is a very good package just as it left the factory. Just keeping it, and the car it is moving, in good order stock will easily get you to pile on as many miles as you care to drive the car. Even minor power mods to little to affect longevity of this engine.

 

[Corvairer]

Points taken. Oil pump chain/tensioner and snow screen delete await. Thanks again

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Keep it stock, take care of it. Make sure only the most qualified people work on it. Those are the best options. After owning ALHs for 19 years I've learned that the less you do to them, the better.

 

[benIV]

Excited to get to that point with both of mine. Need to keep a bookmark on this thread!

 

[whawker]

Agree with the veterans above, the less you do in the way of mods the better. There really is a tradeoff between long life and performance which you have to decide on.

I ran my 03 ALH wagon up to 623,000 but unfortunately it met an untimely sudden death last November when I was blinded by some late afternoon sun. Sighhh. But at the time, I was absolutely confident the drivetrain was good til at least 750-800,000 (and I was shooting for a million), I was only adding a quart of synthetic oil every 3300-3500 miles, and the other mechanicals were good. I lost 5th gear in the 5-speed at 605,000, had a low mileage replacement tranny put in.

Basically my observation, check your turbo carefully, I found that I needed to just plan on a new turbo every 250,000 miles or so, it would start to get a little too much rotor wobble for comfort, and I replaced the injection pump with a Bosch rebuild at 500k. Also at 500k replaced the hydraulic lifters and cam, the lifters were getting weak and the cam was inexpensive. Converted the clutch to single-mass flywheel and sachs VR6 clutch when the original factory DMF failed at 265,000, the VR6/SMF I had put in was great, clearly going to run forever - the guy who put in the replacement tranny at 605,000 said the clutch looked basically like brand new with 340K on it!

You'll find your biggest pain in getting to those high miles are door latches, door locks, window regulators, interior panels, headliner. Oh, and if you're in Texas sun, wiring that has insulation dry out, crack, and go bad, forcing rewires or replacements of things like headlight modules. Oh yeah, and deer running in front of you at night on the highway.

Good luck!

 

[jmodge]

I met a guy working at one of our local diesel shops, at least four years ago, he had over 600,000 miles on his Jetta that he bought brand new. original clutch, turbo, injectors, pump, and nothing on the engine had been opened up. Bone stock. I would strongly advise, along with the other items in the above post, to replace your shift tower bushing as needed. I think the wear in that is what lunches the internal splines of the 5th gear slider by not letting it engage completely.

 

[03TDICommuter]

I ran a geo metro to 539K miles and was still my 100 mi/day commuter before donating it when I got my 03' Jetta. Other than new syncros in trans, and when I changed a head gasket at 456K miles I put on a rebuilt head because why not, everything else was original. Near 50MPG, reliable and zippy for a 1.0L 3 cyl 5 spd 1600 pound car.

That said, I should have gotten a TDI a lot sooner. That metro had little creature comforts.

500K on a TDI is nothing. Your goal should be higher.

 

[Nevada_TDI]

The closer to stock I believe is the best choice for longevity. Other than oil and filters, you may want to replace your nozzles with the stock size replacements.
Usually, I can't leave well enough alone...I bought my TDI when D2 was $4.75 a gallon and less cost per mile than RUG was at $4.25 a gallon.
Then I got the power bug, and almost wish I did not.

 

[runningallday]

Then I got the power bug, and almost wish I did not.

lol well I'd hate to be the devil on your shoulder, but is longevity really the goal? What about fun? At this point I really consider my 1999.5 jetta a "learning" car for when I get enough $$ to afford something fast!

 

[NewTdi]

Leave it stock and it will easily get you to 1 million miles. There are wear parts that will need attention from time to time; TB, a new cam every 300 miles if needed, injectors if you notice mileage dropping and perhaps a turbo but maybe not. Before my sedan went down the power mods slope I had zero oil consumption and 50+mpg all day long (90% freeway driving). I spend the most money on quality brakes and motor oil. Between my 3 Tdi’s I have surpassed 1 million miles but I am trying to get to 1 million with 1 vehicle before the whole world becomes electric only.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

lol well I'd hate to be the devil on your shoulder, but is longevity really the goal? What about fun? At this point I really consider my 1999.5 jetta a "learning" car for when I get enough $$ to afford something fast!

I think there's a safe middle ground. My Wagon has slightly larger injector nozzles, an 11mm pump, a 19.5 PSI tune, and breathing mods. New factory long block went in at 295K and I believe it'll easily last past when the odometer stops at 1M km. Since it may take me another 8-10 years to get there, I'm happy enough with that.

But if you really want it to last to 1M miles, then stock is better.