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Comments
Next winter, it's snow tires
- D
Tuning boxes costs a little less.
Thanks.
Anthony
yes it will void the warranty
It will NOT void any warantee on steering, suspension, wheels, window-regulators, and a lot of other stuff. (which is more likely to break anyway)
Technically, if you "modify" your vehicle... it does NOT automatically void the warantee on the entire vehicle.
Keep in mind that some people have reported that the CLUTCH will slip and wear out quickly if the TDI is "chipped".... since the clutch IS NOT COVERERED under warantee anyway.... this is not really an issue. (like brakes.... the clutch is considered a "wear item")
'chipping; WILL void the "emmissions warantee".... this is a FEDERALLY MANDATED warantee (10 years 100,000 miles) that your new vehicle will meet emmissions requirements.
From what I read on these forums, it's very important to find a good dealer w/ a good service reputation who really knows these cars.
Any input (thumbs up or down) on dealers/salespeople, and service would be much appreciated.
Also, heads-up on any other local resources (e.g., TDI mechanics, chip/parts sources, people w/ VAG-COM, etc.) would also be very appreciated!
I hope to buy in the next couple of months and become a more active member here!
Thx,
TC
http://www.jannettyracing.com/vw.htm
"Hp is increased by 30 and torque by 45"
I have a Gtech performance meter and measure every car/truck I get my hands on from 0 to 60. I did not time the TDI but would expect it to be about 11 secs. From my experience, any car that runs over 8.5 secs feels slow. I know diesels can be quick and have good throttle response (think Duramax). This diesel goes from 0 to 60 in about 8 sec and has a great feel to it!
I was hoping that VW would address the TDI turbo lag like they did in the 1.8T gas engine and increase the HP. I really do not want to chip it because of the clutch, warranty, ect.
What could I expect from the mileage if I drove this TDI hard? Full throttle starts, passing full throttle to 90-100, full throttle on ramp acceleration, ect. Would the engine last? Is it built like a true diesel to handle this use? Would the turbo hold up? I really wanted this car to have a gas engines response (not VW non turbo gas engine) and TDI mileage.
And, the chip (www.upsolute.com) makes a big difference. 30% power bump, and a tremendous "seat of the pants" boost. Once you learn to not just peel out all the time, your MPG should actually increase a bit (mine did).
2004 modely year TDIs WILL see a bump in power. Word is, a 100HP engine for the Jetta/Golf/Beetle and a 134ish HP engine with a tiptronic tranny for the Passat(!!!).
You can prevent EGR clogging several ways. You can "disable" it either mechanically or electronically (with a VAG-COM - list of owners here - http://www20.brinkster.com/beowulf9/tdi/vagcom/). But both of those may technically be illegal where you live.
You can also run biodiesel. It will not only prevent clogging, it has been shown to CLEAN the EGR because of its degreasing properties.
You also may have a dirty MAF. There are instructions for cleaning it at that other site we're not supposed to link to.
Long trips (200+ miles), a few minutes
You could run a 1/2 mile of drag-racing and need a cool down more so than 50 miles on the highway.
If the engine is above a certain RPM... the turbocharger is fully loaded. (boosting) Have you ever been in a car with a boost-gauge, fuel-pressure monitoring, and EGT (ExhaustGasTemperature) gauges?
If you have been travelling at 65MPH for any length of time... the turbocharger has been at full boost. The MOST IMPORTANT time to allow for a cooldown is at "rest areas" where you have been most likely travelling for several hours.... but you come to a stop and want to turn off the engine. bad idea It is best to allow the engine to idle for at least a minute or more.
30 seconds of oil-flow does very little to cool a heat-soaked turbocharger. The intent is to remove the heat from the center-bearing of the turbocharger. (between the turbine and the compressor) And NEVER turn off the engine while the turbocharger is spooled up.
In fact, 30 seconds is barely enough to allow it to spool down... much less cool off.
BTW... drag-racing is 1/4 mile. (not 1/2) I have been involved at several dragways. The 350HP 4-cylinder engines are amazing. (all because of turbochargers)
I can use the $200 in the fuel tank for another years worth of fuel ;-)
BTW... drag-racing is 1/4 mile. (not 1/2) I have been involved at several dragways. The 350HP 4-cylinder engines are amazing. (all because of turbochargers)
Did I say anything about dragging at the track? And I thought we were talking about low-boost 90hp tdi's? These aren't set-up to run like your average high-performance gasser turbos.
I'm glad you've at least been to a track, although the road courses are far more interesting. Try a factory porshe 914 at Sebring sometime. I've been around the block a time or two myself.
The turbo spools up about 1500 rpms.
What sebring means, at highway driving, say 65 mph, the motor is turning about 2500 rpm...the turbo something much faster. Keep in mind, the ECU will control the boost through the vanes, so, while cruising at 65 mph, you may not be at full boost (at the turbo speed), the vanes may be set to for the exhaust to hit the turbine at a smaller angle, thus the turbo is spinning slower.
Maintaining 65 mph requires less power than accelerating to 65 mph, thus less boost is required.
So..... It does not really matter HOW HEAVY you are hammering on the throttle.... once the desired "full boost" quota is met... the rest of the exhaust is just routed around the trubocharger and out the tailpipe. (the turbocharger is not called upon to do any additional work.)
Since it is DESIRABLE to achieve "full boost" as early as possible above idle, the TDI uses a VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbine) technology in the turbocharger to help achieve "full boost" ASAP.
('normal' turbochargers tend to need a lot of throttle before kicking in and spinning the tires uncontrollably..... not desirable for a family car)
THUS.... My comment of the turbocharger being under "full boost" at highways speeds is 100% accurate. (BTW.... 20PSI is considered VERY HIGH for a gasser... most run about 6PSI)
Here is an explanation of the VNT technology
http://www.chuckiii.com/Reports/Physics/VNT_turbo.shtml
At wide-open throttle (WOT) and max rpms (say running 100mph+) the boost will be higher and the EGT's can get up in the 850F range (about the max for a stock tdi). You could also hit those temps with just short WOT runs. At this point you would need to take 30 seconds or so and let the EGT's come down before shutting the vehicle off. A gas turbo will commonly hit 800F just cruising at 70mph, so cool downs are much more common and necessary. In normal highway driving, unless you slammed the brakes and shut the engine off, you're not going damage anything due to heat on the TDI.
But if you wanna cool it down, that's fine. Last thing people need are more concerns that diesels are a pain to deal with. Sitting for a couple minutes waiting on a turbo that's not hot is a PITA and a waste of time.
Also have you driven a VW-Audi 1.8T with the KKK K03 turbo? Have you driven Volvos and Saabs with the LPT setup? I guess these types of setups are not normal.
I may be off on peak boost...it's what I gathered from people who have a boost gauge on their A4 TDI's.
the A3/B4 TDI's have wastegates, instead of VNT
Some corrections... the VNT and WASTEGATE are not mutually exclusive.
** ALL turbochargers have a wastegate (some internal, some external) to bleed off excessive exhaust flow.
** VNT is a specific TYPE of turbocharger design.(which also has a wastegate)
ALSO: The EGT (Exhaust Gat Temperture) is NOT a direct measure of the temparture of the centere-bearing of the turbocharger. It is only an indirect measurement.
If allowing a cooldown was not important... this discussion would never have been started due to a dealer telling a TDI owner to allow for a cooldown. The intent is to allow OIL FLOW thru the centere bearing at idle.... not to cool off the exhaust gasses.
Watching EGT's are a good way to guage the turbo. Heat is heat and VW and Garrett both use this as ways of determining what's reasonable for the VNT-15. I'm of the opinion that with good synthetic oil (which is required in the TDI's) you're not going to do any damage by shutting down a turbo that has moderate internal temps. I would think VW would stress a cool-down all day long considering the extent of their powertrain warranty. There's also some mention on the Garrett site concerning idling too much (particularly after a hot run) is also bad on the turbo.
It really says after hard or extended driving, you let it idle a few minutes to prevent damage from heat buildup
The VNT15 does not have a wastegate. THe nozzles act as the wastegate, by way of directing the air to hit the turbine at a smaller angle.
More than 850,000 Volkswagen and Audi vehicles --
about 530,000 sedans and hatchbacks sold in the
U.S. alone -- are being recalled for a faulty
ignition coil. Volkswagen announced the recall last
week, noting that the problem could cause spark
plug failure and rough running, which is usually
indicated by the vehicle's "Check Engine" light.
Most of the cars affected carry the VW corporate
1.8-liter turbo four (which includes the Audi A4
and TT coupe; the VW Golf, GTI, Jetta, New Beetle
and Passat), the 2.8-liter VR6 and the 3.0-liter
V6 engines, as well as the VW Passat's W8.
You are technically correct... I did not want to get into a technical discussion about the internals of a VNT turbocharger. The vanes are designed to allow the exhaust gasses to BYPASS the turbine--thus act as the wastegate. (you may have noticed that i glossed over the VNT technology above.... I did not want to put anyone to sleep ;-)
I did find the 200,000 RPM to be interesting. This baby really spins.
... and it's not even a recall - it is a voluntary complete replacement of *all* coils in all affected engines. So, no, you won't get free coils to put on your TDI dash for decoration...
- D
Bear with me, I am interested in a TDI. Was looking at the Jetta Wagon but then heard that the Passat is coming later this year so may hold off. But I was running the numbers, and despite posters that talk of it being 'cheaper' to have a TDI, I am not so sure. If you factor in the initial cost of the TDI vs the 2.0, the average driver will take four years just to break even.
From Carpoint.com:
Jetta GLS 2.0 - $18,790
Jetta GLS TDI - $19,970
TDI costs $1180 more than a 2.0. Mileage at carpoint is 45 for TDI and 29 for 2.0. If we assume 12K miles/year and gas and diesel both at $1.79 (about what I have seen locally), we get:
TDI gallons/year = 266, = $476.00 in fuel costs
2.0 gallons/year = 413, = $739.00 in fuel costs
Annual savings based on 12k miles = $263.00. To recoupe the initial $1180 cost of the TDI engine equals approx 4.25 years.
Now, with this, I still want the diesel Passat, but more for longevity and convenience. I don't think the "save money" argument is really valid.
Thoughts/comments?
Adam
Unless you're planning to keep these until the wheels literally fall-off, the TDI will always be at least $1,000 more valuable than the 2.0L. Depending upon the particulars when you sell, it might be worth a lot more than that. So you don't really have to recoup the up-front cost.
I probably wouldn't buy a TDI if I only drove 12K miles per year. Any cheap econo-box will cost you less in the long run. The Jetta (and more importatnly the Passat) TDI's are comfortable, nicely appointed, and fun drivers compared to anything that gets even close in mpg. Diesels are terrific at lasting a long time, but at 12k/year the car will fall apart long before the engine.
Another concern is the unknown. IF fuel costs spike, typically diesel isn't as volatile and will likely be cheaper than gasoline. A TDI can run on just about anything if needed (biodiesel, cooking oil, etc).
Until somebody introduces a true economy car with a small diesel, there will always be "cheaper" alternatives to a VW TDI.
Bear with me, I am interested in a TDI. Was looking at the Jetta Wagon but then heard that the Passat is coming later this year so may hold off. But I was running the numbers, and despite posters that talk of it being 'cheaper' to have a TDI, I am not so sure. If you factor in the initial cost of the TDI vs the 2.0, the average driver will take four years just to break even.
From Carpoint.com:
Jetta GLS 2.0 - $18,790
Jetta GLS TDI - $19,970
TDI costs $1180 more than a 2.0. Mileage at carpoint is 45 for TDI and 29 for 2.0. If we assume 12K miles/year and gas and diesel both at $1.79 (about what I have seen locally), we get:
TDI gallons/year = 266, = $476.00 in fuel costs
2.0 gallons/year = 413, = $739.00 in fuel costs
Annual savings based on 12k miles = $263.00. To recoupe the initial $1180 cost of the TDI engine equals approx 4.25 years.
Now, with this, I still want the diesel Passat, but more for longevity and convenience. I don't think the "save money" argument is really valid.
Thoughts/comments?
Adam
*)TDI oil changes are 10,000 miles (less cost of materials and labor over time)
*)TDI has NO ignition system. (there are no sparkplugs, wires, distributer...etc to replace)
*)Some states cost to register a diesel is less than for gassers. (In Vermont, gas=$50/year diesel=$27/year )
Additionally, I have to agree with the other appends. The VALUE of the diesel engine does not drop off as much so any calculations cannot ASSUME that the xtra initial cost of the engine needs to be 're-couped' in some way.
EXAMPLES:
Here in Vermont... a 4X4 pickup may cost about $1,000 more than a 2WD initially... that 1,000 is GAUARANTEED to be there when you sell it.... if the engine still runs. Trying to sell at 2WD pickup is fruitless... prospective buyers will just leave when they find out it is 2WD.
In some warmer states... having AC is a necessity and helps sell the used vehicle. A vehicle without AC simply will not sell in those states. (In Vermont, I have only owned 1 vehicle with AC over the past 20+ years of driving)
Back to fuel....Biodiesel, which is derived from vegetable oil. If fuel prices are to continue to rise, we have the option of running alternative fuels without modifications to our cars. The gassers...right now the best is E85 (85% corn-derived Ethanol), with modifications.
Fuel-cells? Well unfortunately, the current source of hydrogen for production fuel cell cars (Toyota FCH-V)is ultra-refined gasoline.
I would really like to purchase a new Bug or Jetta - the problems with these cars as mentioned on the Edmunds board and elsewhere have scared me... any idea if the the 2003 models have been made better? Also, it seems the gas engine is the one with most of the problems - is this more true?
Do the electrical problems occur in the diesel as well??
I had a diesel rabbit years ago and the only problems I had were headlights burning out (why they have still not fixed this I do not know) and it ate tires...
I can't see the oil filter on the New Bug when you open the hood - can you change the oil yourself?? I live 30 minutes from the closest oil change and 45 minutes from a dealer... so, doing it myself would be cool...
By comparison - My '01 Ram Diesel 4X4 is the best car/truck I have ever had... not one single issue! And when I go to the Dodge diesel boards - they do not mention problems - they only talk about how to make it even better...
Thanks for your help!
I'm not aware of any big problems on the TDI's. The power-window issue applies, but that's surely fixed for '03. They've got updated parts for the older ones so I'm sure that's what they're putting in the new ones.
I've got a '01 Ram 2500 QC 4X4 auto as well that's been great for 100k miles mainly towing 8,000#-11,000#. The only repair was front bearings and brake pads at 80K miles. Warranty covered the bearings, other than that just oil changes. I just bought an '03 HO Cummins six-speed 3500 because I'm pulling too much for my short-bed single-rear wheel. It's a monster compared to the '01.