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Anybody have a good source for OEM oil filters? I don't wish to pay the $15+ that the dealer wants. Also, anyone heard any information on the new Passat TDI-V6 that is now out in Germany. When will it be coming to the states?

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To Ric from Oviedo Fl:...No Ric, I will not be glad to see a major war or global economic crisis break out because I own a TDI. I did not buy my TDI Jetta for the purposes of disaster insurance. I just said that in all honesty(for those considering a TD )that saving money is not the largest attribute of owning a diesel. Even if it's only 14 cents a gallon more for diesel fuel in Florida the cost advantage, in the long run, is still relatively small. The same is true about spending 3X the amount for syn hetic oil. Spending your days being concerned wondering just how expensive engine oil can get you an extra MPG or two is just plain anal. I agree with the other "anonymous" writer to this web-site on the subject of continuous oil-talk,,,"GET A LIFE!!!" ike...Out...

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I am thinking about blocking the EGR on my TDI, but I am concerned that I my damage the engine. My concern stems from a past VW diesel(1982)I had and put 250,000 miles on,and a 86 Jetta (gas) with 240,000. I don't know if these had EGR systems,I left them stock. Has anyone put this kind of mileage on a TDI with the EGR in place. I want to get the same kind of life out of the TDI and not cause it harm Thanks Bernie

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BOB....with Indigo GOLF A4 Lux package. Sounds like you got a great price. I will be getting the same model car with the Lux pack also. and now have some idea of what deal to hold out for. May I ask...did you check with Ray Burnette...and what kind of deal, impressions did you get from them. I take it you did not purchase the CD changer. Most dealers are asking $700 at first..but settling for $350 or so. It's kinda like the $150 pinstripe game.

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#1 heating oil is exactly the same as #1 (winter) diesel fuel. #2 heating oil is exactly the same as #2 (summer) diesel fuel.

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Anyone know if light heating oil (stove oil #1) is any thing comparable to diesel fuel at the pumps. Some say its exactly the same, but i need more convincing. Cheers.

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Just one more comment, I think I am going to try shifting at the 2,000 rpm mark for a couple of tanks of fuel. Maybe I will convert if my mileage jumps to new levels (like consistantly over 50mpg). I doubt it though, my highway driving often exceeds 70mph. Happy TDI'ing -Ian

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Hi, someone wanted to know of anyone who shifts high (> 3,000 rpms) and still gets great mileage. Well in my Passat which is 450 lbs. heavier than the Jetta I have never seen my mileage fall below 43 mpg. I average 47 - 48 mpg. and I have seen 52 mpg., OW FOR THE SCARY PART. I have never shifted my car below 2,500 rpms. I routinly drive my car to 3,000 - 4,000 rpms. I tried shifring at 1,800 rpms. on my way home from work (I found it uninspiring if not difficlt). I wouldent say I beet the hell out of my car, but I am also not easy on her either. If I need to merge into traffic I will run her right up to the point just below where the power drops out. If driving my nearly 4,000 lb. Passat means that I'll get 2-3 mpg less than others, so be it. I kee a log of all of my mileage at fill up. I have only noticed a slight drop in mileage during the winter months. Everyone has their own personality and their own reasons for driving the car they do. No-body has bruised my ego, and I don't want to bruise nyone elses. Happy TDI'ing... PS (I think that my car uses more oil than other readers have posted, I feel that is probably due to my driving Habbits, Thanks -Ian.

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Still regarding this whole EGR mess. I am prepared to block mine but am still researching the whole thing. I looked up "EGR Valve" in yahoo.com and altavista.com and have been reading stuff. the Mercedes EGR site describes how they have now incorporated t e EGR system into the cylinder head of their diesel so that the exhaust goes directly from the exhaust ports over to the intake ports never leaving the head and therefore conserving heat by keeping it in the coolant rather than losing the heat in the tube on its way back up to the intake manifold like the TDI does. They also claim that the EGR is allowing for more efficent combustion by lowering the ignition temperature. That sounds strange to me since the combustion temperature I would think is based on e ergy content. Am I wrong? Anyway I am still weighing the pro's and con's. I know that plugging the EGR helped my gas cars get better mileage. One other thing. I don't think that the oil and carbon in the air inlet hoses that people are describing is from he EGR. The EGR induces the exhaust inside the manifold just before the air goes into the intake valves. If anything the inside of the manifold would be black not the piping leading from the turbo to the manifold. Maybe the oil and gunk is from the turbo earing seal. Maybe that is allowing oil and exhaust to cross over into the intake side of the turbo.

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Has anyone tried the upgrade chip available from Wetterauer for the TDI? How badly did it impact fuel economy? Assuming I have to wait until my warranty runs out I'll have at least a year or two before I'll put it in but I'm just interested to see if th re are any comments about it. Shawn

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Bypassing the EGR is an interesting modification. I know the TDI is already very high in NOx - in fact it's right at the EPA max. limit (at least for the 98). On the other hand I fully agree with the notion that replacing the engine/car 5 years earlier auses much more real pollution. Ken and Philip, please keep posting about your progress.

I bought my TDI because I like the power and speed. I drive like Jehu and still get 40 mpg (37 in winter). I've taken the car to redline several times. Why? Because I can. The shifting guide in the manual is for optimum fuel consumption, not performanc . If you shift at 1800 rpm, you never reach peak torque (1900 rpm) and are developing only 70 hp. It's just no fun :(

I made the leap. I just ordered 5 gals. of NOPEC biodiesel and 10 gals. of Topaz Syndiesel (http://www.hiperfuels.com/). The biodiesel should reduce the smoking but has fewer btu/gal. The syndiesel seems pretty hot - Ric, skip this part ;-). It has ar und 15% more btu/gal than regular diesel and a cetane rating of 63!! I'm going to do some hotroding out by the farm when the weather warms up. By the way Jess Hewitt from hiperfuels sent me two long informative emails on his products. Email me if you w nt me to forward them to you.

Drive fast, drive slow but walk if you can....D'nardo

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Hi. I like the new message board. It has a "VW Vortex for TDI" feel to it. Hopefully it'll be a little easier to read what I want to read without having to sift through every post (like on this message board). BTW, I still love the info found in this gu stbook, but I don't care for the new background. Apparently, it has to reload each time I scroll down to read messages, slowing the reading process. What a drag! I hope the new message board takes off! Looks great! Take Care...

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To Jim Lundgreen and all of those who have seen black oily soot accumulation in the intake manifolds: I hope that what was written in my message posted twice on Feb. 15th, 10.19 am. is right, otherwise we have a problem. To Ric Woodruff: the driving-style RPM gear shift threshold that you mentioned started an amusing discussion relevant to how men are supposed to drive their diesels, but actually you all forgot the ACTUAL problem the discussion started from. The bloody EGR puts exhaust carbon where clean compressed air should be, and already oil is a non-welcome contaminant. I have personally driven my car always shifting around 2000 rpm., but still oil and carbon contaminate my intake system well beyond acce table limits.

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NEW TDI MESSAGE SECTION In Beta Testing

Hi Everyone. I have now setup a new message board at this link.

Please come and have a look. If it works fine and there is enough demand, I will probably register the software giving us our very own dedicated TDI message board....:)

Enjoy...Fred

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Well guys, I guess I dropped a "bombshell" that revealed an uxepectedly high number of TDI drivers that "missed the boat" when it comes to using a transmission properly. Page 95 of the Owner's Manual for the 1998 Jetta states in a paragraph entitled "Dow shift Only When The Engine Is No Longer Running Smoothly": "Depending on the transmission you have, you can normally drive in the highest gear at 25 to 37 miles (per hour)(40 to 60 km/h) on flat land and still be able to accelerate". When I upshift into th gear at 1800 RPM, the vehicle speed is right at 40 MPH, which is actually well ABOVE VW's conservative range of "25 to 37 MPH". I hope I haven't bruised too many egos, I am just trying to set the facts straight. I average right at just over 50 MPG. I ould like to hear from someone who routinely revs high (3000+ RPM) who gets mileage like that. Happy TDI'ing!

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Russell, I've been using a Techtonics 2 1/2 inch cat back exhaust system (stock system is 2") for about 15,000 miles now. The HUGE resonator was replaced with a tiny little bubble shaped resonator and the muffler was replaced with a Borla 'staight-through flow' muffler. Unfortunately, I havent seen any oticeable mileage improvements. I did get a little more power though only at full throttle during mid-range & high RPM's.

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Keep on laughing if you will, but I used to tow my 3,000 boat all the time with my 62 HP Isuzu diesel...no problems.

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TDI Man, been to NAPA many times but they don't have my filter listed. I even took the one in that I got at the dealer and they couldn't help me. Is yours a spin on? It isn't on the new TDI. Cartridge now and $17.00 at the dealer which sucks. The good thi g is that it is a breeze to change and you don't drip a drop of oil on anything cause it lifts out of the chamber from the top of the engine. I have been hearing stories of how difficult the old design was with oil running down the engine and needing an o l pan under the filter to remove. Not so anymore. Oh by the way you have to expect that people are going to drive these engines for maximum efficency otherwise we would have gas engines.

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Get real guys. I mean, towed 2600 lbs with a Jetta TDI? I'm laughing so hard I think I just wet my pants. I tell you what: next time, try towing 2600 lbs from Dallas to Chicago. Maybe, just maybe, you will make it to Oklahoma City where you can have t e tranny/clutch replaced. Shifting at 2000 RPM? Geeez, is that for real? Give'r hell buddy, our Jetta TDI's were meant be driven hard (ie., like a man) whilst providing the pleasure of "acceptable" acceleration. Drive the car (not the opposite), any hing else is just uncivilized. Global Warming? according to whom, pal? Up north, we have not seen a warm day (40 F or higher) since October. Long live our internal combustion engines because I love the smell of Diesel in the morning. Let's ride! Use oil filter NAPA Gold 1191 w/Shell Rotella 10/30. Best combination and is cheap! Love the car, but the high RPMs at cruise really suck. I mean 2800 RPM at 80 MPH is not cool at all and I wish it was more in the 2200 RPM range.

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Jay, no the oil changes are not an option. VW's warranty covers all scheduled service for the first 2 years 24,000 miles. That includes oil filters etc. I changed my own between the 0 and 5,000 mark as well as between the 5,000 and 10,000 mile mark. I wil most likely change it twice between the 10,000 and 20,000 mile mark. You will find that you are happy to have VW pay the bill once you buy your first oil filter... they cost $17.00 and the dealer is the only place that carries them right now because they changed them on the TDI to the type that Mercedes uses. It is now a cartridge that is dropped into a chamber from the top of the engine you then screw the cap back on. I must say that I don't agree with shifting that soon. It can't be good for the engine. It takes the same amount of energy to go 0 to 30 or 40 or 50. I feel that if you make the engine deliver the energy with so few explosions each explosion has to be bigger which means more force on the connecting rods and crank shaft at a point where there isn't maximum oil pressure.(you are almost at idle) I use light throttle but hold it there and let the engine accelerate the car. One thing you might try is starting from a light and using apporx 1/3 of the throttle travel, you will feel how the engine co es to life starting at about 2,000 rpm and really is an eager beaver. Below that it feels like you are waking a sleeping giant. I generally shift between 2,500 and 3,000 and keep up with traffic while using very light throttle. Think of yourself riding a 5 speed bike. Was it easier on the legs to keep the peddles going at a medium rate or to shift into 15th. right away? Engines are the same. The parts are floating on a film of oil so its best to keep the load light and the oil pressure up. Just my opinion

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Synthetic Oil: Royal Purple (also their Long Rider brand) and AMSOIL are two brands that have a fully synthetic oil for diesel engines. On another note: it's sad that the the Jetta no longer has an identity of it's own. One used to be able to easily to istinguish it from the Passat. No longer.

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Jay, no the oil changes are not an option. VW's warranty covers all scheduled service for the first 2 years 24,000 miles. That includes oil filters etc. I changed my own between the 0 and 5,000 mark as well as between the 5,000 and 10,000 mile mark. I wil most likely change it twice between the 10,000 and 20,000 mile mark. You will find that you are happy to have VW pay the bill once you buy your first oil filter... they cost $17.00 and the dealer is the only place that carries them right now because they changed them on the TDI to the type that Mercedes uses. It is now a cartridge that is dropped into a chamber from the top of

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Can someone explain the "free" oil changes from VW? Is this optional? What do they do for free? Regarding the shift point. When I rented a diesel in Europe, one of the things I played with was the shift point. I would say the 1800 to 2000 was the ideal place to shift. This was not a TDI. I have always been told diesels are low RPM engines and this experience proved it. It took much longer to get to 3500 - 4000 RPM than to just shift at 2000. I asked Castrol if they had any synthetic oil for the 99 TDI and they said they only had a blend. Anyone know if CG-4 comes in synthetics? I am aware of Delvac 1. Any others? I sure hope I get my car soon! Two weeks ago my car was totaled and I really want it!

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I remember reading some previous posts regarding a weak spring in the clutch pedal which prevents the clutch pedal from coming out all the way once my foot is no longer pressing it in. I would like to hear from people who have experienced such a problem. The dealer is telling me that the clutch mechanism is only covered for 12,000 miles because it is a wear and tear item. I can remember reading that there is a tech service buletin out there regarding this problem, maybe a recall? The pedal ends-up gett ng stuck about one inch from the very top, you can pull on the pedal and it comes right up to where it should be. I think that it is only the spring that is too weak to bring it up. The dealer wants 90 bucks for labor plus the cost of the spring. I now have 28500 miles on the car. Any sugestions/comments would be greatly appreciated.

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P.S. I have towed a 2600 lb. vehicle, and shifted my TDI at 2000 RPM. I was able to accelerate just fine without any lugging. Don't knock something until you have tried it!

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The absolute BEST RPM to shift at is just past the point of lugging. 1800 RPM is not just barely above the point of lugging, it is at a comfortable margin above lugging. Sure, if you are going up a steep hill or are overloaded (weight), you are better o f shifting at a higher RPM, say 2000 or 2200, but for most driving, 1800 RPM is IDEAL. Along with shifting at a higher RPM is undoubtedly the proverbial "lead foot". This combination is easier on the drive train? I don't think so!

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Russell, FYI-Remove the catalytic converter from your vehicle and you've just committed a Federal EPA offense punishable by up to a $10,000. fine, not to mention the extra pollutants you're adding to the environment - even in Georgia, just something you may wish t consider

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Shift at 1,800 RPM's. Thats beyond conservative thats silly. You will do more good for your drive train by shifting at 3,000 RPM's or so. Your car was meant to be driven, so drive it. if you consistantly shift at 1,800 you will build up more carbon th n someone who shift's normally. These cars were build to be driven by drivers. They perform well on European roads where I'm sure people are not shifting at 1,800 RPM's.

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Regarding "LARGE build-up of black oily soot in the intake manifold" and catalytic converters: I suspect that the way you drive has an extreme effect on the soot build-up in both the intake manifold and the catalytic converter. If you drive conservativel by shifting to the next higher gear at 1800 RPM and give only slight throttle, you will still have decent acceleration and keep your engine components clean at the same time.

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With all the comments about removig the EGR lets go one step further and talk about removing the catalic converter. I think that the reduction in exhaust back pressure would do wonders for our fuel MPG. If you look under your car you will see a catalic onverter, a muffler and I guess the middle pan shapped chamber is a resonator. Any body know for sure? For all you people that are going to disablle the EGR, better wait until the 100k warranty is up, if VW sees it they will void the rest of your drivet ain warranty. If and when my convertor goes out I will not spend $500 to replace it, just cut if off and put a piece of straight pipe in there. By the way has anybody been doing oil analysis on there units I would like to compare the figures to mine. Also has anybody fitted a bypass filter system to there cars yet?

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With all the comments about removig the EGR lets go one step further and talk about removing the catalic converter. I think that the reduction in exhaust back pressure would do wonders for our fuel MPG. If you look under your car you will see a catalic onverter, a muffler and I guess the middle pan shapped chamber is a resonator. Any body know for sure? For all you people that are going to disablle the EGR, better wait until the 100k warranty is up, if VW sees it they will void the rest of your drivet ain warranty. If and when my convertor goes out I will not spend $500 to replace it, just cut if off and put a piece of straight pipe in there. By the way has anybody been doing oil analysis on there units I would like to compare the figures to mine. Also has anybody fitted a bypass filter system to there cars yet?

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I removed the air inlet tube between the intake and intercooler to gain more room to remove the !//%!! headlight (2 bulbs have already burned out) and found a LARGE build-up of black oily soot in the intake manifold. The build-up coated the butterfly val e (which must be for the EGR) and inside of the intake. Upstream, the intake pipe also was oily, but not with that thick black stuff. There are 38,000 highway miles (9 months old) and I've always used fully synthetic oil,(Mobil 1 and Castrol Syntec) eve during the free oil changes. I'm concerned and wonder what the rest of the intake system looks like. Has anyone else noticed this? What is going on? This is my first diesel and I was hoping to make it last over 200K miles, but, the rate at which the s ot stuff is accumulating is alarming. Thanks for the help...Jim

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Mike, I am sorry about the fuel price discrepancies in your area, but I am sure it is the exception and not the rule. Where I normally buy diesel it is $1.03. Where I buy gas it is $.89, a 14 cent difference, and I live nowhere near an Interstate or tr ck stop. It is a fact that gas prices fluctuate a lot greater than diesel prices. Back in 1984 (when I got my first diesel), and typically since then, diesel has been priced between mid-grade and premium, or about 5 cents per gallon higher. Fuel prices now are extremely and unusually low. Once they rise again, you can bet diesel prices will be comparable with gas prices. The huge difference in fuel economy is well worth the current 14 cent difference in my neck of the woods. Hang in there. The next ime there is a major war or global economic crisis, you will be glad you drive what you do and can go 700 miles+ per tankful.

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Philip, I was kidding!!!! My work has Rush on all the live long day and I just giggle at the way he can contort anything to try to make a point. Any thinking person knows that we aren't helping the planet with what we do. I was just yanking Johnathan's ch in. Why don't you move to the US and enjoy the cheap fuel prices? I'll trade places with you. I have lived here my entire life and while it is a great standard of living it is also rather cookie cutter. You drive off any highway exit and you don't know if you're in Ohio or California. I hear Europe is getting that way too. I guess it's progress?

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Phillip, not to spark a political discussion, but let's not condemn the US, and then in the same breath discuss the UK's fuel prices. After all, in the world market, the difference between our relatively inexpensive and your expensive fuels is tax. Impo ed by your government, freely elected by your populace.

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Ken, I´m argue with you now, I don´t care what "Rush Limbaugh" says, the USA is amongst the biggest CO2 sinners, and has one of the best lifestyles, I don´t think that this is a coincidence. It´s very convenient for you guys with your gas gusslers to say hat global warming is nothing to do with CO2 isn´t it? And Mike, petrol maybe extremely cheap where you live, but it certainly isn´t here in Europe. I like diesels, but I couldn´t afford to run a petrol car. Petrol and diesel are both about $1US per litre ($4US per US gallon?). That´s why I´m buying a direct injection, I do 20,000 miles per year and it´s a big chunk of my income. In other (more intelligent!) European countries diesel is much cheaper than petrol too. These web pages are read by people outsi e of the US and Canada. I´ll see you guys when I get back from my 3 day trip to Paris; wish I had my Passat tdi to do it in :-(

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NEW BUYERS, BE AWARE not BEWARE!!There are several things this web-site should do and being honest is one of them. There are many new people asking our opinions about how we like our TDI and ask for our honest opinion. If you like diesels, fine. They are sure unique, but saving money should not be a good consideration. I live in the Chicago area. A popular gas station chain here is "SPEEDWAY GAS". Today's gasoline pump prices were 89.9 and the diesel price was 115.9. I'ts hard to convince a newcomer tha it's a good idea to spend an extra $1000 for a diesel engine so you can pay an extra 26 cents per gallon for fuel. I know diesel may be cheaper on the highway, but I don't live on an interstate. Perhaps long term maintenance may be cheaper, but that re ains to be seen. So for those of you who like diesels enough to consider buying one, you better LOVE them, because money is honestly NOT a big consideration in the choice for a diesel.Mike...Out...

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Ken, regarding your message about oil. I would trust your chart in the manual (per the VW recommendation over the phone). It indicates that 5W-40 oil is to be used for 60 deg. F and below. I would never use it a bit above that temperature. Someone (fr m Texas, I believe) recently had the comment that their engine is noisier using the thinner 5W-40 oil. That sounds scary to me! Additional noise due to metal to metal contact, maybe??? What about the additional engine wear if this is true?

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Johnathan, you drive too much!!! I'm glad you aren't disconnecting your EGR. It sounds like you might be the reason for global warming yourself. Rush Limbaugh just said today that global warming has nothing to do with our lifestyle. I guess there is now i formation that the wobble in the earth's orbit causes it to point the northern hemisphere twards the sun causing the heating, however this is cyclical and will go back the other way in the next 25,000 years or so. Just be patient.

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My decision to not defeat the EGR on my car may be rooted in my feelings of guilt about all those gallons of two stroke pre-mix I spewed into the air during my past. The 50 mph 50cc moped, the ported snowmobiles, the expansion chambered Yamaha RD-400, the 850cc SAAB that had a Napoleonic complex and raced anything. As a means of atonment, I am leaving my pollution equipment on the TDI in working condition, not out of martyrdom, just concience. I do not expect that this engine will be much different than ot ers I have owned and will likewise not experience an early demise due to purported EGR induced damage. I plan to still be driving this car far beyond the 265,000 miles of my previous car, and the 140,000 of the one prior, and the 175,000 of the one before that, and the 135,000 of the one before that. No apparent EGR problems in the lot. I do not waste recources by using up and then throwing away my cars. The last 7 of my 15 cars have been sold to new owners when each one had well over 100,000 miles, a few f them I still see on the road.

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Exactly what type of oil do I use in my TDI? I called the 800 number and VW said use CG-4 and go by the chart in the manual for temp requirements. My dealer said that he received a memo but didn't know what he did with it, so I called 3 other VW dealers i my area and none of them heard of such a thing. One dealer said that they use 5W-30 CD oil at their dealer.(non synthetic) HELP!!!!!! I guess I will try the 800 number again and ask them to get up from their desk and go read the bulletin board.

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Ken..Thanks for the observation about the heater core. I too have noticed that the smell is going away, so I guess it isn't the diesel exhaust after all. Dezlboy..My Golf is a '99 Dark Blue GLS TDI with the luxury package (alloy wheels, sunroof). I bou ht it at Martens VW in D.C. for $18,150 plus tax and tags. This price included the destination and processing fees, and I didn't have a trade in (I'll sell my old car myself). I think this was a good price, but they seemed willing to negotiate because th y already had this car on the lot. The dealership was great. They didn't hassle me at all, and I completed the transaction in one day. I had shopped at 3 other local dealers before deciding on Martens. They had the best price I could find and good ser ice. I hope this helps.

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I went in for my 10,000 mile service today. Since I am driving to Maine next week, I asked about the service notice switching to synthetic oil. After moments of blank stares, I was told they have no idea what I am talking about, and that they will bring it up with the VW service rep visiting next week. This is not very confidence inspiring for a factory dealer.

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Philip, Cleveland has been using natural gas busses for their in town shuttles that stay within the downtown area. They had a report on the news last month stating that they will not be replacing the busses due to high maintenance costs. It cost the city 40,000 more per bus over the deisel's for repairs during the same run interval. Bob, I too noticed the odor you are speaking of when I used the heat in my Beetle. I think it is the heater core that you are smelling rather than diesel fumes. The reason I say this is because my car is smelling less and less as time goes by.

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TALES FROM THE VW SERVICE DEPT....I Just had my 20,000 mile free TDI service check-up. I approached the service desk armed with my 20k mile service bulletin. My initials were scratched into the old fuel filter's side, I was ready to do battle..But much to my surprise the service manager knew all about it. He even said that "since this my last FREE service check we will throw in a new AIR filter as well". I did not know it even time for an air filter change. So I just wanted to relay to my fellow TDI'ers t at in at least my case, the dealer has caught-on.....Mike...Out..

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Bob from Maryland.. Tell us more about your Golf GLS TDI. Where did you buy it? Color? Options? etc.... I'm curious cause I am considering TDI also.

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I was just looking for some feedback on the jetta TDI, I'm thinking of purchasing one this spring and would like to know what current owners think of this car. Is this a good car? bad car? I'd like to hear what you all have to say! thanks

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SOL -- I can't believe you're selling yours. What happened? (Or are you getting a new '99 TDI?) By the way, while I think the price you're seeking is a fair deal (depending on miles, add-ons, etc.), I seem to remember that new 98 TDIs were going for on y a couple hundred bucks more than that last summer. Of course, those deals are long gone now, and any new TDI with a sunroof will costs $20K+. Anyway, I'm also wondering if anyone knows if the V99-05 service bulletin can be found online anywhere, so I could print it out and take it with me for my next (10K) service. If it's not currently available online, anyone know the easiest way to obtain i ?

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as helping that.

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Johnathan, I am with Philip on this. The EGR essentially is putting the most exhaust into the intake when you are attempting to drive efficently and maximize MPG. ie. light throttle. That is exactly why I want to do away with it. I did on my last two gas cars and noticed increased fuel mileage on trips. As I stated earlier I live on lake Erie where people are burning two cycle fuel and gas without any emission controls on the engines... I don't. I also own ASKO appliences which I purchased for far more money than Kenmore appliences cost simply due to the fact that they are energy efficent and use less detergent and no bleach (in the laundry equipnemt and dishwasher). They are also designed to last a minimum of 15 years. I want to keep my TDI that long but don't see the EGR as

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Regerding this EGR stuff... It is all Philip's fault. (Just kidding.) I never even thought to look for one on a TDI, anyhoo I was given stainless steel plates 1/16" thick by my brother to plug the exhaust manifold before it goes up the tube to the EGR. I am going to remove the EGR tube at the exhaust manifold and trace the the bracket that holds the tube to the manifold, cut it to shape drill the two bolt holes and put everything back. (like a gasket, as someone said e

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I've driven this car for two weeks, and I love it. This is my first diesel, and I don't think I will ever go back to a gasoline engine. However, I have noticed one problem. (Actually, I'm not sure it really is a problem) When driving at highway speeds w th the heater on, I can detect a slight smell of diesel fumes. When I decided to buy the TDI, I thought that all combustion exhaust would exit the tailpipe, not through the heating vents. Is this just a small amount of diesel that spilled on the engine d ring production/assembly, or should I have it checked to make sure that exhast isn't recirculating into the passenger compartment. I haven't become noticibly sleepy while driving, but I wouldn't want to die from carbon monoxide poisoning before I collect y first free oil change from VW :)

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FOR SALE: 1998 Jetta TDI, Red w/ Grey interior, moonroof. $14900/obo. Please email if interested.

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I brought my Jetta in for the 20K mile maintenance yesterday and showed the dealership the V99-05 service bulletin. They looked at me like I was an alien. But they check it out and used Valvoline 5w-30 100% synthetic. The engine is a bit noisier when w rm, but it does start more quietly. Also, for your 20K check-up, make sure they know the book states that the fuel filter will be replaced and timing belt will be re-tensioned. They did not know this either! The service writer seemed a little angry tha they were going to have to spend some money on my car. Notice that regardless of mileage, at 18-24 months there is another free maintenance issue. I forgot what it is so I'll have to look it up again. Meanwhile, let's see if there is an increase in fu l economy with this light weight oil! Happy TDI'ing.

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Jorge, I believe that the 115bhp Passat is very near in the rest of Europe. Diesel Car magazine tested one a few months ago. It is not yet listed as an available model in the UK though. You are entitled to buy a car anyway in Europe, so you don't have to ait until this car arrives in Portugal, I guess it would be easy for you to buy a car in Spain for example. Jonathan, you make some interesting points about the environment. I think that to "confuse" efficiency with cleanliness is not such a silly thing t do. In any case I'm not confused! Firstly as you say CO2 emissions are proportional to the fuel consumption, but also the process of refining and distributing the fuel uses energy, so the more economical a car is the better. Logically if a car used no fu l, then it would produce no emissions! Secondly your figures back me up saying that you can have less impact on the global environment (if not the local one) by driving one of the best diesels rather than an electric car. A car such as the new VW Lupo 3 c linder Tdi will produce less emissions than the share of emissions from a power station used to produce electricity for an electric car - but I'll guarantee that the authorities will not acknowledge it. Everyone has been telling us that diesels are "dirt " because they produce worse particulates (smoke) emissions, well here in Europe the latest research is starting to suggest otherwise. It is true that diesels produce larger amounts of PM10 particulate emissions (up to 10 micron particles) than petrol car ; this is the visible smoke which we see. The latest research suggests that petrol engines produce more PM2.5 emissions (older ones up to 4 times as much) than do diesels. You can't see PM2.5 (up to 2.5 micron particles) but they do more harm. Your lungs ave a natural ability to expell PM10 particles, as it basically amounts to dust, but PM2.5 particles are smaller than natural dust, they go deeper into the lungs and don't come out so easy. Here in England most of the PM10 particles in the air float in fr m mainland Europe and come from industry, they are nothing to do with transport. Another serious disadvantage is that emissions from a petrol engine degrade as the car is driven, the emissions control devices become less and less effective with age, with diesel engine this is much less so. The evidence comes from Lucas. All in all diesels ARE much cleaner than petrol engines AND they use less fuel. The UK government still insists on putting up diesel prices higher than petrol ones because of the smoke em ssions. Onto EGR, it may be that it would be illegal to disable the EGR on a US car, you give a fairly convincing case for saying that, but I live in Europe. It was not mandatory to have EGR on a 1996 car, many from other manufacturers don't. Petrol engin s cars have never had EGR here. I don't see why I should use an engine destroying practice when no one else is, that's not very fair; when the legislation comes, then I'll have to reconsider. It is my opinion that a technique which destroys the car engine is "a bad thing" period, I'm entitled to my opinion. On future cars there will be better ways to attack the NOx emissions. The car manufacturers are saying that the only thing which is stopping them from producing really effective catalytic converters for diesel engines is the level of sulphur in diesel fuel. Ultra low sulphur diesel is coming, you can already buy it here. It is only a matter of time before it's all you can buy. If a person lives in a city, especially one with a smog problem then maybe the shouldn't disable their EGR. That's not my situation, so I probably will. Maybe the best technology in the future will be fuel cell cars. These use methanol in a fuel cell and emit only CO2 and water. The mileage is unlimited as you just put more methano in the tank when it runs out. This should also keep the oil companies happy (don't underestimate their political power) as at least they could still sell something i.e. methanol. Do you have cars running on natural gas in the US? They are quite popular i certain parts of Europe, and I hear that they are very clean, if not very efficient.

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I had my oil changed at the dealer today. I mentioned several times that I knew about the bulletin. They were aware of it and said it was effective for 96 TDI and up. They used Castrol Syntec 5W-30. $5.50/quart ouch.

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Does anyone knows when the new diesel engine with 115 hp arrive to europe. I know that in Germany already exists the Passat with this engine, but outside germany, i didn't heard any notice Please write here in this excellent page ( Thanks fred) or write to my mail Thanks a lot

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Brendan: Why did you stop for gas?

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I went on a 1048 mile road trip this weekend and stopped for gas once. Avg. speed was probably 80mph and we had 3 people, bags and two bikes on top the car. Lots of cruise control, and lots of wind and straight roads. Looks like we got about 30mpg. Up to about 3000ft elevation and back down to 160ft in Austin. It was a great trip, the car liked the desert just fine. I'm starting to get a chirping sound on startup though. Sounds like a water pump, but I don't want to believe that. We'll see what develops. .. At the bike race I got a "that's a bitchin' car" from one of the racers. Not bad for a station wagon. :)

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Do not confuse "efficient" with "clean". The quantity of fuel consumed has almost no relationship to the amount of pollution produced as a by-product. My hypothetical 30 gallons of fuel in drinking water compared to 60 gallons of fuel burned was an appare tly poor way to demonstrate the difference between fuel consumption (efficiency )and emission production (pollution). My 30 gallons spilled is half the 60 burned by someone else, so I have produced half the pollution, right? In a perfect, theoretical world the oxidization of a hydrocarbon results in the release of heat by the recombinization of the Oxygen, Hydrogen and Carbon into water and carbon dioxide. A 15 mpg auto can therefore be both "cleaner" if it is burning the fue more completely, and less "efficient" if it turns less of the heat produced into motive work. That perfect combustion into only water and carbon dioxide is not possible given all the variables in the quality and purity of the initial ingredients and in t e combustion process. Less than total combustion and the presence of other impurities in the Oxygen, such as the 70% Nitrogen present in the atmosphere, create other by-products that have more harmful effects than the H2O and CO2. It it these other compou ds that are the reason for the abatement devices on the cars. The presence of these devices is due to our desire for cleaner air to breathe and our desire for cleaner water to drink. We demanded that an unspecified someone do an unspecified something to p event further degradation of our air and water quality. Our governments, acting on our collective behalf mandated that the manufacturers take steps to meet our wishes. In the US there are penalties imposed for non-compliance on both the manufacturer and t e vehicle owner. Periodic tests are used to check for compliance. Failure can mean the loss of the right to use the vehicle. The Manufacturer warrants the emission control devices for 70,000 miles against defect. After that time the owner is solely respon ible for the maintenance, repair, or replacement of these devices. Testing does not cease after a set mileage has been passed. The vehicle is always subject to tests to ensure continued compliance. This is where it gets interesting. I have yet to discover any state in the US which tests for NOx emissions. These oxides of Nitrogen are what the EGR valve is designed to reduce. They compounds are a major component of low altitude ozone and smog. The ma er of the vehicle is required to install and to warrant the device’s operation, yet I have found no regulating agency that tests them once the car is on the road. Massachusetts had adopted the California emission policies, including the requirement for a set percentage of Zero tailpipe Emission Vehicles beginning in a few years. California recently placed a moratorium on the ZtEV implementation due to the anticipat d breakthroughs in battery storage not coming to fruition, so the Mass. implementation is also delayed indefinitely. Battery power is not the only choice to meet this mandate. Zero tailpipe emissions can also be met by Hydrogen power (no CO2 emissions, wa er only) and hybrids provided that the hybrid is tested with the generator power turned off during the tests. In theory, I could disable any car’s fuel pump, pull into the test site using the starter motor, and claim that the car is electric with an onboa d generator. No one has yet decided the minimum range before recharging, so 50 meters at 5 mph should be enough to be classifies as a hybrid. The emission tests here in Mass. check for levels of CO, CO2 and HC only, and then only on gasoline powered vehicles under a certain gross weight. Diesel powered vehicles are totally exempt from all emission tests here. By Massachusetts state law I have t meet the California compliance requirements, but there is no test! The TDI and other modern design diesels convert a higher percentage of the heat energy in the diesel fuel into motive work than do most gasoline engines. The diesel will use fewer gallons of fuel for the same amount of work performed. With less hydrocarbo being converted into CO2 there will be less of this greenhouse gas emitted. Other compounds especially the visible soot and smoke are emitted at higher levels than from a gasoline engine. Diesels are cleaner. Diesels are dirtier. You decide. Neither gasoline nor Diesel powered engines are as efficient as electric generating stations. I have seen efficiency reports on different types of power based on the BTU heat available per quantity of fuel consumed compared to the work output. These numbe s have undoubtedly changed since then either bu technological advances of by the haze of foggy memory, but I suspect that the relationship remains similar. Gasoline engined autos convert roughly 15 to 20% of the fuel BTU into motive work, Diesels roughly 25 to 35%, large electric power plants burning coal or oil 55 to 60%, DC electric motors 80 to 90%. Since the DC motor efficiency did not account for transmission and drive train losses as if used in an auto, the actual value might be 60 to 80%. Fifty fi e percent of the BTU energy in coal is converted into electricity, 60% of that is turned into motion, a result in 33% efficiency. That is higher than gasoline and among the best for diesels. Stationary sites are easier and less expensive per quantity of pollutant removed to clean. A 200 mega watt fossil fueled power station will produce more pollution than a 200 kilo watt engine. It will also produce far less pollution than 1000 200 kw engine and will use less than half the fuel while doing so. It is more efficient and cleaner simultaneously.

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This weekend on a highway trip, I noticed that my Jetta does not seem to have the power it used to. Also, when starting the engine, it immediately revs to 2,000 RPM before going quickly to normal idle speed. I am 99% sure my fuel filter is clogging. I ave seed the reving before, and I believe it was before a filter change. I have only 14,000 miles on the filter. Has anyone else had a filter clog before it's time (20,000 change interval) or engine rev like mine? Thanks.

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To Jonathan Bartlett, what has defeating an EGR valve got to do with pouring diesel into drinking water? If disabling the EGR valve means that the engine will last longer, then that is good for the environment. Consider the environmental impact of making car. Read my earlier posting by searching this page for "Takashi Suzuki". VW have to design their cars to produce the lowest emissions from the factory, for all sorts of political and marketing reasons, as well as for regulatory reasons. They don't consi er what the emissions will be like at 100,000 miles or more. Maybe a car which has been using EGR for 100,000 or 200,000 miles will produce more pollution than one which hasn't. Why does the British government tell me that my 45mpg diesel is more pollutin than the 15mpg Jaguars that government ministers drive around in? and why does the public believe them? When it comes to environment it is sometimes better to think for yourself. I believe that the Californians are trying to push electric cars at the mom nt, did you know that driving an electric car produces more pollution that a modern diesel? (though probably less than a Yank tank). A diesel engine is more efficient than a power station and that's a fact. The electric car then also makes the situation w rse because the act of storing the electricity and pulling it back out of the batteries produces more inefficiencies. All an electric car achieves is "moving" the pollution to where the power station is. OK you can use wind and solar sources to produce el ctricity for your cars, but they don't right now, and I don't suppose we will in a hurry here in cramped and cold Europe.

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.....oops, one more thing. When I removed the tubes that lead compressed air to the EGR valve, I have noticed a quite big amount of oil inside them up to the valve intake; this is a thing I had never seen before on non-turbocharged gas engines. My oil co sumption figures are quite normal (up to 16.000 km. I have not been forced to add more than 1.5 liters of oil).Maybe this big amount of oil derives from the intake system geometry, where oil vapours are of course recycled before the compressor intake (to void turbo pressure discharging back into the engine crankcase)and thus they have a very long path through plastic tubes and intercooler heat exchanger to condensate before being sucked inside the EGR valve intake. I personally do not like too much the id a of oil spray passing through the compressor blades and variable geometry difuser, but this is much less of a problem than a turbine shaft bearing leakage anyhow..... Any experience and advice is well appreciated. Thanks a million.

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.....oops, one more thing. When I removed the tubes that lead compressed air to the EGR valve, I have noticed a quite big amount of oil inside them up to the valve intake; this is a thing I had never seen before on non-turbocharged gas engines. My oil co sumption figures are quite normal (up to 16.000 km. I have not been forced to add more than 1.5 liters of oil).Maybe this big amount of oil derives from the intake system geometry, where oil vapours are of course recycled before the compressor intake (to void turbo pressure discharging back into the engine crankcase)and thus they have a very long path through plastic tubes and intercooler heat exchanger to condensate before being sucked inside the EGR valve intake. I personally do not like too much the id a of oil spray passing through the compressor blades and variable geometry difuser, but this is much less of a problem than a turbine shaft bearing leakage anyhow..... Any experience and advice is well appreciated. Thanks a million.

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Regarding EGR matter, I have seen that the easiest way to go would be to dismount the exhaust/intake bypass,and substitute one or both of the gaskets interposed between the bypass and the cast intake/exhaust manifolds with some sort of "fake" gasket (e.g. a steel sheet approximately 1 mm. thick, cut to shape and with the two mounting bolts holes) without any hole in the middle.... that won' t be seen, will not cause any vacuum shortage to the EGR valve to show up to the electronic controllers and should w rk as well as the "iron plugs". Maybe the EGR valve does not work through all the engine range and loads, but I have found that after 16.000 km. the intake manifold is already COMPLETELY BLACK with soot, stained by a thick disgusting mixture of oil and carbon that for no reasons in the orld I would like to see even at the exhaust of a car that costs more than 30 million lire (18.000 US $). I have no intentions to leave my car keep on breathing that kind of s..t (".." should mean "oo", but any other suggestion is welcome). Let the nature conservation matters be, the only way to do something for nature is walking instead of driving.

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Man this car is great! Not only is the new beetle great, the TDI engine is wonderful also. I'm getting over 50 miles to the gallon. And it seems as if I have a giant kitten under my hood, with the gentle puurrrrrrr.

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Tom, could you be not reving your TDi enuf? The max torque is at 1900 RPM and it doesn't flatten out until past 2500 RPM (?). So...maybe if you give it a bit more gas (er, fuel), the car will be more efficient???? On my test drives, I would shift to next gear at 3000 or 3200 (just seemed a good match of speed and not over reving). Comments appreciated. [DEZLBOY] formally

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Peter, Based on the Maintenance Manual for my '86 Golf, I agree with you on the drain intervals for Turbo/non-turbo. The manual states that drain intervals for TurboDiesel engines is 5000 miles. The drain interval for non-Turbo engines is 7500 miles. As f r the Delvac 1, you are welcome. I figure one 5 gallon drum will equal one year of oil changes between my two VW's.

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Just a quick comment about Service Circular V 99-05. It does not mention an API rating. Therefore, the API rating that is in the manual must still apply. The manual calls for CF4 CG4, 5W30. Is Delvac 1 available in 5W30? Hi Peter, the Civic is still for sale.

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TO TOM FROM SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA: THE FUEL MILEAGE THAT YOU MENTION IS WHERE I WAS AT WITH MY JETTA. THE PARTS INSIDE THE ENGINE NEED TIME TO ACQUAINT WITH EACH OTHER. I NOTICED FUEL MILEAGE INCREASE AT 8 TO 10 THOUSAND MILES. HOPE THIS HELPS. DAVE

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DeeBee, I would think that the oil drain interval for a turbo motor should be shorter than a non-turbo motor, don't you think? I, too was considering 15k mile drain intervals using Delvac 1 and with filter changes every 5k until I can get and mount a Can on/Mecca filter. And thanks, DeeBee, ror the tip on the five gallon drum of Delvac 1. Tom, 'your mileage may vary', but it does take about 15,000 miles for the engine to loosen up (at least it did for me). During break-in, VW uses a special break-in oi . When your engine is broken in, synthetics will help your mileage. Glad to see you here, Olli, did you sell that Civic?

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Ken from Cleveland wrote, regarding defeating the EGR,"Somehow I don't think disconnecting my EGR will be the last straw that causes the whole eco system to collapse, after all I am driving a car that gets double the mileage of the average car..." He left no private e-mail address so this message for him is now for all. If I pour 30 gallons of diesel fuel oil into the drinking water supply, am I polluting less than the person who burns 60 gallons to drive around? How does defeating the EGR mitigate the dam ge that we all are doing? We are all burning fossil fuels. We are all polluting this planet. I'd prefer to keep my share to the minimum. The EGR valve is a proportioning system. It is not an open and closed valve. The amount of opening is controlled by a ultitude of sensors. The amount of valve opening under normal engine operation is minimal and only a tiny fraction of exhaust gasses are re-circulated. In addition, the valve is only active during specific portions of the engine's operation. It is not use at engine temperatures under 122 F. It is not used at all above an unspecified "part throttle position switch closed" position. It is not used at all at engine speeds above 3200 rpm regardless of throttle position. It is not used at all at altitudes over 3300 feet. It is completely closed for two seconds when the engine speed exceeds 1200 rpm. Whatever "benefits" you (the group) seek by defeating the EGR are likely to be less than for which you had hoped.

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I purchased my beetle approximately 2 1/2 months ago and have approximately 2,800 miles on it. The mpg ratings are 42 city, 49 highway, but I'm only getting 35 to 37 in town. Is there a break-in period where the mileage is lower? or am I reving the engi e too much. I try to keep the RPM's below 2300 and below 2000 as much as possible. Appreciate any thoughts anyone might have.

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Ric, The maintenance manuals you are looking at are for '98 VW's. My deisels are an '86 and a '91 with the old but reliable 1.6L IDI engines. The maintenance manuals for these particular model years call for a 7500mi / 6 month oil change interval. I appr ciate your concern. However, I can assure you that when I purchase a Jetta or Passat TDI, the drain interval will most likely be 15000mi.

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Hi, I haven't posted much in a while. Many people have requested that I put my TDI Wave files on my website. They're now available! One is of the TDI at start-up and idle... the other is of a 0-60 spint taken from within the airbox (the turbo sounds S EET!). Visit my webpage and follow the VW link. The sound files are toward the bottom of the page. Take Care...

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Gene, NOT TRUE. I was able to get a hard copy of V 99-05. What you saw posted previously was 100% factual. Not all dealers are up to speed on this Service Circular yet. Speak to the Service Manager and quote the Service Circular #. IT IS REAL and he can't deny ts existance. Call VW and ask for a copy. BTW, my owners manual specifies 5W-30. I picked up my NB yesterday. Love it! The TDI is FANTASTIC!!!!!!

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I checked with my dealer and they said the 5W30 synthetic technical bulletin was for gas engines. They still use 15W40 CD-4 oil.

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DeeBee, Page 4 of the Maintenance 1998 booklet states in the 2nd block of the chart on the left side of the page that the oil change is to be changed every 12 months. The 3rd block states, and I quote " If the vehicle is driven 10,000 miles/15,000 km in ess than a year, an Oil Change is required". This means that the interval is 10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. For most TDI owners, THIS MEANS THAT THE OIL IS TO BE CHANGED EVERY TEN THOUSAND (10,000) MILES, plain and simple. This is wh I say that I would go to 15,000 mile oil change interval with Mobil Delvac 1 synthetic.

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Ric, The manuals for my VW's call for a 7500mi oil change interval. The oil analysis will enable me to determine if it is possible to go up to 15000mi with no drawbacks. I plan to sell my Dodge Ram and buy a Jetta IV TDI. Too bad the moonroof is not available n the GL.

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DeeBee: You plan to change the Delvac 1 oil that often (10,000 miles)??? The interval for STANDARD oil is that often (per the manual). I would go at least 15,000 miles. Also, if there is a Flying J Truck Stop near you, you might try there for Delvac 1. I think it is quite a bit cheaper there than what you are paying. Happy TDI'ing!

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Ian, I just bought a 5 gallon drum of Delvac 1 today for $84.75. I think over the long run the price works itsef into the longer drain intervals. I have been changing the oil in my VW's at 5000mi, and in my truck at 7500mi. With Delvac 1, I plan to change the oil at 10000mi, and 15000mi respectively. I also plan to have an oil analysis done after the second Delvac 1 drain interval. Judging from what you are paying ($5.50/quart), you may want to ask your distributor for the 5 gallon drums. My price per quart is $4.24.

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FOR SALE---FOR SALR---FOR SALE---FOR SALE--- FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA PASSAT TDI 96 GREEN 61K MILES EXTRA CLEAN CONDITIONS NEVER CRASH, NO PAIN JOB ALL BOOKS & RECORDS, NEW YOKOHAMAS 6 DISC CD CHANGER, SUN ROOF CALL ME 407-353-7676 ALREADY ORDER A NEW JETTA TDI FOR MARCH. LET`S TALK ABOUT PRICE CALL ME

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A few comments on some recent entries. Regarding distilled water and cooling systems, the $1.50 it costs to use distilled is probably worth it considering you flush the system every 2 years. As a groundwater hydrogeologist, tap water quality varies greatl and usually contains considerable dissolved minerals such as carbonates and salts. Simply put, I think it's worth the extra $1.50, also I'll use it to top off the battery if needed. Regarding oil changes on the Passat, they aren't fun, but are much easier if you first jack the car up and remove the protective shroud under the engine compartment. Three 10mm bolts underneath, and 2 allen head screws from each of the front wheel wells, then pull the shroud back toward the rear of the car and it pulls away from the front of the engine compartment. With the shroud off, get to the oil filter from below with a filter wrench. With one of the "free" oil changes at the dealer, they didn't tig ten the oil filter causing a leak, the filter wasn't even hand tight. I tighten the new filter about 1/4 to 1/8th turn with the filter wrench just to make sure it's snug. Been using Delvac 1 it's costing $68.00 (including tax)for a case of 4-1 gallon con ainers, oil consumption is about 0.5qts per 5000 miles. Happy Motoring

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I have heard that diesel exhaust is not as harmful to the environment as gas exhaust. I that not true? Even so, I live on a great lake and all summer long I smell jetski two cycle exhaust and power boat exhaust with 3 people on board that is running full hrottle with two V8 engines lugging their asses around for fun. Somehow I don't think disconnecting my EGR will be the last straw that causes the whole eco system to collaps. After all I am driving a car that gets double the mileage of the average car not to mention the 5,000lb. SUV's that are taking over the roads. + I passed every pollution test with flying colors on my gas cars with the EGR's disconnected. One question. Will a diesel go into a runaway condition on synthetic oil? Is it flammable?

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Wow, Ian! That sh!* is expensive! You go 10k between changes?!? Wow! I used to do that with my Subaru, but I was using Mobil-1 with a Mobil-1 oil filter. I don't know if I'd feel comfortable with that kind of service interval with this car. Maybe I' l just use the straight Delvac 1300 Super at my local auto parts store. It's designated CF, and it's $12/gal. Then again, I dunno. Maybe I'll just use Mobil-1 15W-50. I go through enough of it with my bike; what's another case?

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There now exists a DI motorcycle (see above URL)! Do any of you know of a turbo charger that would fit a Robin Diesel engine (441cc) on a Royal Enfield motorcycle??? That would be cool - a TDI motorcycle! (about 200mpg!!)

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About the runaway engine scenerio: couldn't one simply pop the clutch in high gear to kill the engine?

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HAS anyone had problems with waste gates? My TDI has 5300 miles on it and the waste gate has broken for the 2nd time. (it gets stuck open venting all the boost presure)Also The pluging of the EGR? what effect will this have on the Cat on the exhaust and what will I gain by doing this when they (Volkswag n)finaly fix my car?

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Ross, I called the 1-800 customer service # for Mobil (I think I got it off their website). The customer service reps were very attentive. If you tell them your zip code they'll tell you the nearest supplier of the Delvac 1. It is sold in 4 1 gallon co tainers. I think it was about $22 dollars a gallon (x) 4 gals. (+) tax. I'm not sure that I'll buy it at that price again. I think I will extend my oil changes out to 15,000 miles to try to make up some of the difference in price. I'll probably go bac to using Shell Rotella @ 10,000 mile intervals when the 4 gals. are used. Happy TDI'ing -Ian.

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Someone was asking about power at 85% throttle. No data on your particular engine, but maximum power will be at the maximum speed (the red line.)

Power (kW) = SPEED(rpm) * TORQUE(Nm) / 9549.31

Power (bhp) = Power (kW) * 1.34102

Don't expect a linear relationship between the throttle and the speed.

On another subject, at least part of the clanking noise on start-up is due to the hydraulic tappits. Once they get an oil flow and reach equilibrium they get quieter. The 30 seconds is more likely down to this rather than the engine warming up, which take minutes.

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I love the car. Period. I got it a couple of weeks ago; already have 2k mi. Does anyone know where to get Mobil Delvac-1? It's the diesel (CF-4) fleet equivalent of Mobil-1. Cheers! :->

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FOR SALE---FOR SALR---FOR SALE---FOR SALE--- FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA PASSAT TDI 96 GREEN 61K MILES EXTRA CLEAN CONDITIONS NEVER CRASH, NO PAIN JOB ALL BOOKS & RECORDS, NEW YOKOHAMAS 6 DISC CD CHANGER, SUN ROOF CALL ME 407-353-7676 I ALREADY ORDER A NEW JETTA TDI FOR MARCH. LET`S TALK ABOUT PRICE CALL ME

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The stop lever fitted to Peugeots would not stop an engine which is "running away" on its own oil, as it disables the injection pump, but the engine would be running on its own oil, not diesel. I think that the lever is put there simply so that the engine can be stopped if the solenoid valve or the switch feeding it should get stuck "on". I´ve heard a few stories of turbo diesel "running away" when the turbo disintegrates and feeds oil straight into the inlet manifold. How high do you think a Citroen CX TD had to rev for all of the valve push rods to come right out of the top of the engine? Well it revved that high on its own oil.

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Regarding the posting on 2-10-99 about the use of 5w-30 synthetic in TDi's. What brand of synthetic 5w-30 is easily available in the states? I know AMSOIL makes the product, but it is expensive. Mobil 1 is rated CF which I suppose is adequate, but I wonder what your friendly, knowledgeable, VW dealer will fill the crankcase

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This message is for Craig Marley: STOP DRINKING DISTILLED WATER! It can be dangerous! Ordinary tap water provides essential minerals and trace elements, that drinking distilled water can actually leech out of your body causing metabolic failure. If you on't believe me, go to www.wwonline.com/rona/distwtr.htm and read the data. As far as cooling systems go, you are really wasting your money if you use distilled water, because over the lifetime of your car, the amount of minerals and other stuff that bu lds up from the water is relatively small.

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Craig, I don't know if the oil filter in the 98 Jetta TDI's are any easier to change than in the 97 Passat TDI's but, the Passat's are TERRIBLE!! The 1st time I chaned the oil in this car It looked like I got into a fight with an angry alley cat. I chan e the filter from the top but have a hard time manuevering my hands and filter around the tight, sharp edges near the radiator. I read a posting here that stated you can remove the lower radiator hose clamp near the base of the oil filter housing to ease this problem. I will try this at the next interval. Also I have found that oil drips down from the filter when I unscrew it. Then it drips dowm and collects in the plastic pan under the engine compartment. I am going to remove it in the better weather and leave it off. I removed it on my 91 Jetta and had no problems (do to its removal) in 160 thousand miles. Someone here recently stated that VW told them it was for sound dampening purposes only. I also think that I will be able to better troubleshoo my oil usage with this pan removed. It is really oily and I'm not sure wether my engine is leaking somewhere or it is just dripped from the oil changes. My car uses about a qt. of oil every 1500 miles or so. The dealer tells me that my car has no leak . I won't be positive until that oily pan is gone and I can inspect my driveway for telltail signs. Also my passanger side door handle has come loose and my passanger side rear door doesn't line up properly any more. I hope that these are the only prob ems I encounter with this vehicle. I have never been in an accident and unless these problems are resolved I will question the quality of the VW flagship. Happy TDI'ing... -Ian

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Craig, it's easier to change the filter on my TDi than it is to change the filter on the 8 or 9 Hondas I've either changed the oil on or help out. On the first one I ever did, it almost required stitches! And I'm a thin guy who can almost contort like a contortionist. Changing the oil on a Honda involves jacking the car up to get to the filter. Unless you have a good jack and a sturdy set of jackstands it's extremely difficult. On my TDi, open the hood and reach down and remove it. Wow, that was hard

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Just my comment on the EGR business. For those of us who don't care to disconnect the valve (for environmental or other reasons) most modern EGR systems have a screen to make sure particles large enough to damage the engine aren't drawn into the manifold Periodic cleaning of the screen is recommended.

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Just some comments on a few items mentioned since my long posting on diesel longevity. 1. Someone mentioned using de-ionized water with coolant. Since I have a distiller and only put distilled water into my body, I also only put distilled water into my cars. Come to think of it, I haven't changed the antifreeze on my 85 TD since rebuild. Th t's five or six years now. It still has most of the original hoses at 14 years and 419,000 KM. 2. On the subject of Japanese cars mimicking soft American handling, the only criticism I had after the last Jetta IV TDI ride was that the front suspension seemed too soft. On a sharp turn at low speed the front end "plowed" more than on my Accord. I'm wondering if VW has modified their traditional fine handling to become more American? (I need to take a TDI out on the highway to see how she runs.) 3. Someone mentioned that Hondas were the worst to change the oil filter. I got the distinct impression from this list that this honor now belongs to the TDI engine. 4. On the subject of Japanese cars self destructing after 3 years, it is interesting that the Lemonaide Used Car book (which is highly used here in Canada) says the VWs (Golf/Jetta) are very reliable for the first 3 years and then start to have costly pro lems. 5. On the subject of Americans not taking to VW diesels, it is mostly a question of economics. As I mentioned before I can save up to a $1000 a year in fuel here in Canada. Down in the U.S. with much cheaper gas, diesel costing more than gas, and driving less miles, why would I want a diesel?? That is why TDIs are very popular in Europe--high fuel costs.

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The runaway problem mention below was caused from oil in the intake with the earlier VW diesels in the 80's. When the engine produced enough "blow by" to cause puddling in the intake, this would cause the engine would runaway once the oil reach a certain level. VW tried to correct this by putting pin holes in the lowest part of the intake to burn any oil that would collect there. That only worked providing the intake stayed very clean. Once they became clogged, the whole thing started over again. VW f nally redesigned the shape of the intake and used a slightly different Crankcase ventilation process. I had several of these engines with that problem. It was easy to re-ring the engine, rebuild the head, and maintain a clean intake. Happy TDI'ing

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The runaway problem mention below was caused from oil in the intake with the earlier VW diesels in the 80's. When the engine produced enough "blow by" to cause puddling in the intake, this would cause the engine would runaway once the oil reach a certain level. VW tried to correct this by putting pin holes in the lowest part of the intake to burn any oil that would collect there. That only worked providing the intake stayed very clean. Once they became clogged, the whole thing started over again. VW f nally redesigned the shape of the intake and used a slightly different Crankcase ventilation process. I had several of these engines with that problem. It was easy to re-ring the engine, rebuild the head, and maintain a clean intake. Happy TDI'ing

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STOP LEVER: No, VW TDI's don't have 'em. But, you can simply disconnect the positive lead to the fuel cut-off valve for the same effect! I don't think this would help in a runaway situation, however... Is that not when the engine begins to draw oil through the intake valves???

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I'm going out to West Texas this weekend (8-9 hour drive) , so I thought I'd use the fuel fillup trick (push the button just inside the filler and fill up slow). When I pulled into the gas station my gauge was reading the line over 6 (8?). While washing w ndows and checking oil I was able to add 17+ gallons to the tank. I can't imagine the fuel gauge being off by more than a few gallons, so reguardless I think I got at least 21 gal. in the tank. Running freeway miles (@ 46mpg) that should equal 966 mile ra ge. I think that's the bee's knees b.c. I don't like gas stations. This car inevitably pushes the limits of human endurance on long trips though. It's usually one's need for relief that brings pause to progress. That's what I like about my TDI, road trips on my terms, cupholders, 70mph 5th gear cruise cntl. for hours and hours. Now if I could just pony up for one of those CD changers... I'll let ya'll know how the trip went when I get back. Oh ya, I just changed the oil. 15/30 Synth Mobil 1 (I think). Used a bosch filter, it was big and a tighter fit than the crummy Fram I took out. We're just about at 50,000miles, plan on changing timin belt before summer (not me personally, probably a dealer job).

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DRIVERS. LET US ALL REMEMBER THAT DIESEL ENGINES STAND ON THEIR OWN. THEY ARE SLOW REVING, FUEL EFFICIENT, HARD WORKING ENGINES. THEY ARE NOT A DESIGN FOR HIGH PERFOMANCE. I ONLY WISH THAT I COULD SEE A LARGER MARKET SHARE IN THE U.S. THEY HAVE HAD A BAD AP BY GENERAL MOTORS IN THE U.S. DAVE

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I don't know if anyone's pointed this out before, but I just found the American Petroleum Institute's (API--they're the people who rate your oil) website, (http://www.api.org) and they have lots of useful information on there. They explain all of the 'C' ratings--CF, CF-2, CF-4, etc. In addition, they list all of their licensees. You can type in the name of a manufacturer, (Pennzoil, e.g.), and it will turn up a list of everything they make--the various viscosities and API ratings. It also lists any "o f" or store-brand oil that they produce, which would be helpful for those of you that are fond of a particular manufacturer or store. You can even ask for everyone that makes a particular weight or rating of oil, but I wouldn't recommend that--it takes w y too long to load and would be even longer to slog through--it lists just about everyone from here to Brazil and everywhere in between. Enjoy!

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To Ken in Cleveland: I've used 5w-30/10w-30 synthetic oil in gas engine VW/Audi cars year round since 1983 with excellent results - oil pressure @ hot idle is 1.8-2.0 bar ... periodic oil analysis shows very low wear rates as well. The last time I check d VW recommended the same viscosity oils for their gas & diesel engines; based on expected temps. I'd have no reservation about using a lighter oil in cold weather - if possible a "CH-4/SJ" rated product. I'd be surprised if the product VW is supplying m ets the CH-4 spec, however, it's probably a "CF" (light duty diesel) rated oil ....

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Philip, no the new TDI doesn't have a stop lever and I hope it never needs one. I assune that is for runaway? Also, I don't use 5W30 in my car I was just wondering if thickening after 10,000 miles might be why VW is now asking that 5W30 synthetic be used y their dealers as stated earlier. I guess I'll call the hotline. I have the radio on and Gerry Falwell thinks ONE OF THE TELETUBBIES IS GAY! Please let me off of this planet. I think we should be more concerned that Gerry is influencing our kids than the gay Teletubby! Sorry for that outburst but with all of this Clinton and moral crap going on in the US I just can't stand it. Back to the TDI. Diesel fuel in my area is going way down in cost 89 cents / gal at my local Sunoco which is cool 'cause I heard t at winter diesel costs more. Do you know what weight oil I should use? I feel that 15W40 is too heavy for winter. On cold mornings it ticks for 30 seconds or more. I just don't think that can be good for the engine. Any thoughts?

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Ken, I forgot to say, when I do oil changes I have always disabled the injection system and turned the engine over on the starter until oil pressure builds up. On my Peugeot this is simply acheived by wrapping a piece of string around the stop lever on th injection pump. Does the VW tdi engine have a stop lever?

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Ken, I know about diesels because I have owned them for nearly ten years, several of them have been old scrappers so I have had to learn as I fix them. I have also been reading Diesel Car Magazine since they started publishing it three or four years ago, basically everything I know comes from their pages. I've always been nutty about cars, but somehow diesels have particularly caught my attention. Onto your questions, 1: diesel does explode "harder", that's why a diesel engine is heavy and stronger than a petrol engine, they are built to take it, that's one of the reasons why they won't rev like a petrol engine. 2: They use a belt rather than a chain because they are quieter and cheaper, if less reliable. My first diesel had done 400,000km when I sold it, nd the chain had almost gnawed through the metal cover, but it still worked. I guess that the manufactures think that the belt is reliable enough, and if you change it when they tell you to then it probably is (at least on a quality car like a VW). 3: I t ink that a diesel needs to be driven hard occasionally. My current car has been basically thrashed constantly for most of its 330,000km. I have worn out drive shafts, suspension and gearboxes but only now has the engine started to give trouble (I thing an exhaust valve is leaking). Don't be afraid to use the performance occasionally, it'll stop the engine coking up. 4: Diesel engine oil does go black very quickly due to the carbon, and that's not actually harmful, but it won't compensate for the oil breaki g down either. You can't harm the engine by changing the oil too often. Diesels used to have oil change intervals of 3000 miles, that was because people were using oil designed for petrol engines, and because IDI engines were harder on the oil than todays DI engines are (I don't know why that's true, but I know it is). Synthetic oils have allowed the manufacturers to push out change intervals even further. Remember that manufacturers are constantly trying to reduce the "cost of ownership" by reducing the s rvice intervals. They will push out service intervals as far as they can get away with; they are prepared to compromise ultimate engine life a little to do it. If you want the absolute ultimate engine life then a: use the absolute best diesel specific oil you can get; compare oils by reading the spec on the side of the can, not the marketing stuff, b: consider changing the oil more often. If the car is VW maintained then you could change the oil half way between 10,000 mile VW service, you probably don't n ed to change the filter so often. Consider supplying the oil to the dealer who does the service and find a way to make sure that the mechanic uses it (label on the filler cap?). If you buy a new car every few years then it's probably not worth bothering. efinitely don't expect the carbon to lubricate your engine, you need oil to do it.

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Ken, the upper ambient temperature limit in the TDI owner's manual is 60 deg. F for 5W-30 oil. Using it above that could prove to be risky...

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I have been following the discussion on oils and I would like to know...... Can I switch from mineral to synthetic directly, or do I have to use a special oil to "clean" the engine before using synthetic oil? What is the effect of synthetic oil to seals t at have been used to mineral oil? Thanks for your help. Happy TDIing! I hope to own one soon.

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Ray, my last sentence is If 5W30 has that much of a difference in 3,000 miles imagine how much thicker 15w40 must be in 10,000 miles. I am on my friends Macintosh and it is acting wierd

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Ray, this is most likely based on the fact that they have 10,000 mile change intervals. If you use 15W40 and keep it in the engine for 10,000 miles it turns to rubber cement. I have always used 5W30 in my gas cars and at each change (3,000 miles) I could notice a great increase in the lifters clickiness. Imagine if 5W30 has that much of a difference in 3,000 miles how much thicker 15W40 must be at

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Ray, this is most likely based on the fact that they have 10,000 mile change intervals. If you use 15W40 and keep it in the engine for 10,000 miles it turns to rubber cement. I have always used 5W30 in my gas cars and at each change (3,000 miles) I could notice a great increase in the lifters clickiness. Imagine if 5W30 has that much of a difference in 3,000 miles how much thicker 15W40 must be at

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Thought this would be of interest to everyone. Any comments???? Subject: All TDI owners ---- Please read. Date: 9 Feb 1999 17:39:18 GMT From: "C5Engnr" Organization: FASTNET(tm) PA/NJ/DE Internet Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled Hello to all TDI owners, I just got a copy of a Service Circular from the service department of my local VW dealership. After all the discussion on the use of synthetics oils, I thought this might be of interest to all TDI drivers out there. I assume VW is now recommending 5W-30 synthetic oil after the first service (5000 mile), and every time from that point forward. I'm due for my 20,000 mile service right now, and I will delay the service a week until my dealer gets 5W-30 Synthetic in stock. Don't just believe me though. Ask your dealer for a copy of Service Circular V 99-05, and ensure they are "up to speed" on the new requirements before your car gets serviced. ~~~~~~~~~ Dave '97 \X/ Jetta TDI (VW Symbol) Service Circular Warranty ____________________________________________________________________________ ___________ Subject: 1996-1999 TDI (Turbo-Diesel) Volkswagen Vehicles Number: V99-05 Use of Synthetic Oil Date: 1 / 26 / 1999 Effective immediately, please use 5W-30 synthetic oil when performing warranty repairs or Free Maintenance on 1996-1999 model year TDI (diesel) vehicles. Following are the Volkswagen part numbers, quantities and costs that must be used while the vehicle is within the warranty. Please note that it is more cost effective to utilize the Drop Ship Program rather than ordering through the depot. In the United States: Part Number Quantity Type of Shipment Dealer Cost ZVW 352 067 DSP 6 quarts Drop Ship [Blanked] ZVW 352 530 S 1 quart Depot [Blanked] In Canada: Part Number Quantity Type of Shipment Dealer Cost ZVW 352 530 S DSP 1 quart Drop Ship [Blanked] ZVW 352 530 S 1 quart Depot [Blanked] Items to remember: ) Synthetic oil usage will only be reimbursed under warranty or free maintenance for 1996-1999 TDI models. ) Advise customers of the change from mineral based oil to synthetic oil. ) Be certain to utilize and claim the correct quantity of synthetic oil depending on the vehicle / engine class.

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When I first start my car it emits a blue-white smoke for a minute or so. I know on a gas engine this is a problem. Is there any reason for concern with the TDI. I have read a couple of brief comments about a "Smoke" problem with the 96 models could th s be a carry over? Has anybody here chipped there engine? How difficult and expensive is it to do?

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Just ordered my jetta TDI. Can't wait! Should be here in May 1999. Sigh. I drove a diesel in Europe for 3500 miles in November 1998 and really enjoyed it. My uncle is a diesel mechanic and has told me a lot about them during the last few decades. These pa es are quite nice to read. Thanks for the information. Anyone purchase a shop manual on their TDI? If so, where can they be obtained?

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Just ordered my jetta TDI. Can't wait! Should be here in May 1999. Sigh. I drove a diesel in Europe for 3500 miles in November 1998 and really enjoyed it. My uncle is a diesel mechanic and has told me a lot about them during the last few decades. These pa es are quite nice to read. Thanks for the information. Anyone purchase a shop manual on their TDI? If so, where can they be obtained?

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Philip, how do you know so much about diesels? I know that pinging is predetonation, but it seems that if a diesel explodes so hard it would almost have the same affect as predetonation on the piston head. Are diesel pistons harder? One other thing, why o why don't they use a timing chain rather than belt on diesels if a broken belt is going to destroy your engine? I guess I am crazy with all of my questions, it's just that I want to keep this car for 10 to 15 years. I have always bought new cars, but aft r the 4 or 5 year loan was up I was ready for a new car. I love this car soooooo much I want to keep it. Since diesel is new to me I want to be sure I know as much as possible. Like drive it hard, or don't drive it hard? Rev it up, of don't rev it up? etc .. One last thing, how often would you change the oil? I have heard that the carbon in diesel is very soft and has lubricating properties so frequent oil changes are not recommended. What is your thought? Ken

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can anybody recommend a service manual for the 98 jetta tdi?

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Ken, My wife agrees, she prefers the cast iron history and the blue colour, personally I still don´t like that blue dashboard. Although engine noise is subjective, if you are used to a petrol engine then a cold diesel could sound like a jackhammer. It is upposed to be like that, it is not "pinking". When a petrol engine pinks, it is because the spark is too soon, and the fuel goes bang before the piston is at TDC. With a diesel, the noise is due to the speed of the exposion. With a petrol engine the explo ion "travels" through the fuel air mixture in a fairly progressive way and gives a nice smooth engine. With a diesel all the fuel is suddenly dumped and goes bang very quickly. The fuel burns due to compression, and as soon as some fuel burns, the pressur increases and the rest goes bang mighty quick. Basically the petrol in the petrol engine burns, and the diesel in the diesel engine explodes (OK thats a bit over simplified, but you get the point). An indirect engine tamed this behaviour by having the ba g start in a chamber seperated from the cylinder by a narrow throat. The combustion gases have to escape down the narrow throat (and the oxygen in the other direction) which slows them down a bit, softening the bang, clever eh! The thing is that because t e gases have to pass down that throat you loose efficiency, about 15 to 20% to be exact. With modern tdi engines the manufacturers have found other ways (electronic control, dual spring injectors) to tame the bang a bit, hence we have our TDIs. Here in eu ope most of the diesels on the road are IDI (indirect diesel injection), all the new engines coming out are DI though.

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Regarding draining water out of fuel filter: use a fuel additive, such as "Fuel Power", and you will never, ever have any water to drain (it disperses water in diesel fuel). In over 100,000 miles with an Oldsmobile diesel, I never had seen the first drop of water.

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Bob Shope, am I correct in assuming that you have put the tee's in your vacuum system and everything is going good? If so let me know cause that would be easier than removing the pipe. Although I must say without the pipe you are free of rust out problems 6 of so years down the road. anyway please let me know what you have found.

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Sparky, I went to the cummins site and it was good. My question is what makes the clattering sound in diesels. I always wonder if i'm killing my engine when it's cold and sounds like a jack hammer. If pinging kills a gas engine, what is going on in a die el? Also, I didn't catch the name of the person wondering where the water separator is. It's in the fuel filter which is that black round canister with fuel lines attached to it to the right of the engine near the front of the car. (assuming it is the same be ween all new TDI's.) If you feel the bottom of it there is a cock that you turn to let the water run out. Bob and Philip, I didn't get a chance to look at the EGR situation had too many late nights and winter returned to my area and I'm parking outside for the next two