Volkswagen TDI - Seeking Information

[MChrist]

2010, 2011, 2012 VW Golf TDI buying guide with reviews, forum, and FAQ

Try this one.

 

[Jim W]

Harvey,

Here is another forum with the answer to your questions.

Buyer's guide for TDI diesel cars and VW TDI forum and Audi TDI forum

Jim W.





Mike,

My wife likes her heated seats the best. First time for us to have heated seats in any vehicle. I guess from now on this will be a requirement for any new vehicle we buy in the future. Oh will, just more dollars to spend when shopping for one.

Jim W.

 

[HBarlow]

Thanks for the Buying Guide and Forum. Does that forum belong to Robert & Robin Patton also?

 

[BGlidewell]

heat in winter? same as the CTD. Gets warm in about 30 minutes. Summer? Cools to 38 @ the registers.

 

[rscurtis]

I had an '89 Jetta diesel with the IDI engine, heat was not a problem. However, I do recall that when they went to the DI engine, they added a booster (electric, I believe) in the heater system to give some heat before the engine could produce any. I don't know if this is still used.

 

[Jim W]

Thanks for the Buying Guide and Forum. Does that forum belong to Robert & Robin Patton also?

I do not think so, can not find any link to the TDR forum or Geno's Garage. I could be wrong through.

Jim W.

 

[GCroyle]

Hey Harvey,



What if you found the right year, diesel engine, mileage, $$, and condition, but it was in a BEETLE! Trying to picture you in a Beetle, maybe even a cactus in the dash flower vase instead of a rose.



If you're thinking about a manual transmission, some years were equipped with a DMF, different design than the G56 type, but has its own quirks, I have some details.



Good luck.



Gary

 

[mwilson]

Hey Harvey,



Trying to picture you in a Beetle, maybe even a cactus in the dash flower vase instead of a rose.

In addition to the cactus there would be a bumper sticker that reads. .



"My other car is a Gold Wing!"

or

"My other car only has two wheels!"





Mike.

 

[KLauber]

OMG, Harvey and I both drove Beetles. We must be distant cousins or something... !

 

[HBarlow]

Hey Harvey,

What if you found the right year, diesel engine, mileage, $$, and condition, but it was in a BEETLE! Trying to picture you in a Beetle, maybe even a cactus in the dash flower vase instead of a rose.

If you're thinking about a manual transmission, some years were equipped with a DMF, different design than the G56 type, but has its own quirks, I have some details.

Good luck.

Gary

Gary,

I have asked myself the same question and I think I would have to pass on a new Beetle. They are a woman's car.

I loved the old original Beetles but the new ones are entirely too "cute. "

The DMF is a concern and I just became aware of that this morning in something I read on ebay. The new style automatic used in VWs is a DSG which I gather is a manual tranmission with computer controlled clutches. Could it be only the DSG version that uses the DMF or does the manual use it also?

The DMF probably holds up behind torque of 236 ft. lbs. pulling a 3,000 lb. car much better than 610 ft. lbs. pulling a combined 26k.

Is the DMF trouble prone in a VW as it is in a Ram?

 

[GCroyle]

Harvey,



I think the DMF has added a new dimension to vehicle powertrains to keep the trans quiet and with that came a series of FILL IN THE BLANK here to describe possible issues. The clutch industry is offering the OE DMF and also many of us are selling a bunch of solid conversions here is one such installation 2000 Volkswagen Beetle 1. 9L Turbo Diesel Clutch and Flywheel Installation - YouTube if you watch this, I'll buy the popcorn. Then if you are really bored some day type in dual mass flywheel into YouTube, you'll need more popcorn.



And real Beetle had the engine in the rear and made strange noises.



Gary

 

[tkerrigan]

If buying used with BRM engine, such as in 2005. 5, pull valve cover and closely inspect cam lobes that unit injectors run on. Mine had pockets caused by high contact pressures at 100,000 miles, cost $1450 to fix. Would probably cost double that at a dealer. Don't even think about using anything but VW recommended engine oils in them.
The DMF is also worth worrying about, I don't know if it's easily inspected though. The guy that did my camshaft for me had one come loose on his wife's car and it took out the transmission also. Luckily it was under warranty. The six speed auto shift manual transmissions are worth about $6000 by themselves.

 

[mwilson]

In addition to the cactus there would be a bumper sticker that reads. .



"My other car is a Gold Wing!"

or

"My other car only has two wheels!"





Mike.

Found 2 other bumper stickers that Harvey might display on his new car...

 

[Ram4Sam]

Harvey, leave some room for this one on your bumper.....

 

[HBarlow]

Gary,

I watched part of your video. Don't have time for the entire 20 minutes now. Like your ingenious flywheel lock tool.

Tom,

That sounds like very good advice to inspect the cam. I found mention of that problem in some of the material from the TDI website others mentioned yesterday. I was guessing the cam was a lot cheaper than that! That would be an expensive repair and probably needed on many with in excess of 100k miles.

Mike and Sam,

I love the bumper stickers! I definitely was anti-nobama before it was cool. I won't have to worry about changing my vote to avoid looking stupid in 2012 like many.

 

[GCroyle]

Harvey,



You haven't seen the best part yet, at the end I show the used DMF after cutting it open on our lathe, I think most all will be suprized as to what is inside (this DMF) it, but I will tell anyone reading what you see in the VW's DMF is not the innards of the G56 DMF, I'll show that video in January.



The F/W locking tool was a stroke of luck, looking at it and wondering how to hold it w/o the VeeDub service tool. The factory technique also used a device to push the engine forward, up to the radiator to make room to snake transaxle out. I made a pusher, get er done.



Maybe a Beetle Convertible instead... ... ... ... .



Gary

 

[gbarbour]

The VW warms up faster quite a than the Dodge, typically in about 3 to 5 miles on a cold morning here in Wilmington. But the seat heater warms up before I make it out of the neighborhood. Highly recommend that feature.

 

[HBarlow]

As I read your posts and referrals and become a little familiar with TDIs more questions surface.

Tom Kerrigan mentioned a necessary camshaft replacement for $1450. I know that is a fact on some of them. Hits like that would quickly make a bargain priced used TDI pretty costly. Is that the norm?

Has anyone had experience with repairs, repair prices, and parts sources for VWs?

If, for example, I bought a clean high mileage 2004 to 2006 TDI at a good price and got it home and found it needs a drive belt and water pump replacement as well as a cam replacement are their any suitable sources for German parts at discount prices.

Last night I asked my young mechanic friend who has maintained and repaired my Dodges for ten or eleven years if he can and will work on a TDI if I buy one. He agreed but if parts are always going to be prohibitivel expensive buying a used one could be risky.

 

[rscurtis]

I'm not a TDI expert by any means, but as far as I know, the Pump Deuse with the unit injectors is the least desirable TDI. You either want the older one with the traditional distributor pump or a newer one with the HPCR system. The PD is the one that can have camshaft issues. It is also not quite as economical as either the earlier or later version.

 

[DNordvik]

Here are a few online sources for Volkswagen parts.



idparts.com

metalmanparts.com

boraparts.com

worldimpex.com

dieselgeek.com