vw diesel advice

[Tim1]

Hey fellas after reading numerous pages on www.myvwlemon.com , do you guys that own one use synthetic oil to cure the emmission problems plaguing these engines? Would like the 50mpg, but not at the expense of lots of maintanance. Thanks guys, I know you will know. Tim

 

[JLEONARD]

I own a 1999. 5 diesel Jetta. Wife drives it. We bought it from my son who buys auction cars with 75k miles on it.

I have been having issues with the CEL since we've owned it. Been to the dealer 3 times and still the same codes. Drives fine, but once in a while goes into limp mode, usually when I drive it because I'm heavy footed... I think that's what sets it off.

I've cleaned out some of the intake crud, and I just got gaskets yesterday to remove the intake manifold and scrub it out. I've already bypassed the vent that sucks vent fumes into the intake. Now I have to clean it out good.

I think that will fix the problem.

There was a new MAF installed when I bought it so that should be ok... I hope. That was only 10 K ago.

Wife never checks mileage, but I do when we take it on a trip. 2 weeks ago we did a 600+ mile run... . we got 44 mpg... which is pretty good IMO considering I spent most of the time at 80/85 mpg and toll booths every 20 miles on the GSP. And winter fuel.

Oh yea, and there were those 4 16 inch rims I bought on the way down that filled the trunk.

Don't know how this helps you... but it helped me to vent a bit.

Good luck.



Oh yea... a BIG pia is to change the oil you have to remove the lower plastic engine "skid plate" thing. And no ground clearance.

 

[Rman]

I'm selling ours right now, I can't stand it. By far and away the worst car that I've owned.

 

[lschultz]

I have the NB 01 and it has 77000+ and don't do nothing to it but change the oil/filter and air filter. Best mpg I have got is 53 I ususally get around 50. I had the egr mod done when I first got it. I use Amsoil 5W30 in it don't use any oil. Only expense was changing the TB at 60000 and I had to replace the battery I think the new ones have a 100000 mile belt or better. Still got the original pads on the rear but I think I will change them out at 80000.

 

[Tim1]

Thanks fellas, I'll look elswhere! Tim

 

[RCorbeil]

Check out Fred's TDI Forums for lots of info on VW TDI'S. I have one with 120,000KM, no problems todate.



Ron

 

[bkroupa]

My '98 TDI bug was one of the most fun cars I ever owned.

I put 120k on it in about two years with no real issues. I ran synthetic oil & changed it at 10k intervals. The EGR & the crankcase breather were modified to keep from gumming up the intake manifold. I ran an Upsolute chip & the performance was suprising. I averaged 48mpg for the 120k I owned it. Some tanks mid 50's worst tank low 40's (pulling my boat). The 2000 & older models had some MAF issues that are easily fixed with the updated gold plated terminals available from VW. If you drive more than 50 miles each way daily they are great cars. If you make shorts trips, buy another brand gasser.

 

[DSpencer]

My wifes 03 jetta is probably a few years from having to clean out the intake and intercooler. So far it has 28k. Change @10k synthetic with rotella and suck it out the top. Mileage is better than the average jetta for some reason. My two long road trips have yielded 57. 4mpg@70mph and 49. 99@80+.

Both trips were with three people and traveling stuff. . around 550lb inside.

 

[Txredneck]

Are all of yalls jettas autos or manuals? and lschultz whats the egr mod? if you dont mind me askin the best fuel mileage i can get is 36 and thats doing 80-85 or 70- 75?

 

[DSpencer]

2003 jetta tdi gl 5sp

rotella syntheric

amsoil air filter



Egr or exhaust gas recirculating takes a small amount of exhaust and puts it back into the intake. I makes the engine run with cleaner emissions. The down sides are that it introduces junk that attaches to the walls of the intake, intercooler, hoses. The buildup can close off the intake to the point the vehicle doesn't run properly.

Some have said the vehicles run as good and don't get buildup when you block off the egr or filter the exhaust running through it. Right now I have also heard that some still get blocked.



In either case the vehicle is not as clean running as it was designed so my vote was to leave it alone. At 50k miles I will look and clean the intake side if necessary. I guess that means I care about our environment.



Also, the auto does not get the mileage the manual does. In 2003 when I bought mine (my wifes), the window sticker was 49mpg highway with the manual and 42mpg with the auto.

 

[lschultz]

Are all of yalls jettas autos or manuals? and lschultz whats the egr mod? if you dont mind me askin the best fuel mileage i can get is 36 and thats doing 80-85 or 70- 75?

Go over to Freds www.tdiclub.com and get on the forums and you will find all the info about the egr mod. It is very simple. The back of my bumper use to get black from the exhaust but after the mod it gets very little on it does not effect your mpg or anything else. You drive that fast and accelerate fast you don't get good mileage.

 

[Txredneck]

Are any of yall running straights or keeping most of them stock...