My first diesel, what do I need to know?

joolsveer

I have a diesel van and a petrol car and I have views on the pros and cons of both engine types. I like to read other people's views as well. It helps it those views can be backed up by data though.

I recently hired a turbo diesel Passat while on holidays and was surprised by how inflexible the engine was at low revs compared to my non turbo diesel van. I had not read anywhere that modern turbo diesels were inclined to stall so easily.

Zube

joolsveer wrote: »

I had not read anywhere that modern turbo diesels were inclined to stall so easily.

Wife's S-Max diesel is like that too, requires some welly starting off. The guys in CAR magazine commented on it when they had a long-term test of the S-Max too, but once you get used to it, it's no problem.

wet-paint

Guys this isn't the place to gwan bitching about the mod. If you think he was too heavy handed, take it to the feedback forum or something.

craichoe

Recently drove a rental 1.4 Litre Jetta petrol, didn't, I prefer my own skoda 1.9 tdi. Great economy on straights too, price difference for Juice thought is mental

Return trip from Holland to Germany

Jetta 1.4 L Petrol - 72 euro
Skoda 1.9 TDI - 38 Euro

darsar

Can any body confirm the correct MPG for an Audi A3 2.0 TDI Sport? 2004 Model.

I will be purchasing one this week an have had contradicting reviews through google.

TIA

Renegade_Archer

Oil changes, fully synthetic, every 10k miles religiously.

I've found my TDI harder to stall than a petrol at take-off (e.g. I can let my clutch out all the way without touching the accelerator when in slow-moving traffic)

-Chris-

Renegade_Archer wrote: »

Oil changes, fully synthetic, every 10k miles religiously.

Oil changes, using the oil specified by the manufacturer.
Service it whenever the car tells you to.

Dave147

I don't like when people talk about diesel like there's only one diesel engine.. A bit like comparing the VAG 1.8 engine to a Ford 1.2, true they use the same fuel but alot of these engines work alot differently. My A4 is diesel, she's 98, never stalled, never had trouble starting her, never had turbo trouble, I get the oil changed etc and it's perfect. And I agree with the mod, it was a hijack of the thread, OP just wants some advice on his new diesel, not be told they're crap!

I haven't got much more to add, only emphasise about waiting for glow plug light etc to go off before starting, take it easy for first few minutes, do not rev the car before you move off, and always give the turbo 30s or so after you finish driving..

Well wear!

r3nu4l

jamegg wrote: »

Can any body confirm the correct MPG for an Audi A3 2.0 TDI Sport? 2004 Model.

I will be purchasing one this week an have had contradicting reviews through google.

TIA

I have the pre-facelift Audi A3 brochure at home (hardcopy) so I'll look at it tonight for you. Is it the 140 bhp or 170 bhp model you are looking at?

Money Shot

peasant wrote: »

As it is a TURBO diesel, learn to drive it with some mechanical sympathy.

Very important ...dont rev up the turbo and then immediatedly switch off the engine, give it a chance to spool down. A turbo can spin at up to 100.000 revs per minute...switching off the engine (and therefore its cooling and lubricating oil supply) at that speed will lead to very high wear and premature turbo death.

If necessary leave the engine ticking over for a few secs before turning it off.

Would this still be relevant for the more modern diesel engines, such as the Common Rail Direct Injection engines ???
I've been told that they are very similar to petrol engines other than being a bit sluggish starting off

peasant

Yes it would.
A turbo is a turbo, no matter what kind of engine it is flanged to.

It rotates really fast around a shaft which either just "floats" on oil or runs in bearings cooled and lubricated by oil.

Cut the oil supply while it is still spinning fast and it will run dry, eventually grinding itself into the bearings and the shaft will get wobbly ...end of turbo.

PCwiggum

I'm another diesel newbie, I bought mine in the uk a few weeks ago. One thing I was curious about was the the notice on the ferry tag = "Petrol cars leave in gear, diesel cars out of gear". Whats the reason for this?

peasant

Theoretically, a diesel car with a faulty fuel cut-off valve (that's the thing that your "ignition" on a diesel turns on or off) could be bump started when in gear, and the ferry companies obviously aren't too keen on the idea of a driverless car driving through the belly of their ships.

All a (warmed up) diesel needs to get running is access to fuel and a bit of a push.

Vegeta

peasant wrote: »

Theoretically, a diesel car with a faulty fuel cut-off valve (that's the thing that your "ignition" on a diesel turns on or off) could be bump started when in gear, and the ferry companies obviously aren't too keen on the idea of a driverless car driving through the belly of their ships.

All a diesel needs to get running is access to fuel and a bit of a push.

Cool didn't know that.

Once my brother was standing beside his car and reached in through the open window to twist the key to turn on the radio. Twisted the key too much, car was in gear and took off. Even with handbrake on. He doesn't know how it managed it, its a heavily modified ITR.

He had to chase it and jump in.

Well ware r3nu4l, thinkin of gettin a small diesel car my self for a similar commute so I can save a few quid on fuel

PCwiggum

Cheers, thats good to know, I'll be parking in neutral from now on.

peasant

PCwiggum wrote: »

Cheers, thats good to know, I'll be parking in neutral from now on.

No need to do that, really ...the ferry companies are just being paranoid. If your ignition key turns off the engine, it's safe to assume that a push without the key being turned again won't start it.

r3nu4l

Wow, didn't know that about the whole bump start thing either!! good to know, just on the off-chance!

peasant

No need to over-react. Even if the fuel cut-off valve would be faulty, in 99.9% of the cases it would be stuck closed rather than opened. (It's just a solenoid with a rather strong spring, it needs current to be open, otherwise the spring pushes it shut)

Vegeta

peasant wrote: »

No need to over-react.

What Diesel cars can drive themselves?
Diesel cars have ghosts in them?
Diesel cars are supernatural!!!
I heard diesel cars are zombies
Diesel cars want to eat your brains. FACT

Is that enough over reacting :P

We get ya, don't worry. Diesel cars have a mind of their own and at any time could go on a killing spree.