The turbochargers used the Volkswagen TDI engines should last for the majority of the vehicle’s lifetime. There are many causes for premature turbocharger failure and this article will concentrate on one cause we see most often: turbo failure due to oil contamination. Continued…
Posted in TDI Basics, TDI Do It Yourself.
– June 4, 2010
Cabin filters are often neglected. And neglect can affect quality of the air inside your car and a very dirty filter can restrict airflow, causing you to be warmer or cooler than you’d like.
Here’s how to change the cabin filter. Continued…
Posted in TDI Do It Yourself.
– January 14, 2010
TDIs are sensitive to fuel quality. And the fuel filters on A5s, in particular, seem to require following a strict change schedule. Hard starting, loss of power, poor fuel economy—these are all symptoms of a clogging fuel filter.
As A5 TDI owners know, VW has flip-flopped on fuel filters for A5 platform TDIs. In this how-to we’ll help you identify what fuel filter your A5 uses, and step you through the filter change. Continued…
Posted in TDI Do It Yourself.
– January 14, 2010
VW TDIs are turbocharged engines with precise air metering. This means that the intake air has to be clean to protect the turbo and Mass Airflow Sensor. It also helps to keep moisture out of the air system where possible. And the airbox on a TDI should seal well to protect both against dirt and innacurate Mass Airflow readings.
Even though most folks agree that the manufacturer’s recommended 10,000 mile oil change interval is the way to go, there’s lots of debate regarding how often to replace the air and fuel filters in TDIs, especially CBEAs. Some people change air filters as often as every 10,000 miles, but most feel every 20,000 miles is a good interval. Whatever change interval you choose, the filter change is quick and easy. Here’s how to do it. Continued…
Posted in TDI Do It Yourself.
– January 14, 2010
Anyone who’s done any research on VW TDIs know VW has some very specific oil requirements for these engines. And the requirements change with each new generation TDI. The ‘09 and later TDIs with common rail engines (Engine Code CBEA) require oil that meets VW’s 507.00 specification. Castrol has joint ventured with VW to create an oil for this purpose, and Total, Lubro-Moly, and some other refiners also have an oil that will work in this engine.
Many owners worry about the dealer or repair shop putting the correct oil in their TDI. The best way to be sure is to do it yourself! This how-to shows how easy it is to do on your own.
In this how-to we’ve changed the oil using the traditional method of removing the drain plug and draining the oil from the pan. Many owners prefer to use an extractor to pull the oil out of the pan through the dipstick tube. The CBEA can make this a little more challenging than earlier TDIs because of baffles in the pan. So we’re showing the old-fashioned way. Continued…
Posted in TDI Do It Yourself.
– January 14, 2010
Injection pump wear, fuel quality, tuning, nozzles, and a variety of other factors can change fueling levels in TDIs. This can cause smoking, slowdown shudder, or low power.
Changing Injection Quantity (IQ) is easy. Here’s how to do it.
This how-to assumes that you’ve got your VAG-COM, downloaded the software, and made sure your car can connect to your computer. If you haven’t done this yet, www.ross-tech.com has detailed instructions.
You car has to be running to get an accurate injection quantity reading. And it has to be up to operating temperature. So it’s best to drive the car for 20 minutes or so, some of it at highway speeds, to make sure you’ll get a good reading. You should not run your A/C during this test, as it will affect readings. Continued…
Posted in TDI Do It Yourself, TDI Tuning.
– December 17, 2009
As our TDIs age, many people are discovering the value of VAG-COM Diagnostics from Ross-Tech. With a VAG-COM Cable and a laptop you can clear fault codes, diagnose issues, and fine tune your TDI engine. This is the first in a series of articles we’ll provide to help you improve your repertoire of VAG-COM skills.
One of the most basic VAG-COM uses is checking timing after a timing belt change. We’ll walk through that process here. In addition, adjusting your timing to be slightly (or more) advanced can improve cold starting, accelerator response, and fuel economy. So there are a lot of good reasons to have your timing set properly. Continued…
Posted in TDI Do It Yourself, TDI Fuel Economy, TDI Tuning.
– December 16, 2009
505.00, 505.01, 507.00 – What do these mean? 10,000 mile oil change interval? Really? 5W-40, 5W-30, 0W-30, which is better?
Driving a VW TDI means questioning and sometimes tossing out some long-held beliefs about oil and oil change intervals (OCI). Pulling into your local quick-lube store and letting them put whatever’s in the drum below the floor into your car can be disastrous to your TDI. We’re going to try to make it simple and help you choose the oil your TDI requires. Continued…
Posted in TDI Basics, TDI Do It Yourself, TDI Fuel Economy.
– October 20, 2009
Performed on a 1999.5 Jetta TDI with a 5 speed manual, other models may vary.
VW and the Bentley manual recommend every two years regardless of mileage. My local VW dealer would do it with the 40,000 mile service. When I just did this, it had been 2 years or 46,000 miles since the last time it was done.
1 liter may be sufficient, but I suggest getting more to be on the safe side, especially with a manual. I used 1.1 to 1.2 liters. Continued…
Posted in TDI Do It Yourself.
– October 19, 2009
It can start with a screeching sound on acceleration, a “pop” and a cloud of white smoke, or, at its worst, your car accelerating uncontrollably—a runaway. Or your TDI just stops making power. No matter how it happens, your turbo has failed. And the next question is usually, “Should I upgrade?”
Deciding whether to replace your turbo with another one just like it or to upgrade can be a complex decision. Or, it might be easy, because there may not be a larger turbo available that will easily fit your TDI. If there are upgrades available for our car, you should consider:
For example, a VNT-17 on an A4 TDI is a solid, well known upgrade. But it requires a $200 hose or a $100 adapter to fit stock intercooler piping. And bigger injectors (about $300), a chip tune ($300-700+), downpipe ($300-400), and improved intake (costs vary) are required to take full advantage of the power it supplies. And of course you’ll need a clutch. So you can see that choosing a bigger turbo is just the tip of the iceberg. Continued…
Posted in TDI Tuning.
– September 15, 2009
Recent Comments