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I am about to buy a VW Passat 130 bhp Tdi. Any advice on the running in of this engine.
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Most (if not all) manufacturers of modern diesels do not give ANY "running in" procedures.
This may horrify any "old-school" motorists,
but manufacters are hardly likely to want to increase warranty claims.
My PERSONAL approach (having bought a Skoda Fabia Tdi, which has the very latest VW PD engine - now in the Polo),
was that keeping it to 3K revs for the first 500 miles didn't do any harm. (NB 3 in 5th is 93!!!).
Brand new tyres need "scrubbing-in" anyway.
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Oi Potter
I KNEW you were a closet Skodie.
And what are you on about - 93mph? I thoughht you were an advanced instructor or summik?
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First 1,000 miles limit to 3,000 rpm but make sure you hit 3k regularly. Next 1,000 miles ( 1k to 2k) limit to 3,500 rpm, but make sure you hit it regularly. Next 1,000 miles (2k to 3k) limit to 4,000 rpm and make sure you hit 4k rpm regularly. After 3k increase your limit to 4,500 rpm, make sure you hit that at least a few times a week. After 4k miles, take it to 4,500 rpm or to the limiter at least a couple of times a week threough the gears. That way you will help free off the piston rings, will help stop the engine turning into an oil burner, will help keep the injectors clean and will help prevent soot accumulating in the exhaust system. Though many diesel drivers will be horrified at the thought of extending their engines to 4,500 rpm, doing it just a couple of times a week usually beings an overall economy benefit and is what the MOT tester will do to your engine any way.
HJ
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When I took delivery on my PD TDI Passat there was a reasonable section in the handbook which was not too far different to HJs advice.
I followed a steady path between both sources with the result that after 20k the motor uses no oil between changes.
After 15k I switched to fully synth (millers xfe) and do 5k changes with filter. I do not tell VAG as it is still under warranty.
as ever
Mark
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Hmm
I had not realised that Millers is not on the VAG list even at £26 for 5 litres it is half the cost of the VW dealers oil which is currently £13.50 a litre (£54 for 4 litres) as I notice from my last service receipt. With a filter and labour plus VAT at VAG I am looking at £87 just for an oil change.
IMHO Millers XFE is probably as good as it gets for TDI engines but given the advice above I might go back to just the VAG stuff until the warranty gives out.
thanks chaps
as ever
Mark
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How can I work out what revs I'm doing without a rev counter? I've just bought a diesel Picasso. (There doesn't seem to be anything about gearing in their 'Technical Specification' brochure, and since its my first diesel I'm not confident of judging from the engine note alone.) Many thanks.
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Many diesel engine manufacturers(inc.VW)use a different oil as factory fill to speed up the running-in process-has less additives.This is why many diesels use quite a lot of oil for the first 5 to 10k.When the pistons and rings have settled into the bores you're OK.
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5K Oil changes on fully synthetic oil is OTT, IMHO
10K is about right
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But you shouldnt yet use XFE in any PD Vw's - read in Diesel Car that they have applied to VW for approval of Millers XFE PD back in December but have heard nothing!
As they put it - are VW holding us to ransom!
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all of which means I will need to use the manual Tiptronic mode on my Audi after all, otherwise the auto rarely lets the engine get over 3500 rpm in normal use.
Ta
Tim
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Mark, if for any reason you make a warranty claim, then VW will have Castrol test a sample of your oil to find out what it is. They recently checked a reader's oil from a TDI PD and found it was ordinary Castrol Magnatec instead of 505.01 and the VW franchise which poured it in is trying to wriggle out of lying to the customer in writing about this.
HJ
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HJ
Exactly ther point I made in another post, how does the punter know that the oil he is being charged for is what has gone into the engine?
Probably better to have a prompt engine failure than a gradual deterioration which is put down to owner misuse over 50,000 miles.
Regards
Brian
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All dealers will put in whatever oil they can buy cheapest in bulk unless you specify-to be legal it must meet the minimum requirement-not the maximum.
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So how on earth does the average punter get the dealer to put the right stuff in, and how do you tell if they have???
Tim
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Just out of interest HJ, how would you suggest the running in of a petrol engine in the same way as you did for the Diesel above? Same idea but with 4k rpm where Diesel is 3k rpm, etc, or to give it a 1k then drive it normally, taking it up to the rev limit occasionally?
What is the expert view?
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Frightening, really
At £87 for an oil change you are looking at 1.5p - 1.75p per mile just for oil on a 6000/5000 mile change schedule.
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