Driving a TDi

[Marktdi180]

Hi mate - welcome to the land of TDi!!

Basically my advice to a new diesel owner is:-

- Let your car warm up before journeys - a couple of minutes on idle will be fine
- As your car has been remapped, try not to put your foot down below 2k rpm as this will put lots of pressure on your clutch & flywheel and you'll eventually have clutch slip!
- Let the car cool down after a journey
- Also don't boot it in 6th gear as you will more than likely feel a 'shudder' and this will harm your flywheel
- Enjoy the boost

My car flies in 6th gear!

 

[WeeG]

Welcome to the derv realm mate, just dont boot below max torque in high gears (usually 2k revs)
Enjoy the BOOST! Take it from me you can embarass a lot of hot petrol cars

 

[Scotty2hotty]

I find this formula helps maintain a healthy engine and gearbox.

Gear change when cold - 2500rpm -/+
Gear change when warmed up - 3000 to 3500rpm -/+
I always let it get to 90 degrees oil temp and wait another 5 mins for the gearbox oil to also warm up before a little more spirited driving

When starting her up in the morning, let the engine run for about a minute for oil pressure to stabilise. No point in leaving it too long at idle, as a TDI is best warmed by driving it normally.

As others say avoid putting your foot down below 2000 rpm in 5th and 6th (best to avoid in any gear)

Also important is the need to keep that turbo cleaned out. I recommend a good dose of fun weekly or so (driving it hard). This helps reduce soot build up, helping maintain the turbo and preventing possible limp mode.

Other than that, enjoy

 

[TheBigGM]

My car flies in 6th gear!

Yeah I wouldn't put my car into 6th gear until about 70mph and even then I wouldn't be tempted to boot it until well over that!

 

[great_kahn]

Yeah I wouldn't put my car into 6th gear until about 70mph and even then I wouldn't be tempted to boot it until well over that!

In the 50 limits on the motorgay i stick mine in 6th and slap the cruise control on. Would get about 700 miles to the tank if all roads were 50mph restricted

 

[tony19b]

Get a DSG and forget clutch worries! 2.0 TDI and DSG is a marriage made in heaven.

(Unless of course the gearbox dies, that is a £4K headache)

 

[Modelmakerman]

Erm DSG has 2 clutches so there is more to worry about not to mention that they are massively more expensive to replace than standard clutch and DMF!?

Anyway I like to drive my car myself, I dont want the ECU to do it for me and then get all pissy when I decide to select a gear it hadnt anticipated!

 

[LeonFRTDi]

Allready had DMF & Clutch Rep just out of warranty i paid 50% towards it. at 38k miles.
Thanks to Dealer & Seat UK so i would buy another SEAT.
Clutch Plate was hardly worn but they replaced it anyways. DMF was the fault....

Anyhow back to the driving, Ive sone nearly 58k in my FRTDi from new & its nearly 6yr old.

There is no real reason to have the revs much above 2,500 when going thro the gears & it gets 6th all the time even from cold once iam above 50mph.
Do let the engine warm up tho but not driving it too hard & best advice is let it tick over for 5/10secs everytime before you stop it. How many drivers do that?
Maybes i should drive it at 4,000 revs more often to stop this VNT sticking? time will tell.
As for different types of Diesel, ive tried them all, inc Millars Additive.
Tesco Fuel was the best without any additive.... how weird is that.
But it runs just the same on anything i find.
Timing Belt is 60k on the 150PD-TDi
Mine was done at 55k. along with main drive belt & waterpump & fresh G12 Coolant.
overall its a fab Car, needs a different type of Tyre in the Winter tho or best advice just park it up.!

Enjoy the TDI its so much easier to drive than a Petrol.