Thread: Tdi Longevity

Mine has 200000km on the clock, i think it has been appart once or twice when newer to fix an oil leak when the owner i bought it off bought it from the original owner. Other than that the only problems i have had are a buggered lift pump but only because the fuel line from the pump to the fuel filter was to short and put excessive pressure on the fitting, replaced the pump and put a longer line on it and it is fine now. I just replaced a welsh plug yesterday as it had developed a very slow leak. It doesnt use any water, and i was a couple of thousand km overdue for a service and it had use a bit of oil, if i change ever 5000km like i have done every other time then it doesnt use any. I have also fitted its third timing belt and the bearing in the tensioner puller **** itself so i replaced that. Other than that (touch wood) the only other things that have gone wrong have been as a result of 4wding and have been unrelated to the engine. Matt

This is different!

300TDi, first registered Sep 1998.

Now done almost 200,000 Km. Going stronger than at 100,000 km.

First the problems.

Fuel lift pump failure at 80K. Induction manifold gasket leak at about 85K. Sump sealant leak at about 100K And that's it.

I chickened out at 90K and had the first timing belt (pulleys, etc.) changed. (And that was before the price increase. I also managed to purchase a few kits at the time and I still have them stored away).

I intend running the second timing belt to 120K since installation. (This looks reliable, but probably due to a strict personal RPM limit of not more than 2,800). (Stress on belts increase exponentially as RPM increases).

100K ago, I elected to go revolutionary. This engine has run on 100% biodiesel since then. (Most fuel is obtained in bulk from BIA at Rutherford, NSW. I purchase in Lots of greater than 1,000 litres at a time). Apart from the odd supplier adding a bit of petroleum distillate in with the B100 (pure biodiesel), for reasons which might be more obvious to a specialist in excise matters, no petroleum diesel has passed through the system in about 100K.

The results in terms of smooth, silent and smokeless running are nothing short of very pleasing.

Without the use of a dynamometer, it is impossible to quantify power output compared to operating on petroleum diesel, but it is probably sllightly down. Fuel consumption is about 2 to 3% higher (and I do keep very accurate records). I normally expect 9.5l/100km driving quietly on flattish good roads, 10.5 at a constant 100 kph on the highway at about 2.75 tonnes average. At that weight and towing a one tonne trailer, at highway speeds (again, 100 indicated), I can manage about 11.5, and with my 3 tonne (26&#39 caravan, about 13 to 13.5, driving at 90 indicated. (All these figures go belly up when punching into a strong headwind&#33

But it doesn't stop there.

50K ago, I installed a micron fine bypass filter (American sourced), and am running the engine on Synthetic lubrication oil. (Almost synthetic actually - Castrol Dynamax 10W/40 is a Hydrocracked mineral oil processed to synthetic standards). The oil meets one of the specific Land Rover 300 TDi lubricating oil standards.

I do not normally change the oil at specified intervals. Or at least, I haven't for almost 50K. But I do have the oil analysed each 10K ($28.50 a time), and have very positive results. Based on the results of the oil analysis, I have changed neither primary nor bypass filters in that interval. AND THE OIL IS STILL NOT EVEN COMPLETELY BLACK. (TBN has dropped from the original 17.7 to about 16&#33 Pressure is almost identical to that when previously operating on mineral oil (Castrol RX Super) with changes at about 7.5K. I will change oil and/or filters as recommended by the Wear Check lab following each 10K analysis.

There are probably many resasons for this, but some are:

(i) due to the installation of the large bypass filter, my oil capacity has been increase to 9 litres.
(ii) due to mainly highway operation, a little oil is consumed (about 300-500 ml/10,000km), thus there is a little replensihment from time to time.
(iii) the very low soot and acidity levels associated with biodiesel versus petroleum diesel fuel.

Coolang system is flushed at regular intervals (as per factory recommendations in fact), as is the intercooler. (The correct intercooler flushing solvent is used, not any of the various home made recipes used by most radiator shops. Check with any of the large truck workshops for a good solvent).

Turbocharger pressure is monitored continuously via a VDO 0-15 psi boost guage. The waste gate has never failed to limit pressure to almost exactly 15 psi.

The one modification that has been done to the engine is a small tweak to the fuel pump boost regulator. It was found, very early in the life of the vehicle, that starting off from a standstill with a very heavy load (vehicle at about 3 tonnes with 3 tonnes caravan on the back) was nigh on impossible without getting going in low range, particularly is on a slight up incline. Very inconvenient.

It was explained to me that this lack of power in the low rev range w*****rgely due to EC emission requirements which restricted fuel flow until a certain degree of turbo boost was achieved. This minimised smoke. But the slight tweak mentioned above, carried out by a diesel workshop, solved the problem, albeit at the expense of a very slight increase in exhaust smoke. And now that the engine is running on smokeless biodiesl (B100), that problem has disappeared altogether.

So, in the end analysis, what is the longevity of a 300 TDi? If I cannot get at least double that which I currently have (say 400K), I will be very surprised indeed. And I am hopeful of even greater life.

But this engine is looked after! Not pampered. Worked hard, but carefully.

Can't wait to read the knockers opinions on this one! But i'll keep progress posted from time to time.

I've had my '97 TDI since new & now done 190,000km.

Has had 3 timimg belts, 1 at 18,000, the others done under warranty inspection.
Has had 2 injector pumps, 1 due to timing belt incorrect fit, the other went 60,000kn due to water pitting hardened rollers on cam & chrome lifting jamming up the works.

Since I have lightened my load I normaly carry, it's running like a dream , actually flying which is worrying me its going so well after near 10 years of ordinary performance.

Cheers
Bryce

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pedro_The_Swift &#064; May 5 2006, 06&#58;41 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>

DiscoDan Said--

Also needs injectors but these need to be replaced as told they can not be rebuilt.
Some times i wonder if i would be better off in a V8,
Has anyone done this on a V8 or TD5?
nope, but had mine professionally cleaned (3 times I was told) after getting a tank full of muddy fuel.
It was running fine before at over 270,000 kays.
funny how the fuel pump karked it 2 weeks later,, and do you think the servo would cough up for it :roll:
[/b][/quote]



my 97mdl tdi 130s done 304,000km and still going strong just a blown bag pipe water hose and a lose injector pump wire is all that gone wrong so touch wood she a bit smoky on start up.

Welcome Spinner.

It certainly looks like you know your engine inside & out.
With that much care & attention, it will run forever I think .

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>(TBN has dropped from the original 17.7 to about 16&#33[/b][/quote]

are you sure of that TBN ?
It looks abnormally high, although that level of TBN retention is excellent. What are Castrol&#39;s base specs ? Do you get TAN tested as well ?
The lab that I use also quoted a higher than normal TBN for oil we use in several vehicles (Mobil Delvac 1) which I put down to a lab aberation, but it wasn&#39;t near as high as yours.

Yep; Castrol states TBN 17.7. No TAN given.

That must be realistic because, as I said, my latest Wear Check analysis gives a TBN of something over 16.

I don't know if you can do it, but if you can get me your email address, I will email you my latest Wear Check report (.pdf file format).