Parker's Fleet of Diesels (Bought Another 1st Gen Cummins)

[Slash]

Ah the good old 4.0L. Great engine. Good power band.

 

[Parker]

My father has been driving my truck for a while so when I went to pick my son up from my parents house today, I figured I'd snap a few pictures of my diesels together.

 

[Slash]

That first gen though <3

 

[homeforsummer]

Always quite liked the look of those, and they're surprisingly compact by modern SUV standards.

Not sure if you're aware, but in the UK they sold that generation of Jeep with a 2.5-litre turbodiesel. They're not particularly sought-after because they're not a great deal more economical than the inline-six and a great deal slower, but I guess the diesel aspect would be appealing to you regardless

 

[Slash]

Always quite liked the look of those, and they're surprisingly compact by modern SUV standards.

Not sure if you're aware, but in the UK they sold that generation of Jeep with a 2.5-litre turbodiesel. They're not particularly sought-after because they're not a great deal more economical than the inline-six and a great deal slower, but I guess the diesel aspect would be appealing to you regardless

I always liked them too, but the Jeep fanboyism that's over here has all but killed them for me. They are worse than bro-truck guys.

 

[Parker]

Always quite liked the look of those, and they're surprisingly compact by modern SUV standards.

Not sure if you're aware, but in the UK they sold that generation of Jeep with a 2.5-litre turbodiesel. They're not particularly sought-after because they're not a great deal more economical than the inline-six and a great deal slower, but I guess the diesel aspect would be appealing to you regardless

I am aware, I've watched many a YouTube video and I'd love to have one of those. I've talked it over with the wifey and she has given me permission to swap a diesel in the Jeep when the 4.0 dies. I plan on putting a 4BT in the Jeep, it is just about the same exact engine that is in my '91 Dodge but with 2 cylinders lobbed off. A 3.9L, inline 4 that makes 105hp and 265 ft/lb of torque (max torque at 1600 RPM) would be a blast in a Cherokee, especialy since just like my truck, a screwdriver and 10 minutes time can almost double to horsepower and torque the engine makes.

Should be a little something like this...



I know people that have swapped 4BT engines in heavier vehicles and with the right gearing they are getting over 30mpg, so it should be fairly easy to eek out some decent mileage with this swap.

My father also plans on swapping a '97 12 Valve Cummins in his '66 Chevy truck. Probably mated to either an NV4500 5 speed manual, or NV5600 6 speed manual. We're going to wait until the weather gets warmer, (Snowmageddon just began, supposed to get a foot of snow and temps over 15 degrees below zero) get the truck out of his garage and see exactly what it needs in terms of body work. It isn't going to be a complete restoration to showroom quality, but it will be a nice weekend cruiser that should also get upwards of 30mpg as well.

In other news, I've just about convinced myself to do an EGR and DPF delete on my Jetta, as well as a full 2.5" or 3" straightpipe. This will include a Malone Stage II tune, of course, which should make the car pretty damn quick. VW has a flaw with intercooler icing when the EGR stays intact with the first generation on Common Rail TDI engines, so spending right at $1800 to delete all the emissions equipment is a much better option than the engine hydro-locking and destroying itself. Not to convince the wifey...

 

[Slash]

I have seen full size F250s with 4BT's get over 30mph, so I can only imagine you'll get more with a smaller vehicle.

 

[Parker]

I have seen full size F250s with 4BT's get over 30mph, so I can only imagine you'll get more with a smaller vehicle.

I'd be happy with 30mpg but like you, I've also seen full size trucks getting 30mpg or more so I am assuming that we'll get a bit higher than that.

Also, I'm still kind of new to smartphones but I was messing around with my Galaxy S4 today and figured I'd shoot a little cold start video before we went to the grocery store today. She had been sitting for a few days in single digit temps, started right up though.



I'll probably get one of my Jetta in the next few days too.

 

[Parker]

I've been driving the Jeep to work since it has been snowing/sleeting the past week or so, that thing is a monster in snow. I've deliberately tried to get it stuck and it just keeps on going.

Here she is, filthy, right before I walked into work a few nights ago.





Still dirty, sitting at home now.



And since I just got a new camera, I figured I'd try to take a few pictures of my truck. I am a complete beginner when it comes to this so please excuse the awful photos.

 

[Parker]

It has been almost two weeks since I've been able to drive my Jetta because of all the snow we've had. Took her for a drive yesterday, I've missed that little diesel. Plus it will be so much ncier getting almost 50mpg on my commute to work instead of the barely 18mpg my Jeep gets.











Also, @CAMAROBOY69 what products would you recommend for a proper wash? Sponges and everything, if you don't mind. I also need to clean the black leather interior because my son can't keep his dirty feet off the back of my chair so if you have any recommendations for that I'd certainly appreciate it as well.

 

[Doog]

I'm pretty happy with Leatherique. It's a bit expensive for the Rejuvinator Oil and Prestine Clean, but they're good for several uses and I find them to be pretty effective in my and my dad's cars. They do a good job of removing all the dirt and grime from the seats and leave them feeling much nicer than before. Here's a how-to that tells you everything you need to know about the process. An important word of advice, though: you won't be able to do this right away, because the treatment works best when the car's left in the sun during the hottest days of the year.

 

[Ronald6]

Thank you for advice about Leatherique @Doog. I'll be using that on my SVX as soon as the weather starts to warm up.

I'm also interested in hearing @CAMAROBOY69 's suggestions on what products to use. I tried to wax Gareth about a week ago and all it did was create an even worse mess.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Thank you for advice about Leatherique @Doog. I'll be using that on my SVX as soon as the weather starts to warm up.

I'm also interested in hearing @CAMAROBOY69 's suggestions on what products to use. I tried to wax Gareth about a week ago and all it did was create an even worse mess.

Oh sorry for the delayed response.

Generally I am not too picky about what soap or rinse I use to wash the car. However its after that is when I get a bit more picky. These are the products I have had amazing results with. I DO ALL BUFFING BY HAND. If you use a buffing wheel be insanely careful.

1. 3m Perfect It III. The 3m polish is absolutely incredible for removing scratches, scuffs, and for an excellent polish compound. Works on painted surfaces, clear coat, glass, and plastic.

2. Meguiars Deep Crystal Carnauba wax. I usually follow that with this wax and it is very easy to apply and easy to remove. Squirts right out. I have tried many other wax brands of all types and this works the best IMO. I have literally applied this to one half of my car, and other waxes to the other half and this seems to work the best for how easy it is to apply and remove.

3. Armoral Ultra Shine Wax detailer. This works decent if you just want a quick clean up on your car to remove bugs, debris, or just for a quick wax job. I would not use this for your main wax job. Just as a quick clean up. Its decent for a quick fix and is fairly cheap.

 

[Parker]

Well, my Jetta is dead.

So, because of America's idiotic emissions standards for diesel engines, VW had to use a different intercooler system than the rest of the world. Unfortunately there is a design flaw with their intercooler and low pressure EGR valve that allows condensation to build up in the intercooler piping. When it gets cold enough that condensation can freeze into a plug that will stop the car from even cranking, or it can send an ice chip through the engine which obviously causes a bunch of damage, or, what happened to me, is the ice can melt and when you attempt to start the car the engine ingests that engine, hydrolocks a cylinder and bends a rod.

Since I had the symptoms of the issue and VW hasn't issued a recall (even though they've admitted there is a design flaw by issuing two TSBs to try and fix the issue) I had the car towed to a dealer. I have never had a dealer work on any of my vehicles but I've been told the more people who report the issue, the more likely VW will recall the intercoolers. The tech removed over a cup and a half of water from my intercooler piping, so who knows how much was in the engine, removed the glow plugs, cranked the car to get the rest of the water out and put her back together. When he started her back up I was told it was "running rough." After a compression test I am told that cylinder #3 has low compression but they have to do more tests. A few hours later I am told cylinder #3 is fine but now cylinders #1 and #2 have low compression. All in all I spent over 5 hours at the dealership in my full, uncomfortable class A uniform (I was dropped off right after work) and was fed up with waiting. The dealer gave me a Tiguan rental for free (which are apparently limited to 118mph, it seems) and I set off for home.

When I got home I contacted VW of America and let them know what was happening and asked what they would do to help me since the issue is 100% their fault as it is a design flaw. After many hours I was given a huge middle finger and they basically told me to go 🤬 myself. I then called the dealer back and they said if I wanted them to inspect further they'd want $700 to pull the oil pan and inspect the rods or $2500 to pull the head. After I laughed out loud at them, I told them not to touch the car anymore, said I'll diagnose it myself and determine which cylinder (if any) is low on compression since I was told two different things, and since VW won't help me I'll be rebuilding the engine myself.

So, I'm off to return the rental and if our trailer isn't be used at the shop I'll be getting my truck to go bring my car back home.

This is the real kicker though. The only real fix (so far) to this ridiculous icing issue is to delete the EGR. Guess what I had scheduled for next week? Yep, a full 3" straight pipe exhaust with Malone Stage II tune, complete with EGR and DPF delete. Damn my luck...

 

[Blackbird.]

Well, my Jetta is dead.

So, because of America's idiotic emissions standards for diesel engines, VW had to use a different intercooler system than the rest of the world. Unfortunately there is a design flaw with their intercooler and low pressure EGR valve that allows condensation to build up in the intercooler piping. When it gets cold enough that condensation can freeze into a plug that will stop the car from even cranking, or it can send an ice chip through the engine which obviously causes a bunch of damage, or, what happened to me, is the ice can melt and when you attempt to start the car the engine ingests that engine, hydrolocks a cylinder and bends a rod.

Since I had the symptoms of the issue and VW hasn't issued a recall (even though they've admitted there is a design flaw by issuing two TSBs to try and fix the issue) I had the car towed to a dealer. I have never had a dealer work on any of my vehicles but I've been told the more people who report the issue, the more likely VW will recall the intercoolers. The tech removed over a cup and a half of water from my intercooler piping, so who knows how much was in the engine, removed the glow plugs, cranked the car to get the rest of the water out and put her back together. When he started her back up I was told it was "running rough." After a compression test I am told that cylinder #3 has low compression but they have to do more tests. A few hours later I am told cylinder #3 is fine but now cylinders #1 and #2 have low compression. All in all I spent over 5 hours at the dealership in my full, uncomfortable class A uniform (I was dropped off right after work) and was fed up with waiting. The dealer gave me a Tiguan rental for free (which are apparently limited to 118mph, it seems) and I set off for home.

When I got home I contacted VW of America and let them know what was happening and asked what they would do to help me since the issue is 100% their fault as it is a design flaw. After many hours I was given a huge middle finger and they basically told me to go 🤬 myself. I then called the dealer back and they said if I wanted them to inspect further they'd want $700 to pull the oil pan and inspect the rods or $2500 to pull the head. After I laughed out loud at them, I told them not to touch the car anymore, said I'll diagnose it myself and determine which cylinder (if any) is low on compression since I was told two different things, and since VW won't help me I'll be rebuilding the engine myself.

So, I'm off to return the rental and if our trailer isn't be used at the shop I'll be getting my truck to go bring my car back home.

This is the real kicker though. The only real fix (so far) to this ridiculous icing issue is to delete the EGR. Guess what I had scheduled for next week? Yep, a full 3" straight pipe exhaust with Malone Stage II tune, complete with EGR and DPF delete. Damn my luck...

That blows man. I feel your frustration with the ridiculous emissions imposed on diesels. I just recently finished a gambit with the Jeep GC diesel which in the end required a new catalytic converter. Luckily done under warranty. The most annoying part was having to bring it in multiple times under threat that the engine would not restart.

 

[Parker]

That blows man. I feel your frustration with the ridiculous emissions imposed on diesels. I just recently finished a gambit with the Jeep GC diesel which in the end required a new catalytic converter. Luckily done under warranty. The most annoying part was having to bring it in multiple times under threat that the engine would not restart.

I'm still amazed at the fact that Volkswagen won't do anything to help me. I've called their service department a few more times to see if there is anything they can do for me and they've always just said nope. I did tell them I had plans on buying a brand new Jetta or Golf when I make Sergeant (hopefully early next year) but after being treated like crap from VW I asked, "why should I?" Their response was, "well, you'll have a warranty."

Still, even though I am disgusted with VW as a company, I really like my Jetta. So, I'm going to fix the damn thing, delete the DPF and EGRs and then drive the damn thing until she falls apart. I'm on vacation for the next week (I was supposed to be playing Project CARS...) so I'll be tearing into the Jetta in the next few days. At the worst I am hoping it is a few bent connecting rods, that shouldn't be too expensive but we'll see.

In the meantime I've had time with a real diesel. Over 400K miles and not a single time has she let me down.

 

[Blackbird.]

Very cool. I like Dodge Rams a lot. I owned a '01 although it wasn't a diesel. A part of me still wants a 2500 from that generation. Manual.

 

[Parker]

So, it turns out the dealership is either incredibly incompetent or they were trying to scam me into buying an engine. I trailed my car home and took it to our shop to drop the pan. Before I did that I wanted to check the compression personally. Guess what? Everything checked out, all cylinders had great compression. So, I take it to a buddy who specializes in Volkswagen and have him hook it up to his computer, no codes are thrown, the car is perfectly fine.

I take her out on the interstate to get her up to operating temp. and everything is just as the day I bought it. One one hand I am extremely happy I'm not going to have to throw any money at the car, on the other hand I am absolutely furious with the dealership. I honestly think the "tech" had never messed with a diesel before and wasn't aware that they are noisier and rattle more than a gasser. When he told me it was running "rough" I listened to it and didn't hear anything abnormal, he probably hasn't worked on a TDI before.

This is the first time I've ever taken a vehicle to the dealership and it will most certainly be the last. Just one more reason why I'm the one who works on my cars.

 

[homeforsummer]

I feel your frustration with the ridiculous emissions imposed on diesels.

Ridiculous? Not sure I agree there.

The requirements for diesels to meet emissions regulations are thoroughly sensible from an air quality perspective. The reason Oxford Street in London is one of the worst streets for air quality in Europe is entirely down to old-tech diesel taxis and buses pumping out NOx and particulates, neither of which are great for human health. Give me an Adblue-fed, DPF- and EGR-equipped diesel as I walk down the street any day.

However, it's a shame that such technologies (as well as complications like dual-mass flywheels and high-pressure fuel rails that also have a habit of going wrong) have resulted in diesel's reputation for reliability going down the pan. But it does make you wonder whether something like the Jetta TDI is now a false economy - the benefit of saving a few bucks on fuel is offset by the extra upkeep.

This is the first time I've ever taken a vehicle to the dealership and it will most certainly be the last. Just one more reason why I'm the one who works on my cars.

It still amazes me the difference in reputation between VW here and over there. I'm not sure how warranted the rep in Europe is but the ownership experience in the U.S. really doesn't seem so great...

 

[Blackbird.]

Ridiculous? Not sure I agree there.

The requirements for diesels to meet emissions regulations are thoroughly sensible from an air quality perspective. The reason Oxford Street in London is one of the worst streets for air quality in Europe is entirely down to old-tech diesel taxis and buses pumping out NOx and particulates, neither of which are great for human health. Give me an Adblue-fed, DPF- and EGR-equipped diesel as I walk down the street any day.

However, it's a shame that such technologies (as well as complications like dual-mass flywheels and high-pressure fuel rails that also have a habit of going wrong) have resulted in diesel's reputation for reliability going down the pan. But it does make you wonder whether something like the Jetta TDI is now a false economy - the benefit of saving a few bucks on fuel is offset by the extra upkeep.

It still amazes me the difference in reputation between VW here and over there. I'm not sure how warranted the rep in Europe is but the ownership experience in the U.S. really doesn't seem so great...

You're right. I'm not trying to sound like someone who doesn't care about emissions but specifically with the Jeep its emissions system includes an instance where if the DEF is empty or wrong it basically bricks the car. Why dont all diesels have this or better yet are diesels that much more polluting then a gas engine?(excluding the pzev). I don't claim to know a lot about engines and emissions. So the more information the more welcome. 👍

I also can't help but think all these strict emissions systems imposed on diesels here in US or specifically California is to deter people from straying away from gasoline. I figure politicians have deep investments in gasoline. But that's the paranoid side of me talking.

 

[homeforsummer]

Why dont all diesels have this

They will, soon - it's an essential part of reducing NOx emissions. They're filtering into Europe now too - the main reason the U.S. got ones like that first is because of the Californian regs that largely dictate the rest of the country there.

I also can't help but think all these strict emissions systems imposed on diesels here in US or specifically California is to deter people from straying away from gasoline. I figure politicians have deep investments in gasoline. But that's the paranoid side of me talking.

It's a worldwide thing, really. The fact that diesel hasn't yet spread across the U.S. is more perception than anything. Many still think of diesel as something to fill big rigs, farm machinery, or god-awful 1970s American diesel stuff.

That said, California's regs are essentially aimed at minimising the use of diesel. In many ways it's justified - the state absolutely doesn't want to return to the period from the 1950s to 1980s when the LA valley was in permasmog. Petrol engines are clean enough to avoid that now, but diesels without strict emissions controls aren't.

 

[Blackbird.]

They will, soon - it's an essential part of reducing NOx emissions. They're filtering into Europe now too - the main reason the U.S. got ones like that first is because of the Californian regs that largely dictate the rest of the country there.

It's a worldwide thing, really. The fact that diesel hasn't yet spread across the U.S. is more perception than anything. Many still think of diesel as something to fill big rigs, farm machinery, or god-awful 1970s American diesel stuff.

That said, California's regs are essentially aimed at minimising the use of diesel. In many ways it's justified - the state absolutely doesn't want to return to the period from the 1950s to 1980s when the LA valley was in permasmog. Petrol engines are clean enough to avoid that now, but diesels without strict emissions controls aren't.

It's sad to hear in a way but I understand. If this is the future of diesels maybe I won't go for newer ones.

 

[Parker]

It still amazes me the difference in reputation between VW here and over there. I'm not sure how warranted the rep in Europe is but the ownership experience in the U.S. really doesn't seem so great...

From what I can tell, VW seems to have a very good reputation as long as you're buying a car equipped with a gasoline engine. The TDI is a very good and reliable engine, but when something does go wrong the dealer is the last place to take it, simply because (from what I gather) they aren't familiar with them. This does make me rather curious to see what the purchase rate on the diesel here in America is though, it seems over half the Volkswagen's I see on the road are diesels, especially older generations. I may try and find those statistics later.

In other news, by this time next week my car will be DPF and EGR-less, have a full 3" straight pipe and Malone Stage II tune. I can't wait.

 

[Ibonibo]

Well, my Jetta is dead.

So, because of America's idiotic emissions standards for diesel engines, VW had to use a different intercooler system than the rest of the world. Unfortunately there is a design flaw with their intercooler and low pressure EGR valve that allows condensation to build up in the intercooler piping. When it gets cold enough that condensation can freeze into a plug that will stop the car from even cranking, or it can send an ice chip through the engine which obviously causes a bunch of damage, or, what happened to me, is the ice can melt and when you attempt to start the car the engine ingests that engine, hydrolocks a cylinder and bends a rod.
...............

What the freaking duck? Crazy

Ridiculous? Not sure I agree there.

................

It still amazes me the difference in reputation between VW here and over there. I'm not sure how warranted the rep in Europe is but the ownership experience in the U.S. really doesn't seem so great...

Yeah it really is a huge discrepancy.

And on this side of the pond, probably most Vw (or genearlly VAG's) are sold as diesels. Literally millions of it rolling around... this is the first I heard about a watering issue...

Most issues here are too much oil drinking by the engine, which in 90% of the cases come down of people reving it cold... or the notorious chain issues, but those are less present on TDI's

If you ever need assistance, put it on the Diagnose, send it over, and I ask a mecanic here

 

[Parker]

What the freaking duck? Crazy



Yeah it really is a huge discrepancy.

And on this side of the pond, probably most Vw (or genearlly VAG's) are sold as diesels. Literally millions of it rolling around... this is the first I heard about a watering issue...

Most issues here are too much oil drinking by the engine, which in 90% of the cases come down of people reving it cold... or the notorious chain issues, but those are less present on TDI's

If you ever need assistance, put it on the Diagnose, send it over, and I ask a mecanic here

That is because the intercooler system is different here because of our emissions. More specifically the low pressure EGR that allows the condensation to build. Thankfully I'll be deleting the EGR in the next week so I'll never have to worry about it again.

There are plenty of fantastic TDI mechanics here, just none of them work for VW!

 

[Blackbird.]

That is because the intercooler system is different here because of our emissions. More specifically the low pressure EGR that allows the condensation to build. Thankfully I'll be deleting the EGR in the next week so I'll never have to worry about it again.

There are plenty of fantastic TDI mechanics here, just none of them work for VW!

I can see what you mean about loving the TDI. I have an A3 TDI loaner today. The engine is quite nice.

 

[Parker]

Got back from the shop a couple of hours ago, I absolutely love the exhaust and tune. The turbo really sings now and the car scoots along pretty damn quick now. I'll try to get a video up in a day or so, she sounds really damn good to me.

 

[Parker]

So, nothing really new to report other than the fact that I've been enjoying the hell out of the car. The exhaust and tune really changed the car, it is so much nicer to drive now and the mileage is better too. I've seen over 62 mpg from some trips to work which is quite nice, my best overall tank average is 56 mpg or so which is still quite good.

This happened a few months ago, May 10th, to be exact.



And here is one from the Jeep on the 24th of July.



I still need to get a video of the exhaust on my Jetta...

 

[Ibonibo]

Yes video is now mandatory. You big tease

 

[Parker]

Still no exhaust video but I did Plasti Dip the wheels on my XJ today. Doesn't look too bad if I say so myself.

Before:







After:

These aren't the best pictures, the light was lower and my camera decided to add some flash.