Are VW TDI Engines as tough as Mercedes W123 Diesels? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Stevo · #1 03-18-2008, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerH860

Bait thread?

Your new around here, hes not a "bate thread" person

JimmyL · #2 03-18-2008, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevo

Your new around here, hes not a "bate thread" person

I think Carrameow has been and is an awesome forum member. His stories are legendary and he has contributed technically also.
Having said that, there is no question that over the years he submits threads such as this. Whether or not I would term it "baiting" is open to debate, but he enjoys the responses it generates.
Anybody having pulled parts from a junkyard in winter in their drawers has a lifetime exemption for pretty much anything.....

MTUpower · #3 03-18-2008, 10:28 AM

As tough as? is the question. Why? They both propel the car. They both run on diesel. One gets twice the mileage as the other. One pushes the car to 60 much faster than the other. If you ask a bunch of ducks who is better looking- a duck or a swan, what do you think the answer will be?

Angel · #4 03-18-2008, 12:45 PM

(I just broke my ABA gasser motor doing this...)

You could point a pressure washer at any place in my 240D's engine bay, and leave it there (for a while), and the engine would start right up 99% of the time.

Do that to a TDI motor ? your percentage is down to 70% or 80% - there are too many connectors, too many sensors, too many computers.

I'm not saying that you cant wash a TDI engine, but you need to be more careful.

That said, you CAN compare an OM617 and a TDI - They are both engines made to power mid-size sedans. You could assume that as far as transporting people goes, a 1985 300D and a 1999 Passat TDI are equally functional (they both hold 4 people in acceptable comfort and have a trunk- you can argue whether or not you need airbags, or an MB Star on the front to transport 4 people). The cost of the engine and car package arent very close, ($5k for the 300D, $10K for the passat ?) but these prices are still wayy below the cost of a 2008 Passat TDI (if sold) or 2008 E320 CDI) or even the cost of a Chevy Malibu (another mid-size sedan).

its a fair comparison. My grading scale is shown above =)

-John

pawoSD · #5 03-19-2008, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angel

(I just broke my ABA gasser motor doing this...)

You could point a pressure washer at any place in my 240D's engine bay, and leave it there (for a while), and the engine would start right up 99% of the time.

Do that to a TDI motor ? your percentage is down to 70% or 80% - there are too many connectors, too many sensors, too many computers.

I'm not saying that you cant wash a TDI engine, but you need to be more careful.

-John

However, a tdi probably doesn't ooze as much as the 616/617's so it doesn't really need to be cleaned as much in the first place.

pawoSD · #6 03-19-2008, 12:11 AM

Here's a good question about the tdi's.....why are the timing belts such an issue? Are they hard on them or something?

Our caravan is supposed to have a 90k timing belt change interval on the 3.0 V6 mitsubishi under the hood, its coming up on 94k on the original....we're not changing it. ($700 at shop, or 3 years in the garage tearing everything apart to get to it) So....we'll see how long it lasts, when it snaps its off to the pickn'pull.

It does have a rapping sound in that vicinity that developed recently....so maybe death is near....my sister only drives about 60-70 miles a week at most, and the fastest she goes is 55....so it will probably cling to life for a while yet.

Same for my lovely's Rav4, it has a "70k" timing belt change interval....it was replaced at 70k...but now it has 143k....we'll see if it holds till we sell the car.

Hatterasguy · #7 03-19-2008, 12:45 AM

You should do it on the Toyota, they are pretty simple to do. 143k isn't really much for a car like that either, no reason it won't pass 200k.

I hate VW's with a passion, so I'm not going to say anything because it won't be good. But I will say if I am ever forced to get a cheap car it will be a Honda or a Toyota, because at least it won't leak oil and have a billion electrical shorts, and be a total POS. They are actualy designed and built pretty well for cheap cars. I don't understand the point of buying a cheap German car, they have all the issues the good ones have, and none of the enjoyment when they are running right to make up for it. Its like wow I feel like I am driving a poorly designed Civic, wow there goes the speedo again!

Is that smoke! Wow I havn't seen a dashboard short like that since my Grandmothers old Lucus Jag!

I know the TDI guys were freaking over this ULSD thing because they have rotary pumps that burn out. Good riddence I rather drive a 40mpg gas Civic than one of these junks.

I got the pleasure to get up close in personal with a 97 Passat VR6 over the weekend, junk, junk, junk, I wish it was a V6 Camry. Everything is freaken plastic and breaks, all the door handles are broke, the wiring is all exposed and shorting out, all the coolant lines are cheap plastic and snapping. I touched the crank case vent and it snapped off, touched!

That car is a freaken joke, I wouldn't pay a $1 for it. You have to pull the freaken engine to change the chains, which supposidly need changing every 100k, and you almost need to pull the damn thing to change the serp belt. They seem to have used a similer T chain design that Jag did on their early V8's, so super crappy. Sure as heck makes me appreciate how the mount a V6 in a good car, like an E320. An E320 is about a million times simpler to service. Everything is right on top or in front and easy to get at, none of the plastic breaks, and you never have to mess with the T chains. Considering the Passat probably cost damn near what an E320 cost in 1997...all I have to say to the original owner is sucka!

Oh wow I kind of ranted a bit!

Sorry I got the pleasure of messing with a VR6 this weekend and it just reminded me oh how much I hate these things.

Tymbrymi · #8 03-19-2008, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Here's a good question about the tdi's.....why are the timing belts such an issue? Are they hard on them or something?

Diesels are interference engines... if the timing belt breaks the engine is toast (think broken valves, camshaft, maybe pistons, etc).

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Our caravan is supposed to have a 90k timing belt change interval on the 3.0 V6 mitsubishi under the hood, its coming up on 94k on the original....we're not changing it. ($700 at shop, or 3 years in the garage tearing everything apart to get to it) So....we'll see how long it lasts, when it snaps its off to the pickn'pull.

It does have a rapping sound in that vicinity that developed recently....so maybe death is near....my sister only drives about 60-70 miles a week at most, and the fastest she goes is 55....so it will probably cling to life for a while yet.

Same for my lovely's Rav4, it has a "70k" timing belt change interval....it was replaced at 70k...but now it has 143k....we'll see if it holds till we sell the car.

You need to check to see if they are interference engines. Some gassers are and some aren't. If they are *not* interference engines you'll just coast to the side of the road if it breaks... if it *is* an interference engine... the same problems from a diesel will happen.

imagesinthewind · #9 03-19-2008, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

Anybody having pulled parts from a junkyard in winter in their drawers has a lifetime exemption for pretty much anything.....

Without a doubt!
It's still the funniest thread I've read in a long time!