Looking for advice regarding a 1.4 tdi i'm looking to buy

Francescop1

New Member
Hello everyone,

This is my first post in the forum. I figured this is the most appropriate subsection to pose my question.

I am in the market for an A2. I have driven 2 1.4 petrol models so far and one TDi. I found the petrol to be quite nippy which makes sense given the light weight of the car. I felt that the 1.6 would be plenty quick for my purposes. The trouble is there are none available in my country and it would't make financial sense to import one. I was hoping that the tdi would feel quicker than the 1.4 petrol to be honest, but I have to be admit I was a bit disappointed after driving the tdi. The engine had nothing before 2000 rpm and it ran out of puff by about 3000. It was ok within that power band, but I felt that the petrol engine was a more pleasant experience. I would definitely be chipping the tdi if ended up owning it. I realize chipping will not expand the power band.

There are a few things I noticed when driving the tdi. I would like to clarify whether or not these are normal or if the engine is not running optimally.

1. The temperature gauge was stuck at 60, throughout my test drive, which is the lowest point.

2. The engine noise sounded weird to me. I know it's a three pot diesel from 20 years ago, but still. I will try to record the engine sound if I end up driving it again.

3. The tdi has 75,000 miles on it. What should the service history look like at that mileage? Is there anything I should pay attention to up to for the next 25,000 miles, if I end up owning it? Are the tdis generally reliable units?

Thank you in advance for your help
 
Hello and welcome to the forum :)

The temperature gauge stuck at 60 could be the thermostat not closing properly, or the temperature sensor not giving the correct reading. Change both if they are the originals or if you are in any doubt.

Servicing intervals are variable on the long-life plan but in 15-20 years I'd hope to be seeing at least 10 services, if it's on the regular plan then ideally it should be one per year. The more the better, as the low mileage points to a lot of short runs which causes the oil to deteriorate more rapidly. You will want to continue to service it on at least a yearly basis, and change the cambelt and waterpump ASAP unless there is proof it was done in the last 5 years - because of the low mileage it might even still be on the original one :eek:.

75k miles is really nothing for a TDI. If properly maintained, they're very reliable and there's no reason that a TDI can't get to 200k and beyond - particuarly the TDI75, which it sounds like this one is from the performance you describe. Rather than using a chipping/tuning box to improve the driving experience though, I'd recommend a proper remap - a good one does wonders for the torque both at low-end and over 3000 revs. I hope you have some decent options for this in Cyprus.
 
Hi @Francescop1 and welcome to the forum.
Couple of responses for you:

I realize chipping will not expand the power band.
It will!
My re-map means the car pulls from around 1400rpm in 5th and makes it so much more flexible, plus if you need to it will rev in 3rd up close to the redline, but with much more torque you may as well save the engine and the fuel and change up a gear.


1. The temperature gauge was stuck at 60, throughout my test drive, which is the lowest point.
Yes it’s normal in that it’s the most common fault.
Sounds like it needs a new thermostat fitting and or a water temp sensor.

2. The engine noise sounded weird to me. I know it's a three pot diesel from 20 years ago, but still. I will try to record the engine sound if I end up driving it again.
Yes to a certain degree, it should sound a bit like a 4pot boxer (Bettle or Subaru) but with a more harsh tone of a bag of spanners (sorry cold diesel, see issue 1).

3. The tdi has 75,000 miles on it. What should the service history look like at that mileage? Is there anything I should pay attention to up to for the next 25,000 miles, if I end up owning it? Are the tdis generally reliable units?
Just make sure the engine oil has been changed a couple of times, and a cambelt and water pump within the last 5 years.
Anything else is a bonus, there are many on here that may of only had the air/pollen/fuel filters done at 100k for the first time.

Have a look here for common faults and how to fix them:

And here for servicing:
 
Last edited:
Welcome to the forum @Francescop1.
As an owner of 3 x Tdi's, I echo the explanations above. First thing to do is replace the Thermostat and Temp Sensor.
If the Tdi has repeatedly done short runs then I would lace the diesel with a carbon cleaning additive, and give it an "Italian tune-up"! It probably needs a good clear out, and a long run.
If you want to improve performance Stealth Racing probably know more than anyone about remapping this engine, and are competent guys.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top