Originally Posted By: lancerplayer
What is the general consensus on VW 1.9L TDI motor? What kind of life span can one expect from it if properly cared for? What kind of oil does it tend to like? How does it do in the city and well as the highway for cruising hours at a time?
I have an 1.9L TDI ALH, 2003, a puppy @ 113,000 miles and going on 6/7 MY's. Let's put it this way, I liked it enough to take a chance on another 2.0 L TDI CBEA 2009.
The design lifespan parameters are 25,000 hours at 80% loading (one design is to be a mounted diesel generator). As you probably can guess, hardly any driving is routinely done at 80% loading (5100 RPMS @ 80%=4, 080 rpms). So of course what one engine individually does is... individual.
However IF the avg mph is 35-50 mph, THEN that mikes out to 875,000 to 1,250,000 miles. Proper care (all things being equal & they are... NOT) is waterless(no H20)D2 ULSD fuel and 100,000 mile TB/WP changes and VAG.com tuning.
Oils depend on the VW oem recommend for the MY. The best is to see the owners manual for the recommendation. VW 507.00 is the latest "backward compatible" recommended oil. This happens to be a 5w30 oil. I would be more inclined (actually do) to use the specific recommedation for that model year until a lot more UOA's are done on the VW 507.00 oils (for that MY)
However on the ALH, with further research, I decided to use Delvac One 5w40, aka, Mobil One Truck and SUV 5w40, Mobil One TDT 5w40. By all reports, it/they is/are a stellar off the shelf product/s.
I am told city traffic is generally not good for the TDI, but I do drive on the Streets of San Francisco. My lowest mpg was in a 3 hour (stop and go mostly stop and idle) funeral procession with 4 business suited people with the A/C blasting, @ 44 mpg. As for the highway cruising for hours on end, it was made and designed to do EXACTLY that ! I have gone from Daytona Beach FL (close by) to Houston TX, which is app 1,050 miles, solo in a day.
With up to 4 drivers, there no real reason why it could not have been much further and closer to 24/7. With breakfast lunch dinner and potty breaks make that closer to 21/7.
The mpg range has been from a low of 44 to 62 mpg. A daily commute ranges from 48-52 mpg. I once did a return trip which registered 59 mpg, three states and 1 foreign country @ 75 mph with bursts to 80. (three states had 5 highway patrol cars- 1 radar gunner 2 cars each direction chase vehicles, roving customer service wolf packs in full predation mode, the border had a light I am told 45 min stop and go crossing)