# so,driving a diesel. opinions wanted.



## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

I haven't owned a diesel before (I can't remember if I have any way lol) an I have had my first diesel now for nearly a year. Its peak torque seems to be about 2500 to 3000 revs. So how do you drive yours ? By changing gear at 2000 revs am I doing any harm etc ? Sorry if its a bit of a basic question but I have read some horror storys about diesel cars on short runs not being the best way to use a diesel (too late now lol) an that you can get carbon build up by not giving it some high revs etc. 

Oh,also,with it being a fairly new car I didn't think you would need to let it warm up (read you use to have indicators on old diesels to let you know when you could move) an what about letting it cool down after use ? Do I let the car idle on starting my drive an finishing ? Thanks in advance.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

136 hdi 407s have big turbo lag.But when it comes in they shift like a *******.
4th gear,2k,woomph.Alot of mid range welly, 340nm 
I dont like doing short trips in mine,its not the not revving it, more the not warming up properly.
I always let mine idle for 30 secs or so after a run.Dont know if it helps though!
I love driving mine,its alot more entertaining than you would give it credit for.It handles really well,probably because its got traction control and Peugeots famous 900 million link suspension.


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## mad_pete (Apr 3, 2012)

The issue is the dpf on modern diesels (diesel particulate filter) collects particulars from the exhaust to meet euro4. Every now and again the ecu raises the exhaust temp to clean the filter but it takes about 15 minutes of constant speed. If you stop during that time the cycle is aborted. Too much of that and the filter clogs. Good run twice a month should cover it.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

mad_pete said:


> The issue is the dpf on modern diesels (diesel particulate filter) collects particulars from the exhaust to meet euro4. Every now and again the ecu raises the exhaust temp to clean the filter but it takes about 15 minutes of constant speed. If you stop during that time the cycle is aborted. Too much of that and the filter clogs. Good run twice a month should cover it.


Unless you havent got one,Ma voiture est sans le FAP


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

The 320D i have now is my first coal burner, i love it, loads of power & fun, getting 42.8mpg on the roads i use is a big bonus :thumb:


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## NickP (Nov 20, 2005)

Peak torque on mine is at 2,500 revs (695nm) but unless pressing on or in sport mode the auto box seems to change up at 1,750 to 2,000 revs..


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## NickP (Nov 20, 2005)

PugIain said:


> Unless you havent got one,Ma voiture est sans le FAP


Is that the system that uses cat wee?


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

ITHAQVA said:


> The 320D i have now is my first coal burner, i love it, loads of power & fun, getting 42.8mpg on the roads i use is a big bonus :thumb:


I have a manual 520d. So when are you changing gear on an urban run ? 2k or when the turbo kicks in at 2.5k plus ?

Cheers pug. I may give it a minute before an after.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

PugIain said:


> Unless you havent got one,Ma voiture est sans le FAP


mais votre voiture est également un tas de merde puante Française!!!!!

:doublesho:doublesho:doublesho

:lol:

Only kidding mate!!! :thumb::thumb:


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

The Cueball said:


> mais votre voiture est également un tas de merde puante Française!!!!!
> 
> :doublesho:doublesho:doublesho
> 
> ...


Tu et un gimp 



NickP said:


> Is that the system that uses cat wee?


The psa system uses Eolys fluid.Whatever that is.Mines an X-line though so it doesnt have it.


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

mad_pete said:


> The issue is the dpf on modern diesels (diesel particulate filter) collects particulars from the exhaust to meet euro4. Every now and again the ecu raises the exhaust temp to clean the filter but it takes about 15 minutes of constant speed. If you stop during that time the cycle is aborted. Too much of that and the filter clogs. Good run twice a month should cover it.


So what are we talking,4k revs for 15 minutes to blast out the **** ?


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## NickP (Nov 20, 2005)

PugIain said:


> The psa system uses Eolys fluid.Whatever that is.Mines an X-line though so it doesnt have it.


Yes, Urea based stuff....


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

silverback said:


> I have a manual 520d. So when are you changing gear on an urban run ? 2k or when the turbo kicks in at 2.5k plus ?
> 
> Cheers pug. I may give it a minute before an after.


When i first bought the car i changed gear when the little number comes up on the dash  (Eco mode), seems to be around 2000 - 2500, or if driving enthusiastically you get a second change to follow the numbers on the dash , I'm assuming this is the performance mode :thumb:

Mines the older 177BHP engine manual six speed etc... I like the versatility of the diesel, you can drive it fast or slow & it's comfortable with both driving methods, my older E36's (4-cylinder 16V) were always wanting to be revved. I personally prefer the power delivery of larger capacity engines, so diesel is a great cost effective alternative, life is balance :thumb:


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## shonajoy (Jan 27, 2009)

My diesel has a coil thing on dashboard and you wait a minute before starting it, till the light goes out. Apart from that I drive it normally.you can also now get a dpf additive that helps prevent clogging.


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## sirkuk (Mar 5, 2012)

Change gear whenever you want. You don't have to work the turbo. The turbo kicks in a lot lower down than you think as modern diesels vary the geometry on the turbo. Like yours, I get a sudden surge of power at 2.5k but I can hear the turbo way before then.

Normal gentle driving, I'll change up a little over 2k but accelerating from a junction/roundabout/slipway/to overtake, then maybe 3-4k. 

Your owners manual might even have suggested gear change points. Mine does.

Diesels do benefit from a good run now and again though to blow the crap out. Especially if you do a lot of town driving. 

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk


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## Edstrung (Apr 6, 2009)

62mpg on a 10yr old VW TDi.... Although my MAF is on its way out and it's dropped to 50mpg, oh noes! 

Yes you have to get used to turbo lag, and the surge of torques, but a good remap to smooth things out will help a lot with that


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## sirkuk (Mar 5, 2012)

shonajoy said:


> My diesel has a coil thing on dashboard and you wait a minute before starting it, till the light goes out. Apart from that I drive it normally.you can also now get a dpf additive that helps prevent clogging.


The coil thing is the glow plug light to pre heat.

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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

I found the best way to drive a diesel is wait for the glow plug indicator to go out and start the car and immediately drive off - working the car pretty hard from the go.....continue like this until you reach the nearest garage....at which point you should immediately trade it in for a petrol. :thumb: :lol:


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## B200CDI (Apr 11, 2012)

Eco mode on my new merc has the dsg box changing up at 1500rpm.


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## PLuKE (Mar 4, 2009)

Ibiza PD130 remapped. Normal driving I cant around 2000-2250, once warmed up I put my foot down alittle, helps clear it out alittle. Best to do a quick run at the end of the week to keep the engine/exhaust clear. The EGR valves gum/carbon up aswell, I have my disconnected to stop it.

Luke


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

EGR/DPF/DMF issues...i change up at around 2k in regular driving if out for a blast more like 3.5K...the 2.0D does catch you unaware 4th gear about 3-3.5k doing 75 i was a bit like ****...:lol:

oh i let her idle for abit after i tend to open the garage with the remote put mirrors in so that gives some more time to...


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## Deano (Jul 7, 2006)

I need a diesel because of the mileage I do and I get a diesel subsidy from work, but if i move jobs i will be getting a petrol. This is my 3rd diesel car andI have had more probs from these three than the the 15 or so petrol cars I had before them, put together! 

As to how i drive it, i drive mine normally but when its upto temp, at least once a day i give it a pasting. partly to stave off egr or turbo vein probs, and partly because i hate it and want to kill it.


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## AndyC (Oct 25, 2005)

Diesels for 10 years and peak oomph seems to be 2-3k. Tend to live on the motorway so no issues with anything clogging up. For more spirited driving tend to keep the turbo on the boil as the smax in particular is very laggy in 2nd & 3rd especially.

Have the 205 for my unleaded fix when needed!


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Been reading this thread, it's very interesting, my vw is running like a bag of nails, i can't hit over 50 mpg, like back in the day, plus the torque through 2,000 to 3,000 there's no torque through that range, it use to be back in the day, plus smokes, but power on mine is dead flat through the rev range, even to 3,500 to 4,000 rpm, no difference.

I've heard people get more than 50 mpg, but on mine I can never get that reading for some reason, even if i drive alot slower.


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## mad_pete (Apr 3, 2012)

20-30 minutes driving at 2,500+ is the rough numbers I have. I had the s-type diesel and it was great. Super smooth with plenty of go. You could tell when the cleaning cycle kicked in as the exhaust had more heat ticks when stopped and there was a faint smell of burning rubber(!). There was a recall on the s-type as if you drove it super slow all the time the filter would clog and catch fire. I found safest thing was not to drive it slow.


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## sirkuk (Mar 5, 2012)

mad_pete said:


> I found safest thing was not to drive it slow.


Slow driving issues are part of the reason Honda don't offer a diesel Honda Jazz as they tend to be driven by the older generation in no particular hurry 

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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

Ive owned 3 oil burners now. 1st was a 306 hdi no intercooler, 2nd was a gold D non turbo, and the one i have now is a 406 110 bhp hdi.

The hdi's 306 i found to have a good kick of turbo even for 90 bhp from 1500 rpm onwards, the non turbo golf just drove like a petrol oddly, and the 406 i have now (only had it 6 weeks) iam finding it to have moods. One day its got a boot load of turbo and other times its got major lag and then a boot load of turbo so still finding its moods. 

I find it depends on the gearing. The 406 is happy enough around town driving under 2000 rpm but the majority of my driving is motorway for work and even then it sits at 2250 rpm at 70 mph. and to get to motor way speeds i take it upto about 3000rpm no more as it doesnt need it.

As long as your not thrashing the **** off it then you will find it will work best. Its a fine line between labouring the engine and thrashing it. there will be a sweet spot. so i dare say 2 to 3500 and youll find it to be ok.


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## dew1911 (Jun 9, 2009)

NickP said:


> Yes, Urea based stuff....


Pig ****, like Adblue in trucks.


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

There is no "coil" display on my dash when I switch the engine on.


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

some diesel cars dont have the light that comes on. The ford transit connect i use for work doesn't. so in threory you can just turn them straight on without waiting. I always leave it a few seconds when i turn the ignition on just so the fuel pump is primed and ready


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

the c30's do have a light but it goes off so quick it has never asked to be warmed tbh even when it was like -10!


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## audigex (Apr 2, 2012)

Short runs don't give the best economy the engine can give, but still a lot better than a petrol over the same run. The long distance thing is more about dpf discussed above, and letting the engine get up to temp before using much turbo. I change at 2k for economy, 4.5k for long accelerating runs (peak boost) and redline it out of my street because otherwise I could sit there all day waiting for a gap.

Most have a light to tell you when to start it ... When the glow plugs have heated up. If your car doesn't have one, turn the key to on and count to 3 (5 in cold weather) before turning over. As a tip, if your car is hard to start, repeat this cycle before attempting to turn over, temporary fix to 80% of diesel not starting problems.


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

audigex said:


> Short runs don't give the best economy the engine can give, but still a lot better than a petrol over the same run. The long distance thing is more about dpf discussed above, and letting the engine get up to temp before using much turbo. I change at 2k for economy, 4.5k for long accelerating runs (peak boost) and redline it out of my street because otherwise I could sit there all day waiting for a gap.
> 
> Most have a light to tell you when to start it ... When the glow plugs have heated up. If your car doesn't have one, turn the key to on and count to 3 (5 in cold weather) before turning over. As a tip, if your car is hard to start, repeat this cycle before attempting to turn over, temporary fix to 80% of diesel not starting problems.


TURN A KEY ? SIR,I have a BMW. I press a button :lol: good advice though  thank you.


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

audigex said:


> gap.
> 
> As a tip, if your car is hard to start, repeat this cycle before attempting to turn over, temporary fix to 80% of diesel not starting problems.


i used to do that with my golf D. In really cold weather i used to turn the ignition on and off like you say about 3 times and it used to start instantly if i didnt then it would take a while to start.


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

silverback said:


> TURN A KEY ? SIR,I have a BMW. I press a button :lol: good advice though  thank you.


Flash git lol :wave::thumb:


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## sirkuk (Mar 5, 2012)

I turn a key and press a button so how do you like them apples? 

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

sirkuk said:


> I turn a key and press a button so how do you like them apples?
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk


greedy sod lol:lol:


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## SteveyG (Apr 1, 2007)

silverback said:


> There is no "coil" display on my dash when I switch the engine on.


I think I've only seen the glow plug light come on once for about half a second when pressing the Start button on my car. It's all automatic though if you don't have a key.


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

i get to turn my large volvo key :lol: in its odd location


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Had 5 oil burners know e46 330 d and current e90 330d fantastic engine and torque I always change fast to catch torque curve , as for particle filter my brother in laws girl friend just drove a mile a day for a year and clogged up PF and cost £400 to clean as not traveling far enough for heat to build up to auto re gen to burn soot in PF but if you add additive it allows the soot to burn off at lower temp to help clear it his car was 325 Bm same engine as mine


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## edthedrummer (May 30, 2007)

I have a Renaultsport Megane 175DCi

Amount of issues i've had with the poxy DPF. If a car is not suitable of being driven, regardless of distance, then its not fit for purpose.

Other than that, its a cracking drive, so much torque and get 45+mpg. 

What symptoms do you get with a blocked EGR? Mine sometimes doesn't spool up, normally theres grunt from 2k onwards, but sometimes it feels like its in limpmode until 3.5k and by then its tailing off anyway...

Ed.


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Hi Folks, these figures of over 60 mpg, so you drive mainly motorway driving, or is combined, town and motorway, because I can never achieve 60 mpg on mine.

Do you find some days, the powers there, and sometimes it's really flat on power.

Plus have you guys got 6 gears in your cars for better fuel economy; and does redex diesel fuel treatment help at all; just would be interested to know more about this subject.


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## Shinyvec (Feb 12, 2010)

I love my Vec 1.9 and with it being a Auto and Remapped its just constant torque pull. I also love the way deisels go up hills as if they don't exist compared to petrol's where you need to change gear unless accelerating hard. My car has a DPF and a Powerflow Exhaust which gives a deep tone to the exhaust and also lets me know when the Regen starts as the exhaust note gets alot deeper and louder, so I never have to interfear with the cycle so I either go for a drive untill its finished or if my journey has finished I sit with the engine running and put the revs around 2500 rpm, this so far has worked ok for me as its now done 57000 miles without the DPF needing attention. I do also think that my DPF might have a hole inside it as I always get sooty exhaust tailpipes like a non DPF'd car and when I accelarate hard I can see black fog behind me. I am looking to have the DPF removed vis a remap but its not available yet on the EDS system for my car in auto form but fingers crossed it will be one day


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## gordonpuk (Mar 14, 2010)

My vectra B diesel had a glow plug light (GPL) but only came on below 0c.
My mazda 6 GPL comes on what ever.
Also you can run a diesel on Veg oil from Tesco(Other veg oils are availabe) :doublesho


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## David.S (Dec 27, 2009)

Give it a good thrash in 3rd to clear the DPF


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

David.S said:


> Give it a good thrash in 3rd to clear the DPF


Just done a solid 15 minutes drive on the motorway in 3rd gear at just under 70mph at just over 4k revs. Too much ? Do you think.


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

Derekh929 said:


> Had 5 oil burners know e46 330 d and current e90 330d fantastic engine and torque I always change fast to catch torque curve , as for particle filter my brother in laws girl friend just drove a mile a day for a year and clogged up PF and cost £400 to clean as not traveling far enough for heat to build up to auto re gen to burn soot in PF but if you add additive it allows the soot to burn off at lower temp to help clear it his car was 325 Bm same engine as mine


What car additive did you use ?


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

silverback said:


> Just done a solid 15 minutes drive on the motorway in 3rd gear at just under 70mph at just over 4k revs. Too much ? Do you think.


Does your cruise work in 3rd gear though?
Mine doesnt,only 4/5/6.Id be bored sat with my foot on it for 15 minutes!


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## sirkuk (Mar 5, 2012)

silverback said:


> Just done a solid 15 minutes drive on the motorway in 3rd gear at just under 70mph at just over 4k revs. Too much ? Do you think.


I don't think you need to go to that extreme. Yes they benefit from a good run but you don't need to rev the nuts off of it to almost the limiter for that long. The idea is to try to maximize the load without laboring the engine to get things hot. Getting up to speed quickly, long motorway runs, booting it up hill etc.

Why are you worried anyway? Unless you're experiencing problems, don't worry. Unless you're doing all town driving, just carry on as normal. If it's all town it sees, go out for the day once in a while somewhere that involves hitting the motorway. Maybe hang on in each gear slightly longer than you usually would but 70mph in 3rd for that long is a bit much in my opinion.

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## NoSaint (Feb 26, 2012)

If yours is a TDI then the TDI forums are worth a read, particularly this thread which explains their recommended break-in process (and general driving approach).

Me, I love having a TDI. Something that can get me 50 MPG+ when I'm careful, or "only" 35 MPG when driven like I stole it, that's nice.


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Which additive would you recommend on the market, I have tried the millers version, but I find that's a performance related additive; i;m more interested in the redex fuel system treatment in the blue bottle for diesel engines, would this treatment clean the fuel lines in the car.

Regarding additives, when placing them do you have to give the car plenty of stick, or drive as normal.

My car smokes, and is underpowered through the rev range, so could do with a decent additive for the engine; which one would you recommend to go for, something that will work and makes the tick-over acceleration more smoother and quieter, I find at 2,000 rpm and over the car is very noisy.


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## dann2707 (Mar 25, 2011)

Trip tdi said:


> Which additive would you recommend on the market, I have tried the millers version, but I find that's a performance related additive; i;m more interested in the redex fuel system treatment in the blue bottle for diesel engines, would this treatment clean the fuel lines in the car.
> 
> Regarding additives, when placing them do you have to give the car plenty of stick, or drive as normal.
> 
> My car smokes, and is underpowered through the rev range, so could do with a decent additive for the engine; which one would you recommend to go for, something that will work and makes the tick-over acceleration more smoother and quieter, I find at 2,000 rpm and over the car is very noisy.


Forté diesel treatment is what you need. £12 from eBay delivered.

Put it in a quarter of a tank and rag the car everywhere to clear everything out, works wonders. Even de-clogs variable vein turbos apparently, as the addidtive is still present in the exhaustt gases.

Mine absolutely flies for a 10 year old 125k mile TDCi focus, its well maintained from a good thrash now and again.

Diesels love it. They LOVE it!


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

PugIain said:


> Does your cruise work in 3rd gear though?
> Mine doesnt,only 4/5/6.Id be bored sat with my foot on it for 15 minutes!


Yeah ,cruise was working in 3rd at 70mph.


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

dann2707 said:


> Forté diesel treatment is what you need. £12 from eBay delivered.
> 
> Put it in a quarter of a tank and rag the car everywhere to clear everything out, works wonders. Even de-clogs variable vein turbos apparently, as the addidtive is still present in the exhaustt gases.
> 
> ...


Hi Thanks for the feedback and reply back, really appreciated 

Have you got a link for this additive please, sounds like my car needs it, but mine smokes plus judders in gears as well, I think my clutch needs doing on the car at some point.

This heavy ragging on the right foot, all gears then.

Thanks for your help.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Have you had your car ecu interrogated for fault codes Trip?
This smoking and juddering doesnt sound too healthy!


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

PugIain said:


> Have you had your car ecu interrogated for fault codes Trip?
> This smoking and juddering doesnt sound too healthy!


To be honest, I have not PugIain; the car does not run healthy as on the motorway people are looking at me, due to smoke, it's off and on.

I think I might need to get the car scanned; I honestly thought the juddering could be dualmass related on the car, and the smoke, a engine clean treatment should sort it out.

Back in the day, the power was there, and the car pulled me back in the seat, but being underpowered now, I don't enjoy driving the car any-more, it' flat.


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

silverback said:


> Yeah ,cruise was working in 3rd at 70mph.


Hi Silverback, was your revs high at all in third gear at 70 mph, I think Bmw's have 5,000 rpm on the rev counter.


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

silverback said:


> What car additive did you use ?


Forte do a tank additive and tunap full jit and there is another i can't remember the name about £20 and add to tank


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Derekh929 said:


> Forte do a tank additive and tunap full jit and there is another i can't remember the name about £20 and add to tank


Do these additives work, mines was smoking like mad on the motorway today, even a caravan overtook me and the lady stated looking at me, plus others cars as well, must of thought it's a clapped out old motor :


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

Trip tdi said:


> Hi Silverback, was your revs high at all in third gear at 70 mph, I think Bmw's have 5,000 rpm on the rev counter.


Hello mate. Yeah they where about 4k to 4.5k revs. Its solid red at 5k revs,and at 4.5k its red an white,so it let's you know your getting to close to tge max.


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

silverback said:


> Hello mate. Yeah they where about 4k to 4.5k revs. Its solid red at 5k revs,and at 4.5k its red an white,so it let's you know your getting to close to tge max.


Hi Silverback Morning :wave:, that's some revving there  but if it helps that's ok then.

I must admit BMW engines are solid, and powerful as well, so could take the strain; very clever German cars


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## Shinyvec (Feb 12, 2010)

Millers Deisel additive is good stuff and is all I have used and Shell Fuel which I am sure has helped to keep my fuel and exhaust system clean


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