More VW Diesel Knee-Slappers

So, here we were waxing on the non-merits of Dr. Diesel's automotive curse (the diesel engine) when my memory banks of VW diesel horror stories were suddenly jolted loose and dislodged. Apparently the ill-advised proponents of the proposition that passenger car diesels should again wreak havoc on our senses and tranquility, let alone be forced upon Jeep owners, have slunk off to plot their evil plans in secret. We're wise to the scam, but, I digress....

VW's infamous Rabbit diesel of the late '70's was if anything one of the automotive worlds worst afterthoughts, bested only by GM's even more stupid designs. VW's cursed 4 cyl. diesel was nothing more than their already rough running, undersquare gasoline 4 banger, re-tooled with a different head, pistons and mechanical injection gear apparently derived from some form of German tractor. Head gaskets leaked, cranks broke, blocks cracked internally flooding the cooling systems with oil, crank woodruf keys worked loose, retarding the cam timing and slowly pressing the valves into the tops of the pistons, etc., etc.

Worse was the car itself, which had an insufficiently strong structure to manage the vibration stresses (no powertrain sub-frame). In the best case the body shook like a wet dog with fleas at idle. Extreme cases became routine in '81 when the stroke was increased. Since the center powertrain mount was directly under the firewall, dashboards shook so badly the instruments couldn't be read and the things started shaking themselves to pieces. Body welds broke loose, suspension pieces came loose, you name it. Now, get ready for the fix....

VW "engineers" designed a cast iron brick, suspended on a steel strap, which was to be bolted inside the front bumper. Such as the structure was, the contraption drew the vibrations from the firewall area to the front bumper. Then, of course, the front license plates began to fall off, later the bumper mounts cracked and began to release the bumpers onto the highways and byways of the USA....all this to get a (mostly fictitious) 40+ MPG!

Persons making any further suggestions on this forum that Jeeps need diesels will be consigned to the back of the bus where they can enjoy being asphixiated by the diesel fumes. Meanwhile, I, along with millions of former diesel owners aremed with torches will continue to search out Dr. Diesel's gravesite at night, where we will perform an exorcisim intended to consign him and his contraption to the infernal regions!

Reply to
Jerry McG
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Jerry McG did pass the time by typing:

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:)

Reply to
DougW

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

REST OF DRIVEL SNIPPED

So, we are to assume you dislike diesels?

Shame on you.

John Davies

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'96 Lexus LX450 '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro Spokane WA USA

Reply to
John Davies

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

LOL. My oldest son was the lucky? recipient of one of those that had belonged to an aunt of his SO. Since he was broke and it was free, he jumped at it - only had something like 15,000 miles on the clock. Anyway, he fought the problems you mention for a year or so when Mother Nature stepped in give him a clue. He and the GF took off to Vegas for a weekend to attend a wedding. when they got back, here was his VW sitting in the driveway - with a hugh apple tree that had blown down while he was gone laying right down the center of that POS. Looked like the Home Improvement episode where they dropped the big I-beam on the old chevy wagon: roof touching the floor for most of the length of the cab. Talk about lucking out - the tree was a neighbor's and his homeowners insurance covered the loss. My son got more for that damned thing than I thought possible (or legal).

I never saw so many things go wrong as on that engine - just one thing after the other!

Reply to
Will Honea

ROFLMAO! You mean to tell me that over 120 years after the invention of the automobile exactly ONE race vehicle exists with a diesel engine? Game, Set and MATCH! (...why, hey, that's a good idea, let's set a MATCH to it!)

Reply to
Jerry McG

Dislike? No, DETEST is more the word you are looking for!

Reply to
Jerry McG

My 82 VW diesel Jetta has over 130k miles on it, runs great, doesn't drip or burn oil, and gets 50 MPG on the freeway, and 38 MPG on Sierra mountain roads. It's incredible what performing scheduled maintenance on-time will do. I would not trade it for your jeep. I think you are just jealous. I burn so little fuel that refining my own free bio-diesel would be silly.

Reply to
Paul Calman

LMAO!

What a lucky young man! Best use of an apple tree I've heard of yet.

Another design defect with early versions of the damn things, oil vapor from the crankcase ventilation system would condense in the intake manifold. Eventually enough oil would collect in the intake that the thing would start to run away uncontrollably on it's own oil supply. We did a Rube Goldberg recall campaign to try and keep the oil in the sump, which had to be repeated because the fix didn't work.

Then, because the friggin things were so gutless, some fool came out with a turbo kit that would really suck the oil out of the sump at higher RPMs. At highway speeds the thing could start running not only on it's own oil, but with turbo efficiency to boot! Great fun to let off the throttle, or even turn off the key, and have the engine keep on screaming away, often until it self destructed. Hey, just another product of brilliant, enlightened German engineering!

Reply to
Jerry McG

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

Oh, I see, that was you ahead of the black smokescreen on the I5! Jane Fonda will be proud to know at least one of the damn things still lives. The doomed VW diesel Rabbit was the Toyota Prius of it's day. I predect the same fate for the Prius and its complicated hybrid whizbangery....oblivion!

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Reply to
Jerry McG

The former owner got it from her Granny and painted it, used it for local trips. I put 80K on it in 3 years. Replaced the normal stuff, waterpump, T-belt and related seals, Cv Boots, Brakes, rear wheel brngs, alt, windshield rubber (leaked water into electrical panel), but that's all normal for it's age. The little sucker is slow, but it's a perfect companion to my gas guzzling Jeepster.

Reply to
Paul Calman

PS, Plus, i own all the special tools, and have no need to open a manual to work on. That helps.

Reply to
Paul Calman

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

Hate to say this but the SO has a 2K VW Beetle, turbo, diesel Loads of power & is a fun car to drive. On a run from Florida to OK City (1350 mi) I only stopped for fuel 2 times & if I had a mind to I could have pushed it without the second stop & I think that thing only has a 11.5 gal tank & I do 80 mph min on the highways.

L8r - Jersey

Reply to
Jersey

Petrol power?

Don't be silly......

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Reply to
Mike

Hey, if he can;t beqat 'em, at least he can blind 'em! LMAO!

Reply to
Jerry McG

Holy $#!T!!!! Dr. Diesel's risen from the abyss to get his revenge! Imagine this clattering, stinking POS parked in the next shipyard. The smell alone would be enough to exterminate 100 species a day!

Now, how you going to stuff that thing into a VW Golf, huh? (Maybe there's a Fiat out there that needs a new engine...most of ;'em do, anyway.)

Diesels are for wankers!

Reply to
Jerry McG

It's been waiting for the VW rep to sign off on more Goodwill repairs. As we used to say at VW: "So many design flaws, so little money."

Reply to
Jerry McG

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