Went for a look at a Golf TDI but not 100% sure what model it is, guy reckons its a GT TDI with 130hp, what is the best way to check this?

It's a 52 plate, has a TDI badge on the back, T is sliver and DI in red if I recall correctly.

On the sticker thingy, its says :  Golf TDI    HIGHL

                                                   96               6G

                                                   ASZ            ERF

                                                   LC6X           RD

Does that help at all?

Also loads of codes below that, what are they in relation to?

I did try to have a look on the engine itself but never spied anything but then I don't know that much about cars :)

What would you expect to pay for this, its pretty good condition, just shy of 100k, 2 owners, FSH, VW apart from last one and indicator says due in 1600 miles or so.

Thanks

 

                                       

Don't trust the badge, the engine code is what counts

ASZ is the engine code and that's the right engine code for a 130.  A 150 is ARL and I think a 115 is AJM but I could be wrong about that.

96 is the power output of the engine in kilowatts.

ERF is the gearbox code

LC6X is the paint code.

Hope that helps a bit

Jon.

 It certainly helps....a lot.

Cheers Jon

I have read about the 130hp...PD engine requiring special oil, I guess the dealers are on the ball with this but its a case of maybe other garages might not be.

What is so special about it and what are the implications of not using it.

I thought cars just used oil that was recommended in the manual, ie 10-40 and the like.

The oil is super important for the VW PD engines - I'm not entirely sure why, but I think it's something to do with how it behaves under high compression, rather than just the viscosity of it - but I could be remembering wrong. Fairly sure there's a post on here explaining it if you do a search, but could take a bit of finding!

The important thing will be to ensure the oil meets the minimum VW specification and it should say on the bottle if it does.

If your car is on standard fixed interval servicing (every 10k) then the oil should meet at least VW 505.01 spec.

If the car is set up for long-life / variable servicing, then the oil should be at least VW 506.00 spec.

Jon.

 Cheers Jon,

I did manage to find a post as you described, pretty indepth for someone like myself with no a lot of mechanical sense if you like.

Also is the engine code stamp easily found, do you have to remove the large black TDI cover thing that sits over the head of the car I imagine.

How do you know if the car is on long or short service, can you swap from one to the other to please, is there something on the computer that tell you this or just a case of looking to see whats what within the service record?

The engine code is stamped on the block somewhere but I couldn't tell you exactly where as I've never looked for it.  According to the Haynes book though it "is stamped on the front of the cylinder block, next to the engine to transmission joint".

There should also be a bar-coded sticker on the top cambelt cover and beneath the barcode it will give the engine number which will begin with the engine code (ASZ if it's a 130).

If you look through the service record and it's been done religiously every 10k then it's fairly safe to assume it's on fixed interval servicing.  If it's closer to every 20k then it's more likely to be variable.  To tell for sure which it was originally set up for, look at the data sticker in the boot or service booklet - at the bottom there will be loads of 3 digit codes that are the options on the car.  If one of the codes is QG1 then it was originally set up for long-life servicing.  if they are either QG0 or QG2 then it means it's on the fixed servicing.

You can go from long-life/variable servicing to fixed interval servicing easily - just get whoever services it to reset the service counter to fixed intervals.  However, I don't think you can go from fixed servicing to variable (although I wouldn't recommend this anyway - 10k miles on one lot of oil is more than anough for me!)

If you want to know what all the other option codes are that are detailed on the sticker (and can be bothered to type them all in!) have a look at this website which will de-code them all for you.

Jon.

harveysduvet:

The engine code is stamped on the block somewhere but I couldn't tell you exactly where as I've never looked for it.  According to the Haynes book though it "is stamped on the front of the cylinder block, next to the engine to transmission joint".

 

 

i have looked all over for it, and still never found it!

had a good look around when the gearbox was off, and again when the head and most other bits were off and still not found it. i think it's a myth.

your best bet is to go off the VIN sticker behind the airbox, this has the engine code on the side of it. the cambelt cover could very easily be swapped over if it was damaged for example.

fenwick458:

harveysduvet:

The engine code is stamped on the block somewhere but I couldn't tell you exactly where as I've never looked for it.  According to the Haynes book though it "is stamped on the front of the cylinder block, next to the engine to transmission joint".

i have looked all over for it, and still never found it!

had a good look around when the gearbox was off, and again when the head and most other bits were off and still not found it. i think it's a myth.

your best bet is to go off the VIN sticker behind the airbox, this has the engine code on the side of it. the cambelt cover could very easily be swapped over if it was damaged for example.

What is the number on that sticker?  I know it will have the engine code on it (ARL in my case) but the number next to it isn't the engine number - doesn't match the number on the cambelt cover or in the log book (these two numbers do match). I was beginning to wonder if mine'd had an engine swap till I checked a couple of other peoples cars and these were the same and definitely no engine swaps there. 

Jon.

 

 Thanks, very useful site, I checked up with the seller and the code is QG1 so that would mean it was set up for long life servicing but the book is stamped up every year covering around 10k so guess it was changed after being set up for long life by looks of it.

Is there anything different with this long life or is it just a case of allowing the service indicator to run for longer and allowing the owner to do more miles before changing the oil?

Anyone put a value on this car as I believe its a buyers market and the likes of parkers guide is not a true reflection on the current climate.

fenwick458:

your best bet is to go off the VIN sticker behind the airbox, this has the engine code on the side of it. the cambelt cover could very easily be swapped over if it was damaged for example.

I'm sure while searching the site the other day I found a thread where someone had put up a photo of where to find the code, giving an AGU as an example which I think its a Petrol GTI, perhaps they are stamped someone different from the diesels.

Damned if I can find the thread again!

harveysduvet:

What is the number on that sticker?  I know it will have the engine code on it (ARL in my case) but the number next to it isn't the engine number - doesn't match the number on the cambelt cover or in the log book (these two numbers do match). I was beginning to wonder if mine'd had an engine swap till I checked a couple of other peoples cars and these were the same and definitely no engine swaps there. 

i have no idea, but mine's the same, the numbers don't match.

GJM:

I'm sure while searching the site the other day I found a thread where someone had put up a photo of where to find the code, giving an AGU as an example which I think its a Petrol GTI, perhaps they are stamped someone different from the diesels.

Damned if I can find the thread again!

yes i saw that thread, i have seen a few 1.8t's in the flesh and it's very easy to see what the code is (AUM, AGU etc..)

on the PD TDI's the heads are all the same, it's only the block's that are different so the code (if it does exist) will be on the block somethere.