[AT] Ram fuel mileage

Fri Jun 13 14:10:43 PDT 2014

Hey herb,

It's a 2011 VW Golf TDI 2door hatchback with the manual 6 speed transmission.   One of the last of the Wolfsburg, Germany cars.  

My commute, each way, is 45 mile interstate and 18 miles of country roads with just a half dozen stop signs.

In pure city/suburb, I still get 37-39mpg winter/summer

I have never understood the difference in the seasons.   My only hypothesis is general thermal efficiency.

Hope this helps,

Spencer

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 13, 2014, at 15:29, "Herb Metz" <metz-h.b at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> Have not been very attentive of some posts, but I sure noticed the 44 and 
> 47.  Your VW Golf diesel is what year? what transmission? sedan? your 
> principal transportation?  Engine size? Etc?
> Herb
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Spencer Yost
> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2014 3:04 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Ram fuel mileage
> 
> Thanks for the clarification.  I thought the urea was for the DPT and urea 
> was somehow burned during regen.   I did not realize it was NOx reduction 
> instead of the detune.
> 
> I average 44mpg in the winter, and 47mpg in the summer (fill-up 
> calculations - not computer) with my VW golf diesel.   I can't imagine 
> Exhaust Fluid raising it much more than 3% and am very glad I have a spare 
> and no exhaust fluid.
> 
> BTW:  Am I the only one who think exhaust fluid sounds like the old "blinker 
> fluid level" joke?  (-:
> 
> Spencer
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Jun 13, 2014, at 10:36, Stephen Offiler <soffiler at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Most of the diesels available new in the USA are using DEF (that is Diesel
>> Exhaust Fluid and is the common name for the urea that Spencer mentioned).
>> There are some exceptions in the VW TDI lineup.  It's all a matter of
>> meeting the US emissions specifications.  If they can tune (or detune) the
>> engine to meet emissions without DEF, then they might choose that route.
>> For example, VW detunes the Jetta TDI and omits DEF, resulting in slightly
>> lower fuel economy versus the Passat TDI which does use DEF.
>> 
>> DEF controls oxides of nitrogen, not particulates.
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_exhaust_fluid
>> 
>> Yes, the new Ram Ecodiesel engine requires DEF.  Ram claims 11 gallons per
>> 10,000 miles which is 909 miles per gallon DEF. Some Internet forum
>> discussion reports actual consumption rates slightly above 1000 miles per
>> gallon DEF.  1000 is a nice round number.  NAPA sells 2.5 gallon jugs for
>> $14 (= $5.60 per gallon DEF) but it is starting to show up at gas stations
>> for reportedly as little as $3 per gallon DEF. Let's just call it a nice
>> round $5 per gallon.  That's an additional expense of $5 per 1000 miles on
>> top of fuel cost.  At 25 MPG and $4 per gallon for fuel, it costs $160 for
>> fuel to drive 1000 miles, so just make that $165.  If you were to think of
>> DEF like some sort of fuel surcharge, it works out to 3%.
>> 
>> As a side-note, particulates are controlled with a Diesel Particulate
>> Filter (DPF) which is built sort of like a catalytic converter but it
>> doesn't do any catalyzing.  It traps the particles and then periodically
>> heats WAY up (650C plus, which is 1200F plus) to burn the collected
>> particles down to ash.  This is called DPF Regeneration.  It will happen
>> naturally if you drive hard enough to get it that hot; otherwise it will 
>> be
>> forced to happen periodically (about every 500-1000 miles) by injection of
>> extra fuel.
>> 
>> SO
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Fri, Jun 13, 2014 at 9:08 AM, Spencer Yost <yostsw at atis.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> One side note.  The diesel they build for the Chevy Cruz American market
>>> uses urea injection for particulate control.    The urea tank is just
>>> another tank to fill and eliminates the spare tire.   They give you a can
>>> of fix-a-flat instead!
>>> 
>>> Not sure about about the larger engines.   I was only looking at cars.
>>> In the end my wife decided to keep her VW diesel jetta (fuel is used for
>>> particulate control) and run it into the ground.  Which is proving hard 
>>> to
>>> do (-:
>>> 
>>> Spencer
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> 
>>>> On Jun 13, 2014, at 0:55, "Sewell, Steven" <sewell at ohio.edu> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Dennis keep us updated on the truck. The same diesel is an option in the
>>> Jeep Grand Cherokee.  I've been looking at the Jeep for our "car"
>>> replacement in the next year.
>>>> 
>>>> Steve Sewell
>>>> Albany, Ohio USA
>>>> sewell at ohio.edu
>>>> sewell at atis.net
>>>> ________________________________________
>>>> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [
>>> at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Dennis Johnson [
>>> moscowengnr at yahoo.com]
>>>> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2014 12:56 PM
>>>> To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
>>>> Subject: [AT] Ram fuel mileage
>>>> 
>>>> All,
>>>> The mileage numbers were calculated after entering gallons and miles
>>> into a spreadsheet. I also did trip average for the long trips via
>>> spreadsheet. I also do a running 3 tank average to check for incomplete
>>> fill ups, etc.
>>>> I do not have a good way to account for idle time, etc. truck records
>>> idle vs drive time, but not sure exactly what to do with this other than
>>> keep for general information.
>>>> I am guessing the screen numbers on the dash are a little bit high, but
>>> still impressed with the truck.
>>>> Thanks
>>>> Dennis
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPad
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