[Vwdiesel] 92 eco diesel

[Scott Kair]

Marvin wrote:

<I am looking at an Eco diesel, any suggestions as to whether to buy or
not?>

	Depends on the details, like condition and price. 
	The ECO was the last of the 1.6 liter VW Diesel engines. Sales had
been nosediving due to the slump in gasoline prices after the first oil war,
the CARB low-sulfur fuel fiasco was brewing and an indication that
emissions-control-free Diesels were on the way out, and the 1.9 liter Diesel
wasn't quite ready for production. 
	A smaller turbocharger unit was a feature, marketed not for boosting
power, but for compressing the charge to aid in reducing emissions.(That was
their story and they stuck to it.) The pump lacked the aneroid device for
delivering more fuel under full boost. It engaged noticeably lower in the
rpm band, and also fell off noticeably lower than the conventional
turbochargers. 
	The transmission/ final drive combination was also geared to deliver
engine power at a higher rpm than in conventional TD engines. While it was
noticeably livelier in pulling away from stop signs, hiway fuel economy
suffered, and the engine was conspicuously working to keep up with 75 mph
interstate traffic. Once I fell upon some 45 cetane high test and got 44 mpg
from the tank; in-town driving on winter blend rarely broke 40 mpg. 
	The seat belt-starter interlock wiring was prone to cracking and
breaking at the least opportune times. The dual cooling fans were run by one
motor and linked by what appeared to be the result of a one-night stand
between a drive belt and a rubber band. When the belt lets go, cooling
capacity is significantly limited. If a fan bearing seizes, quite an
adventure ensues. Since it was a single-year feature (92's were just
paperwhipped '91 production year units), finding replacement parts might be
a nightmare. I got lucky and found the whole assembly in a u-pick. 
	Given a choice between, say, a conventional 1989 Jetta TD and an
ECO, all other factors being equal, I'd go with the '89. Still, there's
something about that ECO badge that causes the uninitiated to start
conversations.
	Scott Kair