[Vwdiesel] fuel use

Tue Jan 8 13:42:54 PST 2013

Three years ago I took my TDI, which was having problems starting to 
Middleville, NY, where the temps were -14F at high noon.  I decided to 
leave the car idling, and after 8 hours, it burned 1.0 gal, US.  It was 
the fan never cycled, as I put some snow on it to see if it turned.

I agree with the more conservative 1.0l per hour for planning, and I do 
not have any good data on IDI idling burn. (Except at worm temps, with 
the AC running full.  0.4 gal/hr)    

While James will point out that propane is useless at his temps, I often carry 
a torch with attached tank in the trunk.  It often works at freeing up
filters, and can be used to preheat the oil in the sump.  I have also used
one to heat the cyliderhead when there was a glow system failure (helps
but will not work alone at 0F).

I carry a spare fuel filter when on the road.  When using my triple filtered
home fuel, I don't.

Finally, when driving an A2, I have ham radio installed, which helped me
with the A1 and A2 countless times.

> 
> Brian, plan on a litre per hour, divide by two for a safety margin. You
> never get stranded with a full tank, you had to get there somehow. On a
> regular route, you will know roughly how much you have at that point.
> 
> Excellent road kit Sandy. I carry everything except the filter.
>   I would only add a couple things.
> A tow strap, small tarp, gallon jug of kerosene- or fill one of your road
> jugs with kerosene.  Dissolves clouded fuel, can be used as fuel in a pinch,
> and used for heat. Matches.Lighter. Spare belts. Fuses. Jumper wire for glow
> plug fuse. Quart jug of either everclear or isopropal alcohol. Small can 2/3
> full of sand, with another that fits over top of the whole mess to act as
> windbreak and hold your snow melting pot. To melt snow for drinking water
> (your worst problem after staying warm) you put fuel in the sand with a
> twist of paper wick to get it going, drop the bigger coffee can with both
> ends cut out and a couple welding rods poked through near the top as a
> grate.  Light it, and it burns for a long while.  diesel gets smoky, but
> alcohol burns well.  I like everclear, it's a good fuel, melts ice in your
> fuel line, is a reasonably good antiseptic, and not really poisonous like
> most of the other alcohols, which, in -40 and stranded at the bottom of
> bugtussle pass, you might appreciate. Also burns with minimum of carbon
> monoxide if you have to use as a space heater. A giant toblerone bar, and
> some powdered soup round out the top of my winter ammo box. Check out a
> penny stove, which is smaller, and a tad easier to carry around than a sand
> can stove. Burns hotter and more efficiently too.
> Remember, if you carry chains and haven't really used them before, you need
> to have some repair links, and a wheelbarrow of bungee cords to keep them
> from flailing around. Test fit them. If you've never used them, you'll be
> pleasantly surprised just how poorly they fit, what a PITA they are to keep
> on, and appreciate just how well they could destroy anything car-like in
> their blast radius when a link lets go. Don't ever expect them to just work
> out of the box and be easy to put on.
> You may not be able to tell, but I tend to prefer good winter tires, and
> would rather stick pencils in my eyes than use chains.
> -james
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com] On
> Behalf Of sandy cameron
> Sent: January-08-13 12:28 PM
> To: Brian and Ruth Decker; diesel
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] fuel use
> 
> On 1/8/2013 12:23 PM, Brian and Ruth Decker wrote:
> > HI Folks;
> >
> >                  Does anyone have any Idea how much fuel per hour a 
> > 1.6 diesel would use at a continuous idle?
>  From experience, but not doing the math, I would think 18 to 24 hours.
> 
> Of course (from the land of log cabins and 2 story snowbanks) you will also
> have the following on board.
> 
> 1. An empty soup can and some candles. Matches. learn how to use them as a
> space heater 2. Blanket or 2.
> 3. Food, and esp, drink.
> 4. LED flashlight.
> 5. Suitable clothing, boots, mitts, touque. (Bush pilot's motto, always wear
> the boots you would want to walk home in) 6. Oh yes! 5 gallons of fuel in
> the trunk in an approved container with spout, Better, 2 x 3gal. containers,
> easier to handle.
>       or more if you are traveling light. 1gal ready-to-use antifreeze.
> 7. A shovel.
> 
> Goes without saying, good snow tires, and if govt requires them, carry tire
> chains, or they may not let you attempt the passes.
> If parked for a long while, pull out the cold start for faster idle
> (post-1986) or arrange something on the accelerator to get a fast idle.
> You will get more heat, and it will keep the battery charged, especially if
> you plan to leave the headlights on.
> You probably would not have to, but keep an eye on the temp gauge, to avoid
> overheating the engine, just turn up the heater (Ha!) Print the above and
> put in your glove compartment.
> 
> My milk crate in the trunk of the A2, 12 months of the year, has a small 12v
> air compressor, tire plugs and the tools to install them, a hatchet, a cheap
> hunting knife, booster cables, spare fuel filter, (primed and
> capped) A standard swivel power bar with 17mm socket (wheel wrench) quart of
> oil, 2 qts antifreeze, pliers, bits of wire, 10ft plastic tubing, fuel line
> size.
> And finally, a concession to my age, a 12v power jack and a board to set it
> on!
> 
> The merit of the 10 feet of plastic tubing, the under-body fuel line system
> on an old A2 is fraught with peril. so many places where it can suck air.
> You can quickly rig an independent fuel system by putting one of your
> emergency containers on the passenger side floor, (assuming it's
> intact)  running the lines to the filter under the hood, (supply AND
> return) out the window and under the hood at the back right corner. This
> will take you 200 miles on a fill-up. There is a rubber bung up behind the
> heater box that will let you into the engine room directly if you should
> desire to make the fix more permanent. In Goldie's (my former 87) final
> summer, she ran on an outboard motor tank in the pass. side floor, and to
> her final rusting place after the fuel tank had detached and been left
> behind some time back.
> 
> Sandy
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