2013 GTI -Heavily Carboned Exhaust Tips

[Finz]

My nephew is rounding 4,000 miles on his 2013 GTI. Saw it for the first time yesterday and noticed the exhaust tips have a lot of black soot... Thick and dusty.

Pretty sure he's running '91 octane and probably does mostly around-town driving but, like any teenager, wouldn't surprise me if he nailed it once in a while.

What causes such a heavy build up like that? Is it something that can rectified? Is it a problem?

Also, the engine compartment referenced an oil spec I never heard of : 502. Might have been VW 502? Does that spec translate into something more commonly found here in the US? I see lots of turbo guys using a 40 weight. But with the hills in our area and the short--trip driving, would a 5w-30 or something be too light?

I'm about to google 502 oil so I may have an answer for myself shortly but would Appreciate any input

Thank you

One last thing: Direct Injection. This is my first experience (not mine really but I want to help the kid) with a DI engine. are there any preventative measures he/we can do to help prevent the engines potential for carbon bulld up?

 

[Olas]

this link explains the different vw oil specs:

http://www.oilspecifications.org/volkswagen.php

 

[DuckRyder]

RE: oil (Warning Direct Link to Large PDF)

Engine oils that meet Audi (and VW) Oil ...d 504 00/507 00

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Finz
Does that spec translate into something more commonly found here in the US?

There a number of commonly found oils in stores that meet VW 502.00 spec. For example:

- M1 0w-40
- Castrol Edge 0w-40
- Castrol Edge 0w-30
- Pennzoil Ultra 5w-40

You can find the first two at Walmart in 5qt jugs at a pretty good price.

 

[Finz]

Good stuff, guys. Thank you

 

[wemay]

But Finz, just so you know, nothing but a cleaning rag will remove that soot from the tail pipe and no oil will prevent it.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Finz
One last thing: Direct Injection. This is my first experience (not mine really but I want to help the kid) with a DI engine. are there any preventative measures he/we can do to help prevent the engines potential for carbon bulld up?

That fact that a teenager is driving it might actually help with DI deposits. Supposedly getting the valves hot by driving spiritedly long enough once in a while helps burn some of these deposits off. But it's not a guaranteed solution. You may still need to manually clean them at some point.

 

[Finz]

So the soot is just typical? My Hondas, every car, gets dirty there but I never, personally, noticed such an accumulation. Maybe it stood more because the car is still new and the pipes are so much cleaner

Maybe I simply never paid attention

So not a big deal then?

 

[wemay]

Not a big deal at all. Just a byproduct of many if not all d.i. applications.

 

[Rand]

some cars do some dont, My 2007 focus and 2009 hyundai elantra touring.. had silver brand new looking exhaust tips,

A coworkers 2008 accord(non-di) had sooty black tips after 3000miles, my 2011 forester also has very black tips.

 

[Mykl]

Originally Posted By: Finz
So the soot is just typical?

So not a big deal then?


Yes, it's just typical.

No, it doesn't seem to be a big deal. As far as I can tell it's just a cosmetic annoyance.

I was alarmed at first but I've basically given up. Every now and then I'll clean them up with some steel wool and Brasso, but most of the time after washing the car I can't be bothered.

 

[Mr Nice]

Honda don't get very dirty exhaust tips.

 

[Delta]

No biggie. My 2.5 5 cylinder (MPFI) VW gets alot of carbon soot on the tips quite frequently, and I drive it very hard too running mid grade 89 E10 fuel. Fact after my 2K roadtrip they were really nasty. VW 502 specs are generally xw40wt's. I run a HDEO in mine, not worried about the spec on my ancient design of a motor, but that GTI I would stick with what VW recommends. M1 0w40 is a popular 502 spec in the VW community.

 

[adolan21]

My GTI does the same thing. I just clean them every other month or so.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Finz
So the soot is just typical?

It kind of is. DI engines have a lot dirtier emissions than modern non-DI engines...

http://europe.autonews.com/article/20131...n-predecessors-

 

[Rand]

That's basically a lobbying group propaganda you posted not real news.

 

[Quattro Pete]

It's one study, but I don't see other studies that disprove it.

If car manufacturers are not going to perform such studies (why would they, if it would make them look bad), then someone else has to.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Mykl
Originally Posted By: Finz
So the soot is just typical?

So not a big deal then?


Yes, it's just typical.

No, it doesn't seem to be a big deal. As far as I can tell it's just a cosmetic annoyance.

I was alarmed at first but I've basically given up. Every now and then I'll clean them up with some steel wool and Brasso, but most of the time after washing the car I can't be bothered.


I would just paint them with either Wurth's flat black high temp paint, or their satin black enamel paint.

 

[Finz]

Thanks all...