should I be concerned?

[arbowman]

My girlfriend has a 2000 2.0L manual NB with 75k. When cruising at 80mph the rpms are at 4k. Seems a little high for 80mph cruising. The check engine light is off so I am assuming that all of the engine controls are working properly. Is this normal for a NB?

Also, she said that when she bought it at 40k the engine was much quieter and ran a lot smoother than it does now. Would the catalytic converter have anything to do with this? I know VW has a recall on the converters which is why I'm asking. This is the only possibitlity I could think of because the exhaust is kind of noisy but isn't leaking anywhere and she has her oil changed regularly and the check engine light is off. I havn't really heard any rattling from inside the car if that helps. I need to get under the car to listen for rattling but I don't think I will hear any. I do agree with her that the motor sounds like it is struggling when accelerating.

The front end seems harsh going over any bumps big or small. I gave it the bounce test and didn't notice any major differences between the four corners. I tried to check for leaks from the struts but I didn't want to mess with the shaft cover to check closer. She isn't on rough/bumpy roads that often. What is the life expectancy of the original shock/struts or do they just not work as good as they get some mileage on them?

Also, I don't know what her exact gas mileage is but I am almost certain it isn't 28mpg like I have read some forum members having. Would a bad catalytic converter have anything to do with this?

How does a VW stealership determine if the catalytic converter has failed and what determines if it will be covered under warranty?

Any info is greatly appreciated! Thanks every1 in advance!

[SilverSportNOLA]

Emissions devices are covered for 80K by Federal Law, but that still doesn't mean I will let the dealership monkeys change parts of mine, like the SAI pump. Shocks and struts ... lots of us have changed ours by 40K with lowering springs ... since the OEM's only last a few miles with the lower springs. But if they are not leaking and the car isn't bouncing they should be good for some time, but you are at about that some time mileage.

[branvan]

i know that my rpm's will be around 4k at 80 as well, i thought it was high too but with a smaller engine i think it's normal

[arbowman]

so nobody has replaced or had catalytic converter problems? I guess I will have get a new one and see what happens. New spark plugs probably wouldn't hurt either.

[hako]

If the catalytic converter is buggered it will get worse and worse as more of the internal matrix either crumbles or gets clogged. The engine will become quieter not noisier generally. It basically throttles the exhaust and from when it starts to affect performance to when the engine will only idle can be as short as a few weeks. If the car still cruises at 80MPH then the cat should be OK. I think you can also check to see if any fault codes have been logged as these can indicate a bad cat.
Cats are a big dollar item so make sure it is the problem!
Good Luck.

[noR]

I wouldn't replace a catalytic converter unless you're sure that's the problem. Does your state do emissions tests? If it passes, it's not the Cat.

The rpm is correct for 80mph. I think it's more built for 70mph cruising, but it really handles fine at 4K rpm, so no big deal. The mileage doesn't seem to suffer.

I'd check bushings or the struts about the harsh bumps. Check the lower control arm bushings for tears too. I live in MS; our roads kinda suck sometimes; I think 70-80K was a decent lifetime for my struts. I drive aggressively, and that definitely doesn't help the longevity of those moving suspension parts.

[mel72349]

4K RPM @ 80 seems high to me. I don't know if it's the model year, or being a diesel, but our 2K6 NB TDI ticks over at a more-leisurely 2,900 RPMs at 80 MPH (with the stock tires). I suspect the overall gearing is higher on TDIs to take advantage of the gobs of torque available below 3K RPMs

[noR]

Originally Posted by mel72349

I suspect the overall gearing is higher on TDIs to take advantage of the gobs of torque available below 3K RPMs

You are correct sir. TDI's are geared higher than everyone else. It's a neat/common trick to swap a TDI gear onto a 1.8t for lower cruising rpms. But 4K is fine, that motor will do it all day long no sweat.

[Silverbullet007]

After riding with someone a bit more aggressive than I am, I ran mine at about 4.5k for half an hour. Nothing but a big, foreign kitten purring.

[SilverSportNOLA]

TDI is probably redlined at 4K ..... run my 1.8T for hours above 6K .... welcome to the 4 cylinder, and now you know why half the cylinders do not yeild twice the MPG's ... the engine runs twice as fast.