# Brand new turbo diesel cruze owner here...



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Welcome. 

Why not start reading in the diesel forums? You won't be disappointed.


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

Thanks! I have! Don't really see what I'm looking for. Lots of info, none about normal diesel maintenance. Do you have any tips? Thanks in advance


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## CruzeDan (May 17, 2015)

Nothing special here really. Most recommend driving the car on the highway as much as possible to help with the DPF and emission system, I drive mine on the highway every once in a while. Most of my driving is city/mixed, and I haven't had any issues with my car, but I only have 7,000 miles. Change your oil regularly, 5,000-6,000 miles is what I am going with. Be sure to use the correct oil. I am sticking with a Dexos 2 oil, but at least make sure the oil is low ash/emission system safe. Drain the fuel/water separator when changing the oil. Use diesel from a station frequently used by other diesels, don't go to a station that has diesel that is never purchased. Your DIC has a gauge that indicates when it is time to change your fuel filter. Really not much different than a gas car. I love mine so far, want nothing but diesel vehicles in my life now.


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

ethana912 said:


> Thanks! I have! Don't really see what I'm looking for. Lots of info, none about normal diesel maintenance. Do you have any tips? Thanks in advance


Welcome to the forum. There are many threads on every aspect of diesel maintenance in very good detail. From proper oil to changing fuel filter etc. this car has been out for almost three years.


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## razercruze15 (Feb 15, 2016)

Welcome Welcome,

Lucky Diesel owner!! Congrats on the new ride. Post some pics, any mods planned?


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

Thanks! Good info regardless.


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

CruzeDan said:


> Nothing special here really. Most recommend driving the car on the highway as much as possible to help with the DPF and emission system, I drive mine on the highway every once in a while. Most of my driving is city/mixed, and I haven't had any issues with my car, but I only have 7,000 miles. Change your oil regularly, 5,000-6,000 miles is what I am going with. Be sure to use the correct oil. I am sticking with a Dexos 2 oil, but at least make sure the oil is low ash/emission system safe. Drain the fuel/water separator when changing the oil. Use diesel from a station frequently used by other diesels, don't go to a station that has diesel that is never purchased. Your DIC has a gauge that indicates when it is time to change your fuel filter. Really not much different than a gas car. I love mine so far, want nothing but diesel vehicles in my life now.


Thanks! Good info regardless!


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

IndyDiesel said:


> Welcome to the forum. There are many threads on every aspect of diesel maintenance in very good detail. From proper oil to changing fuel filter etc. this car has been out for almost three years.


Ok, I'll keep looking. Thanks!


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

razercruze15 said:


> Welcome Welcome,
> 
> Lucky Diesel owner!! Congrats on the new ride. Post some pics, any mods planned?


Loving my first diesel! I will post some pics tomorrow. Honestly I'm not doing much to the car. Getting the windows tinted Friday, but not much more planned. I drive 150 miles a day, 95% highway back and forth to college.


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## chevrasaki (May 1, 2015)

Welcome to the forum! 

One thing you may not know about the diesel models is that they have a diesel particulate filter that helps control emissions. Occasionally the filter will "regenerate" which as I understand it, injects fuel into the filter and burns the built up soot off cleanly at a high temperature. Its best not to interrupt the regen cycle if possible by letting the car run until the process is complete. It's not a big deal if you do turn the car off during one of these regens, but its better to let the car do its thing. The only real sure-fire way to tell it's in a regen cycle is by using a scan gauge II. I don't own a diesel, so I may not be 100% accurate on that, but it's worth researching. Just be sure to read the owners manual and follow the recommended maintenance schedule and you'll be fine. Enjoy!


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## razercruze15 (Feb 15, 2016)

ethana912 said:


> Loving my first diesel! I will post some pics tomorrow. Honestly I'm not doing much to the car. Getting the windows tinted Friday, but not much more planned. I drive 150 miles a day, 95% highway back and forth to college.


Jeez, thats alot of miles. Diesel was def. a good choice for you, assuming you dont encounter any traffic on the highway.
It sounds like... you could use a sound system though to make those rides go by a little quicker. Personally, a good aftermarket sound system makes long drives 10000% better for me.


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

chevrasaki said:


> Welcome to the forum!
> 
> One thing you may not know about the diesel models is that they have a diesel particulate filter that helps control emissions. Occasionally the filter will "regenerate" which as I understand it, injects fuel into the filter and burns the built up soot off cleanly at a high temperature. Its best not to interrupt the regen cycle if possible by letting the car run until the process is complete. It's not a big deal if you do turn the car off during one of these regens, but its better to let the car do its thing. The only real sure-fire way to tell it's in a regen cycle is by using a scan gauge II. I don't own a diesel, so I may not be 100% accurate on that, but it's worth researching. Just be sure to read the owners manual and follow the recommended maintenance schedule and you'll be fine. Enjoy!


I did not know about that. Again, great info. I will comb my manual this weekend. Thanks for the [email protected]


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

razercruze15 said:


> Jeez, thats alot of miles. Diesel was def. a good choice for you, assuming you dont encounter any traffic on the highway.
> It sounds like... you could use a sound system though to make those rides go by a little quicker. Personally, a good aftermarket sound system makes long drives 10000% better for me.


Not a bad idea. I have a Fosgate 10" sub in a box stuck away in the garage. I might break it out and hook it up. And I don't hit any traffic... just miles and miles of farm land and pine trees


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## Starks8 (Jul 20, 2011)

Welcome!


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

Starks8 said:


> Welcome!


Thank you! What an awesome, active forum. I plan to be here for many many years... hopefully!


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## razercruze15 (Feb 15, 2016)

ethana912 said:


> Not a bad idea. I have a Fosgate 10" sub in a box stuck away in the garage. I might break it out and hook it up. And I don't hit any traffic... just miles and miles of farm land and pine trees


Hook it up! Just make sure its got the power, obviously 
And while youre at it, get at least a 4 channel amp for your front and back speakers ;P
Or a 5 channel to power everything if u already don't have an amp for the sub.

You will need a hi-low converter if you go just sub or sub and amplified speakers, this is so you can use the signal with your factory radio/head unit.

I recommend the Audio Control LC2 for just subwoofer, or the LC6 for 5 channel.

..And if you got a hundred bucks (or even fifty or so), get some front component speakers  Pretty much anything is better than factory paper speakers (regular factory sound system)

.....and another fifty can fill your mid/back with some Coaxial speakers, you can cheap out more on these..

........and whether or not your car has upgraded factory sound, there are spots in the back for 6 by 9 inch speakers.... get something to at least fill those.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

I'll try to keep this brief, but since this is your first diesel, here are some basics:

Things (mostly) unique to diesel vehicles:

Fuel - unlike unleaded gasoline with different octane levels (regular, premium, etc.), in general diesel is diesel. That said, there are some important things to watch out for. First, there are actually two different types of diesel fuel - #1 diesel, and #2 diesel. The vast majority of what you buy from pumps is #2 diesel. #1 diesel is thinner - more akin to kerosene. The only time this really comes up is if you live in a cold weather state. Unlike gasoline, diesel fuel can "gel" causing your car to stop running. Since it is thicker, standard #2 diesel will gel at higher temperatures. In some cold-weather states, you can buy #1 diesel in the winter, or sometimes it will be #2 diesel treated with anti-gelling additives. The standard rule of thumb is, if you're going to be spending much time in weather below freezing, especially as you approach 0 F, be sure you're getting treated fuel or a blend of #1/#2 diesel. Try to avoid straight #1. It's rare, so it's easy to avoid, but it isn't as good for your car as standard #2. Typically, fuel from a reputable station that moves lots of volume in cold-weather states is a safe bet.
Fuel filters - unlike gasoline vehicles, most diesel vehicles have serviceable fuel filters that must be changed periodically. The Cruze diesel has a monitor that should tell you when the filter needs changing - roughly every 30-45,000 miles depending of your level of driving efficiency. There are many threads on how.
Emissions systems - with the exception of periodically adding DEF (diesel exhaust fluid), the emissions components are supposed to operate passively without any regular maintenance or driver intervention. That said, diesel emissions systems since the mid-2000s have become incredibly complex and are prone to potential issues. This isn't to scare you, just so you're aware. This forum is full of threads on the topic. The best thing you can do as an owner is follow regular maintenance and use care when selecting engine oil, etc.
Glow plugs - as I'm sure you're already aware, your diesel has "glow plugs" which are merely small plugs in the cylinders which are heated to aid ignition on a cold engine. They're on (as indicated by the little curly-cue light on your dash) for just a couple of seconds when you are cold-starting your car. When the engine is warm they don't come on. If you go to start a cold engine and just flip it straight to start without waiting for the glow plug light to go out, it'll start, but it'll crank much harder.

Things (mostly) unique to the diesel Cruze:

Engine oil (short story) - The Cruze diesel requires special oil to help protect the emissions system. GM's certification for this oil is dexos2 (dexos1 is for gasoline engines). If you're not into lots of details, then stop there - that's all you need to know. Just be sure any oil change done on your car uses dexos2 certified oil.
Engine oil (long story) The bad news is, until two months ago when the diesel Chevy/GMC Colorado/Canyon came out, the diesel Cruze was the only vehicle in North America to use dexos2 oil, so it is not super common to find. In other words, your local Jiffy Lube or Midas is unlikely to have it, so if you don't do your own changes it's probably best to go to a Chevy dealer for oil changes. Also, try to find a dealer that is familiar with the Cruze diesel or at least lots of diesel trucks at a minimum. The Cruze diesel is a unique and rare beast, and some dealers simply don't know how to work with them.
Engine oil (even longer story) I'm not sure how much you are into details and your own maintenance, but to keep this short, there is a large debate here on this thread on what types of oil are acceptable in the Cruze diesel. When in doubt, find a dexos2 certified oil, but for those who like to turn their own wrenches and understand oils, there are actually far more oil options out there which are not dexos2 certified that are likely as good or even better but simply don't carry dexos2 certification from GM. Many other new diesels (VW, BMW, Mercedes, etc.) also require these "special" oils for emissions systems protection. I'll let you read the many threads and determine what's best for your car.
Other issues - Also keep in mind the diesel Cruze has many "under the hood" differences from its gasoline cousins aside from the diesel engine. The diesel Cruze has a completely different transmission (Aisin instead of GM), different (larger) brakes, different wheels (and bolt pattern), as well as a few other unique features like the electric auxiliary heat.

Good luck with your new car and welcome - there's a wealth of knowledge on this forum.


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

Wow, great info. Truly appreciated. I will be diving into this forum over the next few days. I love my diesel cruze and want her to run for a long time.


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

ethana912 said:


> Wow, great info. Truly appreciated. I will be diving into this forum over the next few days. I love my diesel cruze and want her to run for a long time.


The cruze diesel is a very unique car and is gm first diesel in a car in many years. It truly is an amazing car for what it is. Your driving patterns should get you an average in mid to upper 40s and love every mile. My encouragement would be for you to research the diesel particulate filter (DPF) and the regen process, I purchased a scan gauge II for that very purpose. There is a very short period of time just prior to a regen that if the car is shut off can cause the car to go to reduced power and requires a manual regen which as I understand it can only be done at a Chevy dealer.

we have a member here called diesel that has over 150k miles on his car and it happened to him two times if I recall correctly, the scan gauge II can help you identify that. 

I have spent many hours researching this car and this forum is a great place to read threads that might be a year or two old even, knowledge can really help you better understand. Lots of great people here that can help when something comes up you don't understand.

again welcome to the forum.


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## jkhawaii (Feb 12, 2016)

I bought mine used as well. its a lot of fun to drive! Lots of low end power. It loves the open road that's were the car excells. I like to run a Biodiesel fuel blend in mine.


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## Chris Tobin (Feb 23, 2016)

As this is your first diesel vehicle, the most important thing to remember is to ALWAYS be very careful and read the pump label BEFORE pumping fuel to make sure you are going to be pumping DIESEL into your car. DO NOT simply go by the handle color, as some stations use green handles for gas and another color for diesel. Get into the habit of reading (outloud if necessary) the pump label each time BEFORE filling your tank. Accidentally filling the tank with gas can be very damaging to your engine and fuel system.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

jkhawaii said:


> I like to run a Biodiesel fuel blend in mine.


Personally, I avoid biodiesel as much as possible. In older diesels, it was great, and technically speaking, the diesel Cruze is certified to handle up to B20 (20% biofuel). However, biofuel doesn't play quite as nice with the newer, highly sensitive emissions systems, so I avoid it where I can.

Most states require B2 or even B5 by law, and several Midwestern states require even higher (B10 or higher in Minnesota, Illinois off the top of my head). Anything higher than B5 is required to be labeled at the pump. My state requires B5. Many places with the cheapest fuel are selling B20 - which I completely avoid.

Again, this is my personal preference. The manual states the car is compatible with up to B20, so you'll have to do your own research at make your own choices. At a minimum, if you're running higher levels of bio (anything higher than B5), pay close attention to your oil for potential fuel dilution and consider more frequent oil changes - especially if you do lots of short-distance driving.


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## Gator (Jul 14, 2013)

There's two of us Diesel that's has over 150000 miles on his and I have just over 100000 on mine. He gave a impressive write up on his and I just posted a timing belt cost post on mine. 
Congrats on your purchase. I love mine 50 mpg avg


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Welcome and congrats on your purchase! If your experience is anything like mine you will love it! Here's a link to my experience with 150K miles which also includes links to writeups I did at 50K and 100K. It's a pretty detailed account of my experience.

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/64-c...sion/151073-150k-miles-2014-cruze-diesel.html


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

You guys are awesome. Exactly the stuff I was hoping to get. Thanks Diesel... I'll check out that thread.


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

Chris Tobin said:


> As this is your first diesel vehicle, the most important thing to remember is to ALWAYS be very careful and read the pump label BEFORE pumping fuel to make sure you are going to be pumping DIESEL into your car. DO NOT simply go by the handle color, as some stations use green handles for gas and another color for diesel. Get into the habit of reading (outloud if necessary) the pump label each time BEFORE filling your tank. Accidentally filling the tank with gas can be very damaging to your engine and fuel system.


Very true. I just filled it up for the first time a few minutes ago.


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## Su8pack1 (Apr 17, 2014)

ccasion14:


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## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

Don't be to worried about interrupting the car during a regen process. You will know you did it when you turn the car off because the fan will still be going high speed and it will smell like something is burning. The car will continue the process the next time you drive. If you interrupt it to many times it will tell you to keep driving so it can finish the process.


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## mkohan (Dec 19, 2015)

Welcome!!! As other have said, watch the fuel and oil you use. Keep up with the maintenance and enjoy the ride.


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## jsusanka (Jan 31, 2011)

Welcome!


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

Here is my diesel fellows. I love her already


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## chevrasaki (May 1, 2015)

It's beautiful. Just needs some window tint


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

Agree. Tomorrow morning at 8:30 it will be getting 20% all around... I'll post another pic when it's done


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## GlennGlenn (Nov 27, 2015)

Get yourself a Scan Gauge 2, best purchase I made for the car. Get the one with the Cruze Diesel firmware and it'll give a wealth of information.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

ethana912 said:


> View attachment 182649
> Here is my diesel fellows. I love her already


Dang! So that's what mine looks like underneath the grime!


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

And here she is with 20% tint.


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## chevrasaki (May 1, 2015)

ethana912 said:


> View attachment 182769
> 
> 
> And here she is with 20% tint.


Now that's a gorgeous ride right there.


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

chevrasaki said:


> Now that's a gorgeous ride right there.


Thanks! I appreciate it!


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## razercruze15 (Feb 15, 2016)

Welcome Welcome ccasion14:

Nice ride- it looks like your car is slightly lowered in that picture.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I've always liked that color.


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

razercruze15 said:


> Welcome Welcome
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks! It's not though. Bone stock


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## ethana912 (Feb 24, 2016)

I lightly smoked the tail lights yesterday. I love the way they turned out.


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## chevrasaki (May 1, 2015)

ethana912 said:


> View attachment 183337
> 
> 
> I lightly smoked the tail lights yesterday. I love the way they turned out.


That turned out excellent. Love the way that car is coming together, just need some nice wheels. I could use some nicer wheels too.....


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