SDI (engine)


The SDI engine is a design of naturally aspirated direct injection diesel engine developed and produced by Volkswagen Group for use in cars and vans, along with marine engine and Volkswagen Industrial Motor applications.
The SDI brand name was adopted in order to differentiate between earlier and less efficient indirect injection engines, called SD or "Suction Diesel", which were also produced by Volkswagen Group.
SDI engines are only produced in inline or straight engine configurations; and as they originate from a German manufacture, are designated as either R4 or R5, taken from the. They are available in various displacements, in inline-four and inline-five, in various states of tune, depending on intended application.
The SDI engine is generally utilised in applications where reliability and fuel economy are of primary concern. These engines lack any type of forced induction, hence the use of 'suction' in the title, and their power output is lower than a turbocharged engine of similar displacement. For example, the 2.0 SDI engine fitted to the Volkswagen Golf Mk5 has a peak power output of ; whereas the same engine in Turbocharged Direct Injection form is rated at or, depending on specifications.

Lubricants

Like their related Volkswagen Group Turbocharged Direct Injection diesel engines, Volkswagen AG requires that motor oil lubricants for SDI engines must conform to one of the officially approved standards VW505.00, 505.01, 506.00, 506.01, or 507.00. 'Generic' oil standards such as the American Petroleum Institute 'API', or European Automobile Manufacturers Association 'ACEA' are not in themselves recognised or approved by VW, although such an oil may also conform to one of the specific VW standards.
Many formulations of motor oils from most brands are now "VW Approved" to the above standards. However some unapproved 'off brands' print the VW number on the label, implying that they meet the said standard, but hide in small type the word "recommended". Only Volkswagen AG can grant the necessary approvals, following in-house testing. Volkswagen Germany publish up-to-date lists of currently approved oils on their respective websites, along with the technical resource, erWin.
All SDI-engined models with "LongLife Servicing", "Extended Service Intervals", "ESI", or "WIV", must be lubricated by official 'LongLife' lubricants, namely VW506.00, VW506.01, or VW507.00. According to VW 'generic' longlife lubricants, or those certified by other manufacturers such as General Motors, BMW or Mercedes-Benz should not be used.

SDI vs other VW Group diesel engines

The following table contains a selection of current and historical Volkswagen Group compression-ignition SDI diesel engines for comparison of performance and operating characteristics with other naturally aspirated and forced induction engines of the same capacity:
engine
model		engine
displacement		engine configuration
& diesel fuel system		valvetrainmax.
power:
kW
rpm
for
max.
power		max.
torque:
Nm
max
MEP:
bar		MEP @
max.
power:
bar		max
operating
revs:
rpm		dates
installed
'inline 4, indirect injection
mechanical distributor injection pump		8v
SOHC		35
4,50082
2,700 – 3,50025.2
5,000Polo 2, 2F
late 1980s -
early 1990s
'inline 3, turbo direct injection
mechanically pressurised, electrically triggered pumpe-duse unit injectors		12v
SOHC		59
4,000195
2,20041.5
Polo Bluemotion, first generation
2006 -
2010
'inline 4, indirect injection
mechanical distributor injection pump		8v
SOHC		42
4,500103
2,80024.5
10/1986-
05/1992
'inline 4, direct injection
electronic distributor injection pump		8v
SOHC		44
4,200115
2,20025.6
07/1996-
07/2005
'inline 4, indirect injection
mechanical distributor injection pump		8v
SOHC		47
4,300124
2,500-
3,200		24.8
'inline 4, indirect injection
electronic distributor injection pump		8v
SOHC		36
3,000121
1,80019.0
current
'inline 4, direct injection
electronic distributor injection pump		8v
SOHC		50
4,000133
1,80026.4
current
'inline 4, indirect injection
mechanical distributor injection pump		8v
SOHC		55
4,200150
2,00029.0
'inline 4, direct injection
electronic distributor injection pump		8v
SOHC		66
3,750210
1,90034.8
'inline 4, direct injection
Pumpe Düse Unit Injector		8v
SOHC		96
4,000310
1,90050.6
current
'inline 4, direct injection
Pumpe Düse Unit Injector		8v
SOHC		55
4,200140
2,40027.9
current
'
140 PS		inline 4, direct injection
Pumpe Düse Unit Injector		8v
SOHC		103
4,000320
1,80052.3
20.4315.70current
'
170 PS		inline 4, direct injection
Pumpe Düse Unit Injector		16v
DOHC		125
4,200350
1,800-
2,500		63.5
current
'
170 PS		inline 4, direct injection
common rail 		16v
DOHC		125
4,200350
1,750-
2,500		63.5
current
'
75 PS		inline 5, direct injection
electronic distributor injection pump		10v
SOHC		55
3,600155
2,25022.3
02/2002-
current
'
163 PS		inline 5, direct injection
common rail 		10v
SOHC		120
3,500350
2,00048.8
current

174 PS		inline 5, direct injection
Pumpe Düse Unit Injector		10v
SOHC		128
3,500400
2,00052.0
20.4317.84current
engine
model		engine
displacement		engine configuration
& diesel fuel system		valvetrainmax.
power:
kW
rpm
for
max.
power		max.
torque:
Nm
rpm
for
max.
torque		specific
power:
kW/L
max
MEP:
bar		MEP @
max.
power:
bar		max
operating
rpm		dates
installed