VM Diesel - what to watch for

[layback40]

Originally Posted by ozjeepster

And please keep them oil and filter changes regular even to the point of oil every 5k and filter every 10k I just spent the day pulling the head off a 2010 jk 2.8 with 72k on the clock it did 60k on the same oil and filer , lifters are shot due to oil starvation aand cylinder 2 has grabbed the piston and id say it has dropped half a skirt off as the piston is slightly jacked to one side , oil is cheap compared to an engine so please if you service your babies yourself do it with love and dont be lazy or cheap

Doesnt have to be a CRD or even a VM to have this happen.
A dribbley injector in time will burn the side out of a piston & make the rings grab.
The only good point about what you found was that the piston & rod hadnt come out through the side of the block.
Not sure about doing oil changes on a diesel without replacing the filter. i have never changed oil in a diesel without doing the filter.
If in the city doing short runs, oil & filter every 7,500 km may be good.
If the engine is left stationary for an extended period, say a year, the timing belt should be changed as if left bent around pulleys for a long time the material starts to crack.

[double black offroad]

I never ran the GDE tune in mine but ran 3 others and with EGTs going into the stratosphere do not do it.
The crd for those that are about to buy one simply isn't a viable option anymore when comparing it to the Pentastar. When comparing to the old 3.8 yes. The fuel economy isn't great, the parts pricing ridiculous, the service costs are higher and the fact that that you have to pay $6K for the priviliege is criminal.

And ditto on the radiator, the heat this summer has led to many phonecalls to the workshop with overheating CRDs, mainly the autos.

[rollas]

Funny cause I drove a pentastar for a week and didn't rate it. Revved its head off and chewed through the tank in less than 500kms driving between Bowen and the Whitsundays with touring through the areas in between. Service costs can be reduced by not going to Jeep, same as the pentastar. Radiator is a design fault I agree but so is sticking g 9inch spotlights and a winch in front of your airflow. The CRD pulls like a tractor and even if it is lightweight you don't drive it like a petrol on redline anyway which is why the torque band is so useful. The diesel with 4.10s and auto box and 35's seem to be right on the sweet spot with the new merc gearbox and Cheetah motor.
Fuel economy is a strange one as this one seems to be drinking more but not as much as my last hilux 2.8T or even my mates in their patrols and landcrusiers. I think the motor can go the distance as long as we are aware of the issues hence the post. So what else can we add to the list?

[Purds]

This is a really useful thread! Would it be possible to keep editing the first post and compile all the information in one spot? particularly if the thread gets really long.

DBOR: Bit off topic but to continue the conversation... On the second hand market the CRD's are at a comparable price to the petrol's. Judging by the figures posted on the forum here the CRD's are significantly more economical and even more so with the current petrol prices and the fact you need to run premium to get mileage (158c vs 175c). Coupled with the fact that the 3.8 is sluggish, the availability of diesel is great, the price of diesel is more stable across Australia and the range you get from the diesel is better, I think you're writing the diesel off far too easily.

[double black offroad]

I can only speak from experience here in the workshop and I did own one for 4 years!!!! Avereage mileage on crds here at the shop is around mid 12s for stockers, mid 13s and 14s for taller ones with bigger rubber.
When it came out it was the logical decision, but with the pentastar it simply isn't.

My CRD did over 120000kms in my hands.

We just happen to have one here now with 80000km on the clock and the rings are gone!!

The crd is good for those doing over 30000kms per year.
NO modern crd engine is designed to do the miles of yesteryear like the old TD42 patrols and Cruiser 1HZs.
Their resale is higher because people believe their longevity and fuel efficiency will pay off.
As for 4.10s on 35s, I had a 33s and 4.10s on my auto and the downhill crawl was dam terrible nearly dangerous. In the end I had 37s with 488s and a rubicon transfer case. The crawl was awesome, but the D30 front diff wasn't. Another reason to go to rubicon.
If the next Jk has the new 8spd auto fuel economy will be even better.

Furthermore, if you blow up your 3.8 you can buy one for about $3K . Blow up a crd, your north of $10K.

My head mechanic, runs a crd here, my fitter runs a crd here too. Their own opinion may surprise you.


Stu Murchison and I have had this same conversation too, about how fuel efficient the Pentastar is.

I personally didn't buy a Rubicon, cause I knew I was putting in D60s so the Rubi wasn't worth it.
But the 3.6 is, the older 3.8 no.

[rollas]

So you have not seen any Pentastars with issues?

To say you have a CRD with 80,000 and the rings are gone means the owner was driving it like a petrol and wringing its neck the whole time.

Mid 13-14's for a fully loaded JKU is pretty good, what are you getting in the Smurf?

My last CRD did 100Kay and the only issue I had was the clutch because of the 3.21's.

Which box are you describing? The 545fre or the W5A580?

What is the cost for a new Pentastar? 7 -10K?

No offence Bill I realise you have had a lot of experience and you have sold me more than a few dollars of gear so I appreciate your comments but I am looking for comments to look after these motors which I would have thought with your experience you could share with the rest of us here.

[double black offroad]

I know of only one pentastar here with a cylinder head issue. Compared to what we hear from the states, it is not that common here.
The CRD owner definitely does not drive it like its stolen that's for sure.
My smurf gets mid 14s on the hwy and mid 15s around town, that's with 4" of lift 37s, 488s and D60s.
I didn't want to turn it into a don't buy a crd thread but was asked an opinion.

To look after the crd,as you would any other Jeep I would change the oil and filter every 6000km not 12 and the air filter at the same time. And use fuel from good quality service stations. Theres not much more you can control.