05 2.8 CRD lots of problems.

[layback40]

Originally Posted by glend

You have my sympathy BUT, look your talking about a 2005, which the absolute worst year model to buy (because it was the last US production year) and they stuck electronic EGR valves on them to meet California EPA requirements. The Export models before and after all use vacuum EGR valves and are very reliable, if they have been well maintained.
That vehicle is now 14 years old and I am not surprised it has problems. Go out and check other 14 year old diesel vehicles. I guarantee you the performance and fuel economy will be terrible compared to it's new state. Most old KJ CRDs with Cats, and EGR, and crank case gas recirculation, have intakes gummed up with a thick tar made of diesel soot and oil from the cranckcase blow-by recirculation. This stuff gums up the intercooler, and the intake body, so it is never going to breathe as well as it should. The soot injected by EGR works at wearing away the rings and other internal parts, its like sand inside your engine. At this point it can't be fixed unless your willing to spend the time purging this stuff from the engine, and I bet you can't be bothered.
Many people pass through the KJ Forum complaining about the vehicle they have bought second or third hand, expecting miracles, or that experienced folk here will sort it out.
If your going to buy a KJ CRD, the best ones are probably owned by original owners who have maintained the vehicle obsessively. They will have installed a Provent from day one (in the new vehicle), they probably blocked off EGR, or installed a GDE ECM tune to delete EGR functionality, they will have maintained the vehicle at least to log book schedule but probably better. Frankly I can only think of maybe five members of this forum that might come close to that profile.
I am not saying KJ CRDs are junk, but any 14 year old diesel is going to have problems, petrol models as well. They were not built to last that long, manufacturers don't care about longevity.
So get rid of it, and please don't pass it on to someone else, sell it to a wrecker for parts.
Or commit to a long term project to restore it, and that will cost you money, more than its worth.

Well said glend!
If people want a fault free 4X4 they are dreaming!
Next best would be to buy a new one & fight the stealer for the next few years. Fault free cars ended in the 1970's when Mercedes removed the fault free ex factory from their guarantee.
I have found my cheap KJ great to drive & very few faults to fix. I have only done 15,000km since I got it. I purchased it for its engine but it ran so well its become my DD. Still working on motivation to rebuild the engine in the other one.

[dhula]

Did you test drive the Jeep or have it inspected before you laid down your $$
Duno where you are in the world your are (is always helpful to put your location in your profile, just sayin') but in AUs you can get the local auto club to do an inspection.

Originally Posted by baalsjeep

I have to say the jeep KJ 2.8 Diesel is the biggest heap of shit i've ever owned, has put me off Jeeps for life I will never buy another, design issues with everything, air leaks in the fuel, random electrical and sensor issues every where, its uncomfortable to drive, the seats are about 2 inches too high and im not that tall, this car is driving me nuts, after i fix it im selling it.

Maybe cut your losses, stop working on it and sell it now. If you're in WA I'll give you $100 for it :-P .

Originally Posted by baalsjeep

The short list of what i've had to replace in less then 12 months:

• Heater fan control circuit.
• Starter motorRoutine maintenance item, they wear out and need replacing or refurbishing
• BatteryRoutine maintenance item. They fail for any # of reasons. How old was the battery you replaced and was it the right type of battery for the CRD
• Rear ABS sensor
• Rear ABS sensor connector
• All the glow plugs ( three times ) tried 7V ones and then 5V ones then back to ceramic and all no difference , and yes checked they are running.Routine maintenance item very much like spark plugs they wear out and fail over time. Did you check to see if the new ones worked before installing them. Did you check the rest of the glow plug circuit to make sure it works properly (timer, relay etc). If you did then there is something else causing your Jeep not to start properly that you haven't found
• Engine Thermostat housingKnown problem with the thermostat failing open after some time. Nothing unique to the KJ CRD but certainly happens earlier in it's life than other brands. At least it doesn't fail shut and cause overheating
• Fuel lines hard or soft line (ie, pipes or hoses), again with age things fail
• ECU and the security module
• Ignition key thing that breaks
• Oil Filters routine maintenance item, you'll do this on every single car you own and if you don't you're a bit silly
• Oil routine maintenance item, you'll do this on every single car you own and if you don't you're a bit silly
• Transmission Filters routine maintenance item, you'll do this on every single car you own and if you don't you're a bit silly
• Transmission oil routine maintenance item, you'll do this on every single car you own and if you don't you're a bit silly
• Air filters routine maintenance item, you'll do this on every single car you own and if you don't you're a bit silly

Notice you never mentioned you replaced the fuel filter. The filter and more importantly the filter head could be your hard to start problem. Change the filter, bleed it properly and see how you go

Originally Posted by baalsjeep

And the list goes on , still has a bunch of annoying problems the biggest is the cold morning refusing to start.

The car will not start after sitting overnight especially when cold , i have tried going back to the ceramic glow plugs and that makes no difference, I had the 7V glowplugs so i thought i would try the 5V ones still no difference, the only way to start it is with the assistance of "start you bastard" .
Once started you can turn it off and it will start no problem for the rest of the day , I have tried a bigger 800 CCA battery thinking maybe its just not enough to fire it up, Ive tried running the glow plugs a few times before trying to start and no difference, and they are running have checked .
I have measured the Fuel rail pressure via torque and its about 6800 psi while cranking with a rpm of 196rpm , which is no difference to when it does actually start.

my current suspect is either one of the injectors or the Fuel pressure solenoid but again once it starts it all seems to be working, no codes indicating an issue .
there is no smoke when it starts indicating it has not been putting fuel in when it was previously cranking (maybe) .

Once running sometimes there is some surging rpm goes up and down
maybe 200rpm randomly but only when in drive when its cold in the first 10mins running, put in park and it stops

This could be related to a couple of simple things. Where is your heater control set, if set to screen or screen+feet, the AC turns on even if you don't push the AC button. Could also be related to air in teh fuel lines somewhere, As above, replace the fuel filter and bleed it properly. Another simple thing to try before starting on a cold day is to prime the fuel filter until the pump goes hard then see if your Jeep will start up properly and run as expected.

Originally Posted by baalsjeep

, also when its cold stopping suddenly at lights can stall the engine.

I would really like to try another fuel rail with a solenoid that is known not to have and issues to eliminate that as a suspect as they are pretty expensive to replace when that may not solve it, perhaps its the injector pump , i dont know .

please help .

[Billwill]

My 2002 Export 2.5 manual CRD is the best vehicle I have ever owned.
Had lots of wiring problems caused by my ex GF crashing into a tree that jumped in front of her. This caused damage to the main cable harness that runs around the whole Jeep.
They do not connect Sensor A to ECM via the shortest route but go around the whole engine bay!

Fortunately I qualified in Electrical Engineering Light Current and had 34 years in Support fixing IBM and Hitachi mainframes and peripherals as well as Industrial Robotics so electrical problems do not scare me...I have pulled off 10 wiring problems over the years but I would pity any new owner of this Jeep if I had sold it after the tree crash!

I also think that the first KJs ie. 2002 were made with a lot more care than the later years....looking at several KJ forums most problems are with 2005/6 models!
The early Export CRDs use a basic 11 volt Glow Plug setup. Two fat relays supply +12 volts to the Glow Plugs..pulsed by the ECM..but the only checking done by the ECM is if either of the two fat relays has its coil shorted out or open Circuit!

The +12 volts drops down to 11 volts by the time it reaches the plugs themselves.

I still have my original Glow plugs and in this warm climate can start it quite easily even with the Relays pulled out! I was involved some years ago with Austrian owners of the newer Export CRDS who hated the glow plug system so much that they had worked out how to retro-fit the old 11 volt plugs!

But yeah if this Jeep got totaled I would probably not buy a second-hand KJ and not any of the new Fiat Jeeps either!

[MADbunyip]

Op your an idiiot.......
Had to replace the "Oil" in the last 12 months WOW!!!! ............ your joking right????

[Methamon]

I had a 2005 3.7l and maintenance is the key to fault free driving. I loved my KJ but needed something with a bit more grunt for towing. How i looked after mine was to purchase genuine parts from the US when on special or when we went went over last year to US bought up big and bought a suitcase and bought it back home with me.
Best beach vehicle i owned and the person I sold it too will get many years of trouble free motoring. Shame the Gladiator is so expensive else would have been interested in one.
And as everyone else has said coming up to 15 years old, you need to expect some issues.

[Hoobz]

People have shown interest in the WH CRD we just bought.
Thinking they might get one too.

I always tell them don't do it

Unless, you're an enthusiast, like spending time spinning spanners, like spending hours googling the net about fixes, trawling through 562 pages of a thread you thought had the answer but turns out it's not applicable to the exact model you have **


All older cars are ticking time bombs, it's just that when an older lightweight, small capacity, high revving highly strung CRD explodes the BOOM is soooo much bigger than a petrol version.

We love ours. I just tell everyone else don't do it.


Actually, reminded me of an old workmate. I bought a stuffed old W638 Vito van.
Rebuilt the motor, only original parts are the block, sump and crank.

He liked it, told me he wanted one. I told him don't do it.
He brings one over for a test drive, I take it out. 250,000+ km on it. 15yrs old. A bit rough. Again, told him don't do it mate.

He's got zero mech skills. Has to pay mechanics.

He still did it. WTF


Don't do it. Spend a bit more for newer, with less k's. Otherwise it's risky as f

[palla]

Originally Posted by glend

If your going to buy a KJ CRD, the best ones are probably owned by original owners who have maintained the vehicle obsessively. They will have installed a Provent from day one (in the new vehicle), they probably blocked off EGR, or installed a GDE ECM tune to delete EGR functionality, they will have maintained the vehicle at least to log book schedule but probably better. Frankly I can only think of maybe five members of this forum that might come close to that profile.

Pretty sure I am one of those 5 Glend you are describing me! I had my 05 CRD KJ for 14 years with 99,000 km on the clock. Provent fitted from new, etc. Timing belt was due (1st) & 1 of the glow plugs wasnt working, but in the Perth mild winters didnt make a cracker of a difference. 14 years of trouble free motoring, loved that car. I sold it in March with full disclosure to the prospective buyers. I stressed that the timing belt was due to be changed & even gave them the kit c/w timing belt, tensioners, filters & even 10L of Penrite engine oil! I keep in contact with the new owner via text, he tells me the KJ isnt running, I asked him if the TB was changed, he refuses to answer the question which to me means no. I think I know why its not running time will tell.

Sorry OP for the side story, I loved my KJ, love Jeep so I bought a JKU. Sorry for you bad experience. Hope you get it sorted.