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Old 29-03-2007
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Default KJ CRD Diesel Owners FAQ

In this thread I am going to post several answers to FAQs on the mechanical quirks of the CRD Diesel Cherokee and solutions that outline how to ensure long and trouble free service from these models.

There has been a lot of talk of design problems with the CRDs (and much mis-information), brought about by the experiences of a small percentage of owners. If you know a bit about these issues, you will see there are some simple things that can be done to resolve them and ensure reliability from your CRD.

The benefit of the torque and fuel economy only available in the diesel outweighs the minor inconvenience of having these problems attended to under the various Technical Service Bulletins and Recalls to ensure reliabilty.

Some routine maintenance should be observed to keep the CRD running reliably too. eg. emptying the Provent canister and cleaning the Boost sensor periodically (see below for more detail).

Problems experienced and discussed elsewhere on the forum, other than those listed in this thread are generally just random occurences that are distributed amongst all Jeeps (and for that matter any manufacturer's) new cars, and not particular to the CRD at all.

Its also essential that you take your CRD to a dealer that knows diesels, many Jeep mechanics around the country lack the skills to maintain the CRD and also perform some of the more tricky recalls involving transmissions. Find a good one and you won't have a problem after the recall work.

Please don't post anything in this thread, PM me if you believe I should make a change.

That way this thread will stay uncluttered and be a ready reference for new CRD owners that find the forum looking for information.

Wilmo
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Old 30-03-2007
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Oil in the intake / Fitting a Provent oil-air separator / Stopping Split Intercooler hoses and CEL illuminating and Limp home mode activating

As part of the emissions control system on the CRD engine, gases that vent from the crankcase breather on top of the engine are re-routed into the air intake before the intercooler.

These expelled gases also contain a mist of oil that condenses on the hoses and eventually clogs the fine passages of the intercooler (one of the 'radiators' through which intake air travels to be cooled, situated at the front of the engine bay). Note that this is not peculiar to the CRD KJ, most modern turbo diesels have a similar system, and the inherent problems associated with it.

Blocking up the intercooler is bad news, as boost pressure created by the turbo in the intake, builds up to too high a level before the intercooler and either splits the turbo to intercooler hose or blows the pipe off one of the fittings. The oil also softens the hoses, weakening them.

The oily sludge that accumulates in the intake also contaminates the mechanical components and sensors in the intake, which can cause problems with these and the 'Check Engine Light' on the dash may illuminate, and the engine goes into 'Limp' home mode - this essentially renders the vehicle undriveable.

To remedy this situation - install a Provent oil-air separator in the line that normally comes from the crankcase to the air intake. The Provent will allow oily gases to condense within it, and you can drain the accumulated sludge out of it at periodic intervals.

The emissions control system remains in place and the cleaned gases from the crankcase remain within a closed system as designed, because the outlet from the Provent routes back and attaches to the intake where the original factory fitted hose between the crank case vent and the intake did.

Provent information is here

Yet to be fixed

A Provent is available to buy from Sydney Filters, Unit 19, 70 Holbeche Rd, Arndell Park, NSW, 2148, phone (02) 9672-7008. Their AJOR discount price was around $200 and they will ship anywhere in Australia.


Additional items will be needed to install the Provent (as it has 1 inch fittings on it and you need to reduce the hose size to 3/4inch to connect to the Jeep hoses and fittings on the Crankcase breather).

Go to Enzed or any place that sells fuel hose and buy some 1 inch internal diam fuel hose (2 lengths about 8cm each), and some 3/4 inch hose (2 lengths 1m long each) and hose clamps.

You will also need 2 black plastic retic hose fittings from the local Bunnings from the garden section. They have a threaded end on one end which is 1 inch external diam (so matches the 1inch hose) and a 3/4inch barb on the other end (for the 3/4 inch hose that goes to the CCV on the engine and air intake).

The 1 inch hose will slip onto the Provent, then the garden retic fitting will go into that, then the 3/4 inch hose will go onto that and connect to the engine. Hose clamps will go on all the connections to keep them secure. So the job of reducing the size to 3/4 hose is complete!

You will also need 1 x 19mm retic hose pipe joiner/connector so that you can connect the 3/4 inch hose you purchased to the end of the pipe that you will pull off the Crank Case vent. Its easiest to do this rather than remove the factory pipe completely - leave it attached to the air intake and just bend it around so it will meet up with the new pipe (see pics below).

Finally, you will also need a length (50cm) of half inch fuel hose to put onto the outlet of the Provent and a 12mm garden reticulation tap fitting to put in the end of the hose. This way it is a simple matter to turn the tap on to drain the Provent (with a bucket underneath to catch the oil). It will accumulate at the rate of about 100ml every 3000-5000km depending on how its driven.

Pictures of a Provent installed

Crank Case Vent and hose to attach Provent to with this mod.



Where the existing hose is spliced with a straight through connector.



Routing of the hoses to behind the battery.



Provent mounting location.

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Last edited by glend; 28-04-2011 at 11:55 AM. Reason: Fix up the pics
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Old 30-03-2007
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Steering Wheel Shimmy and Vibration under brakes / Worn front Disk Rotors / Replacing Rotors and Pads / Torquing Wheel nuts evenly

From around the 5000km mark, many new CRDs have exhibited steering wheel shimmy and vibration under brakes.

This is due to the uneven wear of the front rotors (sometimes incorrectly referred to as 'warping') and is due in part to the aggressive pad material of the factory pads on rotors that are made of relatively soft iron.

What aggrivates the uneven wear is the wheel nuts not being tightened (torqued) evenly. This sets up a slight warp in the rotor which means the rotors wear unevenly after a few thousand km of brake use, and then you start to experience the vibration.

Jeep Dealers are good at replacing rotors under warranty, just ask them! You can avoid this after you get your first replacement set installed by just making sure you get the front wheel nuts torqued evenly. A Torque wrench is ideal for this purpose. Torquing the nuts to approx 115-155nm is recommended in the service manual.

A better replacement rotor made of harder metal is available from RDA Brakes Australia - see web site for contact information of one of their dealers.

http://www.rdabrakes.com.au

They also sell EBC Greenstuff 4WD brake pads which are also a good alternative to the pads that come from the factory when its time to replace them.
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Last edited by Wilmo; 27-04-2007 at 09:01 PM.
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Auto Transmission shuddering / rattle or crunching sound (when broken!) / not accelerating under throttle / stalling when stopped / Torque Converter failure

Since the 2005-on CRD was released the Automatic Transmission in some of them (maybe 10-15% (?) of the model - especially 2005 builds) has copped a bad reputation because of clunky operation, shuddering at freeway speeds, and the occasional one has had a catastrophic failure of the Torque Converter.

What has occurred in these vehicles is the result of two separate problems, the first being that a batch of the transmissions had an incorrectly manufactured internal filter installed from the factory which meant that fluid couldn't flow properly around the internals of the transmission, and components would fail if stressed. Most of these were caught early before damage occurred via the Technical Service Bulletin issued.

The TSB for the transmission filter replacement is for vehicles with VIN numbers between certain ranges only, as not all got the bad filters. The TSB is 21-007-06 which superceded 21-016-05 'TRANSMISSION FILTERS'.

The second problem is to do with the Torque Converter and the software programming released on the 2005 CRD. Essentially the TC installed at the factory wasn't up to the job of handling the immense torque put out by the 2005 and later CRD engine (400nm of torque) and those cars driven under high load (heavy throttle or towing for example) started experiencing failures.

The latest recall is to replace the Torque Converter with a more durable unit, and to reprogram the transmission with the latest software developments stemming from the development of the CRD engine/transmission for the new JK Wrangler.

This last recall is the F37 'Customer Satisfaction Recall' because of the relatively large numbers of CRD KJ owners in the USA getting together on the forums and venting their anger at DC to do something about the problem! It involves putting in a new TC that is upgraded over the original and reprogramming the transmission shift points.

A small decrease in torque (7% at WOT reportedly - but this is subject to some conjecture) is also incorporated to extend the life of the TC, but it is barely noticeable in real terms, so this will bring the max output back to 372nm. This is still more than the max output from a new Nissan Patrol 3.0L CRD or Mitsubishi 3.2L CRD to put it in perspective.

I can report that the Torque Converter recall for the KJ is well worth doing, and even though mine had not experienced any problems at 30000km, I had it done. The KJ drives much more smoothly afterwards, with smoother transmission changes, and I didn't notice a real difference in performance.

You can check if your KJ has any of these outstanding recalls not performed by typing in your VIN at this web site -

http://www.jeep.com/owners/index.html

Choose 'Recall notices' and type in the last eight digits of your VIN.

or here

http://www-5.jeep.com/webselfservice...m%28%27R%27%29


Recall Details for the TC replacement

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NOTIFICATION F37

REPLACE TORQUE CONVERTER AND REPROGRAM THE ECM AND TCM

Dear: (Name)

Customer satisfaction is very important to DaimlerChrysler. Accordingly, we are recommending the following service on some 2005 and 2006 model year Jeep® Liberty vehicles equipped with a 2.8l diesel engine and an automatic transmission.

The problem is...

The transmission torque converter on your vehicle (VIN: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
may fail. This can cause a rattling sound in the neutral or park positions and/or illuminate the Malfunction Indicator Lamp. Continued operation can result in transmission damage.

What your dealer will do...

DaimlerChrysler will repair your vehicle free of charge (parts and labor). To do
this, your dealer will replace the torque converter and reprogram the engine and transmission control modules. The repair involves a small reduction in engine torque to enhance torque converter and transmission durability. The work will take about 5˝ hours to complete. If testing indicates the transmission has been damaged, another hour will be required. However, additional time may be necessary depending on how dealer appointments are scheduled and processed.

What you must do...

Simply contact your dealer right away to schedule a service appointment. Ask the dealer to hold the part for your vehicle or to order it before your appointment. Remember to bring this letter with you to your dealer.

If you need help...

If you have questions or concerns which your dealer is unable to resolve, please contact DaimlerChrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Please help us update our records, by filling out the attached prepaid postcard, if any of the conditions listed on the card apply to you or your vehicle.

If you have already experienced this problem and have paid to have it repaired, you may send your original receipts and/or other adequate proof of payment to the following address for reimbursement: DaimlerChrysler
P.O. Box 4639 Oak Ridge, TN 37831, Attention: Reimbursement.

We're sorry for any inconvenience, but we believe that this service will help to ensure your continuing satisfaction with your vehicle. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Customer Services Field Operations
DaimlerChrysler Corporation

Notification Code F37
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Ball Joint Replacement Recall / Steering wandering / Clunking from front end

This recall applies to all KJ's, not just the CRD. It seems that in the years 2002-2006 DC in their infinite wisdom used a supplier who quoted the cheapest price for all their ball joint requirements. These ball joints were sub-standard and their were a few failures and many worn ones on KJs. Symptoms of worn ball joints are wandering (not staying in a straight line on the road), and clunking in the front end of the car when stopping/starting.

DC has released a recall for all KJ's to replace the lower Ball joints on the IFS. You can check to see if your car is listed to get the recall by typing in the VIN here:-

http://www.jeep.com/owners/index.html

Choose 'Recall notices' and type in the last eight digits of your VIN.

or here

http://www-5.jeep.com/webselfservice...m%28%27R%27%29
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Rear Brake Groan / Sticking

Again, all KJs, not just CRD's experience this problem sometimes. There is a new Technical Service Bulletin out for it now since Spetember 2006 which is to replace the pads, rotors and caliper clips.

I have had the previous TSB to this one regarding the rear brakes done on mine (machine rotors and add caliper clips), and still the problem persists.....its more noticeable after the rotors get wet and develope some surface rust. After use in dry weather the noise goes away completely.

I should get the later one done again but every time my KJ is in for a service the dealer can't reproduce the problem, so I just live with it (as do most KJ owners) - its a Jeep thing!

A lot of the problem has to do with the std brake pads Jeep uses, I am currently sourcing some EBC Greenstuff rear pads to fit to see if this fixes the problem permanently.

TSB details

Service Bulletin 05-004-06 Revision A.

Dated September 8, 2006

Covers 2003-2006 KJ Liberty/Cherokee Models

Note: Applies to all vehicles built prior to May 27, 2006
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Last edited by Wilmo; 29-04-2007 at 01:38 PM.
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EGR Failures / Check Engine Light illuminating

The Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve (EGR) is part of the emmissions system on the CRD engine and what it does is redirect exhaust gases into the intake to cut down on the emmission of particulates and oxides of Nitrogen. The EGR valve controls this recirculation of gases, and is activated via electronic inputs from the ECU.

The owners of CRD's in the USA report many EGR failures, and this all stems from their use of low quality 500 parts per million sulfur Diesel. This burns with a lot of soot and plugs up the EGR valve which stops it opening. When it stops working a CEL (Check Engine Light) illuminates on the dash and it has to be replaced.

We are lucky here in Australia, in that we have high quality diesel fuel (especially BP Diesel with <50 parts per million sulfur content - in fact I believe they are releasing <10 ppm diesel now) which burns much cleaner and therefore doesn't soot up the EGR nearly as quickly - with very few failures reported in Australia.

Interesting to note is that all modern diesels have this EGR system so the KJ CRD's EGR valve is no more likely to fail than that of any other manufacturer due to excess soot buildup.
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Last edited by Wilmo; 30-03-2007 at 11:35 AM.
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