engine damage after injector failure and replacement

sidsoma · **Joined:** Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:47 pm **Posts:** 6

I have an 05 KJ CRD. #1 injector failed and I had a shop replace all 4 injectors. Prior to replacement the engine smoked and had no power (seemed to be missing) There was no rude mechanical noises such as knocking etc. just an uneven beat and a dead spot in the exhaust. After the injectors were replaced the shop called that the Jeep was ready to go and we went to pick it up. The engine sounded horrible when I started it, It has a really loud knock from the front of the engine the beat was still uneven, and no power. The shop had been supplied the pages from the factory service manual pertaining to injector replacement and had not entered the 6 digit injector code for each cylinder into the ECU prior to starting the engine, (they did eventually enter these codes). With the failed injector on #1 and the codes for the new injectors not being entered is it possible that the engine has been damaged? I bought a Snap On scanner that allows me to verify the data in the ECU, and disable injectors one at a time (disabling #1 lessens the knocking sound a little but does not change the uneven beat or the power, disable any other injector and the beat gets much more uneven and power drops off drastically). Also the crankcase is showing way to high an oil level. My suspicion at this point is that there is damage to cylinder 1 that has eliminated compression and that raw diesel is being pumped into the crankcase. At this point the Jeep is parked. This shop also managed to kill an alternator and a battery (Ultima) that was less than 6 months old. I have no codes after replacing the battery and alternator and a 5 minute drive around the neighborhood while testing the engine response under load (disabling each injector in turn and noting performance changes). Thank you all for your help.

Sid

layback40 · **Posted:** Mon Sep 02, 2019 6:40 pm

Mileage? History?
Has all service work been done on time?
You could have some serious issues developing.

sidsoma · **Joined:** Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:47 pm **Posts:** 6

142,000 mi. Bought used at 85,000 mi. timing belt water pump and thermostat replaced at 114,000 mi. oil change with synthetic oil at the shortest recommended interval or 3,000 mi. if towing or city only driving. Did replace a turbo that lost a bearing about a month and a half prior to injector fail, same shop, they were told to check everything and told me all was well. All body and drive line maintenance has been done at the factory intervals with factory specified lubricants and OE parts. BTW I own 2 others an 06 and another 05.

Thanks

WolverineFW · **Posted:** Mon Sep 02, 2019 7:28 pm

Injector codes have zero to do with any failure.

Injector codes only allow the ECU to trim the injector amounts to an even tighter tolerance.

It should run normally without those codes without any identifiable difference.

Sounds like that engine already had damage prior to injector replacement.

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sidsoma · **Joined:** Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:47 pm **Posts:** 6

Thank you

layback40 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:43 pm

Agree that it sounds like the damage had been done prior to the injector change. Could have been something small rattled around in side. What did the tip of the injector look like? Would have been useful to have a look with a suitable camera down the injector hole but thats wisdom in hindsight & we all have that.
What is the repairer saying?

sidsoma · **Joined:** Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:47 pm **Posts:** 6

When taken in (over 2 months ago) the engine had an uneven beat (missing) there was no knock. The car lacked power and had excessive smoke. The repairer scanned the ECU and found that injector 1 had failed he also said 2 and 3 were in bad shape, I opted to replace all 4 injectors. Got a call the car was ready when I started the car the knock was there and loud enough that you had to yell to be heard with the hood open. Car was shutdown and the repairer was surprised that codes had to be entered when replacing injectors. (repairer had the factory service books provided by me at my expense) The car was left with the repairer with instructions to find the problem. More time elapsed and the only thing that occurred was the alternator and battery were destroyed. I had 2 other cars in the same shop, another 05 liberty CRD and an old (94) Dodge 2500 truck. The other CRD had a obscure (and completely unhelpful) error code and was to be diagnosed (nothing ever done with this other then to remove the cover and oil cap and leave them loose in the engine bay) This cars battery was also flat but did take and hold a charge. As to the truck it was a simple fuel filter change and service coming out of storage. The repairer failed to follow the correct procedure to prime the fuel system after the filter change (a 94 Cummins must be manually bled of air by opening the bleed screw on the filter housing) instead the repairer ground the stater to the point of destroying 2 brand new batteries and told me the truck would never run. This is a diesel service shop that specializes in diesels only. I purchased a scan tool (I did not have one that would enter codes into the ECU and lacked the tools and time for the other cars issues). At this point after my diagnostics both under load and no load the 05 with the injector change has no compression on cylinder 1 (inferred by disabling the injector and no change in knock or power). The crankcase is over filled and I suspect that it is raw diesel fuel coming from cylinder 1. My question originally was can a improperly entered injector code or an injector code not being entered cause this. It apparently can't or is highly unlikely. However improperly removing the injector, or installing it certainly could damage a piston, particularly if the piston is at the top of the stroke. I suspect that is what has happened. I am working to swap the engine out with a used (all I can get in the US) to get the car on the road. I intend to tear down the damaged engine and rebuild it as I have found a source for internal parts and it looks like this engine was designed to be brought back to original specs multiple times.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Tue Sep 03, 2019 10:35 pm

Your Location?
Name of shop so no one else will make the mistake of taking anything to them?
Sounds like they have no idea of what they are doing.... :banghead:

sidsoma · **Joined:** Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:47 pm **Posts:** 6

Pueblo Colorado USA, Big Jim's Diesel. And I think between my wife, son,and myself we have the only CRD's in the county.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:30 pm

sidsoma wrote:

Pueblo Colorado USA, Big Jim's Diesel. And I think between my wife, son,and myself we have the only CRD's in the county.

Actually there are quite a few of us Jeep KJ CRD owners around the US and Canada.
And, there are quite a few members of LOST in the Colorado area.
Sir Sam on this forum is in that state along with a few others, you may want to reach out to him for help?

sidsoma · **Joined:** Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:47 pm **Posts:** 6

Most of the parts I get come out of Canada. My understanding is the the CRD is quite popular there and overseas. According to Daimler Chrysler info I can find just over 15,000 CRD's were sold in the US during the 05 to 06 production run, Unfortunate as they far outperform the 3.7 V6 gas version. There were 3 or 4 others in Pueblo up until about a year ago. The dealer started inflating parts prices, and repair times started to get longer and longer. Along with issues where an oil change ended up involving replacing the oil pan ( 3 for us on 2 cars) after the techs got happy with impact wrenches (dealer did eventually make good but ...) the others in town have disappeared. Book tends to run about $4800.00 to $6500.00 retail yet I often see them for sale at $8,000.00 to $16,000.00.

I'll have this one back on the road soon and I will find out why the engine failed.

engine damage after injector failure and replacement

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