There is no way in hell I'd buy a Grand Cherokee CRD. Its twice the price of a CRD but no where near twice the value; heck it even has less leg & head room.

My made the KJ CRD such a value is that you could get a midsize 4WD diesel truck for less than $25k. If DC had put the VM 2.8 into the Dakota they would have had hit a home run.

If you upgraded the breaks and rear diff. on your CRD you could tow 7k.

My understanding is that the V6 TDI is a whole new drivetrain. I'd wait at least 1 model year for the flaws (if any) to surface. It seems like some people with an 05 CRD got to be paying Beta testers, as a whole the 06 folk had a better experience.

I'm more interested in the Diesel Accord thats in the pipeline as well as if/when Subaru brings their boxer diesel to the US.

Yeah, I think that RAM airflow was the goal, not saying they achieved it-- but they had to have some reason to put that goofy thing on there. They did not have much room to play with and the bean counters probably did not want to give them much money, so they just slightly modified the 02 box and called it a day.

On the oz forum I recall reading that when Airflow was making their prototype KJ snorkels, the gasser users reported a MPG gain and the diesel users reported a slight loss. This was compairing the prototype snorkle versus stock box. I figured it was because the new snorkel was a RAM intake, but it had a smaller connector into the airbox thru the fender than the CRD had stock, but still moved more air than the gasser intake. So the gassers did better and the CRDs did the same or worse. This restriction was fixed and now everyone gets better MPG.

Also, If you look in the performance forum section of this site (4x2) you will see it is a popular mod for the gasser guys to cut out an intake almost exactly like ours. They say it greatly increases their MPG and makes the motor respond quicker. Of course what good does that do if you get crap into your intake.

I am using the amsoil filter. Perhaps you should try it. I made so many changes at the same time that I cannot give mileage estimates or power estimates-- but I can say the turbo is a little bit more audible with it. The independant testing on the filter showed it to flow 150$ more than the stock filter and it is reusable, filters better, and does not restrict airflow as much when it gets wet, It is synthetic, and has deaper pleats and much more of them. I think it was around $40. P.S. I don't sell or work for amsoil.

Why would you need RAM air on a turbocharged engine? Especially when the turbo rarely runs at 100% output anyhow?

I can see a less restricted path helping but not ram air....

_________________
It may be that your only purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others.

06 CRD Sport
Built 5/11/06
Jeep Green
Rocklizard diff cover
V6 Airbox

I think he is referring to cooler cleaner air...and a little ram effect is never a bad thing

_________________
Founder of L.O.S.T.
2006 CRD Sport
Mods: GDE Hot Tune w/ 364#@2000rpm/Air Box /3" Str8 Exhaust/ASFIR Alum Skids/245-75R-16 Cooper STT PRO/OME LIFT w/Clevis & 4 Spring Isos/AirTabs/Rigid 10" S2 LED/4xGuard Ctr Matrix Bumper
Drag Strip:Reac=.1078_60ft=2.224_1/8=10.39@64.8mph_1/4+16.46@80.8mph

To answer your original question, we did have a thread on this. I agree that this is important.

1) Some folks tried one of those after-market, epossed cones to replace the airbox (which just take in engine compartment air). The cones have poor particulate filtering properties and were generally nixed as an option on those grounds first, second on the fact that you don't get tons of airflow into the engine compartment. The do get more air in, though.

2) We looked for bigger vehicle airboxes and filters that might fit. No one found one, there isn't much space. Keep looking, though.

3) The snorkle guys say they are getting better airflow to the existing box. They aren't getting much more air, IMO, unless they decide to put a big cone funnel up there and route the snorkle closer and somewhere forward of the airbox, instead of the convoluted route they have making the air go forward a long way then back into the box. Long tube slow down air (there is a "friction"). Probably does reduce dirt intake and help when fording streams.

4) We talked about building an airbox to fit in the (limited) space. I thought I was a genius because I was came up with a weird patterned box that would allow the use of 2 standard filters. But it would have been a PITA to build and change the filters. The better, more elegant, and obvious (to everyone but ME ) solution was a better filter with twice the surface area which...

5) Amsoil makes a filter with almost twice the surface area, which fits in (either) aibox and should give increased flow. Probably the easiest and most effective.

I'd still like to see a big big airbox, but unless it is mounted outside the Jeep, there just isn't room.

I'm still listening for ideas...join the hunt.

_________________
2005 Liberty Sport CRD w/all the fixings
Elephant Hose, MAF (ORM), Amsoil Airfilter, nice when I get to drive it
1 EGRreplacement, but never again.
99.5 FrankenJetta TDI (R.I.P.): being turned into diesel hybrid!
99.5 Replacement Jetta TDI: deal of a lifetime, EHM, some other stuff

I drove back from a fishing trip yesterday in a torrential rainstorm (even had a bit of snow mixed in on Mount Hood). Got home, popped the hood, pulled the filter... and found standing water in the bottom of my airbox.

The filter element was not wet, but that wasn't exactly what I was hoping to see.

Oh well, I guess I'll be calling the local junkyards this week. I like the suggestion on the Amsoil filter... I am torn between going with it or just using a high quality paper filter from Wix or Puralator.

Did the 05 and up gassers use the same airbox as the crd's?

_________________
2005 sport crd-SOLD No regrets

Apparently there is an internal differnce in the post '03. An '02 or '03 is the one you want. I picked up the box, snorkle and deflector for $42 sans lid. If it is a pull it yourself place I would suggest that you take a cordless drill and bits to drill out the rivet for the deflector. The guy buggered mine up a it ham handing it off the wreck. You might just buy one new for around $14.

_________________
Dave

'06 CRD Limited, Lt. Khaki, MOPAR Slush Mats/Skids, DrawTite Front Hitch, Mag Lite, Yakima Bars, Thule Bike Rack, Fumoto, ORM, 245/70 Revo 2

Wish list: Lift, Boulder Bars, Something Bigger in the Front and Back, More Lights

Does anyone have a writeup with photos of the V6 airbox swap, or is it obvious when the parts arrive? It's my wife's daily driver and it's not here during the day for me to poke around in. If it takes any more than an evening because I can't sort it out and it's not ready for her commute the next morning, she won't be a happy camper.

- Chris

It is real obvious and only takes about five or ten minutes. I didn't even do a picture spread because it was so simple.

_________________
91 MB 300D 2.5L Turbo. Her's

05 MB E320 CDI. Mine

Disconnect the lid and put off to the side then pull straight up real hard. The box has three molded nubs on the bottom that sit in rubber grommets, tightly. The biggest part of the job for me was pulling it out and then trying to get it to seat back in.

_________________
Dave

'06 CRD Limited, Lt. Khaki, MOPAR Slush Mats/Skids, DrawTite Front Hitch, Mag Lite, Yakima Bars, Thule Bike Rack, Fumoto, ORM, 245/70 Revo 2

Wish list: Lift, Boulder Bars, Something Bigger in the Front and Back, More Lights

Thanks oldnavy! I'll have a look at it this evening and see about ordering the parts.

- Chris