I've seen diesel boiling up in a 3 or 4 inch white steam cloud out of the electrical fuel heater socket on my CRD. I had noticed a strong odor of diesel fuel and burning plastic while driving home one day - when I popped the hood and saw that steam looking cloud of diesel, I couldn't believe my eyes. And the plastic on the fuel heater is not melted - only the electrical male plug, the yellow part is burnt. The fuel heater plastic, especially if its the material I posted earlier, can take enough heat to boil off diesel out of the plug socket - I've seen it happen on mine. No idea if that kind of heat was inside the heater chamber or not - I was trying to get a rag on that connector to get it unplugged before it could ignite. It was a tense moment. I've never seen anything like that before on one of my vehicles.

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2005 LTD CRD RB1 NAV/Htd Leather seats/Amsoil EA filters
SunCoast Mega Trans & Billet TC/PML pan/Aux cooler
Fuel cooler/Lift Pump/10um Pri/Racor R490 2um Sec Fuel Filters
IronMan Lift/Shocks/Provent/Moog ball joints/ V6 Airbox/Fan/Hayden
Cobalt Boost/EGT/Oil/Trans/Volt gauges/Aeroturbine 2525
Yeti Hot Tune/Odessey 65/Samco's/Michelin Defenders

Thanks, Ranger1,

I definitely don't want to discount anyone's experience. I can easily see how if the heater element is not immersed, smoke could get generated. If the heater element has enough heat capability, I could see how it could get hot enough even if immersed, provided the thermistor circuit was malfunctioning. Otherwise, it seems like there should (if Jeep did their engineering right...HAH!) be feedback between heater and thermistor enough to limit the element temp. And I'd think that it would be keenly in Jeep's interest to do so because of the fire danger you so alarmingly noticed.

All that aside, I still wonder if there is a simpler, mechanical explanation for what the OP experienced? Opening up a crack/seam with an inserted connector and allowing vacuum to pull in air could lead to what you experienced, too.

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George Reiswig
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD
Suncoast, SEGR, lift, InMotion tune, homebrew B100
At 138k, new head & gasket, timing belt, rockers and swearing vocabulary

greiswig - I'll keep you all posted. My experience this past year using the blend in an HPCR DI rig has been positive.

I've been running the WVO blend in a 2004.5 Cummins diesel for almost a year now, and it's a common-rail setup, though it runs higher pressures on the rail than I've seen quoted for the CRD. I think the max rail pressure for the Cummins engine, stock, is in the 24,000-26,000 PSI range and idle is around 6,000PSI. I've not experienced any of the disastrous problems such as stuck rings, polymerized oil, gummed injectors, etc - and I've done oil analysis on every-other oil change. They come up clean using a 5,000mi change interval.

We live outside of town, and typically experience 20-25k miles/year on each of our rigs (Mom & I). So, you should see the 50k mark you mention late 2008 or early 2009...

Another advantage I have is that being 'out of town', it's 25 miles to the big city (Vancouver, WA) and 35 to Portland Oregon. So - the truck always gets up to temp when it is started - there are essentially no short hops. I'm sure that helps too.

We're keeping the fuel viscosity down with a blend formula that's been proven in diesels in Europe (see Hans Schur blend; they even tore down the engines), and proven with my rig and others. For example, CJ on the Turbo-Diesel Register forum, has two HPCR Dodge Diesels (04 & 05) running even longer/more miles than I on blended fuel. CJ has also removed and inspected the injectors, and looked at the cylinder walls with a scope.

We both run no more than 50/50 in the winter, when the ambient temps drop into the 40's and lower. In his case, Great Falls Montana (!) where it gets below zero routinely in the winter. We both have great supplies of clean and reasonably dry used oil, which we then dry/filter/blend carefully to keep it that way. Not everyone has that luxury either.

For the above reasons, I believe that the risk is a reasonable one and expect that with due care we will not experience any significant problems. We will of course monitor it closely as we have been. I'm sure it's not a good option for everyone, but thus far it's worked well for us.

I almost forgot to add that I took the Cummins in for emission testing today (renewal time), and it passed with 3% out of a maximum 20% opacity test under load on a dyno (Washington State's test for diesels); the tank was filled approx 75% WVO blend and 25% #2 ULSD today for the testing.

Thanks,

Mark
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2005 Liberty CRD
2004.5 Cummins 5.9L TD, F1s, NV5600 6-speed in a '93 GMC Suburban

I have an 05 CRD. Been shuddering from day one when I bought it. It has been in for recalls, ecm flashes, ecm replaced. TCM replaces 2 tromes. New torque converter, new front pump, 2 egrs, 6 flashes etc, 6 engine lights.It has been in shop total for 12 weeks. And it still shudders 50 -55mph.
I tried the unplug the heater thing. still shudders. ( when I came across this thread I was PUMPED UP finally a fix)
Seems you folks are working harder on this than DC.
I'm new here, any body lifted their CRD? I bought a skyjacker lift, 3" would not work. thinking about a 2.5 " lift.
Anybody ever measured the wheel base of a Gas KJ as opposed to a CRD? I come up with 1.25 inches shorter. thats why the lift wouldnt work, it put too much angle on the rear end. I dropped the plate with spacers 3/4". Drove it and, rumble rumble. I have lifted several Jeeps, I'm not a new to the game.
any suggestions? Ive seen several gas kj's lifted but no CRD's.

I' also make BD.

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I have drank from the well
Smoked with the Elders
On the Isle of the Painted Man

05 CRD that shudders

Mine has been shuddering since mile one I looked in my service manual and can't find wheelbase specs. However I think your problem may be the extra length of our transmission that's not available in gas models having a shorter rear drive shaft I recall the front half shaft being different on the CRD so who knows wthout a part manual what else is different

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Atlantic Blue 06 CRD Limited (his)
Joined by a 2000 XJ Classic (hers)

You are right as far as the driveshaft. I dono if the 06 libby crd tranny is different than the 05. When I drive with the OD turned off I do not get the shudder at 50 nor do I feel it at the 1700 rpm. as soon as I thake the OD off, rpm falls to the 1700rpm and I'm at 50 ,theres the shudder. I'm wondering if I need to have the driveshaft balanced. Or might you think it could just be a harmonics thing, when the tranny is in a certain gear, at that rpm. I know when driving and it starts to shudder, I can put it in neutral and try to keep the rpm at 1700, the shudder stops. I know everybody else has tried this also. Oh well someday...

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I have drank from the well
Smoked with the Elders
On the Isle of the Painted Man

05 CRD that shudders

punjab, pretty sure that the ORM will fix the 50mph hunt for gear feel. (shudder)
nutshell explanation: disconnect MAF plug at airbox, which disables EGR system, so that only clean air is being pulled into intake. will give a check engine light and is not approved for emissions reasons, but makes the rig run right.

look around for the ORM threads, very informative.

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'05 CRD limited, SEGR, EHM, Magnaflow 18" muffler, OEM skid plates, bug guard, trailer kit, yakima cross bars and basket, CAT filter,
....more to come.....

Wheelbase is the same 104.5"...the lift will "pull in" the rear axle. You can get adjustable rear trailing arms to push it back out a bit...helps center the rear axle in the wheelwell. 3" is just TOO MUCH lift in mosts cases. The CRD front CVAxles do sit lower stock so the angles are better when lifted...but the driver's side CVAxle is very short (the front diff resides lower and to the driver's side in the CRD).

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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

For lifts - lot's of people have 2 1/2 inch lifts -
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=13987&highlight=lifts+crd

I'm running Daystar front, OME rear - but that's because I did it before OME came out with their fronts springs that could handle the CRD - check with All-J's

http://www.boulderbars.com/kjproducts.htm

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2005 CRD
stuff
Skeptic quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur

I have the 2.5" daystar spacer lift, and I added a stock isolator to each side in the rear (aprox 1/2" additional). Are you guys saying this is going to grenade my rear end?

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--Greg
2005 CRD Sport in white
2.5" Daystar Lift Kit
245/75/16 Maxxis Buckshot Mudders

Yes, I have that shutter around 50 MPH after WOT too, at times.

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05 CRD Owner. Diesel good. Gas bad.