Hi guys. I'm a noob around here. I was pretty active on jeepforum.com (same username) for many years. Built/Rebuilt a YJ with extensive mods. The dear wife asked me to sell it when our daughter was born to get something with a more kid friendly backseat. She is older now and I am looking to get back into the Jeepin' world. Been looking at the CRD as a nice vehicle for going family camping, hitting some of the trails and exploring the natl. forest out here in AZ. and getting a bit better mpgs than an old cherokee.

I have been extensively lurking and reading through posts here (the noob guide, other pages that come up in my searches).

I figured this thread was as good as any to ask a few questions though. I found this CRD (https://flagstaff.craigslist.org/cto/d/ ... 44894.html) that I have been looking at. I have spoken to the owner and he is willing to sell for 7500. I am driving up to flagstaff this weekend to check it out and give it a drive. In the ad, there is a list of work done by the previous owner, including the timing belt, valves, and lifters. The jeep has 145k on it now, and the owner bought it at 92k, so all that work is 50k miles old - would I expect to change the timing belt in another 50k miles? Also, isn't the CRD an interference engine? is there a reason why the valves would have been done? He said he hasn't changed the turbo hoses, so they are at least 50k miles on them, and not samcos. shouldi expect to replace those? Any other thoughts or questions you think I shuold ask before I drive the 2.5 hours up there this weekend? Specific things to look for? I have seen water/antifreeze on passenger seat floorboard as something to look for - is this a common issue? I realize it is a home wrenchers vehicle, which doesn't scare me too much. i brought a YJ back from the dead head to toe, but i also paid $1000 for it. the 7500 price tag here gives me a bit more caution.

Thanks for any input, and help. Maybe i'll be joining the crd community s

It is interference and the valves being replaced may have been preventative maintenance or if could have been because one failed and he had too. Either way, it's supposedly because they have a flawed design and like to fail. Same with the rocker arms, although mine felt like new at 93k when I replaced them as preventative maintenance during my timing belt job. A lot of folks also recommend to do ARP head studs at that time as well, because if the poorly designed rockers and valves were not enough, head gaskets like to fail. All in all, great motor

The boost hoses may not need to be changed if they have been running a catch can or way of preventing CCV oil from getting in there. I believe there was also an updated Mopar hose that was oil resistant and I believe it has an orange interior, so just something to look for.

Please don't buy this thing thinking it's gunna save you all this money on fuel. The diesel sounds cool and sucks you in, but unless the previous owner did a lot of the fixes and preventative maintenance already you're probably going to drop a bit of money, and in the long run the gas mileage won't make up for it for a long time. Things like the intake hoses, fuel filter head, lift pump, egr deletes, tunes, thermostats etc are all things you will likely end up buying. Next time you do the timing belt it will cost you $450-500 minimum if you only do the belt, pulleys and water pump and install it yourself. If you do ARPs and rockers your looking at like $1200 just in parts. You can buy a lot of friggin gas with $1200.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But gassers DRAG ASSSSSSSSS! Knowing all of the negative things I know about the CRD's and how much time and money I have spent making these things run right...I would STILL never buy a gasser. The fact that I can out-drag most of the crappy little Japanese cars in my area in a mid-size SUV, take it on nearly any trail wide enough for it to fit, and get 20+ MPG reliably as a daily driver (closer to 30 MPG in my old one on the highway ) makes these things worth every penny and every broken knuckle from turning wrenches. I understand the down sides, but remember the up sides too! If you are looking for a hobby vehicle (and it sounds like you are) and you don't mind doing a fairly significant amount of up-front reliability mods (it sounds like you might not mind) then this is a viable option for a really fun vehicle in the long run. Just remember that it is a Chrysler on top of being a fairly short run diesel, so it has Chrysler problems as well as "rarity" problems.

Yeah it's certainly better than the 3.7 in terms of drivability, but I don't want the guy expecting to save all this money.

There is no money to be saved, only spent! But the smile on your face when you press the go pedal at 60 mph while climbing a hill is priceless!!!

Nothing like having plenty of torque on hand to get you down the road and provide nice driveability, gassers just don't provide it near as well! I know, I own two of each, so I can compair!

Drive an Ecoboost(or any GTDI, doesnt need to be ford), it will change your impression of what gas motors can do. I own an Ecoboost F150 and this jeep and the eco will walk all over the jeep at any RPM, and thats toting a 6200 lb truck around on 33" duratracs.