Well, through a process of elimination, and a great deal of time thinking about it... I think I may have figured out what is causing my intermittent power loss problems. Now I could use both a confirmation of my thought process, and help finding the specific part number.

Ever since I got the new engine installed, when the engine is cold (happens the most, but sometimes when heated up too) the CRD will feel "heavy" and will seem to need more throttle to get it moving. When taking off from a stop or a slow (10mph~) roll, a foot into the go-pedal results in very little actual acceleration (feels like it is bogging or pulling a HEAVY trailer), a HUGE CLOUD of thick black smoke, low boost (10-12psi) and sometimes when the engine is VERY cold (only done this twice) the clattering of the engine will become VERY loud, like an early-2000's Powerstroke.

With the loud clattering events, once it stalled on me when I let off the pedal (in a parking lot) and the other time it reacted like it normally does when in this "mood"... Like flipping a switch, the engine will suddenly react to the further-down position of the pedal, stop overfueling and put a huge amount of torque into the roadway. VROOM and ZOOM. Boost will shoot up from the 10-12 to 22/25, and usually by the point it finally wakes up, I have to let off the dang pedal for another stupid light... And I get to start the process over again.

I've tried getting a video of this, but my CRD is possessed by Murphy, so it NEVER does this annoying bit when I have the video ready.

Now, here is my thought process: I did NOT have this problem OR the sluggish feeling of the CRD right after the engine was replaced, b/c at that time I also had an Edge Trailjammer installed. This is a "cheater chip" that plugs into the MAP sensor, and the fuel pressure sensor and monkeys with those readings.

I had the Edge before I had the engine die on me, and the difference in power was HUGE with the new engine - The engine felt like it wanted to tear its way out through the grille with so much power. It also was WAY too easy to get an overboost code with the Edge and the GDE tune... BUT the power level on the Edge'd stock tune felt about the same as the Edge'd GDE. I sold the Edge b/c I didn't want to risk my new turbo and new engine with overboosting... And soon after that is when I started noticing the problem. I got the GDE in the first place to program the computer to the new injectors and cure a hard-to-start problem, which it did marvelously.

So... Thinking about the Edge and it's abilities... I cleaned the MAP sensor. No real change. Anything I mess with in the engine, it always feels better (maybe a placebo, but I don't think so) for the first few minutes... Then the engine will pull this nonsense again. Maybe I'm rattling something by closing the hood?

So a new MAP sensor has no result. Cleaning the MAF sensor with contact spray also doesn't cure anything. Of course there aren't any codes, but my VW Jetta with an almost-completely-wrecked MAF sensor would behave in an identical manner... Until the computer switched to a default MAF number and ignored the wildly erroneous readings from the MAF. But no codes, EVER unless the thing was just unplugged. But even then, the Jetta would STILL do this dead-slow-then-ZOOM trick once every single time I started it... Nearly killing me in traffic several times.

Last on my list then, is the rail pressure sensor. The exact part that I managed to NOT have a spare of, from the new engine. Apparently either my old one got swapped into this engine, OR the one I have came with this new engine... and the old one vanished. I don't know. I have dug around on Mopar Parts America, and they ONLY seem to list the Fuel Pressure Solenoid as a part (which I have a spare of) and not this sensor.

05159963AA... Is this the correct part number? Can anyone tell me how much it is, or has a spare they would like to sell? That number came from the Parts PDF, but doesn't come up on MPA's website.

Or... Does someone have another opinion? If you want to feel exactly what I have been feeling, and you have a VW with an 99-04 TDI engine... Just unplug the MAF and go for a short drive. You will get an exact duplicate of what I have been experiencing, minus the overfueling smoke cloud.

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Over 225 CRDs currently driving with my valves, timing belt, rockers, or ARP Studs.
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