My wife and I recently purchased a low mileage KJ CRD. Since purchase earlier this week it has been losing coolant at a rate of a quart every 200 or so miles. Not much coolant is leaking on the ground and it doesn't look like any is coming out the tail pipe. The coolant tank is clean, no oil in it. I've been replacing it with G-05 coolant as needed. The leak appears to be coming from the drivers side of the engine, just above the starter solenoid. From under the car I can't see what is above the starter, or from the top, I can't see what is below the intake. Does anybody have a picture or illustration of components and coolant lines on the drivers side of the engine?

The Ford dealer I bought it from told me the EGR was just replaced. Maybe a coolant line in that area developed a leak after this service?

It is also leaking a siver dollar sized drip of oil each time it is parked. It looks like it had a recent oil change with a rather cheap looking aftermarket oil filter. It looks like the drip is coming from the oil drain plug. The sump around the drain plug looks dry. Maybe the oil change tech didn't use a new gasket?

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Past CRD's: 2005 and 2006
Past diesels include: 6 VW TDI's, 4 VW NA's, 83 Chevy NA G20 Conversion Van, 82 Mercedes 300TD
Other past vehicles: 40 Porsches, 50 Air Cooled VW's, etc.

Only those who do not move do not die...but are they not already dead? Jean Behra

The EGR valve has coolant lines going to it, take it back to the dealer you bought it from. Very easy to strip the oil drain plug if they forgot to install the gasket, it has happened to a lot of people, including me!!

Dave

Thanks for the replies. BTW, where in Houston are you? I'm on the far north side (Conroe area), but I'm taxi-ing my wife to work in Tomball almost daily.

Is the EGR on the drivers side of the engine? Does the plug or the oil sump usually strip out? What type of oil sump gasket does it take (copper o-ring, flat washer , etc.)?

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Past CRD's: 2005 and 2006
Past diesels include: 6 VW TDI's, 4 VW NA's, 83 Chevy NA G20 Conversion Van, 82 Mercedes 300TD
Other past vehicles: 40 Porsches, 50 Air Cooled VW's, etc.

Only those who do not move do not die...but are they not already dead? Jean Behra

The EGR is on the driver's side, just above the starter. There are two little rubber lines that cool the EGR valve and also a couple coolant lines that run to the EGR cooler. Any of these might be your issue if the dealer did not install the constant tension clamps correctly or cut one of the lines accidentally.

The oil drain plug should have a copper gasket, without this it will have a slow leak and they may have spripped it as well. Hopefully it works out well for you and the dealer stands behind their work...i.e. free.

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Providers of wholly developed aftermarket solutions for the KJ CRD.
(248) 977 - 9531

On your oil plug. First does it take a Allen wrench to remove? The original one did and if not it's been replaced.

The original plug has a taper by the head to center the copper washer. If the washer is left off the taper will bugger up the last thread or two on the pan and since there are only about 4 threads total... well you get the idea. So when the plug is put in without the washer the next time it's removed the threads will be distroyed. The original plug is some kind of English pipe thread. The best solution BEFORE the oil pan is stripped is a Fomoto drain valve but it sounds like it's too late for you

Don't remove the plug untill you've got time and another vehicle to retap the hole and find a replacement Maybe someone will chime in on what size plug they tapped the pan for

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

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, the upper most EGR coolant line was just loose enough to cause it to leak once it was warmed up enough. I would have taken it back to the Dodge dealer that replaced the EGR valve for the Ford dealer, but they are 200 miles away and I wasn't sure if I could even make it that far with the leak. Amazing how much coolant can be lost through such a small leak, about a gallon of G-05 & water pre-mixed in 500 miles. I was refilling the reservoir almost daily. I shudder to think what could have happened if it weren't for the low coolant alarm in the reservoir! My irritation with the Dodge mechanic was somewhat compensated for by the discovery of a really cool looking (8mm?) Snap-On metric socket w/ a ball style u-joint attached to it. Finders Keepers

The Dodge mechanic also used standard worm drive hose clamps instead of the constant tension clamps. Is this a no-no? Although the coolant hoses appear to be factory, with the worm drive clamps it looks like the hoses are almost too big for the EGR fittings, or maybe the hose ends have swelled from age, exposure to coolant, etc. I'm thinking about replacing the hoses and clamps. Is it possible (or advisable) to use standard heater hose and worm drive clamps instead of the molded factory hoses and tension clamps?

On the oil drain plug, it is the original allen head plug, oh crap. Anybody know the size of the pipe thread for the drain hole? Does the Fumoto drain valve require the sump pan to be re-tapped?

Is a ProGuard oil filter the factory oil filter? To me it looks rather small for an engine that size. I used the 'heavy duty' oil filter on our VW Passat TDI, and it was about 3 times the size of the Jeep filter. Maybe size DOESN'T matter?

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Past CRD's: 2005 and 2006
Past diesels include: 6 VW TDI's, 4 VW NA's, 83 Chevy NA G20 Conversion Van, 82 Mercedes 300TD
Other past vehicles: 40 Porsches, 50 Air Cooled VW's, etc.

Only those who do not move do not die...but are they not already dead? Jean Behra

There's an on going debate about the original drain plug size but the majority seems to think it's obscure British pipe standard. A quick search in the Tech section showed me a thread, no pun intended, and the following seems to be the conclusion. some are using larger oil filters from other applications.

The Stock CRD oil drain plug is a #6 3/8" BSP Parallel thread plug with a copper washer.

I ordered a replacement from http://www.discounthydraulichose.com Part number 9028-06 BSPP Countersunk Sealed Plug $4.18 each
unlike the stock unit, this part has a rubber seal built in, I used it WITH the copper washer and have no leaks. I'm sure you can get one without the seal and not countersunk, but this has proved to be a good replacement

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

I'm in the Humble/Atascocita area. I use a WIX 51516 oil filter. If you strip out your oil plug I do have a drill and tap (if I can find it!) that I used when I put in my Fumoto. I would suggest putting one in BEFORE you strip it. It does make oil changes a lot easier.

Dave

I'm about to attempt an oil change and I'm trying to assemble a 'just in case' list of parts and tools to have on hand.

I'd like to install the Fumoto drain valve during the oil change and I found the stock size Fumoto, PN: F-102 with the PF-3/8 thread. It looks like PF-3/8 is JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) parallel thread. I've never even heard of this style thread.

If my existing plug & pan are stripped, what size drill bit and tap should I get and is there an 'oversized' Fumoto to work with the bigger hole/thread? If there isn't a larger Fumoto, what should I use instead?

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Past CRD's: 2005 and 2006
Past diesels include: 6 VW TDI's, 4 VW NA's, 83 Chevy NA G20 Conversion Van, 82 Mercedes 300TD
Other past vehicles: 40 Porsches, 50 Air Cooled VW's, etc.

Only those who do not move do not die...but are they not already dead? Jean Behra

The oil filter does look tiny compared to say....a Ford. The correct one is a small diameter, but long filter.

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2006 Sport CRD

Could the Aztecs have known, that in 2012 after a 4 year experiment, our country would cease to exist?

Whats great is that a Ford oil filter WILL fit our CRD.
Try a Motorcraft FL1A, Fram PH8A, or equivelent from Napa, Wix, or Mobil 1.

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U.S. Army Retired