I'm Buying - NEED HELP!

maxf15 · **Joined:** Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:30 pm **Posts:** 52

Noob here on this forum... looking to buy my first Libby CRD. Went to look at a 2005 Sport with 78k miles. A couple questions for those who aren't on their first rodeo...

1) The oil was pretty black (not new for sure) and had a slight smell of diesel fuel. The truck had the plaquing EGR issues but was fixed at the dealer. Engine does not smoke (except under hard acceleration, and only a little black/grey smoke). Can the EGR issue make the engine oil smell like diesel?

2) Odd noise: There does seem to be a hum inside the cab that does not sound like the motor but maybe it is; hard to describe, it's almost like an electric humming or muffled buzzing. Is this normal for the CRD?

3) I have read through Sam's Noob thread in it's entirety. This Libby seems to be stock all around, except for the ECM program. The Jeep dealership that did the EGR work 're-squirted' the latest Chrysler program, and told me somehow it had a 'manual transmission' program loaded previously. Can't really make sense of that one. Any thoughts?

4) There does seem to be some oil splatter, not heavy, just light splatter, under the hood on the passenger side close to the firewall. Ideas what that could be from? EGR related?

Libby has a clean carfax, clean title, I'm pretty good at spotting body work - none suspected, documented as one owner, and is below loan value by almost $2k.

For the record, I'm no stranger to diesels (I've owned a total of six diesel engines - four autos, one tractor, and a diesel pressure sprayer!). I am also a licensed biodiesel producer. So just enough knowledge to get into a lot of trouble!

Anyway, I can get this 4x4 for $12,750 out the door with tax/tags/title/fees included. Also has all new tires, 75,000mi service, and they just replaced the driver side seat bottom (tech ripped a hole in it at the stealership with a scredriver in his pocket).

Comments, thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks!

kissfan79 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:30 pm

Hello and welcome....
Im sure others will chime in and help with info.....I'm fairly new here myself but if the funky noise you are talking about is the one I am thinking of.....my 06 does it as well. I have often wondered if it was the sound of the turbo spinning. I think you hit it right when you say it sounds like an electrical humming....mine is faint but I can definately hear it. The black oil was the first thing I noticed the frist time I popped the hood (my wife owned it before we met so it was "new" to me at about 75,000 miles or so and this is my first diesel). Even after changing it...it turns ink black almost immediately.

As far as the oil under the hood on the passenger side....maybe the hose going from the CCV puck to the air box popped loose....or there is a small split in the top of it that would allow the engine vapors and some oil mist spray out??

Once again.....welcome and good luck on your soon-to-be purchase :lol:

Jim

ChesterCRD · **Posted:** Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:45 pm

1. My CRD turns oil pitch black as soon as it's poured in. It has since new. I don't think it's an issue...just a diesel thing.

2. Lift pump maybe? If you turn the key but don't start the engine does the humming happen for about 15 secs and then stop?

3. Contact Green Diesel Engineering with your VIN. Maybe the previous owner had their tune installed. I haven't worked with them, but they are popular and well regarded.

4. This is probably from CCV oil that leaked out the air intake to the turbo and blew back.

Price looks decent to me, but I paid $26K for mine.

Granahan378 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:46 pm

Check the turbo oil line as well, common place for oil leak that can destroy the motor.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:20 pm

On your noise, try turning the heater completely off. Center knob completely counter clockwise. The blower runs in all other positions.

GreenDieselEngineering · **Joined:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1111

The black oil is a give away that the CRD in question was not running a tune from GDE. The color change is due to excessive soot loading of the oil due to EGR gases and in general not complete combustion. Our tunes reduce the soot loading by roughly 90% as measured through oil analysis. Less soot in your oil means less bearing wear and significantly longer oil life. We have several customers that do oil analysis and some are able to run 12,000 to 15,000 miles between oil changes while still maintaining adequate additive properties. Good luck with the CRD purchase, you will enjoy the versitility of this vehicle. GDE

grywlfbg · **Posted:** Tue Feb 28, 2012 8:16 pm

maxf15 wrote:

2) Odd noise: There does seem to be a hum inside the cab that does not sound like the motor but maybe it is; hard to describe, it's almost like an electric humming or muffled buzzing. Is this normal for the CRD?

If it's pretty high pitched it's the radio head unit. Ours was doing this (even with the radio off) and I assumed it was the in-door amplifiers but after installing a new head unit (wife wanted to hook up her iPhone and the CD Player had crapped out years ago after a trip to Burning Man and the stereo shop said that a new head unit may fix it but if it is the in-door amps we'd need a new head unit anyway to drive regular speakers) the noise went away. The noise for us would come and go. But if you eliminate everything mechanical (the pitch of this noise did not change with engine rpm or road speed nor was it HVAC related) then I would look at the radio.

If the transmission has been upgraded with the Euro-spec torque converter and pump then I'd say that is a fair price. If not you should factor that into the price as the transmission will go south on you with the stock parts.

Oh, and this truck LOVES bio. Been running B99/100 in it for 93k miles. Don't have the space or time to brew my own but there's a station not too far from me. I assume you know to buy several fuel filters as you will clog them regularly as you switch over.

maxf15 · **Joined:** Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:30 pm **Posts:** 52

Thanks all. As it turned out, the dealer where I was to buy said Libby could not get the CEL to stay off (several EGR related codes). I told them if a dealer couldn't do it, I probably couldn't either.

Well, at least not without this forum.

So I went with plan B, a 2005 CRD from Kentucky. Clean 4x4! This one had a CEL too, but the codes were P1261 and P0299. And after reading this forum for a few hours, I felt I could negotiate a good enough price to warrant the gamble.

$10,500. 82k miles. Not too bad. And after a bunch more reading (man, I love that noob guide!) I went to work...

I cleaned the MAP (yup completely sooted over), replaced the boost hoses with SAMCO silicone hoses (racing orange! couldn't help myself), changed the oil (synthetic 5W-40) and filter, new air filter, replaced the OEM turbo inlet hose (deteriorated at the bottom on the turbo side almost all the way through, so it was high time), and got an alignment (it was a little out and was pulling ever so slightly left), ordered those new 7V glow plugs from eTecno1 (no fooler program required like the 5V ones), and did the ORM.

Wow... it runs like new (except it's a bit slow to fire up, I blame my one bad glow plug). Was getting 26.5 mpg highway right after I bought it. Waiting to see how much that improves after the boost hose replacement, turbo inlet hose replacement, and the ORM (shutting off the EGR).

Next steps are some type of provent/EHM/cyclone separator, install the new glow plugs to alleviate the sluggish start, and see what is required to make the light go off.

I hear some raves and other rants about engine tunes. I don't care to hot rod this thing at all. I'd rather it last me to 300k miles and get 30+ mpg the whole time.

Thanks y'all for all the pointers. And I'm all ears if y'all have more.

OldSkull · **Posted:** Mon Mar 19, 2012 4:17 pm

maxf15 wrote:

I hear some raves and other rants about engine tunes. I don't care to hot rod this thing at all. I'd rather it last me to 300k miles and get 30+ mpg the whole time.

Since you read the noob guide you already know both ECO tuning from GDE and InMotion can improved your mpg/gas gauge accuracy, add more torque+HP and one even limit the opening of the EGR valve (Great feature and the most important to get rid of...)

The CRD got already plenty of power if you don't tow realy heavy load, if you want it to last "drive it like a 2 tons truck not a sport car" (Get that one from the mouth of a guy who has a lot more knowledge then average poster here..) and do at least the SEGR mod (Don't know if Loco still sell it) It's a bit tricky to install but you get that fracking valve close for good...

There is a lot more mod to do like adding a lift pump, 2micron fuel filter mod, some tranny issue to get rid of.....The list is long and get longer every year...Just try to get the best out of it and enjoy your ride

maxf15 · **Joined:** Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:30 pm **Posts:** 52

Thanks OldSkull. I'm at the point now where I go for a tune. As you alluded to, I only want beter mileage, less soot (i.e. closed EGR), and I'd like the CEL to work as it should for everything non-EGR.

What's your personal take on GDE vs. InMotion? Got experience with either/both?

I'll do some more reading, but I'd also be interested to hear your suggestions on a lift pump and 2micron filter. I have some experience with an AirDog unit I installed on a Cummins 5.9L. Liked the ease of spin off filters, but it added some noise. May not have room for anything like that on this little Libby.

So far though, I'm sold. Really like this CRD. And will like it even more when I'm getting better mpg.

Cheers!

I'm Buying - NEED HELP!

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