Jeep Liberty CRD engine help

Andy8999 · **Joined:** Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:23 pm **Posts:** 4

Hi, my 2005 CRD has a hole in the block. I found a used short block & brought the head to a machine shop. It seems to be fine & only had to replace seats and valves in one cylinder. Now I need help to buy all the parts - timing belt, water pump, head gasket kit. Any feedback on idparts head gasket kit. I was told to buy 2 hole to be on the safe side since my block & head are from 2 vehicles

Hexus · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:55 am

It's my understanding that the more holes the head gasket has in it, the thicker it is, because that's how many times the head has been machined down, or adjusted, supposedly.

The head gasket kit on ID Parts should be OEM, if you don't feel comfortable with it, use these guys: http://www.vmdieselspecialist.com/ They are the de-facto experts worldwide. You may have to call at odd hours since they are across the pond but they are 100% the real deal.

I would follow procedure and look at your head gasket:

Each cylinder wall liner used on this engine is of the wet design. Coolant is in direct contact with the liner. Three
O-rings are used to seal the liner to the engine block. The top O-rings (black) are water seals and the lower (brown)
seal is an oil seal. The applicable metal shim is used for cylinder liner protrusion. If the liner is to be reused, match
mark the liner and block. Anytime that the liners are removed, replace the O-rings and the shim. If one or more
liners have been replaced the liner protrusion must be measured to determine the proper head gasket selection. If
the liners are not removed, used the same thickness head gasket that was removed.

You're not replacing any liners but you are machining the head, so I would say if you remove a gasket with no holes, get a new one with 1, if it has 1, then 2.

Make any sense?

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:06 am

No. The cylinder head gasket thickness is to account for the protrusion of the liners above the deck of the block The underside of the head should always be completely flat.

If the liners are moved / removed, then fresh protrusion measurements will need to be taken.

EAB · **Joined:** Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:39 pm **Posts:** 141

Find 'MEASURING PISTON PROTRUSION' in the service info. This tells you how to determine head gasket thickness. This may help (or make you more confused).

Hexus · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 2:12 am

geordi wrote:

No. The cylinder head gasket thickness is to account for the protrusion of the liners above the deck of the block The underside of the head should always be completely flat.

If the liners are moved / removed, then fresh protrusion measurements will need to be taken.

So even if you have the head machined the gasket thickness remains the same? Makes sense I guess, don't know why I was thinking differently.

Then what I quoted from the service manual is exactly what you said.

Just match Gaskets.

Andy8999 · **Joined:** Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:23 pm **Posts:** 4

I'm a bit confused now with the holes. Is this statement I received incorrect "this is why we sell only the thickest gasket can be used on all". How do I measure it is my biggest concern

racertracer · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 4:54 am

When I had to replace my head Gasket, I was told by the Chrysler service manager that the head cannot be machined. It cannot be milled, it is replaced.

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:14 pm

In general -and on THIS subject only-, I would agree with the service manager. The head is exceedingly thin and probably doesn't have much material on it to be milled. If we are talking about a few thousandths, then maybe there is some trimming / polishing that could be done to make certain it is perfectly flat underneath. But beyond that, there isn't much chance of being able to mill it flat if it has warped from being overheated.

Andy8999 · **Joined:** Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:23 pm **Posts:** 4

My head was checked with a straight edge at the machine shop & does not need to be milled. Just few valve seat had to be replaced. My main question is on the thickness of the head gasket - should I buy the 2 hole (thickest) like I was advised by a sales person? Since my short block is from another jeep I'm not sure the actual thickness.

This is my second Jeep to have a blow engine but first with the different gasket thickness.

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Dec 15, 2013 5:46 pm

MEASURE.

That is the only way. The dealer moron suggesting "just order the two-hole - its what we always do" is incorrect and dumb. The results MIGHT be functional, but they MIGHT be allowing the liners to move. This obviously would be a very bad thing.

Too thin, and the head will jam into the top of the liners and leave gaps between the head and the block, allowing massive leaks of coolant.
Too thick, and the compression ratio of the cylinder might also be reduced and that could cause rough running or poor combustion - and then combustion could be forcing itself between the layers of the head gasket, causing YET AGAIN coolant and head gasket leaks.

The procedures exist for a reason. Absent a really good engineering reason or experiences with this situation, sticking with the factory process is probably the best bet.

LMWatBullRun · **Posted:** Mon Dec 16, 2013 1:20 pm

geordi wrote:

In general -and on THIS subject only-, I would agree with the service manager. The head is exceedingly thin and probably doesn't have much material on it to be milled. If we are talking about a few thousandths, then maybe there is some trimming / polishing that could be done to make certain it is perfectly flat underneath. But beyond that, there isn't much chance of being able to mill it flat if it has warped from being overheated.

I have been told, and am willing to believe, that high strength studs can pull a moderately warped head into alignment. Anything more than a few thousandths I would get a new head.

Andy8999 · **Joined:** Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:23 pm **Posts:** 4

Thanks Everyone! I'm looking for the service manual. Anyone has one to share?

laplaya · **Posted:** Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:39 am

Thanks to Sam you can find one here. http://colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/KJ/

Jeep Liberty CRD engine help

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