His hostility toward me is partly because for a while I suggested people could make use of an $8 in-hose thermostat as an option either temporary or otherwise, and that I have called him out for having such a fragile ego and poor sales techniques on several occasions. To date, I have still never seen a single head gasket actually failed that can be tied to *ANY* type of thermostat, and NO, replacing head gaskets is not my primary business at all. I actually hate having to take them that far apart b/c it lowers MY profit margins and price per hour of labor. I have only ever taken 6 CRDs apart to the head gasket, and three of them I have owned.

But Jeff has continued beating the drum that "he has spoken with an engineer at Stant" and "has gotten lots of data about how the cooling system can have uneven heating and hotspots because of the in-hose thermostat" without ever producing one shred of evidence or documentation to support this claim - despite being asked repeatedly. So that has also annoyed his fragile ego and he blames me for this. Oh well, I'll try to work through the emotional pain of his dislike of me.

I respect the product, and have also installed it for a couple people. I have not had need of his many pages of directions to do this... Because I am not a nudnik. My phone calls with customers both active or potential could run long too, but only as I am actively answering questions they might have. Once that is complete or if they have to break away, I'm happy to talk with them another time or via email. Email is actually better b/c I can then maintain a history of the conversations so I know what has already been covered. I let my services and my customers speak for themselves. I don't need to hard sell anyone.

Nobody likes a pushy salesman. Relax Jeff, you believe that your product is the highest quality option available. I do not disagree with this. But let the thing sell itself, you will have a happier life for not causing yourself so much heartburn and stress.

FYI: It doesn't matter if you think the thermostat qualifies for NAFTA or not. Individuals are entitled to import over $800 worth of goods per year from most countries without any duties being charged, and possibly more under certain circumstances or categories. That is especially true for trade with Canada, nobody would get a second look getting a box from Toronto, Customs basically doesn't care once it passes the chem scanners. So unless you are shipping something drugs or explosives, then it is going to sail right through. I don't know about shipping things North, but bringing stuff into the USA is easy.

IDparts looks after us well and while their prices are generally very fair some specific items are surprisingly out of line. The factory thermostat should cost closer to $100, here's one of many examples http://www.factorymoparparts.com/5142601aa.html The HDS is a whopping 4x and most owners simply can't justify this price difference especially considering their vehicle ran happily with a properly functioning factory thermostat for many years before Jeff's creation appeared on the scene. I don't have a clue what his sales are but I suspect his market share of thermostat sales for this vehicle speaks volumes.

Something to consider for many of these competitive websites like that one or MoparPartsAmerica or MoparPartsOnline... They are front ends for a local business somewhere that leverages a shop account with the local dealer to purchase parts straight out of the dealer's own supply chain.

So in essence, you are buying from your local dealer parts counter, but with dropshipping and possibly some cost savings (since retail walk-up clients certainly get the highest markup the dealer thinks they can get away with) and may or may not get "new old stock" that has been laying around on a shelf for a very long time.

For many things this may not matter much, but IDparts isn't charging what they do because they are trying to gouge anyone. I'd bet money that it is very few items they sell with a markup over 15%. They also went through a period where the cheaper thermostats they were able to get (which may or may not have actually been the OEM supplier too, I don't know for certain) were made by CROWN - and complete and utter garbage!

I don't know if Crown is the company that made the thermostats that you can buy from the dealer supply chains... But I wouldn't put it past them. They won't tell you WHO has made much of their parts, and they are more profit focused than anything else. Durability? That is someone else's problem - Yours. You can always just buy another one from the dealer, right?

So that "cheaper" thermostat from the dealer might not be so much cheaper than IDparts' quality components. I'll say this: Not a single part that I have bought from IDparts for ANY of the customers I have worked on, has needed to be replaced that I have heard about. That says something.

I arrived at the prices for the Model 001 when the Canadian Dollar was over much closer to par with the U.S. Dollar... I can not help it if the Canadian Dollar tanks due to our resource economy... 2 years ago, $525.00 CDN equated to around $477.00 USD. What, you want me to constantly change up my prices according to the exchange rates? Nobody does that, why are you expecting it from me?

You obviously have not read everything geordi has posted about me and my product. He is damning my product through faint praise, as if he really knows anything about it. Why is it, after selling well over 100 Model 001s to customers all over North America, the only guy to have anything bad to say about it was geordi, and that is because he installed one and was miffed about my detailed instructions; nothing about the unit itself because there is nothing he could find on the Model 001 to criticize.

NEWS FLASH, geordi... I didn't write the instructions for seasoned wrench pullers, I wrote them for other customers who are nervous about working under the hood, and I have to cover everything with these instructions due to product liability obligations. I communicated this to you more than once... your continued emphasis on this EXTREMELY minor slight to your sensibilities shows your petulant attitude. The vary fact that he was recruited to install a Model 001 for another LOSTJEEPS.com member puts the lie into the following post he made earlier in this thread...

"His pricing is $500 Canadian or about $440 US. I have suggested several times, as have other people, that anyone interested in actually buying his thermostat is already smart enough to know how to install it, and he doesn't need to hard-sell them or spend hours wasting their time with the minutiae of how many turns it will take to remove the old bolts or whatever the hell he babbles on about. It is a fecking thermostat housing. Three bolts and a gasket to attach, and several hoses and a sensor."

So geordi, who has also openly questioned my integrity on the Liberty CRD Facebook page - which REALLY pisses me off - harps continuously on about something that does not matter one way or the other. It really comes down to how good this product is and if I can deliver; nothing else should really matter.

Take note, NapaBavarian, that every one of my customers NOTHING but great things to say about it, about my customer service, and about my detailed instructions... you have to ask yourself why geordi is different. Apparently, it did not help that the CRD member geordi was installing the Model 001 lost all the mounting hardware and the installation tool... I can't help that either.

Yes, I am going to run into people like Rixram, and I am indeed sorry I upset him during out telephone call so long ago. But he never gave me the impression he was upset, and he should know better to simply judge a product by 1 encounter with an enthusiastic 1 man operation. By the way, Rixram... the O.E. thermostat will never last as long as a timing belt change-out interval. If you are properly taking care of your CRD, then it should last a minumum of 350,000 miles, this means about 5 O.E. thermostat housing replacements at a minimum.

Those of you questioning the value for money aspect of the Model 001 keep ignoring the whole issue of the O.E. thermostat valve being engineered to open up at a way too low temperature for optimum fuel economy, reliability and power delivery of the CRD engine. It was engineered that way to satisfy the ridiculous NOX emissions standards we have here in North America, so your engine does not run at an optimal temperature EVEN WHEN THE O.E. THERMOSTAT ASSEMBLY IS NEW. This is especially bad when the weather is cold... most CRD owners lose 20 to 30 percent fuel economy running with an O.E. thermostat in the winter.

Here's another option:

It's a do it yourself version.... print out the plans and instructions and hand them over to a qualified machine shop in your area familiar with machining aluminum.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=84571&p=891557#p891557

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f228/diy-se ... tat-59804/

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2006 Liberty Limited CRD, Deep Beryl Green, Yeti tune, Arp studs, new cams, rockers, lifters, TB. "Green Monster"
2005 Liberty Sport CRD, Deep Beryl Green, GDE Hot Tune, ARP studs. "Rocket"
1982 Fiat 124 Spider Convertible. "Fiona"

Actually this is exactly what they do and is the whole premis behind the weak CAD being good for the Canadian economy. It allows Canadian exporters to lower their USD prices while maintaining the same price in CAD after FX. This makes them more competitive in the US market and ultimately drives more sales. It's a win win situation. Maybe you should try it?


I've been running with this mod for ~6K now through the heights of the summer temperatures, with a moderate amount of towing and no mechanical fan. No issues whatsoever. Good cheap reliable mod. I realise not everyone has the skills or access to the equipment to implement this but if you do it's a very easy mod. Highly recommended.

I was interested in one awhile back, but then I came across the price and got a serious case of sticker shock. I understand that machine time is expensive but ouch. I wonder how much the anodizing adds. Does it really have to be pretty when its buried in an engine bay surrounded by many other raw aluminum parts? Hell for $400 I can buy a Bridgeport machine my own and then still have a Bridgeport at my disposal.

And yes prices typically do change with exchange rate. A few year ago the company I work for purchased some machines from Wickman in Coventry England. The were 450,000 GBP which came to 700,000 USD at the time. We are once again going to purchase a few more. Price is still 450,000 GBP, Quote states 588,000 USD.

My comment was not intended as a reflection on IDparts but rather that Jeff is selling his thermostat housing at a whopping 4X what others are selling the factory thermostat for. As for exactly how these websites operate and where their product is sourced from I'm really not too concerned but one thing for sure is that if they are advertising and selling product to me as genuine Mopar then it had better be a genuine Mopar part that arrives in my mailbox.

My KJ was at about 90K miles when the OEM T-stat was beginning to crap out. Engine wasn't getting to regular operating temp, but was still up past the 1/4 mark on the gauge. I see no reason why adopting a policy of changing the t-stats with the inexpensive OEM style at the timing belt intervals would be an issue. For what the HDS costs, you can replace the OEM three times. And face it, none of us (okay, less than 1%) is going to have a KJ that long to do 3 changes.

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"Gunner": 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited CRD GDE ECO tune Bought 01Apr16 (71K miles)


If you're in New England and need your KJ TB done, PM me.

Retired:
Tractor: Dark Khaki '06 CRD Sport, GDE ECO & Trans Tunes, 2.5" lift + 245/75r16. - Sold 27Apr16
Ghost: Silver '06 KJ CRD Limited, bunch of goodies done - Sold 18Apr16

Mine was already dead when I bought my jeep at 40k miles.Eveytime I would coast down a hill that winter the temperature would plummet to below 1/4 and I would lose my cabin heat then it would creep back up as I went up the next hill. My 30 minute drive to work was a series of cold/hot/cold/hot/cold. We are not all so lucky to make it to 90k, I would have already replaced 2 by now and been 1/2 to the third if things continued the same way.

According to PapaIndigos post I am not the only person with this experience.

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2006 CRD - GTB2056 turbo by Dieselguy86, Eco Trans Tune, Lift Pump, Week's, HDS Tstat, Racor Filter, ARP's, OME 790's+Top Plate, JBA 2.5", JBA UCA, Moab's+265/75R16, ARB Bull Bar, 4.10's, TrueTracs

I have one of Jeff's themostat install in my Jeep for about 2 years now and Here in the very cold Canada, it make a whole lot of a difference compare to the OEM unit. Better fuel economy, better heat. ( with my adjustable electric fan ) looks a lot better too
and an extra port to place my Derale fan controller temp sensor !!!!
just by looking inside Jeff's thermostat you can tell it can take a lot more flow than the OEM cheap cast unit.
I do a bit of towing in the summer ( about 4000lbs ) and I have an electric fan and never had any overheating issue yet.

Jeff is the engineer type of guy who try to resolve the well known flaws of the CRD !!!!! And he nailed it with his thermostat...... it might be a little pricey but look how much some are spending for a Suncoast torque convertor ( they beefed up the springs inside.....) His unit is all CNC machine from a solid piece of aluminium ..... He's not a salesperson or the greatest to deal on the phone but is product is the best for the CRD and he delivered is product and stand behind it !!!

Perhaps this should be a sticky to protect the uninformed. This goes beyond poor customer service or a marketing / sales issue, by saying all his customers respect him is not all there is to customer service, it does not take into account everyone walhed away before it was too late. I was ready to buy based on the original kiji ad but I've seen this before, I ordered a pair of off the shelf valves from a guy in Seattle who built custom vegetable oil heated fuel systems, after 3 weeks I tried to contact him several times privately, then posted in a public forum and he berated me pointing out his posted 4 week lead time. Of course I expect custom tanks to take time to build, off the shelf valves should be in the mail in a day or two. Same exact attitude and I won't go back down that road.

For the rest of you, let's take this exchange rate issue, I expect one price, if you pay by credit card they take care of the exchange rate automatically usually for a small fee, or it can be easily hand calculated, but let's assume this went the other way around, do we really expect he would maintain a low price in the states if it ate into 50-75% of his margin, worse yet caused him to sell at a loss? Perhaps he is incredibly generous and would give them away for free? I doubt it.

Now the lack of ethics shown so far cause me to question the $360 figure, I know this process isn't cheap and produces a quality product but no reason to believe ethics suddenly showed up in this number.

As far as engenering credentials, that is just a nice way of saying my way is the only way, all the engenering has been done by VM motouri, all a machinist has to do is copy it or write a CAD file. What you need is a crafts person. Anodizing shows me a lack of understanding and an attempt to charge more without increasing the functional value.

I've needed an excuse to buy a good used lathe and milling machine, perhaps this is it?

Please post pics when your have your first one done !!!!!

NapaBavarian:

What "lack of ethics" are we talking about here? Aside from some admittedly over-enthusiastic telephone calls, what have I done here that has been unethical?

Why are you having a problem with the anodizing? This costs only about $12.00 CDN for each thermostat assembly, and is necessary to inhibit possible galvanic corrosion between the 6061 T-6 aluminum housing and the stainless steel components.

You sound to me like you have it all figured out; so O.K.... build one yourself. All I can tell you is ALL of my customers have been very satisfied with the Model 001; immense strength of the housing and flawless functionality have been the trademark of all of my Model 001s.

Jeff's a good guy with a good product. Buy it or don't.

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2006 CRD - GTB2056 turbo by Dieselguy86, Eco Trans Tune, Lift Pump, Week's, HDS Tstat, Racor Filter, ARP's, OME 790's+Top Plate, JBA 2.5", JBA UCA, Moab's+265/75R16, ARB Bull Bar, 4.10's, TrueTracs

Then why doesn't he act like it?

Charging a $65 premium, or whatever it happens to be today, based on your country of residence ...


*unethical*

Jeff acts like any one that is experiencing character assassination. Lot's of cheap douche-nozzles running around Lost Jeeps crying about his expensive parts even though they have very little or NO experience with them. I'm getting ready to pick up my second CRD and will be ordering another HDS thermostat as soon as I do. We'd be a lot more fortunate if we had more people like Jeff supplying our strange little jeep with parts that function better than the originally designed VM doo doo.

"Unethical" Now that's funny stuff there.

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2016 Ram 2500 4x4, 6.7 Cummins, 68RFE, Crew Cab
1995 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4, 5.9 Cummins, 47RH, Reg Cab
2005 Liberty CRD,fixed the rockers and a couple more things,GDE Hot tune,Weeks Stage 1 and 2 EGR delete,Hot Diesel solutions Tstat assembly(wonderful heat!), ARP studs, OME 1.5" lift.....thanks Seth!

This. I've talked to the guy numerous times and he comes across enthusiastic, not like he is trying to hardsell or anything.

And go read his thread about how much he spent during the development process. Just cause the manufacturing cost is x doesn't mean him selling at the price he does means he has a bank account stuffed full of cash now.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

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2006 CRD - GTB2056 turbo by Dieselguy86, Eco Trans Tune, Lift Pump, Week's, HDS Tstat, Racor Filter, ARP's, OME 790's+Top Plate, JBA 2.5", JBA UCA, Moab's+265/75R16, ARB Bull Bar, 4.10's, TrueTracs

I just want to say that we have enough problems with these CRD's, ... ...

So when someone like Jeff introduces a well machined part that helps some of these problems , lets embrace it.

Like wise with Geordi, who has / is doing an invaluable service to problem plagued CRD owners.

Less sqwuaking, more putting heads together and working together to bulletproof these jeep tractors.

For the record I have not used either persons product or services yet.

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Got Sheep?

2005 Jeep Liberty CRD 271'000+ KM's, ORM, Muffler Delete, MOROSO oil/air separator unit, 1000 CA battery, ARB Bull bumper, OME coils/shocks 2" lift. Custom BushRoo roof rack & Bush Joey hitch rack. Mobil1-301 oil filter & Mobil 1 DELVAC ESP 0W40 Full Synthetic oil, custom rear hatch cargo rack. RACOR 245 filterhead