Starting gremlins

dntlkbak · **Posted:** Thu Mar 15, 2018 8:29 am

My 2006 Liberty has thrown me a new curve ball, at any given time with no definite pattern I will go to start it and it will fire up fairly quickly, then sometimes it will take a lot more cranking before it fires up (more than it should). I thought originally air in fuel, but you would think if it was air it would be hard to start at all times. Ideas? Thanks.

APC9199 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 15, 2018 8:53 am

Could be any number of things. Start with the easy ones. Pump the primer on the fuel filter head and see if you get a decent amount of air when you open the bleeder. I assume you have no lift pump? Do you have the updated fuel filter head? Air in the fuel is the most likely cause and has been discussed countless times here.

Your problem could be anything from a bad sensor to a failing injector and many many things in between, so get us some more information and we'll help you track it down.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Thu Mar 15, 2018 12:51 pm

I've seen some only suck enough air to matter when the weather was colder.

APC9199 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:59 pm

Mountainman wrote:

I've seen some only suck enough air to matter when the weather was colder.

Good point. This can be especially true when running an old, potentially clogged, fuel filter. If it hasn't been done recently, the OP may want to change that as well.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 16, 2018 7:35 am

dntlkbak wrote:

My 2006 Liberty has thrown me a new curve ball, at any given time with no definite pattern I will go to start it and it will fire up fairly quickly, then sometimes it will take a lot more cranking before it fires up (more than it should). I thought originally air in fuel, but you would think if it was air it would be hard to start at all times. Ideas? Thanks.

It cold up there in Canada, right?
Maybe the problem is the glow plugs?

During these hard to start moments, is there white smoke pouring out the exhaust?
That could be a clue.

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Fri Mar 16, 2018 11:41 am

Lacking an in-tank lift pump, the increased viscosity of cold diesel makes any air-incursion problem WAY worse, as well as one that can come and go.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Mar 16, 2018 12:11 pm

ALL air in fuel problems can be simply solved forever by adding an in-tank fuel pump.
One of the very best mods that can be done to a Jeep CRD along with EGR removal!

:SOMBRERO:

dntlkbak · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2018 1:23 am

Thanks for the replies. Some more info on my part. My Jeep is all stock except when I replaced the engine a few years ago I installed a weeks kit and removed the egr and all the stuff that goes with it. I don’t have an inline pump or the upgraded fuel head but they are on my to do list. I also installed new Etecno plugs when I had the engine out but they do nothing in this part of the world, I am going to try new Bosch 5v plugs. When I plug in my block heater which is pretty much every hour the engine is off for our 6 month winter, the block heater will heat the engine right up as long as there is no wind blowing through it. They say the old style filter heads crack and leak air but there is no fuel seepage to be found?

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2018 2:27 am

The goblin problem is not fuel getting out... that would be easy to see. The problem is air getting in, and introducing an invisible compressability factor to the high pressure fuel rail and injectors. Putting the fuel from the tank to the CP3 under slight pressure (lift pump) eliminates that possibility. It will also reveal any fuel leak large enough to allow fuel out. Otherwise it simply prevents all air incursion problems from any source.

Regarding glow plugs.. I briefly was irritated by the 7V Etecno1s. Then installed a set of 5V etecno1s (with stock 7v programming). Turn key on, wait till dinging stops, crank about 4-5 seconds till engine starts, let idle in neutral for a minute or so while I get my belt on, etc. Drive off like normal. No problem, no drama. (Have not used them below -15F) I have never used the block heater. It appears to have never been used.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:32 am

If you add a lift pump, the best choice is an in-tank pump. It puts the entire system under pressure from inside the fuel tank all the way to the CP3 injection pump.
Any leaks on the system will become self evident very quickly. Air ingestion can never happen again!
Also the OEM fittings are designed for positive pressure, not vacuum, and should have never been used on a non-pressurized system as they did from the factory. :roll:

If you simply add an in-line pump as some have done and will work, any leaks on the suction side of an in-line pump or any of the hoses can still suck air into the fuel system.
If you go with just an in-line pump, be sure and replace all the OEM hose & connections with good quality diesel fuel hose and use clamps on all fittings to prevent any air inleakage.

There is lots of reading on LOST and some videos on YouTube on how to install the in-tank pump and wire everything up properly.
Sasquatch Parts also sales the intank pump and plug & play wiring kit if you do not want to construct your own *wiring harness.
(*required for either intank or inline pump)

Lots of posts on LOST concerning intank and lift pumps, just do a search... :wink:

Starting gremlins

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