A fun game for all the family: Name That Air Leak

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:46 am

casm wrote:

GordnadoCRD wrote:

well, without seeing it and hearing it for myself, I have no idea where to look.

Oh, believe me, that's understood. Don't mean to sound unappreciative for the help; I completely get what it's like to try to track down an issue by keyboard from great distance. If I'm sounding frustrated right now, it's with the Jeep, not you (or anyone else here).

Quote:

What did you do to piss her off so bad? Cheap out on the honeymoon? Forget to get her an anniversary gift?

Yeah, I don't get it either. This has been one of the most needy vehicles I've ever owned, and it's not even close to living up to the promise of what it should be. I'm going to keep plugging away at it for the time being, but there's only so much I'm willing to put up with.

Just curious, where are you located, your signature does not say... :?:

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2018 1:20 pm

About the only thing left... You're not gonna like it...

Pull the intercooler and have it pressure tested.
Perhaps the driver side end cap is loose or cracked, or even a core tube leaking would make the air-leak sound.

casm · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:05 pm **Posts:** 694

GordnadoCRD wrote:

About the only thing left... You're not gonna like it...

Pull the intercooler and have it pressure tested.
Perhaps the driver side end cap is loose or cracked, or even a core tube leaking would make the air-leak sound.

This is the part where I scream that I want to remain in denial as to that possibility. But I agree: it definitely is one. Ugh.

I've just ordered a replacement brake booster check valve and grommet. That plus the intake adapter gasket will be my first avenues of attack; after that, I'll try to kick myself into having the enthusiasm to pull the intercooler.

casm · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:05 pm **Posts:** 694

WWDiesel wrote:

Just curious, where are you located, your signature does not say... :?:

Oklahoma.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:18 pm

casm wrote:

WWDiesel wrote:

Just curious, where are you located, your signature does not say... :?:

Oklahoma.

Thanks, if you were closer I could try and help you with your diagnosis. :roll:

If there are any LOST members close by who are proficient in diagnosing Jeep CRD problems, maybe they could offer to help?

casm · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:05 pm **Posts:** 694

WWDiesel wrote:

Thanks, if you were closer I could try and help you with your diagnosis. :roll:

Distance definitely does not help, but the sentiment is appreciated

Quote:

If there are any LOST members close by who are proficient in diagnosing Jeep CRD problems, maybe they could offer to help?

I would certainly welcome the assistance, and will be more than happy to provide the beer while we get it figured out.

Pulling the intercooler to test has some logistical issues surrounding it - mainly, time. My work schedule (which is both 24/7 and unpredictable as to how late or early I'm there) mean that it's going to have to be pulled at a weekend, taken for testing during the week, then reassembled on the following weekend. This puts the Jeep down for an entire week, which means I'm driving the project car during that time. It's not unfeasible to do this, but if I have any emergencies at work during the time I can disassemble or reassemble the Jeep, it could end up turning into an indefinite-length project while I deal with those problems.

I'm going to call a few diesel shops in the area next week and see if I can't get it in to one of them for testing while the intercooler is still in place. At least the inlet and outlet are accessible without having to pull anything, so hopefully one of them can do it without me having to bring it to them.

casm · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:05 pm **Posts:** 694

Well, I think I may have found the source of the leak. I'll know more when the KJ cools down enough for me to shove my hands back into the engine compartment, but I've got a code P0299, limp mode, and lots of soot under hard acceleration. My suspicion is a shot intercooler hose or hoses.

I did replace the CRD airbox with one from a 2002 V6 this morning. It ran fine for a couple of hours after that, so suspect it's probably not the Mercedes sensor being flaky. However, the high-pitched squeal between 1800 and 2300rpm has turned to a much quieter farting noise and there's no power at all when it's in gear. Can rev the daylights out of it in park or neutral, though.

I'd love to be able to say that the brute intake power of the V6 airbox finally overcame the hoses, but the reality is that they've been oil-soaked for a very long time and probably just decided to rot out today. They have been getting a fair amount of jostling with fan clutch replacement and fan shroud modification, so were likely finally just pushed over the edge.

casm · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:05 pm **Posts:** 694

Looks like the problem is solved. Summary: both intercooler hoses were shot to varying degrees, and the upper clamp holding the hose between the elbow and intake adapter on the Weeks Kit may be backing out over time.

Checked the intercooler hoses last weekend. Found evidence of an oil leak at the intercooler end of the turbo-to-intercooler hose, and another oil leak nearer to the bottom of the intercooler-to-intake hose. Ordered a set of Samcos; they arrived and were installed today.

After pulling both hoses, there was a crack in the underside of the turbo-to-intercooler hose at approximately the point where the hose would flex at the intercooler pipe. This was hidden under the rubber collar that originally held the protective (uh, sure) braiding down, but oil was still able to seep past it. On the intercooler-to-intake side, the hose appeared to have rubbed itself open on the lower radiator hose. I'll add some protective padding to that as well as a couple of other spots that could use it just to be on the safe side.

Re: the Weeks Kit clamp: not sure what was going on there, but when I pulled the intercooler-to-intake hose, I left the elbow in place. A couple of minutes later, it plus the hose to the intake adapter had fallen off as a unit. They had been retightened recently, but the clamp was moving moderately freely around the hose to the intake adapter. Maybe I had a brain fart, loosened it, and missed doing a double-check on it... But I'm not totally sure.

Either way, everything has been clamped, re-clamped, and checked for proper clamping again, and ran very solidly over a 12-mile test drive. The 1800-to-2300rpm air leak noise is gone; all I'm hearing is turbo whistle, which is expected. WOT still produces soot like crazy, but that may just be a CRD thing.

I'll do a freeway test tomorrow so that I can run it above 55mph, but first impressions are favourable. It's much better than it has been in quite some time, but I am going to carry a 10mm socket and relevant extensions for the next few days just in case.

Next up: making a bracket, picking up some hoses and a valve, and getting the Provent installed that's been sitting here since January.

A fun game for all the family: Name That Air Leak

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