I recently emailed: Ardizzoni Davide <DArdizzoni@vmmotori.it> and asked about part availability.

He responded back with a Detroit Diesel shop in the area. Problem is; I don't think they are aware that we cannot get "engine" parts for the CRD engine. And that the VM shops here only sell Industrial parts. Ardizzonie was also so helpful, that he called me from Italy. Could barely understand him though...

Wonder if we all email them, they will start letting the shops over here sell the engine parts.

http://www.grahampowerusa.com/ is also checking to see if they can start selling the automotive parts. Said, they have been getting hit up from people looking for parts.

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"Never mind the maneuvers, go straight at "em," Lord Horatio Nelson

2005 Jeep Liberty CRD

Excellent! This is good news.

They need to know that what we want is to keep our CRD engines running for as long as the engine will let us.

What we need is readily available replacement parts, ...... not procured from extortionists.

And that a long lasting CRD will speak volumes to the industry, while making us all happy.

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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"

e-mail sent.

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2005 Limited CRD

just talked to Doug at Moparonlineparts.com, it appears they can get parts for the engines. Pistons, etc...

telling ya...Doug is awesome to work with.

Piston, liberty, w/o sleeve - 2.8l diesel - 2.8L DIESEL
05-06 $372.00

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"Never mind the maneuvers, go straight at "em," Lord Horatio Nelson

2005 Jeep Liberty CRD

That is the price for one piston?

Now THAT is a good example of extortion. I bet if I started an import business and charged ONLY $350 for the same piece that I'd be considered an awesome guy to work with.

You could always hit up Cummins for internal VM diesel parts;

http://www.importgenius.com/importers/c ... arine.html

Yeah AJ, that's what I'm talking about, where's the fair pricing for replacement parts?

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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"

Well after the high cost of shipping from Italy and lack of high demand here in the US that cost is probally justified.Not like they have demand for 10,000 pistons for the US market.Higher the actual demand volume equals cheaper prices.Sadly with only 12,000 or so CRD's in the US there is just not high enough of a demand to get the prices low.One problem you must live with as you have a very rare engine in the US.

Meanwhile new 2.8 CRD engines continue to be delivered to the Ohio plant for installation into Jeeps destined out of the country. Same basic engine model is also used in boats and heavy machinery in this country, as well as around the world. So it's not as if parts aren't being produced for this line of engine.

High cost of shipping? The average shipping rate during first quarter of 2010 for a 40 foot ocean going container between two ports across the ocean was about $3000.00. How many pistons, crankshafts, valves, thermostats, oil pumps, etc etc fit into a 40 foot container?

Supply and demand? Sure, I'll buy into that, but what about goodwill and word-of-mouth and repeat sales?

Chrysler Jeep is selling every 2.8L VM CRD they import to Australia (before the boat has left the US). JK CRD and JKU CRD orders are backed up six months. And you know what, GDE is now got their software running in the JK CRDs in Australia. The JK guys are raving about it.

Too many people in the supply chain taking a piece of the pie, or manufacturer elevated prices, or DC wanting to recoup costs?

We may never know the real reason why the cost of replacement CRD VM Motori parts in the US is so high.

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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"

Based on everything I read, Jeep sold 15,000 CRDs in the 2005 model year alone. If you add the 2006 models, there were easily 20,000 or more of these things put on the road here in the States. With the average CRD sitting at 75,000 odometer miles now, parts for these are going to start increasing in demand with each passing month. How can Jeep ignore 20,000+ products that are starting to need replacement parts? Surely there will be some more availability for this stuff in the next few years. Surely...

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2005 Stone White KJ Limited CRD 4x4
Off-Road Pkg
Trac-Lok
Emu 790s/948s
Skyjacker H7088s rear/Bilsteins front
15x7 Black Rock Lobos/31x10.50 Firestones
GDE HOT Tune + TCM Tune
Euro TC
CB radio
Thrush Turbo muffler
AEM DryFlow filter

The company that built our vehicles was Daimler-Chrysler, owners of the Jeep brand. That company is bankrupt and out of business.

The market for the parts is undeniable, but asking Jeep to start re-supplying in parts for an engine that the current owners of the brand haven't ever sold... Would be like asking Best Buy to offer replacement parts for your outdoor fencing. They didn't sell it, they see no reason to start to support it. The ONLY possibility is if the current owners of Jeep (Chrysler-Fiat) decide to resupply out of a sense of good customer service and PR. The public relations nightmare for them would be the widespread view of their current or future customers that there won't be any after-the-sale support.

Ignoring the fact that that is EXACTLY what they have done to us already.

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Proud supporting vendor of LOST Jeeps
TRAVELING CRD TECH. I come to you!
Need help? Just ask! I've taken it apart more than most.
Email jeep [at] maincomputer [dot] com - BOARD MESSAGING IS BROKEN
Over 225 CRDs currently driving with my valves, timing belt, rockers, or ARP Studs.
Bad noises = REALLY bad things.

The total number for US consumption was a topic back in the latter part of 06 when production of US CRD KJ ended.

The number that was most often arrived was 14,000 of which 11,000 were 05's. The 11,000 05 number was pretty certain, publised or something, number.

There's been a good number scrapped in the 5 years since so it's a good possibility we're down to 10,000 dwindling

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Atlantic Blue 06 CRD Limited (his)
Joined by a 2000 XJ Classic (hers)

Most of our CRD are already, or soon coming off warranty, which means there is no need to rely on a dysfunctional dealer network that can't even properly repair these vehicles. But the manufacturer of the engine is very much in business and can probably increase its profits by making available (at reasonable cost) replacement parts for vehicles with high mileage are frequently in need of service and more prone to breakdowns.

Totally agree. What we need to focus on is convincing VM of that fact, and also the fact that our OTHER distribution network (Detroit Diesel) doesn't believe that they can get the proper parts ordered. I have personally visited 3 different DD shops (one of which I was sent to by Diana Dupue, the USA VM Rep in Detroit) and was sent away from all three with nothing. One even told me "Our tools are too large to fit an engine like that"

Until and unless VM decides to say something OTHER than "You can get these parts through the Jeep dealer network" (As I was also told by Diana) I don't know how we can get the engine parts. Does anyone know if our engine is the exact same as the VM marine / generator engine? IIRC, the number for that engine is the VM428, but I don't know anything else about it. Does it have the same parts? Specs seem to match from the number (4 cyl, 2.8 liter) but that doesn't mean anything will bolt up.

_________________
Proud supporting vendor of LOST Jeeps
TRAVELING CRD TECH. I come to you!
Need help? Just ask! I've taken it apart more than most.
Email jeep [at] maincomputer [dot] com - BOARD MESSAGING IS BROKEN
Over 225 CRDs currently driving with my valves, timing belt, rockers, or ARP Studs.
Bad noises = REALLY bad things.

The parts are pretty much unique to the KJ engine.

The differences between industrial engine and auto engine are great: the marine/industrial engine is two-valve overhead valve, the auto engine is 4-valve DOHC. Up until KJ, the engines at least were all a tunnel-block design with the same basic concept but with some differences. Starting from the 07MY, the engine was a conventional bedplate design.

The engine starting from JK/KA/KK 2007MY has a completely new piston since, on a diesel, the combustion chamber is in the piston not the head. In this way, every engine family is unique.

Although it usually takes some time to get the parts, availability isn't much of an issue.