Sell my gasser and get a CRD?

kskj · **Posted:** Thu Dec 16, 2010 12:43 am

Lions back has been closed for a few years so that would be a trick. I own a jeep liberty this is a liberty forum. So why do some of the CRD owners think they are better than the rest of us? Just does not make any sense to me. GDE you surprise me with that comment. A always had respect for you for all the things you do for the CRD folks. But now you are bashing the gassers too? We all drive jeeps and we all love to drive them period.

Pablo · **Joined:** Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:06 pm **Posts:** 1201

I would not do it if I were you. Especially not if you are trying to save money. You are buying someone else's problems when you buy used, especially with the CRD. Not saying the problems are not solvable, as they are, but that costs money. Money that is probably better spent elsewhere.

You need to look at this vehicle as an exotic. Maintenance wise, it is like owning a Lotus or a Ferrari. You cannot hop in it and drive to Timbuk Too and expect that if it breaks down that your local Mr. Mopar is going to be able to fix it. Even if they can, you get to wait while a part is shipped (days, but more likely weeks, months). If the shop screws something up, you could be out a turbo, engine, or both. You have few of these issues with your current gasser.

Right now turbo's are buying the farm at a high rate, and they are taking engines with them. Not to mention the POS glow plugs that take an engine out when they decide to break into little pieces and fall onto your piston (The glow plugs and fuel filter head are such fine examples of BOSCH quality. LOL. ).

If you loose glow plugs you get to wait till Spring to get the vehicle going again, or beg Chrysler to send you one of their back ordered parts that people are waiting on. Oh, by the way you get to replace all 4 glow plugs and a controlling computer as the new ones are not compatible with the old ones. Plus you get to flash your ECM. Joy!

Then you get the joy of chasing down air in the fuel issues. Then you have to replace the EGR and EGR flow control with a new redesigned ones or shut off the thing with a custom tune or SEGR. Then you have to keep the CCV system from putting so much oil in your intake that your CAC hoses rot and blow off. Then you can chase down torque converter/transmission issues if the previous owner did not sort them out. Then you still get to fix window regulators and ball joints like you do with the gasser. I love mine, but this is a beta product, and that is putting it kindly. It is almost as bad as a Range Rover (it is a little more reliable, less fluid leaks from it, and the parts are slightly cheaper).

Plus your current KJ has little resale value, you might as well drive it till it dies and save the money, as you won't make it back on fuel savings at this point.

GreenDieselEngineering · **Joined:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1111

Well, we are big Jeep fans and even bigger fans of diesel technology. We do not recall bashing any powerplant, just stating some of the potential issues that occur on the 2.8 and 3.7l. Each serve their purpose. How does owning one vehicle over another make one person better or less than another? We advocate diesel technology to help boost awareness in the industry...only about 3% of motor vehicles in the US are diesel powered. Outside North Amercia this ratio is vastly different. In the future Chrysler/Jeep/Fiat will have some difficult decisions in order to meet upcoming fuel economy standards. Due the the weight and drivetrain robustness, Jeep will need to amp up their use of diesel or hybrid gas technology in order to meet the fuel economy requirements. Or they will have to sell two Fiats for every Jeep in the product mix.

Granted, the gas engines are easier to work on and the technology is well known. As a consumer, one needs to determine the critical attributes they are looking for in a vehicle and make a purchase decision based on that. Most things in life have an opportunity cost.

OldSkull · **Posted:** Thu Dec 16, 2010 1:21 pm

I have been around industrial Diesel all my life and appreciate the great advantage this propulsion offer but I don’t enjoy the new diesel emission control system and the VM design is not bullet proof. I never like timing belt not even on a gasser and molding an intake and valve cover in one piece is not what I call a “smart” design. Have seen and work with Cat, Cummins, Detroit diesel running 24h/7days every week in transtaner, letroporter, toprack lifter, Ottawa truck, working hard all day long without missing a beat so I can pretend to know a bit about bulletproof design.

VM Motori needs to support their product and offer spare parts in North America, without support our Jeep are “LOST” for good…That why getting better mpg is no longer a argument to buy a CRD. How much cost a brand new short block 3.7L gasser engine compare to a 2.8 diesel? How many VM will past 200,000 miles without an expensive TBO? That’s why we need cheap spare parts to keep our rig on the street.

TJKJ2002 choice of engine swap is probably a good but not easy solution, we already got the 545 RFE tranny in the CRD so a 4,7L can be a cheaper and easier solution instead of replacing an $8000 VM engine short block.

For all this reason you better kept the gasser, parts are cheap and finding a good mechanic to work on is not “Impossible” …..We are lucky to got Warp, Ranger1, Joe, Tom, GDE and lot of others good fellow here adding waters to the wheel to keep thing spinning......Thank you guys :wink:

Sell my gasser and get a CRD?

Who is online