Just bought my CRD!!

chillmobil · **Joined:** Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:46 pm **Posts:** 34

Hi,

I have been following this forum for some time now. I am happy to report I finally picked up my CRD yesterday. It has 124,000 km (77,500 miles) and runs like a top. Picking it up involved a beautiful 565 km (350 miles) drive through British Columbia and our beautiful mountain scenery. I paid $12,500 CDN for the vehicle.

Using the top of tank to top of tank method, I averaged 29.56 MPG on the inaugural ride! Not bad! I think the unit is stock and has had no modifications yet. I read the NEWB guide and plan on installing the Salco Hoses and hopefully a GDE EcoTune in due time.

The vehicle pulls slightly to the right which could be tires? Also, going in straight line, the steering is slightly in the half past noon position. I hope new tires and wheel alignment will rectify this. Anyone have any experience with that?

Also, the front lighter plug has a short. At first I thought the problem was only the fuse. During a fueling break, I used the 20 Amp fuse from the back plug to try and replace the one from the front and proceeded to send sparks and fry that fuse as well. Anyone ever deal with a shorted lighter plug?

Apart from that, I'm in love with the vehicle. I got the light blue model with grey plastic trim all over.

Thanks for the wonderful forum.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:18 pm

Howdy - Welcome to LOST

I'd be cautious on the short - no one's mentioned a shorted lighter plug - however sometimes original owners - add extras - amp's - speakers - phones - stuff - and don't always wire it correctly - so I'd carefully check the harness under the dash.

other issue - you don't mention 05 or 06 - but on 06's they moved some wiring under the hood to make way for the ESC pump - an there have been some shorts in the area (I think close to the fuel head - not sure)

ChesterCRD · **Posted:** Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:55 pm

I spent about an hour chasing a lighter plug short once that ended up being a dime down in the socket...silly me. Congrats on your new Jeep. Mine still makes me smile most days.

Billwill · **Posted:** Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:05 am

Get your wheel alignment checked and at the time get them to make sure the steering wheel is perfectly straight when they set it up....maybe rotate the tires in the process.
I have had my alignment done perfectly but the steering wheel was still out by a few degrees so I pulled the steering wheel off, moved it one notch on the spline and put it back on again...steering wheel is now perfectly aligned.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Aug 02, 2011 8:31 am

On the 2006 the wiring harness issue is between the firewall and fuel filter head. A tight area that may have sharp corners that need rounding.

Check out http://colorado4wheel.com/manuals/Jeep/KJ/ for Factory Service Manaual "e" copies. NOTE the 2005 copy is missing some diesel info in the "cooling" chapter and does not include the diagnostic manuals that were separate in 2005. The 2006 has the missing info but lacks some of the "legend" information on some illustrations that's in the 2005 manual. Hence get both copies but be cautious about the fluid levels and torque values and some diagnostic codes (ex. P1140 is apparently a Flow Control Valve issue not a boost solenoid issue) as the FSMs have some errors.

ALL - any decent alignment shop should, as a matter of routine, center your steering wheel, as part of an alignment. I don't recall the details, been decades since I did a ground up rebuild, but it's not rocket science. If memory serves once the alignment is done the tie rods need to be equalized. Pulling a steering wheel and reinstalling to center it is not a good idea as it's just tricking the system and can cause a future alignment shop to go nuts trying to do the job right unless they are told the steering wheel has been moved.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Tue Aug 02, 2011 12:34 pm

A competent alignment shop can do the alignment with the right equipment. Setting toe in is easy (simple jig or tape measure), adjusting camber is a little tougher (angle gauge), but adjusting the caster is a PITA with out the right equipment. Having the camber or caster even a little off will cause a bad annoying pull. Therefore, go for the four wheel alignment so you know for sure that nothing is wrong with the rear components like bushings and the big ball joint that is high up in the center. The extra few dollars will give you peace of mind if nothing in the rear is found bad.
If you go for shocks, check the forum for the best Heavy Duty quality so you avoid the Junk like Monroe and their bottom of the barrel competitors. Selling a shock or strut with a 25,000 - 50,000 mile life expectancy like Monroe does should be considered a criminal act with jail time :2cents:

. Some shops like to sell cheap crap to keep their business flowing, when I was in the epair business, I would not sell crap parts, did not like the warranty problems.

Congrats on getting a CRD and go on the slay the Bean Counter Engineering mission with all your Mods and upgrades, then you will have a great Jeep.

Just bought my CRD!!

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