CRD Buyers Guide

iathon · **Joined:** Mon Aug 19, 2013 1:14 pm **Posts:** 10

Hello All,

So I have been doing a lot of research on the CRD's and have decided to purchase one as i have started to test drive some and read up more I was wondering if there was already a post on a buyers guide or waht to look for. My plan is once i find one that seems decent is to take it to a diesel mechanic to give it a check through before the purchase. So what I am wondering is what things to really look at before I purchase the vehicle or certain test drive things i can do to get an idea of what I am getting into.

PS. I have read the NOOB Guide

Thanks for the help

Hans

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 19, 2013 2:30 pm

There are posts out there but here are some thoughts in addition to reading the NOOB guide:
1. if you can get one from a member for a decent price it's better that getting one from a non-member
2. documentation of use of the proper fluids (ATF+4, HOAT antifreeze, good diesel oil) and appropriate fluid change intervals. I wouldn't think much of a vehicle with oil change intervals longer than about 6K mile for example.
3. documentation of any timing belt work, not "well my mechanic checked it and it's ok". Frankly if it's not been done because of low mileage on the vehicle I'd figure on doing it anyway just because of age on the rubber/kevlar belt in which case you can likely do just the belt. If it's around 100k miles and the belt has not been done it needs the serp belt, timing belt, idlers, tensioner and maybe water pump so factor that cost in negotiations.
4. a disabled EGR is good even if it's just an unplugged MAF but GDE tune is better and the earlier in the vehicle life the better. Absent that an EHM or provent is helpful.
5. inspect CAC hoses for soggy with oil, installed Samcos would be good, and inspect airbox to turbo hose for tear just in front of turbo (on reinstall be sure upper end of hose touches MAF sensor before tightening clamp to avoid crushing airbox outlet). While in there check turbo impeller for play should have no more than a hair fore/aft and barely detectable side to side.
6. on cold engine; crank; idle for 10 seconds; stop engine; open radiator cap on coolant tank on firewall; if no pressure then head gasket is probably ok but if pressure likely has a leaky head gasket.
7. remove CAC hose on drivers side from FCV at the engine end. At idle is a piece of paper in front of the FCV sucked toward the engine or does it flutter; the latter suggests blowback due to bad rockers.
8. invoke instrument cluster test (hold odometer button down while switching the ignition on but without starting the engine) to confirm all the cluster lights work and gauges cycle to the appropriate multiple positions.

Other than that the usual brakes, tires, steering, battery, etc that you would check on any used vehicle.

While you might could find a diesel mechanic who will check it out finding a mechanic who knows what to look for is a problem as opposed to looking yourself. I'd strongly recommend you provide your location as there may be a close by forum member that can help.

iathon · **Joined:** Mon Aug 19, 2013 1:14 pm **Posts:** 10

My locations is in Walnut Creek, Ca the bummer is that there is not many CRD's here so that is why it is uper important for me to try and trouble shoot as much as possible before the buy. If anyone has a good diesel mechanic in the are (east bay/bay area let me know).

Thanks,

Hans

dirtmover · **Posted:** Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:29 pm

iathon wrote:

My plan is once i find one that seems decent is to take it to a diesel mechanic to give it a check through before the purchase.

If you need a mechanic to check it over are you sure it's the vehicle for you?

papaindigo wrote:

1. if you can get one from a member for a decent price it's better that getting one from a non-member

Be careful here. Modifications/tampering by an incompetent member may be worse than leaving things stock. IMO, some owners make uninformed decisions to perform a given modification because it happens to be "flavour of the month" at the time. Mods come and go and there are/were a number of mods over the years whose benefits are somewhat dubious. While it's nice to have an informed previous owner I would avoid a vehicle that has been over-modded.

papaindigo wrote:

4. a disabled EGR is good even if it's just an unplugged MAF

If it's been ORMed you'll need to have a code reader to ensure that there are no unexpected codes.

papaindigo wrote:

8. invoke instrument cluster test (hold odometer button down while switching the ignition on but without starting the engine) to confirm all the cluster lights work and gauges cycle to the appropriate multiple positions.

Pay particular attention to ensure the check engine light comes on. There have been at least a couple of cases where it has been "mechanically" disabled by the previous owner. Heck, go armed with a code reader anyway since some codes take a couple of cycles to appear and the owner may have just erased them before you arrived.

iathon · **Joined:** Mon Aug 19, 2013 1:14 pm **Posts:** 10

I am thinking of having amechanic just give a once over regardless of it looking good or not... I have started to do this with every vehicle I buy and the $100 OR SO bucks has prevented alot of lemon purchases over the years. I just know that a good mechanic's checkup also can give me barganing power for anything that is not seen with the naked eye.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Tue Aug 20, 2013 3:21 pm

Yeah, credibility, fair enough.

I was looking at a minivan the other week and the ABS light "had just come on". The owner told me that she'd called the dealer and they'd told her it would cost $90 to fix.

I assured her that 90 bucks was the diagnostic fee and that it would be in the $200-$1500 range to fix, but what would I know :roll:

. It took another call to the dealer to convince her.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Aug 20, 2013 3:53 pm

As a followup to the cluster test comments. Yes there have been situations where a light, usually the CEL, was "fixed" by putting a piece of black electrical tape over it or pulling the instrument cluster and breaking the LED. There have also been cases of an LED simply failing although that's not common. I mention this only because the dealer "fix" is a new instrument cluster for ca. $700+ labor while the much better fix is pull the cluster and spend ca. $2 for a new LED that a good hand with a soldering iron can install. I can provide a how to via email if anyone wishes.

SFHLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Tue Aug 20, 2013 5:35 pm

Very helpful, thanks.

iathon · **Joined:** Mon Aug 19, 2013 1:14 pm **Posts:** 10

So it looks like I might have found my CRD I went and took a look and it seemed pretty solid I still think im going to take it to a mechanic and go through the recommendation from above. Only issue I notice was that with the larger tires it rubs a little when turningHere is the description

"Installed a Racor (all metal) fuel filter housing. Its a commercial grade fuel filter. Transgo shift kit (not installed). trans pan gasket and both transmision filters from napa (not installed) Full synthetic AMS Oil. With there heavy duty oil filter. Brand new front rotors. Went in for a recall on the trailing arm bolts. Has a tow hitch, Kenwood cd player with ipod hook up. magna flow exhaust. Its still quiet. Interior and exterior in great condition. If your looking for a low mileage crd liberty 69k. This is it. Have all the reciepts for the parts bought. Rubicon wheels with wrangler mud terrains. "

THoughts and ideas are welcome, this one seems like it has some of the mods that I was thinking of doing and the racor install looks really clean.

kjjet · **Posted:** Sat Aug 24, 2013 6:54 pm

iathon wrote:

So it looks like I might have found my CRD I went and took a look and it seemed pretty solid I still think im going to take it to a mechanic and go through the recommendation from above. Only issue I notice was that with the larger tires it rubs a little when turningHere is the description

"Installed a Racor (all metal) fuel filter housing. Its a commercial grade fuel filter. Transgo shift kit (not installed). trans pan gasket and both transmision filters from napa (not installed) Full synthetic AMS Oil. With there heavy duty oil filter. Brand new front rotors. Went in for a recall on the trailing arm bolts. Has a tow hitch, Kenwood cd player with ipod hook up. magna flow exhaust. Its still quiet. Interior and exterior in great condition. If your looking for a low mileage crd liberty 69k. This is it. Have all the reciepts for the parts bought. Rubicon wheels with wrangler mud terrains. "

THoughts and ideas are welcome, this one seems like it has some of the mods that I was thinking of doing and the racor install looks really clean.

With only 69k, The timing belt prob has not been changed. It will need done ASAP. We have been seeing aged timing belts ready to snap. EGR must be disabled ASAP to stop it from destroying the inside of the engine. Plan on spending money on these things prior to start driving it regularly.

Good Luck

KJJET

iathon · **Joined:** Mon Aug 19, 2013 1:14 pm **Posts:** 10

so do you really think that I need to change the timing belt even though there's only 69000 miles? also a better question is it a timing chain or timing belt?

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:40 pm

Yes it's a timing belt. As to whether or not it needs changing. The OEM change interval is 100K miles with no months listed. However, these vehicles are now 7-8 years old and my personal opinion, shared by some but not by others, is that a better change interval is 100K miles and about 6-7 years whichever comes first. Can a belt go past 8 years if under 100K miles? certainly and today's timing belts are kevlar reinforced and much better than back in the early days of timing belts when if you didn't change at 65K miles you wouldn't see 70Kmiles. Should a belt be pushed past 8 years if under 100K miles? that's up to you but I will note that reports indicate that belts changed based on time have been found to be "stiff" and often showing some cracking.

You can pop several of the timing belt cover bolts and bend that cover forward toward the radiator enough to get a look at part of the belt, may not tell you much but if it's losing chunks of teeth that will be obvious.

I've already changed stoutdogs belt on his 06 at ca. 52K miles and will shortly, soon as weather cools, change my 05 belt at 49K miles so you know my opinion. It's not a hard job either as DIY or for any competent mechanic (2 cam pins, 1 6mm allen key for flywheel pin, a couple of long allen keys for a simple timing belt tensioner "wrench", and any of several TDI or homemade cam holding tools are about the only "special" tools needed especially if you are not replacing the water pump at this time). The belt is ca. $75 off Amazon (good idea to do Hayden fan clutch and serpentine belt while in there) and that's about all you need as the idler, water pump, and tensioner bearing should be ok although you might want to replace at least the idlers now depending on when you think the next TB job will roll around in terms of miles or time.

kjjet · **Posted:** Sun Aug 25, 2013 9:53 pm

X2 papaindigo. Explained well. My experience is- inspection of the belt is useless, due to you cant see it well enough. Also you cant tell if the belt is becoming brittle and ready to break.

Just change it.

SFHLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Sun Aug 25, 2013 11:12 pm

So should I drive a crd I am purchasing across the country? It has just over 68k. 2400 miles home. GDE tuned.

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

SFHLibertyCRD wrote:

So should I drive a crd I am purchasing across the country? It has just over 68k. 2400 miles home. GDE tuned.

Of course, it will run like a champ.

kjjet · **Posted:** Mon Aug 26, 2013 8:21 am

I sure would. Just don't drive it like a race car. These little engines don't like high RPM.

At your first availability, get the belt changed.

Good luck with your new CRD.

SFHLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Mon Aug 26, 2013 12:30 pm

Thanks to all on this forum. Special thanks to Keith for answering so many of my questions over email. Sometimes reading CRD horror stories makes you think this car will explode around the next corner (which it could, I suppose), so a 2500 mile trip sounds a bit daunting with a car I am not familiar with. Crossing my fingers.

Cheers.

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