About to buy a CRD, What to look out for.

Army Ranger · **Posted:** Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:46 pm

I am in the market looking for a KJ CRD. I have found a couple that look good and are in my price range. I have read on this forum quite a bit before I considered buying a CRD KJ. I have read the noob guide, and all the threads I could find on EGR/ORM mods, CCV/EHM mods, and timing belt replacement.

My question for this great forum is: What little stuff wears out and drives you nuts? What wears out and would go unnoticed? (<- bargaining point) Is there any random issues with sunroofs, or the fancy Navigation unit, etc? What key info do I need to have before going to look at a CRD KJ?

This is the one I am considering:
Do any of you see anything obviously wrong with this CRD KJ? Is the price acceptable? It has 159k miles on it, timing belt changed at 100k (so he says over the phone)
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/cto/4083622042.html

geordi · **Posted:** Sat Oct 05, 2013 9:10 pm

Biggest thing to watch out for:

four tires - above and between which reside a Chrysler product that contains an Italian motor. Dangerous.
For everything mechanical to watch for, this forum is a wealth of data about this.

The ad you posted doesn't have anything "obviously" wrong with it, because it has precious little information about the CRD period. This is neither a good or a bad thing, it just means there is not enough information to make an accurate assessment over the internet. Please drive it and ask specific questions of us when you can describe how it looks and performs beyond what the images show. We will be happy to assist with more information.

Be cautious and only enter one of these vehicles with eyes fully opened about them.

Drewd · **Joined:** Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:24 pm **Posts:** 902

I would only buy from a current or former MTP. I happen to know one who might be selling his CRD cheap.
CH47 jockies get extra discount, AH64ers get charged double, Crashhawk jocks pay regular price, Kiowa warriors only allowed to purchase a smart car which has same cramped interior.

thermorex · **Posted:** Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:12 pm

Ranger,

Price doesn't seem bad and the jeep looks really nice. But what scares me a little is the mileage with all that egr... I didn't see if it has a gde tune on it. What I'd say you should do to it if you buy it: First a gde tune (600 I think) - it stops the egr use and gives you better power, torque and mileage, take the valve cover out and replace the rockers (440-ish I think from id parts) - this for your peace of mind since there are lots of issues with them due to egr (that's what I suspect at least), I'd replace the timing belt too (less than 100 id parts), metalic etechno glow plugs (160-ish id parts) - if ceramic breaks (stock has ceramic glows), piston hits it and can break the valve, clean valve cover from all that egr gunk. Also some arp studs would be great since they hold the head better. Make sure you check the turbo play.

Buy the crd only if you are willing to do the maintenance and work on your own, otherwise you'll spend a fortune on labor, this crds are very finicky, but if you keep an eye out regularly for issues and fix them, it's a great car. You'd be better with a Cherokee in terms of maintenance/reliability/costs though.

Good luck!

Army Ranger · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 12:05 am

Drewd wrote:

I would only buy from a current or former MTP. I happen to know one who might be selling his CRD cheap.
CH47 jockies get extra discount, AH64ers get charged double, Crashhawk jocks pay regular price, Kiowa warriors only allowed to purchase a smart car which has same cramped interior.

Well I am ready to buy if you are ready to sell! I am avionics so I am everyone's best friend so I must get the extra low price, huh? In my avatar picture I am crewing a 47, but I had my share of crew duties on Blackhawks too.

Army Ranger · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 12:23 am

thermorex wrote:

Ranger,

Price doesn't seem bad and the jeep looks really nice. But what scares me a little is the mileage with all that egr... I didn't see if it has a gde tune on it. What I'd say you should do to it if you buy it: First a gde tune (600 I think) - it stops the egr use and gives you better power, torque and mileage, take the valve cover out and replace the rockers (440-ish I think from id parts) - this for your peace of mind since there are lots of issues with them due to egr (that's what I suspect at least), I'd replace the timing belt too (less than 100 id parts), metalic etechno glow plugs (160-ish id parts) - if ceramic breaks (stock has ceramic glows), piston hits it and can break the valve, clean valve cover from all that egr gunk. Also some arp studs would be great since they hold the head better. Make sure you check the turbo play...

I know it doesn't have a tune, I talked to the guy and he has always had all work done by the dealer, including an EGR replacement 2 weeks ago. He told me the timing belt was changed at 100k would you recommend doing it again if I purchase it?
Any CRD I purchase will get a GDE tune straight away and eventually cleaned intake, rockers, glow plugs, etc.

arengant · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:28 pm

It's a good price but expect to do some work that could add extra cost.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:58 pm

A little advise, after recently purchasing an 05 and speaking from my experience; this is not a cheap used vehicle to get into. As geordi stated, anything and everything can be problematic. First and foremost is timing belt status, block off EGR, remove CCV out of turbo intake boot, and open up exhaust by removing CAT and adding free flowing muffler like a Fowmaster or one of the other high flow brands. (If your locale does require an emissions inspection, then you may have to keep the CAT I think) These are the items related to just the diesel motor along with a several others not listed. This list has a wealth of information and I wish I had found and read it before I bought a CRD, I would have asked a whole lot more questions before buying. As for the rest of the truck, all other items are and can be normal wear items just like any other vehicle..
Good luck and be careful... :2cents:

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:59 pm

Seems a reasonable price and since you've apparently read a lot of the forum, including I presume the NOOB guide, you know what you are getting.

Comments:
1. if might be the light/angle but looks like there is a dent on right side passenger door near the front edge under the chrome trim strip.
2. I wouldn't trust anyone, other than perhaps a forum member, who told me the TB job had been done at XX miles. Mantra should be trust but verify and verification should be easy since the dealer did it then they would have logged it into the vehicle service record by VIN. Would be good to get a complete dump of that info.
3. assuming the belt was done you can safely keep it on there until 200K miles or ca. 6 years after the belt was changed whichever comes first.
4. with the right scan tool there is a reading you can pull, MAF I think, that will give you an idea of rocker condition. Alternatively pop the CAC hose at the lower end on the driver's side; crank up and at idle hold a $1 bill in front of where the hose was attached. If it's sucked to the intake that's good but if if flutters you have a leaky valve which probably means rockers should be replaced ASAP.
5. invoke the instrument cluster test by holding the trip odometer button while turning the ignition on. It will cycle through all bulbs and gauges. Do this to make sure none of the bulbs have been "disabled" or burned out. There have been some disabled CEL lights reported from time to time.

thermorex · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 5:55 pm

Army Ranger wrote:

I know it doesn't have a tune, I talked to the guy and he has always had all work done by the dealer, including an EGR replacement 2 weeks ago. He told me the timing belt was changed at 100k would you recommend doing it again if I purchase it?
Any CRD I purchase will get a GDE tune straight away and eventually cleaned intake, rockers, glow plugs, etc.

Since you said you'll clean the valve cover, for an extra 100, you could also replace the tb, you're there anyways. But that's not necessary if the existing timing belt is good. I am replacing mine at 60k, but that is a personal preference based on European crd maintenance schedule. At 100k, the belt has at best tiny cracks in between the teeth, imo 100k is a little too much to wait for a tb replacement. If you choose 60k for tb replacement, then every 2 belts you also replace the water pump. For somebody that's doing his own maintenance/labor, that's not a big deal, for a person that pays somebody else, This can add some extra expenses indeed...

Drewd · **Joined:** Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:24 pm **Posts:** 902

I would pass on it if owner

--used 0w-40
--used extended oil change interval >7500 miles (5k ok)
--Didn't install a Provent CCV or elephant hose mod
--Didn't have a lift pump installed
--Didn't have a 2nd gen OEM or Racor 245 fuel head installed
-- If only timing belt was replaced and rollers, water pump, idlers were not replaced
-- Didn't have a GDE tune on it for majority of mileage
-- Previous owner didn't believe in turbo cooldowns
-

joelukex4 · **Joined:** Thu Sep 29, 2011 4:54 pm **Posts:** 386

It does appear to have a dent on the right passenger door. Also expect the driver seat to be highly worn. They tend to crack severely on the vinyl panels, especially from heavy sun areas like Arizona.

Army Ranger · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 11:18 pm

All of you have put some great information into this thread and I sincerely appreciate it, as will many others reading this after me. Thank You.

I just so happened to check Craigslist while I was out today and found a CRD KJ for sale 10 minutes from where I was! Black, 05 Limited, 145k, $7300, one owner, ordered it as soon as he heard Chrysler was going to make them. So it was one of the first to roll off the assembly line.

Armed with some of the new info in this thread I asked lots of questions and got good answers. Timing belt was done at approx. 70-80k so it needs a new one (in my opinion). I had read about the fuel filter head problems and how to recognize a replaced one, it was a new one, I figured it would be. I also read about the intake hose cracking and leaking (near the turbo?), I could not see/feel any leak, but there was a ton of soot all over the intake hose. Not sure about that? Also right on top of the radiator support was a big sticker that said something like "F37 update blah, blah, blah" no surprise there.

Something that caught my attention was that he just had the transmission rebuilt this past spring. He said "it was acting up so I took it to AAMCO, they said it needed to be rebuilt so I got it done. I comes with a warranty that's transferable..."

On the test drive I tried every function on the Jeep I could think of, no weird sounds, vibrations, nothing, so it seems ok. Here is the link to the ad.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/cto/4110049714.html

Army Ranger · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 11:30 pm

Drewd wrote:

I would pass on it if owner

--used 0w-40
--used extended oil change interval >7500 miles (5k ok)
--Didn't install a Provent CCV or elephant hose mod
--Didn't have a lift pump installed
--Didn't have a 2nd gen OEM or Racor 245 fuel head installed
-- If only timing belt was replaced and rollers, water pump, idlers were not replaced
-- Didn't have a GDE tune on it for majority of mileage
-- Previous owner didn't believe in turbo cooldowns
-

Well in that case I don't know if I can buy one. Every owner I have ever talked to says the same things, "I always take it to the dealership for all the maintenance, I just follow whatever the owners manual says, I don't tinker with any of that car stuff". No tune, no EHM, no lift pump, 100% stock as it came from the factory, etc. So what should I do? It seems most people just buy a.car, fill it with fuel, change the oil, and take it to the mechanic when something is wrong. For the record I am not most people, if something works I strive to make it better, fix it myself, fix it right the first time, and do my research before any decision is made.

arengant · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:31 am

Army Ranger wrote:

All of you have put some great information into tthis thread and I sincerely appreciate it, as will many others reading this after me. Thank You.

I just so happened to check Craigslist while I was out today and found a CRD KJ for sale 10 minutes from where I was! Black, 05 Limited, 145k, $7300, one owner, ordered it as soon as he heard Chrysler was going to make them. So it was one of the first to roll off the assembly line.

Armed with some of the new info in this thread I asked lots of questions and got good answers. Timing belt was done at approx. 70-80k so it needs a new one (in my opinion). I had read about the fuel filter head problems and how to recognize a replaced one, it was a new one, I figured it would be. I also read about the intake hose cracking and leaking (near the turbo?), I could not see/feel any leak, but there was a ton of soot all over the intake hose. Not sure about that? Also right on top of the radiator support was a big sticker that said something like "F37 update blah, blah, blah" no surprise there.

Something that caught my attention was that he just had the transmission rebuilt this past spring. He said "it was acting up so I took it to AAMCO, they said it needed to be rebuilt so I got it done. I comes with a warranty that's transferable..."

On the test drive I tried every function on the Jeep I could think of, no weird sounds, vibrations, nothing, so it seems ok. Here is the link to the ad.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/cto/4110049714.html

The test drive is more important than specs on paper.

Buy, do some maintenance, save some money in case something goes wrong, and enjoy. Like you said it is rare to find one for sale that has the mods listed above.

Nothing that can't be fixed

badassjeep · **Joined:** Tue May 10, 2011 9:18 am **Posts:** 66

Good to see another local member in the area.

I watched craigslist for a while but ended up buying a low mile 05 sport 2 years ago. It only had 43K miles and was a one owner so I had 27k and a little over two years of the warranty left. I paid more than all the CRDs with 100k on them I had looked at.
I tuned mine the second week I had it and glad I did with all the worn rockers and egr problems I read in here. From time to time I still see some low mileage CRD for sale locally, but expect to pay over 10k.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 10:01 pm

The problem you're going to have is even if someone maintained it - by the book - to the letter it's not enough

Chrysler's maintenance program didn't fix Chrysler's designed in problems with the CCV and EGR.

so the CCV will have loaded the intake manifold with oil -

the EGR will have baked that on and will also have loaded the oil with carbon that grinds the rocker arm bearings

so stock maintained by the book - will probably need the rocker arms changed, the intake manifold cleaned and if you're going that deep into it - I'd add ARB head studs.

The examples you've posted look clean - but even clean - expect to do some engine work.

arengant · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 10:07 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

The problem you're going to have is even if someone maintained it - by the book - to the letter it's not enough

Chrysler's maintenance program didn't fix Chrysler's designed in problems with the CCV and EGR.

so the CCV will have loaded the intake manifold with oil -

the EGR will have baked that on and will also have loaded the oil with carbon that grinds the rocker arm bearings

so stock maintained by the book - will probably need the rocker arms changed, the intake manifold cleaned and if you're going that deep into it - I'd add ARB head studs.

The examples you've posted look clean - but even clean - expect to do some engine work.

So is all that worth the 7k price tag instead of 10k? It would be for me if it wasn't my daily driver.

Army Ranger · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 10:28 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

The problem you're going to have is even if someone maintained it - by the book - to the letter it's not enough

Chrysler's maintenance program didn't fix chryslers designed in problems with the CCV and EGR.

so the CCV will have loaded the intake manifold with oil -

the EGR will have baked that on and will also have loaded the oil with carbon that grinds the rocker arm bearings

so stock maintained by the book - will probably need the rocker arms changed, the intake manifold cleaned and if you're going that deep into it - I'd add ARB head studs.

The examples you've posted look clean - but even clean - expect to do some engine work.

Great info. Engine work is no problem. I had planned on cleaning the intake and fixing the CCV, EGR immediately. I was even going to unplug the MAF before I drove it home! Will the rockers be exposed (ready to remove) with the intake manifold off? Where is the best place to buy new rockers and ARP head studs for the engine? I am selling my truck to buy the Jeep and I should have a little bit of extra cash after the purchase of the Jeep to do SOME fixes. Any idea how much I need to spend right off the bat?
My priority list is as follows:
ORM
EHM
GDE tune
Timing belt
Clean intake
Rockers

What do you guys think? Is that the correct priority list?

Army Ranger · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 10:42 pm

arengant wrote:

...So is all that worth the 7k price tag instead of 10k? It would be for me if it wasn't my daily driver.

What are you saying? I plan on the Jeep being my daily driver, should I not? Do you mean not if it is my only vehicle because it will be undrivable for a couple of days while I'm working on it? I also have an old 92 Ranger I am daily driving until I sell my "nice" Ranger. Yeah, I got a couple of them...

About to buy a CRD, What to look out for.

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