SteamDonkey wrote:
Hello all. My ex-wife’s 05 Liberty CRD (107,000 miles and stock.) has recently been making some death rattles and, as her regular mechanic is just not that trustworthy with this rig, she’s asked me to try to figure out the real story with it. Let me just say that it's been awhile since I perused the CRD forums here, and they are as helpful and high quality as I remember. I thank you all for that and I'll continue to keep diving into them for some useful info. But in the meantime....
A few random tidbits to keep in mind 1) This is in Fairbanks, Alaska and it has been butt cold recently; 2) I used to be a diesel wrench but haven’t done much in that regard recently; I am just visiting and don’t have tools or shop easily on hand but I have pretty extensive diesel troubleshooting experience in general; 3) This vehicle has grenaded two turbos, the most recent approximately a year (15k miles more or less) ago; 4) I trust the info coming from the shop in the sense of being in good faith but not in terms of diagnostic logic.
Okay, so the situation. A few weeks ago, prior to a major cold snap, jeepy started blowing tons of black smoke with a significant loss in power, especially on hills or under load of any kind. When I first drove it, I couldn’t feel or hear any significant turbo spooling. Within a day or so the symptoms were worsening and a hellish low-end sounding knock was developing under load. My worst case fear was, of course, that the turbo had gone again and starved the crank: game over.
I checked the oil and the level was fine with no obvious signs of terror or distress. No fuel or metal in the oil. No CEL on. Pulled the turbo to IC hose and found a light coating of oil but nothing too bad. Turbo itself didn’t look oiled. The shaft however did have some play both side to side and in and out. The ccv looked somewhat weepy and turbo drain line had a nose bleed, but nothing major.
She took it to the shop and the tech told her 1) that he drained 2.5 quarts of oil from the IC. 2) That restricting the CCV out hose resulted in major pressure build in the case. 3) He did not load gauge the boost pressure but was confident it was developing at least a reasonable amount, judging by oil being pushed into the IC. 4) There was a good deal of air in the fuel system around the filter housing, which he purged. His conclusion: the rings are shot from a prior turbo episode and the engine has hellish blowby. Engine needs a rebuild.
I don’t buy it and am trying to scrap together some way of leak down testing the cylinders myself. My reasoning is 1) How the heck would it be blasting that much oil through the cylinders and into the IC and yet have lost zero oil in the 2.5 months since the last oil change (unless the last oil change, at their shop, resulted in a massive overfill.)? 2) The smoke, and there is shtons of it, smells and looks more like poor combustion soot than burnt oil to me.
Tried to drive it home from the shop and it wouldn’t go. Started fine, no knocking, revved okay albeit with unchanged smoke, turbo sounded more active, but wouldn’t develop enough power to go any faster than 10 mph on a level street. Drove it back and parked until I can tow it. This could, though be a red herring in that it was about -20 and the jeep had been sitting outside all afternoon. Felt almost like a limp mode.
Yes, I know, comp or leak down test will be required to get to the bottom of the ring or valve condition. Boost gauge under load will tell me if the turbo is doing its job. Working on it, but no one local really wants to touch these with a ten foot pole.
Anyone have any useful ideas, tips, a spare Liberty geek hiding under a snowdrift in Fairbanks? Am I right in being baffled at the idea that a turbo engine not losing any oil somehow has massive blow by? Could it all be none of the above and just air in the fuel line + normal winter coking around valves and rings (it happens up here.)? Ex is totally over the rig, and I don't blame her. But we need to know what it's worth before passing it on or driving off a cliff and getting her a Subaru.
Thanks, and thanks again for the forums.
Have you checked both CAC hoses for splits or tears?
They often split underneath...you need to pull them both off and check for splits....symptoms are no power and blowing tons of smoke.
Also check the hose from the air-filter box to the turbo...hose has a habit of tearing at the point of connecting to the turbo.
Try get some codes extracted!
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