First Road Trip in the CRD----------ADDED PICTURES

Taz · **Posted:** Sun Aug 27, 2006 10:07 am

We are headed out to South Dakota to do some sight seeing and we are taking the CRD on its first long road trip. The CRD has about 13,000 miles on it. I just had the oil changed to Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W40, I had been running the Mobil 1 0W40 because the dealer had given me some free oil changes. I also put a new air filter in it before we left. On the first day we traveled from the Twin Cities to Mitchell SD. A couple of things that I noticed. The Speedometer reads pretty comparably to the GPS but the Odometer is a little lower than the GPS about 1/2 mile for every 25 miles traveled. The EVIC says that I am getting 25.5 MPG that's doing between 70 and 75 on the freeway. I went through some construction and had to go 55-60 for about 20 miles and the EVIC registered 27 MPG at the end of the construction. I will do the hand calculation on the next fill up and check the EVIC. So far I have to say that the CRD is a pretty good road trip vehicle. I will post some pics when we get to the somewhere interesting.

BigJim · **Joined:** Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:06 pm **Posts:** 14

Good news to hear on the fuel mileage. Have a Safe Trip

no-blue-screen · **Posted:** Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:28 am

That is what I am running in mine. Let us know how you make out. Also, let us know if you have any oil consumption.

bhysjulien · **Posted:** Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:53 pm

If you find yourself in Spearfish, SD I recommend Roma's. It's an Italian place my wife and I have eaten at several times. The food is very good and the prices aren't bad either. Spearfish Canyon is a gorgeous drive. About halfway through the Canyon is Roughlock Falls. The Falls has a nature trail and a nicely kept picnic area with creek running through it.

KenJennings · **Posted:** Sun Aug 27, 2006 1:00 pm

Taz wrote:

[...] The EVIC says that I am getting 25.5 MPG that's doing between 70 and 75 on the freeway. I went through some construction and had to go 55-60 for about 20 miles and the EVIC registered 27 MPG at the end of the construction. I will do the hand calculation on the next fill up and check the EVIC.

My computer lies. For my normal daily drive it is always 1 or 2 mpg higher than reality. We took a trip in July and the [bleeping] computer said we were getting 30mpg. When I calculated at the next fillup it was just 24.8. Your Mileage May Vary (literally).

Taz · **Posted:** Thu Aug 31, 2006 11:14 am

Well, we stayed at a a hotel that did not have wireless, can you believe it, a brand new hotel just opened this month, no wireless. So I have not been on the board for a few days. I hand calculated my mileage for a couple of tanks of fuel and I got 23.1 and 23.3 driving around the Black Hills, not bad for driving 2 lane roads anywhere from 10 mph to 55 mph, and elevation changes from 3500 feet to 6600 feet. The CRD performed great in the hills, mostly driving with the overdrive off and sometimes in 2nd gear to use the engine for breaking. It pulled really great up hills. Overall I think that it was a great vehicle for taking through the Hills. So far we have about 1400 miles on this trip. I will post pictures when I download the camera.

Taz · **Posted:** Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:11 pm

I finally downloaded one of the memory sticks so I have some pictures to post. I have some thoughts on the trip in the CRD. We put on about 1500 miles on the trip.

1. First and foremost. The CRD was great, I am sold on the Diesel. And the Liberty was just the right size, we packed all of our stuff, me, the wife and 2 kids for the week in it. It was a great size for the driving on the tight roads in the park.

2. I used to think that the headlights in the CRD were bad now I think that they are terrible or I am getting really old, maybe old because my Silverado was not any better. Driving around in the black hills after dark was tough even with the high beams or the driving lights on, I guess its time to get some decent driving lights.

3. If I were to go again I would stay in Keystone instead of Rapid City, its closer to everything and we spent a lot of time driving. However the 30,000 sq ft water park at our hotel was great for the little kids and the big kids too.

4. I would spend more time exploring the back country roads and trails the next time, you can get a map of the Black Hills National Forest and go on old fire roads. We spent a little time on the back roads in Custer State Park but there are many more in the Black Hills.

5. I always bought fuel at the large truck stops that were very busy with Over the road trucks and had no troubles with fuel.

6. No oil consumption with the 5W40 Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck. Only 1500 miles so far.

7. The CRD has the aerodynamics of a Brick, not really new news but on one of the legs on the return trip we had a headwind and it was in the 75 MPH zone, I only got 19.6mpg. On two of the other legs in the 70MPH zone with no winds we got 25MPG. Driving around the Black hills we got 23 MPG. All hand calculated, the EVIC was close usually it read high.

8. I saw many KJ's on the Trip but only one other CRD, it was a white one in Sioux City SD. This is the only other CRD I can remember seeing since I bought mine.

9. I must have a lot of moisture in one of my tires it starts out 1 PSI lower pressure than the other tires and ends up a couple of PSI higher than the other tires when it gets warm according to the TPMS.

AZScout · **Posted:** Sat Sep 02, 2006 12:52 am

Looks like an awesome trip! I love that part of the country. We drove through there once on our way to Montana and it was beautiful. I'm glad to hear that you like the CRD. I like mine too, even with all the teething it's had. It's pretty nimble and pretty comfy inside with good space for two kids. There really is nothing else like it in the market...Your gas mileage was pretty good and will only get better. I've got 27k on mine and got it 1 1/2 years ago and my mileage did get better...then worse with the bad EGR, then better, now a little worse again. Once we get the new ULSD, it should be fine.

City 20-21/ Hwy 26-27

This is with 265/75 16's, a 2.5 lift, and about 300 pounds of armor. Of all the mods I've done, the thing that affected my gas mileage the most was the lift. It dropped me about 1.5 mpg and I'm in a constant quest to get it back :roll:

without sacrificing what I want my Jeep to do.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. It looks like you had a great time. Too bad we can't go on road trips all the time, eh?

Dave

retmil46 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 02, 2006 1:49 am

I see in your last picture that the local DC rep was kind enough to show up and check on how your CRD was doing! :twisted:

I know, that's a pretty low insult. My apologies to the donkey for comparing him to DC management. :wink:

oldnavy · **Posted:** Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:03 am

I thought that they had maybe swung down through Missouri for a visit from the looks of that last picture. :wink:

oz_crd · **Posted:** Sat Sep 02, 2006 5:19 pm

We were up in the Black Hills in July to visit my brother in Custer. Also took in the fireworks at Rushmore, etc. We had the same experience, the CRD was great on the hills and backroads. We passed quite a few gas-powered SUVs on the hills, most of them probably wondering "WTF was that?" as we went by. Didnt even have to get my foot on it, the torque kept us cruising right along at the same speed when we came to a hill. Kinda sad that we have to take a vacation to know how well it does on hills, but there arent too many hills in KS. We are from PA, and it was nice to be someplace with hills and twisty roads again. BTW, I like the color of Taz's CRD (same as ours).

no-blue-screen · **Posted:** Sat Sep 02, 2006 5:35 pm

Cute kids! As much as I know you enjoy it....it is an experience the kids will remember for their entire lives. My wife has one in the works...and I can't wait to have experiences like this with mine.

Your kids are on the right track too...getting them introduced to a vehicle with a Diesel engine

rjmaype · **Posted:** Sun Sep 03, 2006 7:33 pm

I have switched to Sylvania SilverStars for both headlights and fog lights.

Makes a big diference for about $80.

I also added a daylight running light module for $40 that runs the high beam at 70% voltage.

Zonie · **Posted:** Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:16 pm

Talk some more about your headlights. Do you have an example of "big difference?

Do you have part numbers? Are these self-install?

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:30 pm

Glad to see someone traveling through South Dakota! Looks like you had a great time. We took our jeep out to the hill last year and drove on some back roads but i need to get out there and find some of those old fire roads. I know that there is a lot of places out there to go exploring but i have never found them, but i really havent looked hard enough though. Nice pictures!

-Nick

jeep06 · **Posted:** Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:43 pm

I had a set of Sylvania SilverStars in my '98 Dodge Cummins, they work great and are well worth the money in my book. I am very impressed with the stock ones in my Jeep so far, but getting the itch to put a set of Sylvania SilverStars in it.

:)

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

Chief Crazy Horse does not look much different than he did in 97 when I was there last. Kinda sad. Figured they would have more done. Did they start over or something? He kinda looks smaller. Maybe I will go up there next summer. Nice pics.

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:40 am

Pablo wrote:

Chief Crazy Horse does not look much different than he did in 97 when I was there last. Kinda sad. Figured they would have more done. Did they start over or something? He kinda looks smaller. Maybe I will go up there next summer. Nice pics.

They are really slow in the making. Its all public funded, no government so they dont have a ton of money to work with...

-Nick

s_allcroft · **Posted:** Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:24 am

Actually Crazy Horse does not look much different than when I was there as a kid in the late 70's... I was quite shocked when I saw the image.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:45 am

Quote:

2. I used to think that the headlights in the CRD were bad now I think that they are terrible or I am getting really old, maybe old because my Silverado was not any better. Driving around in the black hills after dark was tough even with the high beams or the driving lights on, I guess its time to get some decent driving lights.

Great photos and a super sounding trip.

On the lights, the Silverstars help a lot. I am suprised though that you thought the OEM was not good enough. I have never driven anything that I got flashed (by the lights that is :lol:

) with as much. Now that I am Silverstarred it is even worse.

The Silverstars are available in most auto stores but often behind the counter as they are $20 plus and only last about a year. I put them in just after I got the Libby. The one on the drivers side is real hard to do unless you have little hands or perhaps remove the battery. The fog lights require removal of the grill then removal of the fog lamp housing. Even then it is a fairly hard change as the wiring harness is real short. (I could post photos if you would like) I forget the number but I think the headlights are 9007 and the fogs are 9015. Just look in your manual though and find the matching lamp.

First Road Trip in the CRD----------ADDED PICTURES

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