Been a lurking member for a while but since this is my first post, let's start by saying:



So here's the deal:
Vehicle is an '05 Jeep Liberty Sport CRD automatic trans that we bought almost a year ago and is my daily driver.

Recently had a mechanic friend offer to change out the timing belt for us which was long past due (we were told when we bought at 110K that it was up to date on service but no paperwork. Jeep website shows that it had lots of dealership services but nothing about the timing belt. Made me nervous so we took a look and it does not appear that the bolts have ever been tampered with). Anyway, we bought the stuff and took the Jeep over to his place. A few days later we get a call that we are going to need a new radiator because ours was broken and leaking from between the plastic and the core. So we get online and order a new radiator (http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/J ... Drivetrain)

Fast forward a week, radiator arrives and buddy eventually comes over to get it. Next day we get another call- ends up that the new radiator is a totally different than the old one and he says it won't work. The core on the new one is 1" whereas the old one was twice that. The ports are in different locations and from what he had told me, it won't match up for mounting either. Mechanic seems to think that due to the smaller core size of the new one we would have to compensate by upgrades the water pump and/or fan to keep from overheating.

The confusion comes because I've been searching every imaginable source to compare info, including having a buddy at the dealership cross reference the part number. Every single source and brand shows the exact same measurements and part number as the one we ordered- the 'wrong' one. MPO doesn't list a part number or any specs so they were no help and searching for the part number from the parts fiche brings up no results (although the pic in the PF looks more like the new then the old- I'm just not sure how accurate the pictures in there are).

Can anyone offer an explanation? It would be nice to be able to see the stock radiator out of another CRD to compare because I'm starting to wonder if the old radiator was not stock (although it def. is Mopar) but have nothing to compare it too.

The explanation is almost certainly that what they sent you is the turbo intercooler not the radiator; see viewtopic.php?f=5&t=64137

Unfortunately I don't have the correct part number but if you do run down the correct part number please post it for future reference.

Also note that the OP in the referenced link was apparently able to get his existing radiator fixed which is why he did not supply a correct part #.

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

I suppose it is possible that it is an intercooler rather than a radiator, except it doesn't match up with the picture in SirSam's timing belt replacement guide either. Our friend suggested trying to fix it with JB Weld but my husband wasn't too keen on the idea. The leak is coming from the seal between the plastic and metal so welding isn't an option like it as for the guy in the other post. Too bad since DH is a welder/machinist and probably could have fixed it himself if that were the case.

Sounds like you received the standard rediator versus the heavy duty unit. Most vehicles have single or dual core radiators. Vehicles with automatics, towing and air conditioning typicaly have dual core radiators. Numerous times I was almost sold single core units for my Cherokee because it had a manual trans and they didn't think I needed the extra cooling for towing. Sometimes the single core don't even have the trans cooler fittings on the unit. It will be expensive but a good radiator shop can replace the aluminum core and reuse the plastic ends if you can't find the correct unit.

Surprisingly every unit I looked up on line all show a 1" core for the liberty diesel. I would have thought it would be a dual core. I will have to check when I get home.

Exactly why I have been so confused!

ignoring the junk (different issue)
is this the width of the old or new?


http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=58582

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2005 CRD
stuff
Skeptic quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur

I'd say that it's probably the width of the original radiator- short of taking the plastics off of the new one which isn't going to happen since it's going back. That one appears to have dual cores though and the new one definitely does NOT. I don't have the original here at the house right now- DH tried to take it to a custom radiator shop who referred us to another shop that said they had it in stock. A friend who works in that area was going to check into it and took the old radiator with him to make sure it was a match. But apparently they have this blasted 1" POS as well.

But the friend did call and say that the radiator shop checked their catalog and the only replacement they could find that was even close to matching was for a 2004 Jeep Cherokee 2.8L? Not a US released vehicle and not a part that we can get a hold of very easily to even compare.

I know people on here have changed out their radiators. Where are you guys getting your replacements from?

For what it's worth I've left a message with the part's manager, whom I've known for years, at the local DCJ dealership to see if I can get a good parts number from someone who can physically lay their hands on a radiator. I don't trust it but the 06 Parts fiche says 5174154AB unfortunately I cannot find a picture anywhere to confirm that # is for the radiator.

FYI the 2004 Cherokee 2.8L vehicle is the 2004 model year of the export version of the Jeep Liberty (KJ) and I'd bet the radiator was the same in the 2005 and 06 model years unfortunately while the vehicle was built in the US/Canada the 04 KJ (Liberty/Cherokee) 2.8L diesel was only sold to the export market.

Also FYI IIRC the transmission cooler on the CRD is not located in the bottom part of the radiator; rather it's located in the bottom of the AC condensor.

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

Update: Got in touch with MoparOnlineParts and was able to order the correct dual core radiator (part number 5174154AB). I emailed them first to confirm the details and sent the other radiator back that we first ordered with a big explanation as to how they have the wrong part listed for our vehicle, in hopes that they can get it corrected and no one else ends up in the same dilemma.

Unfortunately, I'm still without my jeep and probably will be for the unforeseen future. Our mechanic friend who was working on the car put it all back together and apparently didn't do the timing belt correctly so now we got broken rockers to deal with. Wonderful... He's finally admitted he is over his head with all of this and is having it towed to a dealership to be dealt with. I don't have much faith that they'll be ready or able to deal with it either.

Haven't had the heart to call my brother and tell him what's going on. He is a diesel mechanic and was my primary mechanic when we first bought the car. He relocated across country to AZ 6 months ago and would be ticked if he knew what all has been going on here lately...

Uh....just saying....if you had talked to him sooner then you might have been able to get some good info out of him. Hopefully the mechanic is footing the bill for the dealer repair.


If I knew what part of the country you were in I might offer to do the rocker repair cheaper than the dealer. But from you description of "halfway across the country" being to AZ I doubt you are in colorado.

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http://www.Colorado4Wheel.com
"Its not about what you can DO with your Jeep, its about where you can GO with your Jeep."
Knowledgeable - But Caustic

I thought about that but it's doubtful that he could have helped out too much in this situation without being here. He's a hands on kind of guy who can work on almost any car you throw at him but works on diesels for a living. Technically he works on big rigs but has experience with smaller engines too. He probably could have changed out my timing belt himself but wouldn't have been able to give much insight to anyone else without actually being here.

And, yeah, CO is a bit far from Georgia unfortunately. Know anyone out this way?

geordi is just over the line north of Savannah

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

Just an update because I can't even believe this mess...

As far as the radiator goes, MoparOnlineParts was great about sending us the correct radiator and the other guys had no problem processing our return with no stocking fees or anything. The correct part number is the 5174154AB so if you find any radiator with a different number, it's definitely wrong!

Now, on to the dealership... what as mess! Granted it's not all their fault. First of all, we've called a few times to get an update and they pretty much gave us the run around and wouldn't give us a straight answer. Apparently our mechanic buddy thought he would try to save a few buck and finish the reassembly on his own so he didn't take them all the parts (radiator and everything that goes in after that). We were not aware of this until the dealership let us know this a couple days ago when we attempted again to get an update. They wouldn't release the vehicle or warranty their work until it was fully assembled so they could test drive it- totally understandable. So he takes all the parts up there to them and they finally call him today to say the car is ready. (Of course, they tried to up sale a bunch of other stuff like saying that our new timing belt was 'one tooth off' and needed to be replaced with OEM and something about a bent fuel injector- which if that is true then they must have bent it somehow because they were inspected prior to them getting the vehicle).

Anyway, Buddy and DH drive up there to pick up my jeep. It came to just over $3000. Bill was paid and keys are handed over. As DH is pulling out of the parking lot, the AC cuts off and he loses power steering. Had to call buddy back to come get him. Open the hood and first thing they see if the serpentine belt just hanging there. Doesn't take much more of a closer look to find out that the fan shaft broke and went straight into the (brand new) radiator! From the sound of things they just pounded it back together and called it a day... Seriously?!? And of course by the time it's all said and done they closed the shop for the day so they couldn't reverse the charges- So now they have our car and our money, how nice.

Guess the good news is that they will atleast be giving me a rental car until they get it fixed so I won't be trapped at the house anymore without a vehicle... but sure not the same as my jeep