general opinions on CRDs? anyone use biodiesel?

[hawaiianbasshead]

I'm looking at getting a KJ, but would prefer CRD. BUT main reasons I'd want CRD is to run either the conversion tank kit and pure veggie oil after it's warmed and the engine is warmed. or run heavy mix bio-diesel say B100 I want to know how reliable these things are? I've heard from a couple different dealerships (mazda and ford) that the reason Jeep discontinued the CRD is reliability and it having lots of problems? I don't know anyone to ask, so I came here. we're considering getting a 3.7L but I'd really prefer a CRD for the reasons above it wouldn't be vergin oil though, just cleaned/recycled stuff from fryers also thinking of getting rid of my titan for a dodge diesel to do the same thing with both vehicles we'll see what we end up doing in the end. thanks for any insides in advance... also reading up on the ORM too, can never know too much if I pick to get a 3.7L or CRD I want to be well informed and make a hypothesis rather than choice

 

[tjkj2002]

Emissions killed the CRD in the states,they got real strict for '08 so they dropped them.There are only about 12,000(or so) CRD's in the states,good luck with the hunt.The '06's are better the the '05's,they fixed some of the bugs for the '06 CRD's.The EGR is a real problem from the lack of real good fuel and the TC(torque coverter) is not correct for the CRD and has been a problem.SunCoast has a new ****** pump and TC that fixes those problems.There are also many mods to help with the emssion junk over in the CRD sections of the lostkjs.com board.

 

[Pablo]

Someone makes a veggie kit for the CRD. Google should find it for you. I don't know anyone with one, however.

I WOULD NOT run reclaimed oil through this motor unless you really know what you are doing. It is not an old MB. You run junk through that BOSH fuel pump and injectors and you will be hating life to the tune of $4000+.

The reason the CRD is only warrantied to B5 is because too much Bio out there is substandard (like people making it in the garage out of fry oil), the CRD can run bio, but you have to have the lubricity and flow characteristcs down with no debris and very little water contamination.

 

[Pablo]

Mine keeps on going. It has had issues, but they have been fixed over the last two years. Figure an aftermarket torque converter and stock redesigned ****** pump(warranty), lift pump or replacement filter head and a provent or EHM. That and some special maintenance tips and your set.

The EGR's and EGR flow control valves were redesigned to fix most of their issues. The biggest problem with this thing is everything was recalled on it and no one had parts, so they sat in the shop for 1+ months sometimes. People said to hell with that and lemoned them back. Can't say I blame them there.

Oh, you will eventually need new CAC hoses or metal tubes fabbed up for the turbo intake. SAMCO has some nice ones when they come out next month ($300). The stock ones will go south eventually.

 

[hawaiianbasshead]

LOL, sounds like if people DON'T do homework 1st I may have alot of chances to get one down the road. I can only hope for that. I'd pick up a lemon'd one for $5 or so grand with a blown TC so I could buy it and throw the aftermarket one it right away and be stylin thanks for the help Pablo!

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

There is a Bio-Diesel plant right down the road from me. One of the higher ups there drives a Liberty CRD. I think he said he ran B-20 either that or I could run B20 if mine was a CRD. If I saw a CRD with a good price tag I too would snatch it up.

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

I am not sure but here is the general information email address for Imperium Renewables, which is the largest producer of BioDiesel in the US.

 

[o8k]

svo on the kj crd is tricky, ive seen 2 on the net, tough vehicle for it because there is no room for the other tank and no room in the engine compartment for parts larger than a mouse. one guy split his tank in two so he wouldnt have a tank in the back seat

common rails dont do svo very well. the pezo valves on the rail dont like the goo. veggi oil doesnt truely match viscosity with diesel till about 320 degrees f depending on the oil used. its been done tho a 160 f, (lol injector failure), if it has to be a crd then go for it, but certainly there r way better vehicles out there to work with.

although my injectors have done fine despite all the air they have to suck on so who knows...

 

[En4cr]

B100 is a great solvent and will clean most of the crap that is in the tank and lines from dino diesel. Have to replace the fuel filter more often after the initial running of B100 or the filter will clog. I ran B20 in my F250 and it loved it. got a little better mpg and better execleration. I want to try B100 in the CRD, but the biodiesel plant down the street from shut down for some reason. There is a guy close to where I work that is making bio and a friend of mine with an 01 Cummins is now running it and noticed a big improvement

 

[crdjon]

B20

Im in Australia and use commercial B20 in the KJ CRD, it loves the stuff, runs smooth, 18,000 kilometres and no issues from the fuel. Dropped fuel the tank the other day to install an intank lift pump aka DODGE pump and everything is squeaky clean. The commercial B20 here has greater lubricity than normal diesel and a higher cetane as well. I wish they'd bring out commercial B50 or even B100 as in another state over here.

 

[CHenry]

common rails dont do svo very well. the pezo valves on the rail dont like the goo. veggi oil doesnt truely match viscosity with diesel till about 320 degrees f depending on the oil used. its been done tho a 160 f, (lol injector failure), if it has to be a crd then go for it, but certainly there r way better vehicles out there to work with.

although my injectors have done fine despite all the air they have to suck on so who knows...

I don't know where you got your info but its a bit lacking in truth.
I'm a veteran vegi burner and know a thing or two about it.
Vegi oil at 160* has almost identical viscosity as dielel at room temp and at any temp higher than that, it really doesn't change much. Common rail systems are doable and the pump will be fine as long as the WVO is filtered and dewatered properly...water in these pumps is a bad idea.
I have seen 2 CRD libys converted and they have had no problems.
I plan to convert mine soon so i'll post up the details on that when it happens.
There is little room under the hood for a heated filter and other heat exchangers bt these can be located underneath as well.

 

[JLRockies]

I like to think that I'm a poster boy for the durability of the CRD. I bought one (2006)when I lived in UT; it was used and a rental in it's previous live. I put 54K miles on it in 2007 driving all over UT, ID, MT, WY and CO. I've driven on trails in the deserts of SE UT and some of the highest trials the US has to offer in the mountains of CO. I've towed all of my belongings from Salt Lake City to Ft Lauderdale.
Now the Jeep lives at sea level and spends offroad time driving through deep mud and water up to the tops of the wheel wells. This has driven through the daily snow storms of Feb 07 in UT and the unbearable heat and humidity of south Florida.
The only problems I had was a blower motor recall for the AC, and AC condenser fan and what was diagnosed as an EGR failure at 64K miles which in reality was a blown CAC hose.
I've had no tc issues and have not made any modifications to the stock system except to add a diesel chip, snorkel, 4.10 gears and a DTT up front. When I was in The Rockies, I would put bio diesel in the tank when I could find it (usually in CO) but there is really none to be found around here.
I've never had the inclination of adding a veggie system so I don't know what to say about that.

 

[Nursecosmo]

I too like to consider myself a posterboy for the toughness of the CRD. I laugh at anybody who makes sweeping statements about the fragility of the CP3 injection pumps like, how they will fail if there is anything but diesel in them, or how B100 will melt them. Some people have even come out and posted that there are plastic parts in the pump which will "melt" if Veg oil is run through them. I have used every kind of fuel you can immagine such as Veg blend up to 80% on the Hwy(can run 25%all day every day without problem) WMO 25% (cut back from 50% because of VGT acctuator arm deposits) B100 every chance I get (many gallons of home brew), Home heating oil, and lately home distilled diesel. I have 60k on the beast and if any of these things were very detrimental the IP it would have failed long ago. With all of the money which I have saved I have paid for a new IP several times over.

FYI, there is no "special coating" on the inside of the IP which is damaged by Gasoline in blends. There are no "plastic" parts inside the IP which can be damaged by alternative fuels. Water in the fuel will be traped by the water separator if it is free and if it is in saturation there is nothing to worry about. Any reactant left over in Biodiesel (if unwashed) cannot harm the fuel system because a nonpolar fluid cannot have a PH value. Any "dirty" (within reason)fuel cannot harm the IP because the fuel filter catches any contamints larger than ~2 microns.

All in all the little mule is a tough little beast and most owners couldn't be happier with it.

 

[lmcbee5]

I have been running B99 soybean Biodiesel in my 05 CRD for about 2 months now. I feel a lot safer knowing that it is not coming from my fries that I ate for lunch. Overall I have changed the fuel filter once just to be safe and have seen marginal increase in fuel economy. I got about 1-2 mpg more than regular with this stuff, but with the price being higher than that of convention diesel makes it is hard to justify. I am all about sticking it to the oil companies whom I have not forgot about. I feel like everyone forgot when diesel made the $2.50 a gallon mark and how pissed they were, yet now they are happy it is below $4.00! The price of soybean diesel is totally dependant on the price of feed stock which has been on a roller coaster for the last year. The soybean diesel I get usually runs about $0.20 higher than diesel, but it is still amusing to put a crisco like substance in your vehicle and drive around all week!

Plus it makes smells like popcorn when you get out of the Jeep!

I'm looking at getting a KJ, but would prefer CRD. BUT main reasons I'd want CRD is to run either the conversion tank kit and pure veggie oil after it's warmed and the engine is warmed. or run heavy mix bio-diesel say B100 I want to know how reliable these things are? I've heard from a couple different dealerships (mazda and ford) that the reason Jeep discontinued the CRD is reliability and it having lots of problems? I don't know anyone to ask, so I came here. we're considering getting a 3.7L but I'd really prefer a CRD for the reasons above it wouldn't be vergin oil though, just cleaned/recycled stuff from fryers also thinking of getting rid of my titan for a dodge diesel to do the same thing with both vehicles we'll see what we end up doing in the end. thanks for any insides in advance... also reading up on the ORM too, can never know too much if I pick to get a 3.7L or CRD I want to be well informed and make a hypothesis rather than choice

 

[Nursecosmo]

The price of soil bean diesel is totally dependant on the price of feed stock which has been on a roller coaster for the last year.

No it doesn't. It exactly mirrors the price swings of D2. What is a "soil bean"?

 

[rogerd]

CRD Reliability

There are many CRDs running around in Australia with in excess of 100,000kms on the clock. Myths about any reliability issues are strictly that (myths). Like any modern turbo-diesel running EGR, the recirculation of exhaust gases presents challenges that can affect vehicle performance unless maintained correctly. The CRD engine (the VM 2.8L) continues to be sold in Australia (and in Europe I understand) in the present generation KK model and in the Wranger and Wrangler Unlimited. My son has. a new Wrangler Unlimited and his engine is almost identical to my 2007 KJ CRD 2.8L. European emission standards are top class, and Australia's are similiar, the real differences between these markets and the US lies in the quality of the diesel fuels. Important end user modifications (like the Provent) are essential for long term reliability (although Chrysler Australia replaces turbo hose that fail due to oil degradation of the low quality hoses installed by the factory not fuel rated).

 

[lmcbee5]

I am ******** sorry

Haha give me a break, your mind is mush after a flogging from a test on electrical fields and oscillations. Somehow "soy" and "oil" formed "soil" in my mind. However, they do use soybean oil as an additive for feed so yes it is dependant!

No it doesn't. It exactly mirrors the price swings of D2. What is a "soil bean"?

 

[Nursecosmo]

Haha give me a break, your mind is mush after a flogging from a test on electrical fields and oscillations. Somehow "soy" and "oil" formed "soil" in my mind. However, they do use soybean oil as an additive for feed so yes it is dependant!

Break given. We like to have a lot of fun talking trash to each other here.

I still have to point out that you are mistaken about the price of BD being linked to the cost of the feed stock. When I checked today the price of bulk soy oil was ~$1.58 per gallon. Add in the cost of reactants ~$.50 and the price to produce it is ~$2.00 per gallon, oh, but factor in the $1.00 federal Biofuel credit plus the lower fuel taxes charged by most states and the cost of fuel at the pump drops to BELOW $1.00 per gallon. How much do you pay at the pump? 20 cents more than D2? You have used BD for 2 months in your CRD but many of us have put it in since the day we bought them new off the lot. I can attest that BD ALWAYS mirrors the price of D2. In areas of the country where it costs 20 cents more than D2 it ALWAYS costs 20 cents more. In areas where it costs 10 cents less it ALLWAYS costs 10 cents less. The BD producers are not in business to save the ozone or help consumers with cheap fuel, they are in the business to make money. Greed affects them the same as it affects petroleum producers, and if they think that people will pay for their fuel they are going to charge the most that they can get. It's called Capitalism. BTW Palm oil is used for BD in some parts of the US and it's bulk price is about half of what "soil" costs. Do you know how much the palm biodiesel costs at the pump? You guested it, same as D2.

 

[pipeliner]

I used to run a 2002 2.5CRD on B100 from a filling station in South Australia without any problems, but bio filling stations are few and far between here in Australia.

 

[UFO]

CRDs love good biodiesel. But they are temperamental about VO, so you better be committed to doing everything exactly right. Absolutely NO water, the water separator will not protect your injectors from water in VO. Never run VO until the engine is up to temperature, and make sure your valving does not allow ANY VO into your startup fuel.

I understand the ECM will vary the injection parameters according to the fuel temperature, and it will assume it's diesel, so the VO may not be given enough time to burn under some circumstances. It is absolutely essential to perform oil changes at 3000 - 5000 miles. Just ask the owner of Golden Fuel Systems; he destroyed his CRD with VO because he failed to change his oil often enough and the VO polymerized in the crankcase, starving the bearings.

Another modification that is absolutely necessary is a SEGR to disable EGR. VO vapors fed back into your intake will clog your intake and intake valves in short order.