Problems starting cold

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shelbydz

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Hey all,

I have an 05 CRD. It's been pretty cold here the last few days (got to -14f last night). I've had the block heater plugged in every night, but it's been stalling after shifting into Drive.

This morn, I started it up, let it warm up for about 5 minutes backed out of my driveway and when I shifted from Reverse into Drive, the Jeep died. When I tried to start it back up, the battery was dead.

I replaced the battery this evening. It now cranks, but won't start. I plugged the block heater back in for about an hour and it started, but as soon as I shifted to drive, it died again.

I have some diesel thiner in the tank to try and keep it from gelling up, but the Jeep still seems to have problems staying running when it's cold.

Is this an issue with too cold of ****** fluid? Or is there something else going on here that I've missed? Is my transmission oil pump going out?

Thanks,
 

devnul

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This might not help you.. But I was up in Reno NV a few weeks ago and as I left my brother's house it was quite cold... The jeep had no power what-so-ever - I would put the gas pedal all the way to the floor and it couldn't even move the vehicle.. Every now and then it would just die...

I shut it off and turned it on a few times, and it got no better. Then I pressed the fuel priming pump on the drivers side and heard something that sounded like air being released. After that it ran perfectly and I've had no problems with it.

- Greg
 

shelbydz

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I have used the primer pump on the filter. That seems to get the car started again. My next step is probably to get a new fuel filter and see if that helps.

Where do I get a lift pump for the 2.8 diesel?

thx for the help.
 

bradleyj

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CRD Hard to Start When Cold

It's finally started to get a bit chilly here in New England (20s at night) and I'm finding that my '05 Liberty CRD that we bought over the summer has to crank for 5-10 seconds after the glow plug light goes off before it turns over. Should it take this long? Time for new glow plugs at 90k miles?
 
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yakman4

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why don't you plug in the block heater makes it easier to start. Already got down to -2F here in the midwest my started up with no problem straight away.
 

bradleyj

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I've got no place to plug in to. My two other diesel vehicles ('97 Passat and '02 Excursion) both start up no problem just with glow plugs. It's going to get a lot colder than 25°F too.
 

journeyjim

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I've been at 6500 feet and minus temps for the last week, and it's having to turn over a few more times before it fires, but it starts and runs just like all diesels when cold, in cold temps the quality of fuel and a clean fuel filter are very important. If it's a factory battery, would think about changing it, crds get testy when they don't have the right amount of power during start up.:D
 

yakman4

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I've got no place to plug in to. My two other diesel vehicles ('97 Passat and '02 Excursion) both start up no problem just with glow plugs. It's going to get a lot colder than 25°F too.

Are you sure you don't have a block heater it took me a whlie to fine mine. It was zipped tied up and looked like it had never been used. I located mine on the left side of the block, look forward of the fuel filter and lower.

I have a 06 jetta tdi it doesn't have a problem starting even when it's cold and it doesn't have a block heater.
 

bradleyj

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I may have a block heater but I've got no place to plug it in to. The place where I park is outdoors nowhere near an outlet.

So how many seconds of cranking is normal for CRDs to turn over when the temp gets below freezing? My Passat turns over almost instantly when I crank after the glow plug light goes out.
 

yakman4

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When it gets below 20F here I plug mine in its alot easier on engine coponents but up till then mine fires right up within 2 secs.
 

bradleyj

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I'm noticing that it's cranking kind of slow too. Maybe it is time for a new battery. Can anyone recommend a good battery? Should I stick with the factory model?
 

journeyjim

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Your Passat will fire as soon as one of the cylinders comes to the top, the newer diesels have to turn over until the computer tells the fuel injection to squirt, I also found it different when I went from an older diesel to the newer ones, 97 passat too a 05 passat, but the jeep starts the same way, it just has to turn over a few times to get everything in line.
Like I said it needs a good battery, clean fuel filter and good fuel for cold weather, I have the heater cord coiled up in front of the battery and have never used it. I do let it run a little to get the head warmed up, before taking it out and putting any boost to it. These also call for 0-40 oil, that will make a difference in cold weather.:D:D
 

shelbydz

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Disconnect the heater plug first (the one on the right on the fuel filter head) to see if it is melted and if there is a little leak there while pumping the manual lift pump.

If so you need another filter head too...

Lift pump: look here

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40633

Nothing is melted. The plug and connector look okay. BUT, when I press the manual pump, I can hear and see diesel leaking from the filter.

Does this mean I need a new head or just a new filter?

Thanks!
 

journeyjim

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When you say " hear and see diesel coming from the filter", is it coming from around the seal? how long has it been since a new filter? that could be the problem of it stalling, these need good clean fuel. Is the filter loose?
You might need a new filter head.:D
 

shelbydz

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I can hear a 'squish' sound when I press the pump. I can also see fuel coming out from around the seal. I'll check and see if the filter is tight against the head.

I assume that if the filter IS tight, the head needs to be replaced?
 

journeyjim

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Not necessarily, it could be just a bad filter seal, I still didn't see how long this filter has been in the jeep? Is this an 05 or 06? Do you change your own filter?
If you do when you take the old off, make sure the gasket comes off with it, I've had the rubber ring seal stick to the head and then when I put the new one on, had two rubber seals together and it leaked between them, took the filter off and removed the old seal.
If you are getting fuel from the seal area when priming it, then when it's running it may be pulling air and causing problems.:):)
 

nzoliver

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Hi folks,

Have y'all considered the diesel may be 'gelling' a bit? Happens here in the winter with farmer's tractors and trucks and pickups when it gets to -8c or colder. :rolleyes: This puts extra strain on lift pumps and seals etc. A block heater will have no effect if the fuel is thick and gooey.....
 

shelbydz

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Yes actually. I have some additive in the tank to keep it from gelling up.

Like I said in the original post, the initial start is OK. It dies when after shifting gears. I did let it warm up for about 15 minutes last time and that worked okay. I'm going to try a new filter/head and see what happens.
 

shelbydz

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I tried the manual pump when the car died. I don't remember the 'consistency' of the pump, but I'll check it next time.

Thanks for the info.
 

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