2.8 kj nightmare

[stoveboltshane]

just out of curiosity how problematic are other peoples kj jeeps , mine is a complete nightmare , had it 3 yrs an its constantly let me down , which is a shame cause i really like it ,just this week alone had to replace glow plugs , then the battery , and then the alternator , thought at last up and running again , then today a massive twang from underneath like something had snapped , she still running ok but if i go over a speed bump a little to fast sounds like shes bottoming out , and this is after the clutch started squeeling about 2 months ago that i assumed was a dry bearing , but something gave way and punched a small oblong hole out through the bell housing which i think may be the end of one of the feathers/fingers on the clutch plate so that now slips under load , dont wanna scrap it but just thinking is it worth carrying on with , my 63 yr old 59 chevy belair more reliable !

 

[KJowner]

Sounds like your dual mass flywheel is falling to bits!
My jeep has been reliable up until recently, back axle is in bits at the moment awaiting a parcel of parts from America.

 

[Deb'nKJ]

If I had a '59 Belair I'd have spent the cost of the KJ on it.

Of course it's more reliable, it doesn't have any of the things that routinely fail on vehicles designed by accountants solely to comply with government mandates.

Although my KJ is forever under threat of being weighed in my real complaint is that's it's just such a pain to work on, even to do the simplest tune-up task. Then when it's done, there's no sense of satisfaction - just relief.

 

[stoveboltshane]

your right about spending the money on the 59 instead cause thats an investment ,where as the jeep will never really be worth much at all, but the truck is my daily work vehicle so need to keep it going , funny thing is its a manual 6 speed box mated up to the 2.8 turbo diesel motor and for all its modern complexity and being 47 yrs younger its hardly any better on fuel than my 2 ton 4 litre six chevy.

 

[KJowner]

The Chevy must be good on fuel! My manual KJ sits around 30 mpg, for the lack of aerodynamics I've always been quite happy with that.

 

[Deb'nKJ]

When I was shopping for my KJ, I surprised that they were no more economical than the XJ's (so much for economy supposedly being an advantage of all that technology newer vehicles have, even more so that the diesels weren't significantly any better, so, either you've got a good one - or everything I read was wrong.

 

[KJowner]

Technologically the VM is a good unit, streets ahead of the earlier one, the Americans seem to suffer from an over eager EGR but they Euro units are very reliable as far as I know, the same core engine is an industrial unit and a marine engine (Mercruiser I believe).
Can't comment on the petrol engine but I look after a 2.5, a 2.8 KJ and a 2.7 WJ (merc engine) and there's no a lot between them, all in the 100k + club and nothing but service items required yet.

 

[LanceG65za]

just out of curiosity how problematic are other peoples kj jeeps , mine is a complete nightmare , had it 3 yrs an its constantly let me down , which is a shame cause i really like it ,just this week alone had to replace glow plugs , then the battery , and then the alternator , thought at last up and running again , then today a massive twang from underneath like something had snapped , she still running ok but if i go over a speed bump a little to fast sounds like shes bottoming out , and this is after the clutch started squeeling about 2 months ago that i assumed was a dry bearing , but something gave way and punched a small oblong hole out through the bell housing which i think may be the end of one of the feathers/fingers on the clutch plate so that now slips under load , dont wanna scrap it but just thinking is it worth carrying on with , my 63 yr old 59 chevy belair more reliable !

I bought a 2003 KJ 2.5 CRD in Jan '23 thinking I like the shape, it externally lokks in good condition, but have been through the mill. 2 x injectors and 1 to go, alternator, starter motor, 2 x batteries, head gasket, busy with new turbo, fron suspension bottoming out, stuck on 4 x 4 mode, internal airfloww stuck on windscreen and feet, aircon gassed but compressor clutch failing, ...... despit all this, I will keep on it, one you start, you fall in love with it and thats where I am.....

 

[Deb'nKJ]

In fairness mine's not needed much, at least until now, but I resent every penny/minute I have to spend on it because it's unrewarding in every sense. Not in the same league though as a previous WJ, the very existence of which I resented & was glad to weigh it in after about 6 months.

I keep thinking, if only I could have a year of routine maintenance & replacing consumables, perhaps I could forgive it - but really it's too late for that, so I'm stuck with it.

 

[Elv73]

just out of curiosity how problematic are other peoples kj jeeps , mine is a complete nightmare , had it 3 yrs an its constantly let me down , which is a shame cause i really like it ,just this week alone had to replace glow plugs , then the battery , and then the alternator , thought at last up and running again , then today a massive twang from underneath like something had snapped , she still running ok but if i go over a speed bump a little to fast sounds like shes bottoming out , and this is after the clutch started squeeling about 2 months ago that i assumed was a dry bearing , but something gave way and punched a small oblong hole out through the bell housing which i think may be the end of one of the feathers/fingers on the clutch plate so that now slips under load , dont wanna scrap it but just thinking is it worth carrying on with , my 63 yr old 59 chevy belair more reliable !

Mine has also had similar issues. I only bought it 4 weeks ago and this week have had to change the battery, alternator, glow plugs and thermostat!
I'm also in the middle of changing out the leaking auto transmission cooler pipes although this was a known issue when I bought it.
I do however prefer it to my previous WJ as it has the 242 transfer case that we can't get here in the UK on WJ's and the previous owner fitted a full 2" OME lift so it gives me a good base for my mild overland build.