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Jeep Liberty Diesel
As a member of SAE I knew where to look. If you want more information I would keep an eye on that site as the Automotive SAE magazine normally releases info months or years before the other auto mag.
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Jeep Liberty Diesel
Peters: If you could please keep an eye out for me (us?) I would greatly appreciate it. I knew someone around this site had to have an inside look on Detroit!!
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Jeep Liberty Diesel
It's going on a year since this thread was started, and now the Jeep Liberty Diesels are on the street. Has anyone driven one yet? I'd be interested in knowing impressions and other scuttlebutt that might be circulating about it.
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Jeep Liberty Diesel
I was all excited about them until I found out that the only transmission available for them is an automatic. In my opinion, that totally defeats the purpose of an SUV and a diesel. If and when Jeeps comes out with a manual 5 or 6 speed transmission for the Liberty CRD; I may take another look.
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Jeep Liberty Diesel
The auto is the 5-speed auto from the Grand Cherokee. It is a good tranny and will fit well with the CRD.
I would debate the merits of an auto behind a turbo-diesel with you Randy. The auto allows boost levels to stay up without having to drop all boost for every shift of a manual. That being said, my Cummins and both VWs are 5-speeds because the autos available in those applications are not up to par. But, for street driving and towing, I feel an auto-tranny would be better.
Here is a non-diesel person's reaction to driving the CRD.
Link:
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Jeep Liberty Diesel
Here's another long diatribe.
Link:
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Jeep Liberty Diesel
My suspicion is that this diesel engine has been detuned for the 5 speed automatic much like Dodge detuned the Cummins behind the 47RE. An automatic pretty much also rules out any possibility of an exhaust brake although on a vehicle that small it would be arguable whether it is practical. It also pretty much rules out any modifications to the engine for a little extra torque and hp. An automatic transmission is not capable of holding a gear at full throttle or any degree of load without either hunting for gears or over revving the engine. The manual trans. allows the driver to select the gear he or she wants and maximizes the torque curve and output of the engine to its optimum use in my opinion. Not very many road tractors out there with automatics. They just don't and never will hold up behind a diesel with any degree of heavy use. I agree that they might be nice to drive in traffic for light duty use but the owner will be seriously eating brake shoes and limited in the vehicles use. I'm gonna wait for the manual trans.
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Jeep Liberty Diesel
Thanks for the Jeep forum links! Those were pretty interesting to read and get others impressions.
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Jeep Liberty Diesel
My Cummins brother wrote:
"An automatic transmission is not capable of holding a gear at full throttle or any degree of load without either hunting for gears or over revving the engine."
I believe that a PROPERLY matched engine/tranny/software will easily do this.
"Not very many road tractors out there with automatics."
Apples and oranges. OTR trucks are designed for sustained same speed operation and efficiency, not acceleration.
"They just don't and never will hold up behind a diesel with any degree of heavy use."
Lots of buses, dump-trucks, and cement mixers are.
I agree hand shakers are alot more fun, (if it were my Libby, not the wife's, I would want the 5 or 6 shooter too!) but for this application, an auto is the way to go for 95% of the buyers.
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Jeep Liberty Diesel
The key phrase you mentioned was "PROPERLY matched engine/tranny/software". I have yet to see one manufactured by an OEM one of the big 3 auto manufacturers. They can be modified at great expense but there goes the warranty.
"Lots of buses, dump-trucks, and cement mixers are." Not from what I have seen in our county school motorpool garage or during my 21 years with Uncle Sammy in Army motorpools. Although the Army goes with automatic because the soldiers tear up manuals MUCH faster do to negligence.
I would agree with you that for 95% of the buying public that auto trans. is probably the best bet but not for me.
It looks like we agree but see it from somewhat different angles. ;o)
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Gas Generator Weather Protecti
03-14-2004, 08:27 
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