[clyancey]

As I understand it, most aren't diesel performance shops aren't really familiar with ecodiesels as they havn't been around long enough (our of warranty) to really show up at their shops. This is probably particularity true for Jeeps as it seems far fewer of them than Rams.

Can a guy trust any performance shop that is willing to give it the college try or should extreme efforts be made to find a performance shop, probably at extreme distances, that has some experience with ecodiesels (if they exist).

I'm guess I'm indirectly also asking is the ecodiesel truly a unique/exotic beast that can't be worked on by the "average" diesel mechanic? Particularly given Jeep ecodiesels are even less known.

One example: I purchased Green Diesel Engineering's turbo kit for the Jeep, but it only comes with Ram instructions. When I talked with them in email (very fast and helpful) they said they had not yet done a Jeep and estimated 12 hrs for them to do a turbo swap as they would completely drop the engine/transmission out the bottom like they have to do for Rams. I don't know much, but I remember seeing a picture of a WK2 with the hood removed and the firewall moved/removed seemingly giving plenty of access to the turbo from the top. I can't hardly imagine that takes nearly as long/costs nearly as much as disconnecting everything and dropping the engine! Mind you GDE may be one of the most, if not the most, ecodiesel friendly/familiar shops in the entire US. Makes me worried about who I go to for service.

 

[clyancey]

If I was going to have a Turbo upgrade installed by someone else. I would talk to multiple shops that have done installations on the JGC EcoDiesel and make the trip to have it done. The Turbo is a special job and requires unique talents.

Rudy's Diesel is in Burlington, NC which isn't to far from you.

CFT Performance in Collinsville, IL near Bounty Hunter would be another I would check out.

Maybe you ought to send the GDE turbo back and get the Rudy's compound set up. Yea Buddy!!:thumbsup:

I don't believe there is a compound setup for the Jeep on the market really. If I'm wrong please show me because that is what I really wanted to do. Espos Diesel produced a limited run of Jeep kits and when I contacted him about them he only had one left and someone else already had downpayment on it. It was priced at over 6K without tuning etc. Really expensive to produce because of the custom/tricky piping. Super fun & purportedly reliable (guys towing with it). The last compound install he did cost a little over 10K with exhaust, tune, kit and Labor.

I'm asking about service options not just for the turbo kit/performance but as much for when problems arise. If the Jeep goes down and its not relatively simple enough that I can handle it (lol windshield wiper blades) I can't take it to Illinois for service. I'm not sure it would even justify towing it 1.5 hrs north to Rudy's. See what I'm getting at? You guys have local's you trust for when complicated stuff brakes? Or are you all so handy you can handle 99% of problems?

Don't take this as the absolute truth because I could be missremebering, but I think Rudy's (I contacted them a couple months ago) said they would install anything they sold on for my Jeep but they didn't really service nor do custom work on them. Kind of a trend I'm sensing for most shops...lack of experience, lack of demand/interest, leery of fiat diesel, more leery of JGC version. I've spoken with a local shop, by phone, and they were willing to look and work on it but they have ZERO experience with ecodieselsor Jeeps...I'm left with the impression they are good old boys figuring how hard could it be? If after seeing it in person they are still willing to try, should I let them take a swing at it?

Thanks for the input.

 

[clyancey]

It's a diesel. Find a reputable diesel mechanic and you're golden. It's no golden cow to be honored only by the highest of mechanics lol.


I've never heard of accessing the Jeep turbo from the top. Bottom access only AFAIK.


The Ram has the luxury of lifting off the cab, which is likely the route I would take. Seems much easier than lowering the drivetrain from the chassis. I'd probably go with the GDE turbo over any compound setup as I'm not competing.

Thanks. That is what I was hoping to hear and what I intuitively thought until I started thinking about the computerized side of things.