Ecodiesel Gen II oil filter full of carbon dust.

[Fraser434]

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 Ecodiesel 188k miles

Just completed walnut blasting the intake ports, replacing the glow plugs, water pump, oil cooler, and all the usual rubber hoses. Took it on a 600 mile trip, no issues, dropped off at dealer for Z46 HP fuel pump recall. Got it back pulled the oil filter and drained the oil through a bug screen basically to precautionary check for debris.

Was quite concerned at what I found, noticeable pieces of carbon but no metal luckily, and lucky a dealer technician replied on the FB group after explaining the issue, the tech explained what had occurred.

The tips of the injectors are sealed to the cylinder head with copper washers, some or all of the copper washers had leaked, the path of least resistance is leaking through the valve cover gasket ive found out. Its basically combustion gas leaked into your valve cover.
Possibly you can replace these washers, based on the mileage and noticing Bosch now offers remanufactured ecodiesel injectors I opted for remans, input the injector codes with Alfa OBD.

300 Miles and 2 oil and filter change's later and now the oil filter is carbon dust free, since the injector change out.

Jeep drives noticeably better with new injectors, since 100k and when the dealer loaded V08 emissions recall software, drivability and fuel mileage took a bad turn, coincidence, back above 30mpg now.

I’d recommend injectors are replaced on ecodiesels i’d say 150k miles. To avoid the potential for cooking the valve cover gaskets, potentially ruining your engine. Replacing ecodiesel injectors isn’t hard.

 

[fantastic]

Yeah, I see all that carbon. Sounds like your ecodiesel is ready for another 188k. How many miles are folks getting out of these engines?

 

[Fraser434]

Unfortunately the VM L630 engine dubbed “Ecodiesel - GEN II” doesn’t have a stellar reliability reputation. Theres quite a few over 300k miles.

Gen III 2020-2024 ecodiesels have had a better reputation.

Often when an Gen II engine fails, the main bearings spin, starves the rod bearing and the rod lets go, not much left to inspect.

Theres been instances of the oil pickup being full of carbon, many thought it was EGR related, but appears to be the injector issue I encountered. see attached pic.

High pressure fuel pumps are a problem, the Bosch CP4 pump can randomly/suddenly lock up and lockup the geartrain taking out the engine. Luckily a recall has been established and hopefully the new HPFP has been improved. Using a lubricating fuel additive and good filters is the best and only option one has to avoiding HPFP failure.

Coolant leaks are common, 4 hoses, water pump, oil cooler and EGR cooler that can commonly leak and overheat the engine, warped heads will result. Easy to svoid, replace hoses and water pump at, my water pump started weeping bad at 180k, oil cooler for some reason like to fail around 145 high number dont make it to 150k, replaced mine at 140, i’d replace them all at 140k. EGR coolers have a recall replacement, they’re less of an issue.

 

[Rand]

That picture looks more like maintenance failure ie the oil was ran too long and sludged up with soot.
but I'm not an egodiesel expert.

 

[Fraser434]

That picture looks more like maintenance failure ie the oil was ran too long and sludged up with soot.
but I'm not an egodiesel expert.

Here’s what mine looked like, jeeps and Rams have a different pickup, but you can see the beginning of the formation to block the pickup screen, lower oil pan is very easy to remove luckily.

 

[fantastic]

All interesting data about this engine.