A Jeep 2.8L diesel engine powers several overseas versions of the JK Wrangler. Because diesel engines are so popular, especially in countries outside of the U.S., it took quite a few years for us to finally get a diesel we've come to like. So let's take a closer look at the 2.8L diesel engine.
The Jeep 2.8L Diesel Engine
Chrysler/Jeep introduced the 2.8 diesel in the Cherokees and Liberties in 2001. The engine itself is a power plant designed and built by VM Motori, an Italian company previously owned by Detroit Diesel, before being purchased by Daimler-Chrysler. The current generation turbo diesel engine is the A428 DOHC (double overhead cam) engine platform with a common rail fuel injection system, and you can see "CRD" for Common Rail Diesel in the engine cover. This engine is a modified version of the original 2.8L R428 DOHC engine introduced by VM Motori in 2001, used on European Cherokees and Liberties from 2001-2004, and 2005-2010 Cherokees and Liberties and 2007-2010 Wrangler JKs. The current generation A428 engine has been an option in 2010-2016 JKs as well as 2010-2012 Cherokees. This Jeep diesel engine produces from 150 to 160HP and 251 to 295 lbs.-ft. of torque depending on what vehicle it's used in. The 2.8L 4-cylinder diesel is a "Euro 5" compliant engine, meeting Euro 5a and 5b diesel emissions standards.
Used in Jeep Wrangler JK and JK Unlimited
Since 2007, the 2.8L diesel engine has been available as an option in overseas Jeep Wrangler JK models. One of the first Wranglers to get them were the J8s, a military version of the Wrangler Unlimited manufactured in Egypt and not available in the US. Those had beefed up suspensions, a special air intake system, and were capable of supporting armor. But the
civilian version Wrangler JKs also got them and we were off to enjoying the benefits of using a diesel engine. If you have a manual transmission JK (say, from 2010 and up), the Jeep 2.8L diesel engine features the Stop/Start system to reduce the CO2 emissions. The engines themselves use a common rail injection system with piezoelectric injectors. The 2.8L diesel engine is used in various other Chryslers and Jeeps (not all of them in the U.S. though), such as the Cherokee, Liberty, Grand Voyager, Dodge Nitro, and others. It's become a good and reliable engine, and more mechanics are getting familiar with them, so let's hope they stick around for the long haul.
Morris 4x4 Center carries quality replacement parts such as leveling spacer kits and water pumps for the Jeep 2.8L diesel engine. 
