Infamous 3.6 Pentastar oil cooler strikes

[tiger862]

I snug the cap. So far no problems in 15k with 6 month OCI and not many changes so far (4). With warranty I hope I don't have do the repair but I hear Chrysler is blaming customers so they refuse to fix. The only thing I fear is I will have to change mine earlier than others as most do yearly or OLM. I wonder if you can use one for 2018.

https://www.mymoparparts.com/oem-parts/mopar-engine-oil-filter-adapter-68310865ab

 

[KrisZ]

Thanks for the report.

I have done all oil changes on our 15 Grand Caravan, no torquing is required, just stop when the flange on the filter cup touches the housing. So at least the housing should not develop any cracks from over tightening. And I shine a light down there every oil change and so far it looks dry. I'm only at 35k miles so hopefully the o-rings or gaskets will hold up for me at least over 100k like in your case.

It's definitely not a robust design for sure.

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted by GMBoy
Originally Posted by dwcopple
I don't know of this being a problem on Pentastar sedans. Is this a Jeep issue? My 200 isn't leaking


Yes it is across the board. I've done a few Chargers and Challengers and a Caravan.-

I didn't know the 200 could have the 3.6 - that must be a little rocket!!

sub 14 second 1/4 mile. It screams!

 

[dwcopple]

So I pulled my engine cover off yesterday and looked on my 200 engine. Yep, I see oil. It doesn't seem to affect anything though as my level remains constant and it doesn't smell or anything. The repair (on RWD longitudinally) mounted engines looks like a royal PITA. I'd guess it is not so bad on my transverse layout. However, what is the point of changing it and what do I benefit by doing it? Our car has 91K on it and will become my oldest daughter's car in October this year. It's a keeper and has been a great car for us.

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by dwcopple
Originally Posted by GMBoy
Originally Posted by dwcopple
I don't know of this being a problem on Pentastar sedans. Is this a Jeep issue? My 200 isn't leaking


Yes it is across the board. I've done a few Chargers and Challengers and a Caravan.-

I didn't know the 200 could have the 3.6 - that must be a little rocket!!

sub 14 second 1/4 mile. It screams!


You'll also be screaming when the torque steer kicks in! But yes, I love those little v6 200's

Originally Posted by dwcopple
So I pulled my engine cover off yesterday and looked on my 200 engine. Yep, I see oil. It doesn't seem to affect anything though as my level remains constant and it doesn't smell or anything. The repair (on RWD longitudinally) mounted engines looks like a royal PITA. I'd guess it is not so bad on my transverse layout. However, what is the point of changing it and what do I benefit by doing it? Our car has 91K on it and will become my oldest daughter's car in October this year. It's a keeper and has been a great car for us.


I thought my 300 was leaking as it had some oil down there, but it never dropped onto the ground and my oil never dropped on the dipstick. I guess some had dropped from the filter during an oil change once and got stuck in there.

 

[Jake_J]

As a total aside anybody connected to Mercedes will anyways deny that the Mercedes M276 and the Chrysler Pentastar (both developed during the DaimlerChrysler days) share anything more then their basic 60 degree layout. That maybe true but that oil cooler and euro drop in oil filter housing have Mercedes written all for it in my eyes.

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by dwcopple
Originally Posted by GMBoy
Originally Posted by dwcopple
I don't know of this being a problem on Pentastar sedans. Is this a Jeep issue? My 200 isn't leaking


Yes it is across the board. I've done a few Chargers and Challengers and a Caravan.-

I didn't know the 200 could have the 3.6 - that must be a little rocket!!

sub 14 second 1/4 mile. It screams!


You'll also be screaming when the torque steer kicks in! But yes, I love those little v6 200's

Originally Posted by dwcopple
So I pulled my engine cover off yesterday and looked on my 200 engine. Yep, I see oil. It doesn't seem to affect anything though as my level remains constant and it doesn't smell or anything. The repair (on RWD longitudinally) mounted engines looks like a royal PITA. I'd guess it is not so bad on my transverse layout. However, what is the point of changing it and what do I benefit by doing it? Our car has 91K on it and will become my oldest daughter's car in October this year. It's a keeper and has been a great car for us.


I thought my 300 was leaking as it had some oil down there, but it never dropped onto the ground and my oil never dropped on the dipstick. I guess some had dropped from the filter during an oil change once and got stuck in there.

Oh, maybe that, yeah.

 

[mpack88]

I test drove a 2012 chrysler 200s with the Pentastar engine. Thing was a rocket. It sold the next day. Oh well.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted by dwcopple
So I pulled my engine cover off yesterday and looked on my 200 engine. Yep, I see oil. It doesn't seem to affect anything though as my level remains constant and it doesn't smell or anything. The repair (on RWD longitudinally) mounted engines looks like a royal PITA. I'd guess it is not so bad on my transverse layout. However, what is the point of changing it and what do I benefit by doing it? Our car has 91K on it and will become my oldest daughter's car in October this year. It's a keeper and has been a great car for us.


Keep an eye on because it won't get better. I haven't heard of any oil leaks suddenly rupture on them, just slow leak like mine that eventually overfilled the engine galley and rolled out the back. But the leak was worse over time and I would want to fix it now when convenient rather then when it/if it lets go which never is a good time. I did a Charger last year that the coolant part ruptured and was a sudden loss of coolant so that is the other failure mode.

It is not a hard job overall and should be easier on your car then on my Jeep. SInce you like it and will keep it - I would fix it as soon as you can.

 

[dwcopple]

Can you point me to a part #? How does coolant come into play with it?

is this one junk?
click here to see what ROCK auto has

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted by GMBoy

Keep an eye on because it won't get better. I haven't heard of any oil leaks suddenly rupture on them, just slow leak like mine that eventually overfilled the engine galley and rolled out the back. But the leak was worse over time and I would want to fix it now when convenient rather then when it/if it lets go which never is a good time. I did a Charger last year that the coolant part ruptured and was a sudden loss of coolant so that is the other failure mode.

It is not a hard job overall and should be easier on your car then on my Jeep. SInce you like it and will keep it - I would fix it as soon as you can.


True on that. I haven't heard of any catastrophic failures of them. People don't generally catch it until they notice drips on the ground. I've only heard of 1, maybe 2 issues with this on pentastar powered Ram 1500's but that's probably because 3.6's are more prevalent on other models. Would be a pain to do on a Ram. You'd need one of those creepers that allows you to lay over the engine bay. Or maybe take the tires off and lower the vehicle onto jack stands.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted by dwcopple
Can you point me to a part #? How does coolant come into play with it?

is this one junk?
click here to see what ROCK auto has


The oil cooler is cooled by engine coolant, not surrounding air like a grill mounted oil cooler. Engine coolant flows thru it as well as oil - each in seperate areas of course. These coolers can fail in 2 ways - coolant or oil leaks.

I am not sure about the RockAuto part, I know it is a value line and only has a 1 yr warranty. The original Mopar part warranty is longer with 2yrs.

 

[dwcopple]

I'll have to see if I can find a video of this swap on a FWD application. I don't understand how this is an "oil cooler" though when everything calls this the oil filter housing. I guess YMMV.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted by dwcopple
I'll have to see if I can find a video of this swap on a FWD application. I don't understand how this is an "oil cooler" though when everything calls this the oil filter housing. I guess YMMV.


It is an oil filter housing and cooler in the SAME assembly. You can call it anything you like and it is referred to by both names depending where you look for parts. Regardless - the oil COOLER portion is what failed on me and is the weak point.

The engine coolant cools the oil....engine coolant is colder than oil so it pulls heat from the oil and cools the it. Look at your own post with the Rockauto photo and you will see. The oil filter portion is in front where you see it. The cooler sits behind it and the plumbing is all underneath.

 

[dwcopple]

Ok gotcha, so was your leaking coolant or oil?

 

[dwcopple]

So, if your housing isn't cracked, Fel-Pro 73012 for $30 is the complete o-ring kit to rebuild the stock unit.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted by dwcopple
Ok gotcha, so was your leaking coolant or oil?


It was leaking oil. Others I have done were also oil except one, which was coolant.



Originally Posted by dwcopple
So, if your housing isn't cracked, Fel-Pro 73012 for $30 is the complete o-ring kit to rebuild the stock unit.


I imagine if you are certain it is the o-rings and not a crack that would be an economical solution. I would just be concerned, based on the failure pattern, that you may end up later with a cracked/bad housing and do the job all over. If you are doing the repair yourself, nothing lost but your time. If you are paying to have it done - much more money involved. I just chose to replace the entire, we will call it the oil filter/cooler assembly to be done with it.

 

[RageOfFury]

Stumbled upon this thread today, then googled the issue and it scared the crap out of me. Went out and checked my Jeep...yup, leaking

I have no idea how long it's been like this. I bought the vehicle new in Jan 2015, put on 80,000 KM (~50K miles) since.

 

[JTK]

Rage- Assuming this is on your 2014 Jeep GC, have you been doing your own oil changes or has a shop been doing them?

Definitely looks like she's starting to pool down there. Has it begun to drip down the back of the engine block yet? I'd try to suck or wash out what you can and see if it comes back just to be sure it's not from spillage. Washing it out could be a mess on the driveway though. If the intake valley is full of oil, it can have close to a quart laying up in there I'm told.

 

[2014JKUdavis]

I snug the cap. So far no problems in 15k with 6 month OCI and not many changes so far (4). With warranty I hope I don't have do the repair but I hear Chrysler is blaming customers so they refuse to fix. The only thing I fear is I will have to change mine earlier than others as most do yearly or OLM. I wonder if you can use one for 2018.

https://www.mymoparparts.com/oem-parts/mopar-engine-oil-filter-adapter-68310865ab

So, I noticed oil in the driveway yesterday. 2014 JKU, 45,000 miles. wet with oil underneath. Couldn't find the source of the leak. Dipstick reads full. Weird. So, I took it to the dealership for a diagnosis this morning. Cracked oil cooler. Guess how much the jeep dealer wants for the service and to replace the oil cooler? $1330.