3.6 Engine Rattle Determined

[BullMoose1776]

Have you, by chance, ever seen the lifters and rocker arms on a pentastar engine? They’re tiny. Very common failure.

I have not

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[Jeep Dude]

Have you, by chance, ever seen the lifters and rocker arms on a pentastar engine? They’re tiny. Very common failure.

I'm getting a bit confused with many people on here, including utube Wrangler reviewers like TFL, etc, reporting that the 3.6 Pentastar is rock solid unit, and very common to hear of owners observing 100k..200k...300000, without opening them up,,,,and then those who say rocker arms and lifters being a "very common failure".

You cannot have both scenarios, as they contradict one an other.

My question is not a loaded one. I'm sincerly getting confused now lol.

Which one is it?

 

[mwilk012]

I'm getting a bit confused with many people on here, including utube Wrangler reviewers like TFL, etc, reporting that the 3.6 Pentastar is rock solid unit, and very common to hear of owners observing 100k..200k...300000, without opening them up,,,,and then those who say rocker arms and lifters being a "very common failure".

You cannot have both scenarios, as they contradict one an other.

My question is not a loaded one. I'm sincerly getting confused now lol.

Which one is it?

They get noisy, you replace them, that’s that. Sometimes they damage the camshaft, you swap that out too. Major engine repair all in less than $3k even at dealership prices.

 

[BullMoose1776]

I'm getting a bit confused with many people on here, including utube Wrangler reviewers like TFL, etc, reporting that the 3.6 Pentastar is rock solid unit, and very common to hear of owners observing 100k..200k...300000, without opening them up,,,,and then those who say rocker arms and lifters being a "very common failure".

You cannot have both scenarios, as they contradict one an other.

My question is not a loaded one. I'm sincerly getting confused now lol.

Which one is it?

I'm with you. I chose the 3.6 BECAUSE it was "tried and tested. 8 would have chosen the 2.0 if I know parts of the innards would be new and old

 

[AlgUSF]

I'm sure if they pulled my 2002 Civic engine apart at 270K, they'd find a ton wrong with it. Runs like a champ, makes noise. Noises happen.

My 2014 Tundra has made some sort of a valve clicking/chattering noise at full acceleration since I bought it brand new. I've thought about the noise, but didn't have taken apart because it runs like a champ.

In my opinion, a noise is no reason to pull an engine apart. I plan on hitting the end of the powertrain warranty on my Jeep at it's exact time/mileage limit.

 

[mwilk012]

I'm sure if they pulled my 2002 Civic engine apart at 270K, they'd find a ton wrong with it. Runs like a champ, makes noise. Noises happen.

My 2014 Tundra has made some sort of a valve clicking/chattering noise at full acceleration since I bought it brand new. I've thought about the noise, but didn't have taken apart because it runs like a champ.

In my opinion, a noise is no reason to pull an engine apart. I plan on hitting the end of the powertrain warranty on my Jeep at it's exact time/mileage limit.

This particular noise results in a damaged camshaft and an engine filled with fine metallic debris. If ignored long enough (long past the time the engine begins to misfire) you risk plugging oil passages in the block.

 

[BullMoose1776]

I'm sure if they pulled my 2002 Civic engine apart at 270K, they'd find a ton wrong with it. Runs like a champ, makes noise. Noises happen.

My 2014 Tundra has made some sort of a valve clicking/chattering noise at full acceleration since I bought it brand new. I've thought about the noise, but didn't have taken apart because it runs like a champ.

In my opinion, a noise is no reason to pull an engine apart. I plan on hitting the end of the powertrain warranty on my Jeep at it's exact time/mileage limit.

Choices made...risks accepted? Good I guess. When the dealer tells me it's a known issue and is a covered repair I'd only be a fool to say "nah, I'm good, algUSF told me his Honda and Toyota are solid".

 

[AlgUSF]

Choices made...risks accepted? Good I guess. When the dealer tells me it's a known issue and is a covered repair I'd only be a fool to say "nah, I'm good, algUSF told me his Honda and Toyota are solid".

LOL! I'm not giving you advice. Other people read these threads and you bring a vague complaint. Is your engine losing compression or throwing a specific code? Do you know the amount of work involved in replacing valve lifters?

Over a noise, I personally wouldn't have my engine opened up. All the best with your repair, hopefully the tech who does the repair has done a lot of these specific repairs given the current labor situation.

People bring differing opinions and that is part of life.

 

[mwilk012]

LOL! I'm not giving you advice. Other people read these threads and you bring a vague complaint. Is your engine losing compression or throwing a specific code? Do you know the amount of work involved in replacing valve lifters?

Over a noise, I personally wouldn't have my engine opened up. All the best with your repair, hopefully the tech who does the repair has done a lot of these specific repairs given the current labor situation.

People bring differing opinions and that is part of life.

pulling valve covers takes like 2 hours, moving slowly. Do just one side, the noisy side, and the whole job takes 4-5 hours. You don’t even have to pull the camshafts out. Special tools hold everything in place and pop the rocker arms and lifters out really simply.

 

[BullMoose1776]

pulling valve covers takes like 2 hours, moving slowly. Do just one side, the noisy side, and the whole job takes 4-5 hours. You don’t even have to pull the camshafts out. Special tools hold everything in place and pop the rocker arms and lifters out really simply.

No need to explain to him...he's not giving advice...

 

[AlgUSF]

pulling valve covers takes like 2 hours, moving slowly. Do just one side, the noisy side, and the whole job takes 4-5 hours. You don’t even have to pull the camshafts out. Special tools hold everything in place and pop the rocker arms and lifters out really simply.

Great post, I've pulled valve covers off a few times. Done a few valve jobs on older engines back in the push rod days. I've done a few timing belts, various side engine sensors under the timing belt cover on Hondas.

What are the "special tools" which hold "everything" in place on the 3.6 Pentastar? If I have a lifter problem after the warranty expires, I'd prefer to repair it myself. I like taking my time on engine work and order all of the one time fasteners which have a long lead time.

Edit: On my Odyssey timing belt job a few months ago every dealership could have had it done the next day. It took me 2 weeks because I waited for the one time bolts to come in. Here is my stack of "extra" bolts, each accounted for. The dealership wouldn't have replaced these with new.

 

[Rodeoflyer]

heck can't you just get an entire 3.6l Penta from a scrapyard for <$2k? My big mistake was not also getting the auto which you can also source for next to nothing from a scrapyard.

 

[Retrograde]

...It would be interesting to know how FCA manages the Variable Valve Timing in the 3.6....

Two ways--- (1) Based on throttle input, RPM, and load, the PCM causes a solenoid to advance cam timing. Additionally, (2) the PCM also actuates another solenoid that increases valve lift.

Here's a pretty good summary. Also interesting are the known common failure modes of the system. TL/DR version-- keep your oil clean (to avoid actuating solenoid failures), and gently warm up your engine (to avoid lifter collapse):

https://us.autologic.com/news/chrysler-engine-vvt

 

[mwilk012]

heck can't you just get an entire 3.6l Penta from a scrapyard for <$2k? My big mistake was not also getting the auto which you can also source for next to nothing from a scrapyard.

If you pull it yourself maybe. Last one we bought cost the shop 3500.

 

[Rodeoflyer]

how much is the manual trans dealer price??

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