Another cam bites the dust

[USAFREODRetired]

55,000 miles in on my 2018 JLUR with 3.6 and towing my 'squaredrop' over the high mountain passes here in Colorado at highway speeds (long runs at high revs under load), I really felt there were some problems with the motor. Just got the report from my shop, sure enough I've got cam damage.

Religious about oil changes, only run full syn (usually Amsoil) factory spec.

Must have been going bad for a while, but damn.

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[58Willys]

Bummer! Class action lawsuit ongoing against Stellantis for this. I’ve looked into aftermarket replacement parts for this, there are none that I found. You’ll have to slap stock OEM intake rockers back in. I’d be really curious what a Rockwell hardness test would show for those worn lobes.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Bummer! Class action lawsuit ongoing against Stellantis for this. I’ve looked into aftermarket replacement parts for this, there are none that I found. You’ll have to slap stock OEM intake rockers back in. I’d be really curious what a Rockwell hardness test would show for those worn lobes.

Yeah, a hardness survey of a few different areas of that cam would be interesting. Not sure how they make their cams. It seems that there are multiple processes various makers use, from cast iron that they induction harden to nitrided steel and so on. Those cams in the pix look cast iron like. I'm betting it has induction hardened lobes that only harden to very shallow depth. Especially think so, based on that picture.

 

[alphawolff]

Bummer! Class action lawsuit ongoing against Stellantis for this. I’ve looked into aftermarket replacement parts for this, there are none that I found. You’ll have to slap stock OEM intake rockers back in. I’d be really curious what a Rockwell hardness test would show for those worn lobes.

It's mainly an oil viscosity issue causing the failure. The engine was originally designed for 5w-30 and they dropped it to 5w-20 the following year for EPA. Then they dropped it down to 0w-20 for the upgrade, but that didn't really make it any worse since the wear happens when the oil is hot. Awesome to hear about the lawsuit, I had no idea. The problem has been so widespread you'd think they would've addressed the problem when they upgraded the engine, but nope. Same problems.

 

[58Willys]

It’s not an oil viscosity issue. The intake rocker bearings for the high lift finger fail, poor design.

 

[roaniecowpony]

If it was confirmed as to the exact cause, either FCA or aftermarket would address it. Higher film strength oil can't hurt in the meantime.

 

[Willys41]

55,000 miles in on my 2018 JLUR with 3.6 and towing my 'squaredrop' over the high mountain passes here in Colorado at highway speeds (long runs at high revs under load), I really felt there were some problems with the motor. Just got the report from my shop, sure enough I've got cam damage.

Religious about oil changes, only run full syn (usually Amsoil) factory spec.

Must have been going bad for a while, but damn.

I have two wranglers with 3.6.
Two thing I have done to hopefully avoid the can issue.
1. Installed a RPM Extreme fan controller. The highest temp I have see 212 pulling a mountain pass 4000ft to 8000ft. and only for a few minutes. Most of the time 188 to 195. And my oil temp is down by 25 degrees.
2. switch form 5w30 to European 5w40 oil'
Time will tell.

http://www.rpmextreme.com/Product/311/Jeep-JL-PWM-FAN-CONTROLLER.aspx

 

[USAFREODRetired]

I have two wranglers with 3.6.
Two thing I have done to hopefully avoid the can issue.
1. Installed a RPM Extreme fan controller. The highest temp I have see 212 pulling a mountain pass 4000ft to 8000ft. and only for a few minutes. Most of the time 188 to 195. And my oil temp is down by 25 degrees.
2. switch form 5w30 to European 5w40 oil'
Time will tell.

http://www.rpmextreme.com/Product/311/Jeep-JL-PWM-FAN-CONTROLLER.aspx

I'm definitely re-evaluating my oil grade selection after this!

Thanks for the pointer to the fan controller.

 

[Upnarms]

I had same issue at 55k miles. Fixed under warranty, so im good for maybe another 55k miles but probably not. Sad. My tj 4.0 has 177k miles, other than some oil leaking and seals replaced, zero issues. Vehicles are now meant to be traded in i guess after 50k miles and become somebody else's problem

 

[jmr]

I put 5W-30 in my RAM 5.7 Hemi , JLUR 2.0L and JT 3.6L. The 3.6 was designed to use 5W-30 they are using thinner oil for better gas mileage.

 

[JEEP4U]

I'm definitely re-evaluating my oil grade selection after this!

Thanks for the pointer to the fan controller.

It's not your oil grade........High temps and lack of Zinc dialkyl dithiophosphates. Use a ZDDP additive. I use 3-4oz of Lucas ZDDP additive at every oil change.

Try to keep ZDDP levels in the 1400-1600ppm range............... excessive levels prematurely disables catalytic converters in exhaust systems.

 

[Gorilla57]

Thoroughly examine your oil filter every oil change. If the cam is starting to fail, you will see the "forbidden glitter" in the filter before you will get misfires. This may save the motor, granted you'll still have to put in a new cam.

 

[azwjowner]

I’ve read of people who used 5w30 the entire time still having this problem. Which makes sense, because if the engine has such a problem that the cams are eating themselves at 50k, the very slight extra wear protection of heavier weight oil isn’t going to save it. We’re not talking about people running engines for 300k miles and noticing marginally less wear with 5w30; this is severe metal wear in few miles. Oil weight won’t save you.

 

[KCSgtMaj]

Crappy metal.

 

[Willys41]

I’ve read of people who used 5w30 the entire time still having this problem. Which makes sense, because if the engine has such a problem that the cams are eating themselves at 50k, the very slight extra wear protection of heavier weight oil isn’t going to save it. We’re not talking about people running engines for 300k miles and noticing marginally less wear with 5w30; this is severe metal wear in few miles. Oil weight won’t save you.

You are probably right.
I am going to install a magnetic drain plug so I will know if the cam is starting to go.

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