Head gasket time already?

[roaniecowpony]

Well, if you are out of warranty, then there is nothing to lose. I have heard fantastic result with products like this. Prepping The cooling system seems to be the key. Plenty of YouTube videos on using head gasket sealers.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NOO798?SubscriptionId=AKIAIBX4MGJBG42TO3NQ&tag=productsbestrv49019-20&asc_source=bing&asc_campaign=99145&asc_refurl=https://bestreviews.com/best-head-gasket-sealers&cid=99

....then Bronco it, quickly!

Sponsored

 

[bikenutty]

Well the dealer sent me a report/estimate. I gave the service writer the exact story, symptom and history. Now I see he took all the time to write up my concern as "using coolant", that's it.

I look at the technicians notes, and I quote, "head gaskets blown...................................."

$4,000 to repair, $3500 labor. Unbelievable the level of incompetence (at least this dealer). I asked specifically for borescope images of the inside of cylinder(s) and got nothing.

@JeepCares please help resolve this issue. I did not cause it!

 

[Windshieldfarmer]

Well the dealer sent me a report/estimate. I gave the service writer the exact story, symptom and history. Now I see he took all the time to write up my concern as "using coolant", that's it.

I look at the technicians notes, and I quote, "head gaskets blown...................................."

$4,000 to repair, $3500 labor. Unbelievable the level of incompetence (at least this dealer). I asked specifically for borescope images of the inside of cylinder(s) and got nothing.

@JeepCares please help resolve this issue. I did not cause it!

Not sure you’ll improve your reliability odds with a Bronco. You might want to instead consider a Landcruiser or upcoming Forerunner. Even those might be less than stellar with all of the hybrid technology. That said, seems like a wide variety of reliability ugly on these threads regarding the JL. It’s one thing to have a couple of problem areas…the JL has about ten problem areas. Good luck…I would take it to a good independent shop if not covered by warranty.

 

[bikenutty]

If it doesn't get covered, I'll put a long block in it myself and dump it. I just can't believe a car I bought new and cared for, suffered this kind of failure in less than 40,000 miles. I have been a profession mechanic most of my life, worked for and managed dealership service departments and owned my own shop. I know how to care for my vehicles.

Other than this engine issue, I haven't been unhappy with the JL, I've dealt with recalls, steering issues more than once, and a couple other minor warranty issues, but they were corrected by FCA. It has taken me anywhere I wanted to go, and we've had great family memories playing in the hills.

Again, really hoping FCA will own this, and I can continue enjoying the "jeep thing" for a long time to come.

 

[roaniecowpony]

If it doesn't get covered, I'll put a long block in it myself and dump it. I just can't believe a car I bought new and cared for, suffered this kind of failure in less than 40,000 miles. I have been a profession mechanic most of my life, worked for and managed dealership service departments and owned my own shop. I know how to care for my vehicles.

Other than this engine issue, I haven't been unhappy with the JL, I've dealt with recalls, steering issues more than once, and a couple other minor warranty issues, but they were corrected by FCA. It has taken me anywhere I wanted to go, and we've had great family memories playing in the hills.

Again, really hoping FCA will own this, and I can continue enjoying the "jeep thing" for a long time to come.

Join the crowd. My 3.6 went 34453 miles. Started blowing steam, lit up the dash, missing, then shut down. I didn't bother with trying to sort out the reason it was sucking coolant. Whatever it was it was likely to cost what I paid for a take-out with 160 miles on it or close enough to it. It ended up the PCM likely killed the engine.

My JLUR with 37s on a lift, 4.88s and a bunch of little mods is back on the road, but it probably won't be long in my stable. Maybe a year or so, then on down the road, if it lasts that long. If it doesn't, maybe I'll make it into a off-road buggy with a real engine.

 

[bikenutty]

Wow, 34k miles? funny thing about mine, never been hot, no leaks, no coolant in the oil or vice versa, drives all day no problem. sits over night, misfire on start up, clears up in a few seconds. I do occasionally smell coolant during cold start, to bad I didn't press the dealer harder when it was in warranty. I do like the floating rear axle on the new JLs though...

I talked my wife into this purchase and traded in her trusty Honda Ridgeline for it. She is now fully upset this thing needs $1000s dumped into it just to make drivable again. And reminding me about my insistence this will be a great vehicle...

 

[azjl#3]

3

Lift kit and tires increased the engine load past oem parameters. Especially if not regeared.... Would be my argument.

no, the engine will only put out so much power, a lift in no way exceeds what say towing would add.

Can they deny, sure.

 

[alphawolff]

If it doesn't get covered, I'll put a long block in it myself and dump it. I just can't believe a car I bought new and cared for, suffered this kind of failure in less than 40,000 miles. I have been a profession mechanic most of my life, worked for and managed dealership service departments and owned my own shop. I know how to care for my vehicles.

Other than this engine issue, I haven't been unhappy with the JL, I've dealt with recalls, steering issues more than once, and a couple other minor warranty issues, but they were corrected by FCA. It has taken me anywhere I wanted to go, and we've had great family memories playing in the hills.

Again, really hoping FCA will own this, and I can continue enjoying the "jeep thing" for a long time to come.

We've been seeing 3.6Ls blow headgaskets constantly between 50-75k. You're a bit under, but not by much. It's a build quality defect, it either blows very early like yours or doesn't blow at all. It's just so common no diagnostic is needed beyond verifying there aren't any external leaks. A misfire on cold start is a dead giveaway. It's so common that if I get a 3.6L in that mileage range with a misfire DTC and I open the hood and see the coolant bottle empty I immediately walk away and write it up for a cylinder head gasket, no further diagnostic needed. Comically common.

As you brought the vehicle to the dealer before the warranty expired with a coolant burning issue but they came in with a "could not duplicate" I'd suspect you have a good chance at getting it good willed due to a paper trail of this issue existing before the warranty expired. I'm almost certain the dealer didn't feel like dealing with it during your last visit that they simply said they couldn't find an issue. It's frankly ridiculous considering how obvious the issue was from your original post.


As you answer your question as to why it failed so early, the common thought is the heads aren't being properly torqued at the factory leading to premature gasket failure. The amount I've seen blown at ~60k miles is frankly absurd.

 

[Jamrock]

We have seen a number of reports re: blown head gaskets/empty coolant bottles on the forum. Often the dealer just replaces the engine without diagnosing the cause of the failure.

A few have reported that there are cracks somewhere which allow the hot coolant to leak out and damage the cylinders.

 

[alphawolff]

We have seen a number of reports re: blown head gaskets/empty coolant bottles on the forum. Often the dealer just replaces the engine without diagnosing the cause of the failure.

A few have reported that there are cracks somewhere which allow the hot coolant to leak out and damage the cylinders.

We just replace both cylinder heads with new gaskets. We used to do just the blown side but the other side would blow within 5-10k miles. Replacing an engine for this is extreme.

 

[Jamrock]

It is extreme.

I suspect it is cheaper for the dealers to do this than to incur labor costs. Also, they may not have the level of skill in house to do the job.

How many hours does it take to get to the point where you can remove the head? On a Jeep, what do you have to remove to get there?

 

[58Willys]

Cheaper

It is extreme.

I suspect it is cheaper for the dealers to do this than to incur labor costs. Also, they may not have the level of skill in house to do the job.

How many hours does it take to get to the point where you can remove the head? On a Jeep, what do you have to remove to get there?

Cheaper to swap a motor than replace a head gasket? I think not!

 

[Jamrock]

Who is paying for the new engine? Jeep or the dealer? Which task uses up more of the dealer's resources? Which task requires more highly skilled (more expensive) technicians?

 

[bikenutty]

I've seen the difficulty of replacing head gaskets, which isn't something I am interested in doing at home, it would be a couple hours a day until completion, motor R&R sounds easier. Then there is the chance of finding a flat cam. As long as this issue has been going on, I have concerns there may be cylinder wall/ring damage from the coolant displacing the oil. I asked the dealer to call Jeep cares with their diagnostic info and they told me to do it myself, the dealer doesn't care at all. They could not even tell me if the tech took it apart or just tested for hydrocarbons in the coolant.

 

[Remorseless]

Honestly, the odds of the MLS head gasket being the issue is exceedingly small. Most likely scenario is a warped head not sealing against the gasket completely.

Sponsored