Oil Change Torque Specs

[MojitoWilly]

Hello Group, what are the torque specs for the filter housing, and drain plug for a 2035 3.6 V6 ? Thanks !

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[AFD]

Hello Group, what are the torque specs for the filter housing, and drain plug for a 2035 3.6 V6 ? Thanks !

Unless something's changed for 2035, the plastic V6 filter housing is 15/16" and the drain plug is 1/2" socket. Iirc, 24MM and 13MM can also be used. Torque for the filter housing is 18-ft-lbs and 20-ft-lbs for the drain plug.

Just be very careful not to over-tighten the plastic housing as it can crack. I used a light color paint pen to draw a line across the seam before I did my first oil change, that way I can just line them up again.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...e-completed-w-diy-instructions-and-pics.3860/

Btw, nice Jeep!

 

[MojitoWilly]

Unless something's changed for 2035, the plastic V6 filter housing is 15/16" and the drain plug is 1/2" socket. Iirc, 24MM and 13MM can also be used. Torque for the filter housing is 18-ft-lbs and 20-ft-lbs for the drain plug.

Just be very careful not to over-tighten the plastic housing as it can crack. I used a light color paint pen to draw a line across the seam before I did my first oil change, that way I can just line them up again.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...e-completed-w-diy-instructions-and-pics.3860/

Btw, nice Jeep!

2035, lol proof reading is not my strong point

 

[flyer92]

Interestingly, my JL came from the factory with a yellow witness mark painted on the housing. I've seen this on other new Jeeps (but not all), and people don't realize what it is there for. Regardless, I still use a torque wrench and only tighten the cap to about 16 lb-ft, just in case my torque wrench is a little off. I do get my wrenches calibrated every few years, but since the cap isn't a dynamic component and still seals/secures perfectly at lower torque values, it's OK if it's actually under-tightened by a couple lb-ft. Never had any issues.

 

[Terrymo]

Some people say “snug it up and then just give it a little bit more”. My hands aren’t calibrated so I use a torque wrench as shown in this video.

 

[mrtm1970]

I always torque to 18 Ft-Lbs

 

[Odyssey USA]

Don’t forget to put a film of clean oil on the new filter housing cap O Ring that will come with the filter.

 

[mjmi11er]

As I poke around I'm seeing that on a 2025 3.6 and the 2.o Wrangler have some updates and both call for 30 ft/lb. Is that correct?

I would say the Wrangler in the video was NOT a 2025 because it had an engine cover, which I believe is no longer included on 2025s.


Oil Drain Plug Torque History

Model Year	Engine	Torque Spec	Source / Notes
2018–2021 Wrangler JL (3.6L)	Pentastar	20 ft-lb (27 N·m)	Factory service manual and Mopar tech docs list 20 ft-lb.
2022–2025 Wrangler JL (3.6L)	Updated Pentastar Gen III	30 ft-lb (40 N·m)	Some Mopar service bulletins (especially for the newer aluminum oil pans) raised this to 30 ft-lb.
2.0L Turbo (GME)	—	30 ft-lb	For reference, same as the new Pentastar spec.

What Changed

Around the 2021–2022 refresh, Jeep began using a revised aluminum oil pan and drain plug on the 3.6 L, with a slightly larger sealing surface and a thicker crush washer. That’s why newer manuals (including the 2024–2025 versions) call for 30 ft-lb.


If you still have a steel pan or earlier-style plug (some 2023–2024 builds did), then 20 ft-lb is correct. So the spec depends on your plug and pan material:

Pan Type	Plug Head	Correct Torque
Steel pan (older)	13 mm hex, shallow plug	20 ft-lb (27 N·m)
Aluminum pan (newer)	13 mm hex, longer plug, larger washer	30 ft-lb (40 N·m)

 

[Odyssey USA]

As I poke around I'm seeing that on a 2025 3.6 and the 2.o Wrangler have some updates and both call for 30 ft/lb. Is that correct?

I would say the Wrangler in the video was NOT a 2025 because it had an engine cover, which I believe is no longer included on 2025s.


Oil Drain Plug Torque History

Model Year	Engine	Torque Spec	Source / Notes
2018–2021 Wrangler JL (3.6L)	Pentastar	20 ft-lb (27 N·m)	Factory service manual and Mopar tech docs list 20 ft-lb.
2022–2025 Wrangler JL (3.6L)	Updated Pentastar Gen III	30 ft-lb (40 N·m)	Some Mopar service bulletins (especially for the newer aluminum oil pans) raised this to 30 ft-lb.
2.0L Turbo (GME)	—	30 ft-lb	For reference, same as the new Pentastar spec.

What Changed

Around the 2021–2022 refresh, Jeep began using a revised aluminum oil pan and drain plug on the 3.6 L, with a slightly larger sealing surface and a thicker crush washer. That’s why newer manuals (including the 2024–2025 versions) call for 30 ft-lb.


If you still have a steel pan or earlier-style plug (some 2023–2024 builds did), then 20 ft-lb is correct. So the spec depends on your plug and pan material:

Pan Type	Plug Head	Correct Torque
Steel pan (older)	13 mm hex, shallow plug	20 ft-lb (27 N·m)
Aluminum pan (newer)	13 mm hex, longer plug, larger washer	30 ft-lb (40 N·m)

Wranglers have aluminum oil pans now?! Seems very unwise.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I can't recall using a torque wrench on a drain plug, nor ever seeing anyone use one for a drain plug.

For the filter cap on the 3.6, I just turn it down until it makes contact at the flange of the cap and the housing, then a slight amount of torque. My guess would be I tighten to about 5 lbs/ft. They don't come loose and more torque doesn't seal better. Once the O-ring goes into the bore, the seal is made, irrespective of torque.

 

[flyer92]

Been using (calibrated) torque wrenches on drain plugs since my very first oil change on a WWII MB several decades ago. For whatever reason, people just love to crank down on the drain plug, thinking that tighter is better, and I have seen numerous drain plugs stripped out over the years as a result. Even if this doesn't happen right away, every overtorque brings the threads closer and closer to being stripped out, until it finally happens. Of course, there are many fixes for this problem, some easy, some not, but why even deal with all that when you can just prevent it in the first place?

All that said, this doesn't mean that you have to use a torque wrench every time you tighten your drain plug. When you tighten it to spec the first time, just scribe or paint some witness marks, and then you'll always know exactly when to stop. Pretty simple, and you only need to use a torque wrench once.

 

[garoto]

Wranglers have aluminum oil pans now?! Seems very unwise.

This aluminum pan vs steel pan needs a verified source. That’s quite a difference and this is the only thread I ever see this mentioned. How can we know for sure?

 

[flyer92]

This aluminum pan vs steel pan needs a verified source. That’s quite a difference and this is the only thread I ever see this mentioned. How can we know for sure?

Put a magnet on the oil pan. If it sticks, it's steel. If not, it's aluminum or at least a non-ferrous alloy.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I don't think ive ever used a torque wrench on a drain plug, including on my airplanes. But then they are safety wired.

 

[Tr4ckD4ys]

I don't think ive ever used a torque wrench on a drain plug, including on my airplanes. But then they are safety wired.

My thoughts exactly. Handtight. With calibrated wrist torque wrench™️

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