Oil Cooler Housing

[Strommen95]

https://www.wranglerforum.com/threa...r-housings-looks-like-a-serious-issue.698297/

2014 appears to be a bad year in particular for the JK oil cooler. Scanning through that thread shows a number of JKs from 2015 on with the same issue, though not as much as 2014. My former JK, which is my dads nowadays, is slowly leaking oil now. I believe it's from the oil cooler and he'll find out the following weekend. Changed the oil yesterday and it's not from the filter or drain nut. Admittedly I have little to no knowledge on oil coolers or the filter housing.

For those of you with more knowhow and a better understanding of the 3.6 JL in this regard, is this still a weak spot like it was on the later year JKs? I would assume it's something they improved on but I suppose could also serve as a good example of "lol FCA quality" and not be the case.

Sponsored

 

[SSinGA]

most likely it'll still be an issue. Still made of plastic so as it gets older the plastic will fatigue and the oil side or the coolant side will crack.

 

[joz1911]

My 2014 Grand Cherokee currently has this issue. The cooler is on nationwide backorder until the end of the month. My mechanic is saying $600 for the repair. So I will start saving knowing it will likely happen on my 2021 JL down the road.

 

[OSCAR II]

The problem goes back farther then 14, back to the 3.8s as its basically the same block. In 14 was a major change with a different filter. I don't think its been determined if its the housing or the o rings that are leaking. Its a bad design and not the easiest to replace. Intake has to be taken apart and removed. I've gotten prices from $800 - $2000.

 

[mwilk012]

My 2014 Grand Cherokee currently has this issue. The cooler is on nationwide backorder until the end of the month. My mechanic is saying $600 for the repair. So I will start saving knowing it will likely happen on my 2021 JL down the road.

if you don’t do spark plugs at the same time you’re a fool.

they all will leak at some point. It’s so common that when people call about their Jeep leaking oil we just order a cooler before the car shows up. That is, until last month when stock everywhere went to zero.

 

[joz1911]

if you don’t do spark plugs at the same time you’re a fool.

they all will leak at some point. It’s so common that when people call about their Jeep leaking oil we just order a cooler before the car shows up. That is, until last month when stock everywhere went to zero.

Not a fool when I had my plugs and coils recently replaced when I had the ticking rocker arm issue repaired. And yet I keep buying these Pentastar engines. FML

 

[CarbonSteel]

FCA should have taken a lesson from Mercedes when they owned Chrysler on oil cooler design and made the entire unit from aluminum with a plastic cap. It would have cooled better as well since there would be a larger area for a heat sink.

Overtightening the oil filter cap can cause the body to crack so that should be done cautiously.

 

[Petey]

FCA should have taken a lesson from Mercedes when they owned Chrysler on oil cooler design and made the entire unit from aluminum with a plastic cap. It would have cooled better as well since there would be a larger area for a heat sink.

Overtightening the oil filter cap can cause the body to crack so that should be done cautiously.

I agree , it's unfathomable that a big automaker makes the intake and filter canister out of plastic and to top it all off, on top of an engine that has an area that is basically a liquid catchment container which is inaccessible unless u tear down the top . And theres the spark- ignition coil- plug problem... SO even Nissan VG"s made some ridiculous intake designs but usually theirs was aluminum and in no way the did they have the ridiculous oil to coolant cooler on top of the engine.... and even the spark plugs were at least somewhat accessible.. I remember in the old days the audis had a really good system with a machined adapter and its own thermostat . The cooler was a tough built unit and would rarely need replacement. These were made somewhere in the mid 70's.. and here we are in the 2020's with these issues.

Sponsored