Oil Cooler Replacement (and upgrades)

[CarbonSteel]

I have been suspecting it for a short while and had it confirmed with the UOAs from my last two oil changes. Potassium levels are rising which indicates a coolant leak. They are very low levels and would not be detected via traditional means, so the UOAs have paid for themselves with early detection.

I changed the oil yesterday after 1K miles due to the potassium and there was a "slosh" of dirty oil that spilled out when parked on an incline, so I have to assume the valley has a pool in it.

I have a new Mopar unit and a Dorman. The Mopar was supposed to be a Dorman (thanks Amazon) but found out yesterday when I opened it that it was for a JK, so it is going back. I will be installing the Dorman unit and took some time to clean up the casting flash. There was a large section of flash that would have been pushing against the bottom of the oil cooler which would likely have contributed to it leaking practically out of the box.

Since I am performing "surgery" there are a number of things that I will be changing while I am in that deep such as:

• Sparkplugs
• VVT Sensors and gaskets (both are leaking)
• Valve cover gaskets (both are leaking, and the passenger side leak ruined the lower 02 sensor recently)
• PCV valve (I have the new version on the way)

From a cooling upgrade perspective, I am going to install a new Mishimoto radiator, Gladiator fan, and Gladiator grill inserts.

Shortly after all of that, I will continue with my remote oil filter project which will include a new Derale fan driven oil cooler.

I need better temperature control because in the spring, I am going to install a supercharger. Sick of this gutless 3.6L (especially after driving a Bronco Wildtrak with a 2.7TT engine and 4.7 gearing).

As always, more to follow...

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[Jubi351]

A couple of people here locally have installed the Dorman unit and they leaked in little time. The recommendation was to make sure to use the Mopar o-rings and that remedied the issue.

 

[Tncdrew]

I have been suspecting it for a short while and had it confirmed with the UOAs from my last two oil changes. Potassium levels are rising which indicates a coolant leak. They are very low levels and would not be detected via traditional means, so the UOAs have paid for themselves with early detection.

I changed the oil yesterday after 1K miles due to the potassium and there was a "slosh" of dirty oil that spilled out when parked on an incline, so I have to assume the valley has a pool in it.

I have a new Mopar unit and a Dorman. The Mopar was supposed to be a Dorman (thanks Amazon) but found out yesterday when I opened it that it was for a JK, so it is going back. I will be installing the Dorman unit and took some time to clean up the casting flash. There was a large section of flash that would have been pushing against the bottom of the oil cooler which would likely have contributed to it leaking practically out of the box.

Since I am performing "surgery" there are a number of things that I will be changing while I am in that deep such as:

• Sparkplugs
• VVT Sensors and gaskets (both are leaking)
• Valve cover gaskets (both are leaking, and the passenger side leak ruined the lower 02 sensor recently)
• PCV valve (I have the new version on the way)

From a cooling upgrade perspective, I am going to install a new Mishimoto radiator, Gladiator fan, and Gladiator grill inserts.

Shortly after all of that, I will continue with my remote oil filter project which will include a new Derale fan driven oil cooler.

I need better temperature control because in the spring, I am going to install a supercharger. Sick of this gutless 3.6L (especially after driving a Bronco Wildtrak with a 2.7TT engine and 4.7 gearing).

As always, more to follow...

How many miles are on this engine??

 

[Petey]

I have been suspecting it for a short while and had it confirmed with the UOAs from my last two oil changes. Potassium levels are rising which indicates a coolant leak. They are very low levels and would not be detected via traditional means, so the UOAs have paid for themselves with early detection.

I changed the oil yesterday after 1K miles due to the potassium and there was a "slosh" of dirty oil that spilled out when parked on an incline, so I have to assume the valley has a pool in it.

I have a new Mopar unit and a Dorman. The Mopar was supposed to be a Dorman (thanks Amazon) but found out yesterday when I opened it that it was for a JK, so it is going back. I will be installing the Dorman unit and took some time to clean up the casting flash. There was a large section of flash that would have been pushing against the bottom of the oil cooler which would likely have contributed to it leaking practically out of the box.

Since I am performing "surgery" there are a number of things that I will be changing while I am in that deep such as:

• Sparkplugs
• VVT Sensors and gaskets (both are leaking)
• Valve cover gaskets (both are leaking, and the passenger side leak ruined the lower 02 sensor recently)
• PCV valve (I have the new version on the way)

From a cooling upgrade perspective, I am going to install a new Mishimoto radiator, Gladiator fan, and Gladiator grill inserts.

Shortly after all of that, I will continue with my remote oil filter project which will include a new Derale fan driven oil cooler.

I need better temperature control because in the spring, I am going to install a supercharger. Sick of this gutless 3.6L (especially after driving a Bronco Wildtrak with a 2.7TT engine and 4.7 gearing).

As always, more to follow...

i'm not telling you what you have to do but I hope you add ignition coils to your list... is it possible to extend a cooling line from the oil filter block area so one can have and air to oil direct cooler?

 

[CarbonSteel]

How many miles are on this engine??

70,700

 

[CarbonSteel]

A couple of people here locally have installed the Dorman unit and they leaked in little time. The recommendation was to make sure to use the Mopar o-rings and that remedied the issue.

I have the Mopar o-rings.

 

[CarbonSteel]

i'm not telling you what you have to do but I hope you add ignition coils to your list... is it possible to extend a cooling line from the oil filter block area so one can have and air to oil direct cooler?

Not doing the coils at this time.

I am custom building the remote filter system using this in the oil filter housing:

https://www.baxterperformanceusa.co...er-mr-202-bk-cartridge-to-remote-adapter.html

I will add a fan driven Derale 18 row cooler between the remote filter mount and the return line to the adapter.

 

[Tncdrew]

This amount of oil leaks on an engine with well under 100K miles is rather disappointing...
Between these stories, the camshaft failures, and all the rest..... I just don't know...

 

[Petey]

This amount of oil leaks on an engine with well under 100K miles is rather disappointing...
Between these stories, the camshaft failures, and all the rest..... I just don't know...

agreed ..I've 23 k on mine and worried how many more times I will have to take my intake off.. ignition coil were defective right of the lot and now having this on my mind..

 

[Petey]

Not doing the coils at this time.

I am custom building the remote filter system using this in the oil filter housing:

https://www.baxterperformanceusa.co...er-mr-202-bk-cartridge-to-remote-adapter.html

I will add a fan driven Derale 18 row cooler between the remote filter mount and the return line to the adapter.

I cant quite picture how that is going to fit there .. are there pics of it installed somewhere?

 

[CarbonSteel]

I cant quite picture how that is going to fit there .. are there pics of it installed somewhere?

I can mock it up when I get home and post a photo. But picture removing the oil filter and the oil filter cap and screwing that in its place.

Hydraulic hoses would come off of that adapter and go down the side of the engine to the remote oil filter mount and from there over to the oil cooler and back again.

 

[CarbonSteel]

I cant quite picture how that is going to fit there .. are there pics of it installed somewhere?

Here you go:

You connect hydraulic hoses with -10AN fittings from the top of the adapter down to a remote filter adapter:

From the remote filter adapter you route over to the oil cooler:

Then back to the adapter. I am in the process of fabricating a mounting plate that will attach to the driver's side lower engine for the remote filter mount.

The next quest is finding a good location for the oil cooler itself.

The overall objective here is to increase the cooling, but also to never touch the oil filter housing again as I believe that over time the loosing and tightening of the cap/filter contributes to the leaks.

 

[Valpo Jeep]

Digging in that deep to do plugs then it makes sense to fix the valve cover and VVT leaks but I am not sure I would change the VVTs themselves unless they are bad now. They could last a very long time. Same with the coils. Been driving since 1984, doing my own wrenching longer than that with my dad on family cars and eventually my own. Have yet to have a need to replace a coil. Sone time soon that will change as I have to change a coil on our motorhome but it is a 2004 Ford model so About 19 years old now.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Digging in that deep to do plugs then it makes sense to fix the valve cover and VVT leaks but I am not sure I would change the VVTs themselves unless they are bad now. They could last a very long time. Same with the coils. Been driving since 1984, doing my own wrenching longer than that with my dad on family cars and eventually my own. Have yet to have a need to replace a coil. Sone time soon that will change as I have to change a coil on our motorhome but it is a 2004 Ford model so About 19 years old now.

I am with you but given the amount of bovine scatology you have to remove to remove the valve covers (or even get to the VVT sensors), I am going to take my medicine now. They are leaking and while I would love to think it is only the gasket/o-ring--my luck is that it is the sensor body itself that is leaking.

The coils should be fine as is--particularly since I am changing the plugs and that should reduce the gaps and put less stress on the coils.

 

[Petey]

Here you go:

You connect hydraulic hoses with -10AN fittings from the top of the adapter down to a remote filter adapter:

From the remote filter adapter you route over to the oil cooler:

Then back to the adapter. I am in the process of fabricating a mounting plate that will attach to the driver's side lower engine for the remote filter mount.

The next quest is finding a good location for the oil cooler itself.

The overall objective here is to increase the cooling, but also to never touch the oil filter housing again as I believe that over time the loosing and tightening of the cap/filter contributes to the leaks.

Thanks ...I'm sold ...nice ...where do you get the correct thread sizes and lines to plumb it?

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