Performing Own Oil Changes

[mgroeger]

I want to perform my own oil changes on my 2020 Rubicon 3.6 because quite simply, I don't trust dealership service departments. I'm doing at least two early debris removal changes in order to remove any metal flake from engine break-in. The understanding I've reached by reading here and other places is that doing one's own oil changes does not affect the warranty but the receipts must be kept and the service logged on the Jeep website. What say you, is this correct?
Also, I've been using Mobil 1 for decades but because of a petty corporate squabble unrelated to the oil itself, it is no longer MS-6395 certified. How important is it to use an oil that is MS-6395 certified? I don't want them to weasel out of the warranty if I have an engine issue down the road, but I also really don't want to use Pennzoil, and that seems like the direction in which FCA is pushing owners.

Thanks!

Matt C.

You're wise to do your own changes. For one thing it gets you under your Jeep poking around and checking things out which is good if you wheel it. For another most dealerships over fill with 6qts instead of 5.
Never heard of saving receipts and personally I never have and never will. I've had PLENTY of warranty work done and never once was it brought up that I do my own changes and I'm in trouble for it.
Personally I'm running the 0w-20 Pennzoil Platinum that came in it from day one. You can buy a 5qt jug at Wally World for $23 and a Mopar 349 filter for $9. Voila, 15 mins later you're done. It is incredibly simple on the 3.6L engines, no need to jack the Jeep up.

I highly recommend sticking with the Mopar brand filter. The engine was designed with that filter and even though the other "high performance" look the same they can change the flow rate. I've heard of it happening on this engine. Plus if you're changing every 3k to 5k miles the stock filter will be fine.

No need to make this complicated either, it's a 13mm socket, a large 22mm socket (I think for the filter cap) and a drain pan. No need for a torque wrench on the oil pan bolt. I'm anal about torquing bolts on the suspension but never once in 33 years of wrenching on cars have I used it on an oil pan bolt. Tighten it with a wrench and when you get to where it won't go give it a thump with your fist

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[CarbonSteel]

No need to make this complicated either, it's a 13mm socket, a large 22mm socket (I think for the filter cap) and a drain pan.

@mgroeger @Formattc - should be a 24mm for the oil filter cap. I picked up a 3/8" drive low profile socket for $9.00 at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P1LCHB4/

 

[_olllllllo_]

I have change my own oil 4 times now. The first two changes at 5,000 miles intervals I used Pennzoil Platinum (not Ultra Platinum, which is around $40 for 5 quarts) and cost $23 from Walmart and used the Mopar filter. The next two I used Amsoil signature series and changed it at 8,000 mile interval and it cost $50 for the oil. As has been stated an oil change on a Wrangler is simple and takes less time than the drive to the dealer. I selected Amsoil based on the results from projectfarms testing, but Pennzoil is very good oil. Mobil 1 did not fare well in comparison. I watched a number of video comparisons to help with my decision. This is one that I liked as he evaluated so many oils as part of his testing.

 

[blnewt]

Actually it's a 1/2" socket for the drain plug & 15/16" for the filter cover, the metric sizes have some play. The filter cap torque is so low that it's not a biggie but for many Jeep fasteners they're a mix of metric & SAE sizes, like some of the high torque suspension nuts & bolts.

I always try both before wrenching as it's a crapshoot on these things as to which has the proper fit

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

Torquing the lug nuts to 130 ft/lbs is way more important than getting the filter housing to 18 ft/lbs. If you're going to be doing a bunch of wrenching on your rig just get both. You'll ruin a 3/8" drive torque wrench trying to tighten your lug nuts.

100% agree with this. Your wheels coming loose would be a very bad day.

OP, eventually you need two or even three torque wrenches if you’re going to work on your own vehicles.

 

[_olllllllo_]

100% agree with this. Your wheels coming loose would be a very bad day.

OP, eventually you need two or even three torque wrenches if you’re going to work on your own vehicles.

I have a 1/4" and 3/8" and a 1/2" is next to purchase. Can't go wrong with too many options.

 

[Formattc]

Actually it's a 1/2" socket for the drain plug & 15/16" for the filter cover, the metric sizes have some play. The filter cap torque is so low that it's not a biggie but for many Jeep fasteners they're a mix of metric & SAE sizes, like some of the high torque suspension nuts & bolts.

I always try both before wrenching as it's a crapshoot on these things as to which has the proper fit

Thanks blnewt, and I really dig your profile pic, my favorite band, saw them nine times including once with front row seats.

 

[Formattc]

OK, this stuff really has me questioning buying a Jeep product. I messaged Valvoline support and this was the response:

"The Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 0W-20 Motor Oil is not a manufacturer approved oil. However, it has been tested against all the specifications and we stand behind the use of this product for the MS-6395 specification."

For a Jeep Wrangler it looks like Pennzoil or nothing. What a frikken' nightmarish hassle!

 

[word302]

OK, this stuff really has me questioning buying a Jeep product. I messaged Valvoline support and this was the response:

"The Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 0W-20 Motor Oil is not a manufacturer approved oil. However, it has been tested against all the specifications and we stand behind the use of this product for the MS-6395 specification."

For a Jeep Wrangler it looks like Pennzoil or nothing. What a frikken' nightmarish hassle!

Dude, you are way overthinking this. Just buy any quality oil and stop stressing. Nobody's going to question what brand you used as long as it was the proper viscosity.

 

[Formattc]

Dude, you are way overthinking this. Just buy any quality oil and stop stressing. Nobody's going to question what brand you used as long as it was the proper viscosity.

I hear ya, but I just hate to give the manufacturer a back door, an escape hatch vis a' vis the warranty.

 

[Formattc]

Chrysler should be forced to release a comprehensive list of products that are approved under their specification if they're going to issue the specification. Also, oil manufacturers are using carefully parsed language in order to avoid saying that they don't actually have the approval. One must dig deep to know whether a particular manufacturer's oil has it or not.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

Thanks blnewt, and I really dig your profile pic, my favorite band, saw them nine times including once with front row seats.

R.I.P., Neil. My sons play music and were jamming Limelight the other day... I never dug Geddy’s voice, but their musicianship makes up for it.

 

[Formattc]

R.I.P., Neil. My sons play music and were jamming Limelight the other day... I never dug Geddy’s voice, but their musicianship makes up for it.

Yeah man, I play bass, so....

 

[CarbonSteel]

Chrysler should be forced to release a comprehensive list of products that are approved under their specification if they're going to issue the specification. Also, oil manufacturers are using carefully parsed language in order to avoid saying that they don't actually have the approval. One must dig deep to know whether a particular manufacturer's oil has it or not.

I posted the Valvoline link from my phone and did not catch that it was "recommended" (sorry about that). However, that prompted me to look a few different oils and left me wondering if any of them are actually approved for MS-6395 or just recommended. Pennzoil, Quaker State, and Rotella left me guessing as well since they group it as "Specifications, Approvals, and Recommendations" and do not denote which is which.

Amsoil Signature Series:
https://amsoilcontent.com/ams/lit/databulletins/g2880.pdf

Amsoil XL:
https://amsoilcontent.com/ams/lit/databulletins/g1404.pdf

Amsoil OE:
https://amsoilcontent.com/ams/lit/databulletins/g3404.pdf

Castrol Edge:
https://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/...748B3408025855F005E59CE/$File/wepp-bpem24.pdf

Castrol Edge Extended:
https://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/...2AB5E8B80257E7D006877B9/$File/BPXE-9C77UN.pdf

Havoline ProDS:
https://cglapps.chevron.com/sdspds/PDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=518483&docFormat=PDF

Kendall GT-1:
https://kendallmotoroil.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/GT-1_Dexos1_Full_Synthetic_Gen2.pdf

Mobil Super Synthetic:
https://www.mobil.com/en-US/Passenger-Vehicle-Lube/pds/GL-XX-Mobil-Super-Synthetic

Pennzoil Platinum
https://www.shell-livedocs.com/data/published/en-US/cc51c15a-3de3-4ac2-9b30-caa71a9fe89b.pdf

Pennzoil Ultra Platinum:
https://www.shell-livedocs.com/data/published/en-US/e847d1bf-da55-4b8f-8bd2-ed73c21c2e06.pdf

Quaker State Ultimate Durability:
https://www.quakerstate.com/en_us/p...05c543ac9bcb300/0w-20-synthetic-motor-oil.pdf

Ravenol:
https://www.ravenol.de/en/product-range/motor-oils-for-passenger-cars-1/ravenol-dfe-sae-0w-20/
https://www.ravenol.de/en/product-range/motor-oils-for-passenger-cars-1/ravenol-ecs-sae-0w-20/

Royal Purple:
https://www.royalpurple.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/RP-PDS-API-Motor-Oil-2019-v2.pdf

Shell Rotella Gas Truck:
https://rotella.shell.com/en_us/products/gas-truck-synthetic-engine-oil.html#read

Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic:
https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...2d889bd3/3aa410a1-0bbd-e711-9c12-ac162d889bd1

Valvoline Modern Engine:
https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...2d889bd1/dd7306bd-0ee0-e711-9c12-ac162d889bd1

 

[Formattc]

I posted the Valvoline link from my phone and did not catch that it was "recommended" (sorry about that). However, that prompted me to look a few different oils and left me wondering if any of them are actually approved for MS-6395 or just recommended. Pennzoil, Quaker State, and Rotella left me guessing as well since they group it as "Specifications, Approvals, and Recommendations" and do not denote which is which.

Dude, no worries, that's the carefully parsed language at work. I'm sure Pennzoil is fine since it's the factory fill and what they sell at the dealership for oil changes. From what I can tell, both levels of Pennzoil Synthetic are MS-6395 approved.

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