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Oil leak under oil filter area

21K views 30 replies 14 participants last post by  WTF_Chrysler 
#1 ·
Hey folks, I have a 2012 JK. 150000kms auto 4 door. I did an oil change and changed to synthetic oil. It seems that I have an oil leak under the oil filter area. I know on some engines changing to synthetic can cause leaks,I am hoping this isn't the case. But what could be leaking down by the filter?
 
#3 ·
Yeah like @H3br3wHamm3r says above, it's likely your oil cooler. There's a long thread about it at the link below. A lot of us use synthetic here, so no concern there -- but the oil filter cooler housing is made of plastic and the filter cap must be tightened *carefully* and not overtightened (although the jury is out on whether that's the actual cause, but it certainly could be influencing it). The issue seems most prevalent for 2014s and there's a TSB issued for a certain range of 2014 models, but I'd think with older JKs it'll probably occur as well and it's a well known issue for the 3.6 in many models. Search the thread below for the TSB, it simply says to place a dowel or something similar down in the V on either side of the cooler to check the amount of oil.

But before all of that, have you confirmed you used the correct filter and didn't have the issue below, w/ the spring? IIRC the oil filters changed in 2014 and it's possible to get the wrong one by accident... good luck and let us know how you get on.

https://www.wranglerforum.com/f202/help-2012-through-2017-oil-filter-issues-beware-1458570.html

Oil filter housing thread:
https://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/...usings-looks-like-a-serious-issue-698297.html
 
#4 ·
I can see oil down by the bottom of the filter housing and oil by the transmission bell housing. I noticed oil on the transmission a while ago thinking it was from the tranny, but I'm certain it's the filter housing. I'll be ordering one in the next few weeks
 
#5 ·
Keep a close eye on it. Ours went from no leak to massive leak and un drivable, without any warning.
 
#7 ·
Yes, unfortunately, this "high quality plastic" they use on our engines suck.
If in fact it's a crack, there's no stopping it.
Check out Motor City Mechanic on youtube.
he does some great how to vids.
 
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#8 ·
I committed a cardinal sin, I posted a question without searching first. I know see all the many posts about this topic. It had been leaking for the last 6 months or so, I first noticed the oil on the transmission. I just thought it was from the tranny. And when I did the a
Spark plugs, I noticed some oil be the bottom of the filter neck. 150k kms isn't too bad I guess.
 
#9 ·
No sin committed.
After all, these forums were created to help each other right?
There's only a few here that pipe up with the "use the search feature".
I pay them no mind :)
Have a good day
 
#10 ·
oil leak Pentastar 3.6 Proplem done

I welcome all participants of this forum and other owners of cars. I want to share the experience uses of my Chrysler Town & Country 2016 car with the Pentastar 3.6 engine.

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Minivan Chrysler

Once I’ve gone to travel on our minivan with the family and dog. We had to pass about 3500 miles. Approximately through 500 miles we’ve stopped for rest and I’ve noticed oil pool under car. The engine has been switched off, but oil continued to drip on the road. I’ve opened hood and was just in state of shock — oil seemed everywhere! Level of oil was crucially small. I’ve understood that to continue the movement already it won’t turn out in any way and it is necessary to evacuate the car to the place of repair.

Vehicle Product Car Auto part Pipe


Car mileage before trip was only 59000 miles. Replacement of oil was on 53000 miles.

Before repair I’ve decided to look for the possible reason of such strong leak on the Internet. Search of the damaged knot has also brought me on this forum. Here I’ve also learned about that, with this problem meet just huge number of users of cars similar engines.

This problem is solved by replacement of oil strainer housing assembled. Unfortunately, reliability of knot is insufficient and this decision – temporary and doesn’t guarantee disposal of oil leak forever. Also there are very frequent breakages of this housing when tightening or untwisting plug of the oil filter housing. The case can leak at any moment and at any run. And you won’t know when it’s necessary to change this knot again and on how many far you will be from the service station. The leak can be so strong that the engine will lose very quickly oil and it will be impossible to continue the movement. Your trip can suddenly stop because of this breakage.

Replacement of knot beforehand also won’t give any guarantees.

It’s sure that the producer knows the plant about this problem, but in 10 years of release of Pentastar hasn’t proposed the solution.
The design of housing of the filter, which was changed by the producer in 2014, hasn’t helped with reliability in any way. I will remind that my case has spontaneously leaked at 59000 miles. The decision is possible only one here - replacement of material of production of this detail. Only it will give the necessary strength, ruggedness, thermal stability and durability to knot in general. Only thus it is possible to provide the necessary reliability and forever to forget about this problem.

As I very much like my car, and will continue to operate it further, I want to make aluminum detail instead of plastic one.

Line Technology Electronic device Scientific instrument

The housing will be manufactured of massive aluminum plate by method of milling and will be compatible to other details making knot.

Works have already been conducted and somewhere by the beginning of spring I will be able to carry out tests on the car. If tests are successful, this problem will be solved completely and for a long time.

It’s interesting to get know your opinion on my option of increase in reliability Pentastar.
 
#14 ·
I welcome all participants of this forum and other owners of cars. I want to share the experience uses of my Chrysler Town & Country 2016 car with the Pentastar 3.6 engine.


Once I’ve gone to travel on our minivan with the family and dog. We had to pass about 3500 miles. Approximately through 500 miles we’ve stopped for rest and I’ve noticed oil pool under car. The engine has been switched off, but oil continued to drip on the road. I’ve opened hood and was just in state of shock — oil seemed everywhere! Level of oil was crucially small. I’ve understood that to continue the movement already it won’t turn out in any way and it is necessary to evacuate the car to the place of repair.

View attachment 4199759

Car mileage before trip was only 59000 miles. Replacement of oil was on 53000 miles.

Before repair I’ve decided to look for the possible reason of such strong leak on the Internet. Search of the damaged knot has also brought me on this forum. Here I’ve also learned about that, with this problem meet just huge number of users of cars similar engines.

This problem is solved by replacement of oil strainer housing assembled. Unfortunately, reliability of knot is insufficient and this decision – temporary and doesn’t guarantee disposal of oil leak forever. Also there are very frequent breakages of this housing when tightening or untwisting plug of the oil filter housing. The case can leak at any moment and at any run. And you won’t know when it’s necessary to change this knot again and on how many far you will be from the service station. The leak can be so strong that the engine will lose very quickly oil and it will be impossible to continue the movement. Your trip can suddenly stop because of this breakage.

Replacement of knot beforehand also won’t give any guarantees.

It’s sure that the producer knows the plant about this problem, but in 10 years of release of Pentastar hasn’t proposed the solution.
The design of housing of the filter, which was changed by the producer in 2014, hasn’t helped with reliability in any way. I will remind that my case has spontaneously leaked at 59000 miles. The decision is possible only one here - replacement of material of production of this detail. Only it will give the necessary strength, ruggedness, thermal stability and durability to knot in general. Only thus it is possible to provide the necessary reliability and forever to forget about this problem.

As I very much like my car, and will continue to operate it further, I want to make aluminum detail instead of plastic one.


The housing will be manufactured of massive aluminum plate by method of milling and will be compatible to other details making knot.

Works have already been conducted and somewhere by the beginning of spring I will be able to carry out tests on the car. If tests are successful, this problem will be solved completely and for a long time.

It’s interesting to get know your opinion on my option of increase in reliability Pentastar.
Welcome to the Forum.
 
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#11 ·
that's quite an endeavor
and while it might address a few of the problems
it dosent really address the main failure point... the rubber seals.

if I had the resources to design and manufacture a prototype...
id move more in the direction of relocation.
being housed buried under the intake on top of the engine and cooled by 200"F water
is very inefficient.
 
#13 ·
being housed buried under the intake on top of the engine and cooled by 200"F water
is a very inefficient.
Hey, it could always be worse.

FCA Engineer: "Hold my beer, watch this!" ...
(unveils new oil-cooler-in-exhaust-manifold design)
 
#12 ·
All that's needed is a O ring redesign. About a $1300 repair for a bad choice of O rings. I am about ready to make some calls to people at FCA and Jeep for this.
 
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#16 ·
Dealer says that the JL's have a different design and won't leak. So just trade it in on a new JLUR and be happy.
 
#27 ·
It looks cool. IMO you'd have to test hundreds for hundreds of thousands of miles to determine if the idea is any good or not. Then test different materials. Then determine if it is better or worse than what is currently in use.
 
#28 ·
Hey folks, I have a 2012 JK. 150000kms auto 4 door. I did an oil change and changed to synthetic oil. It seems that I have an oil leak under the oil filter area. I know on some engines changing to synthetic can cause leaks,I am hoping this isn't the case. But what could be leaking down by the filter?
Absolutely false - synthetics do not cause leaks. Update to new 2014 oil cooler design. Nake sure to note it under hood.
 
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#29 ·
In fact, "non-synthetic" oil has so many additives these days it's largely indistinguishable from synthetics. Used to race with a Shell oil formulation engineer. He said synthetic/non-synthetic is irrelevant now. (And the only oil he runs in EVERYTHING is Shell Rotella-D.)
 
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