Ive had 3 vehicles with the 3.6L Pentastar. Never a single issue with any of them. Ive always done 5000 mile oil and filter changes on them. Fantastic engine!
The first thing I did to insure I would not have internal issues was to remove the Pennzoil and put in my tried and trusted Valvoline. Change the oil on 7K mile intervals and we have had absolutely no issues. We actually were asked at the dealership we have had service it what we have done to keep the typical 3.6 noise down. All I can say is those who know use Valvoline.
@@rustyrussell901 I would think that the owner of an expensive Pentastar engine could afford synthetic Walmart oil and filter every 3000 miles at $19.00 for a 5 quart jug. It would be pretty cheap insurance.
@@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL Exactly, and the Walmart oil is no different and no less quality than the others. They have another brand put in Walmart bottles. The duty ratings of the oil are the same no matter who made it.
Do you want to triple the life of valve springs, rocker arms, camshafts, bearings any lubricated parts Pro Blend 1600 it's amazing , you add it to your oil of choice.
Work on the Pentastar everyday. The head and rocker arm issues are 100% accurate but the vehicle's affected are pretty low. Enough so that we purchased a 3.6 in my wife's car. For the most part they run great and have great power.
@asdad asdasd the trans does the same thing in my ‘15 GC it usually happens when i first drive the car for the day, if the trans is warmed up & it still does that. You might need to get it serviced
If you miss an oil change on these series of engine, they wear out. The magnetic ring on the cam shafts pack up with metal debris, and foul out the sensor. I never let my dad go passed 40%life of oil. He did it once, and it cost him $3500 in upper head and timing work, and his trans was always clunky and just got replaced. He has a 2016 Ram 3.6 with the locking 4x4.
As a Technician who repairs most brands, I have seen a few with worn rocker arms and some of the plastic cooling system components fail but they mostly all have problems with the use of plastic components. Compared to some of the engines today I would say that the 3.6 engine is above average for reliability.
Maybe compared to a Ford 5.4 three valve but I see Chrysler engines in the shop for major repairs long before 100k miles which in this day and age is unacceptable. And I’m not even a mechanic but almost without fail these Chrysler’s just start falling apart waaayyy to early. Bad rocker arms? Bad valve lifters? C’mon, man that’s just cheap parts right there Cheers
@@tomdavis3038 ..Toyota makes crap engines with major flaws as does Honda,VW,Hyundai,Ford and GM...they ALL have issues!!!!!! Now electric cars even have major issues,failing batteries/no drive range etc.... Chrysler mainly uses the 3.6 and 5.7 Hemi they make over a million per year or each engine and of course with 99% of your fleet is the Pentastar and Hemi you will have people and issues..Overall they are strong,reliable engines... Remember Toyota makes crap engines and they did since the 1970's..I know!!! Car dealer owner today,and I worked at a Toyota dealer back in the 1990's(I worked in the body shop but knew and helped out mechanics when needed/I work on cars/engines all the time)..Today Toyota has burning oil/bad piston rings that destroy the engines and Toyota cant make 50,000 miles without a rebuild!
Biggest majority of 3.6s I've dealt with were oil cooler issues. Our shop always replaces them with the aluminum unit since most of them seem to start leaking from the seal between the plastic housing and the aluminum cooling block. Ford had a similar issue in the v6 engines and the plastic thermostat housings that would warp and lose their seal. I think in the past 3 years I've had 2 3.6s come in with rocker arm failures. I've yet to have one with a cylinder head failure. I've lost count on how many oil coolers I've replaced.
My problem on 2017 Pacifica-I noticed my antifreeze coolant level was depleting everyday where I had to add some. I looked for any leakage around the van to no avail. Finally after placing the problem on RU-vid, come to find out most of the Chrysler/Dodge 3.6L Pentastar V6 engines have a failed Oil filter housing and oil cooler (Made of Plastic warped due to the heat off the engine) that is a common cause of coolant and oil leaks on Chrysler 3.6L Pentastar engines. I went ahead and broke into the engine to the valley of the engine and replaced the failed Oil filter housing and oil cooler with a Dorman Upgraded Aluminum Engine Oil Filter Housing with Oil Cooler and Filter-No leaks now. With the breakdown of the engine I replaced the spark plugs, PCV valve, Air intake filter, Mobil 1 extended mileage oil change, with new "O" rings while I was there.
@@zama7477 I have a Dorman Aluminum Oil Filter / Cooler unit sitting in my garage. It is stamped with, "MADE IN USA." Hope to never need to install it.
I had both the oil cooler leak and rocker arm failure on my 2017 wrangler at 70,000 miles. The oil cooler leak was exactly as you described. Replaced with full aluminum upgrade. My friend, a Chrysler mechanic for 20yr. sadly tells me he's had to fix 100's(yes 100's) of 3.6's with the same problem and always recommends the aluminum upgrade. Why Jeep continues to put these plastic oil cooler parts on this engine is absolutely ridiculous.
@@SurfDweller yeah I've done a bunch of them, and I don't even work at a dealership. Just a small independent all makes/models shop in a Kentucky small town.
Just did a major tune up and maintenance of my 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan at 140k miles. Let me tell you, this engine has given me probably the best "cheap car" experience I've ever had. Lots of good responsive power. Now, to be fair, the overall reliability experience with this van has been merely okay. The sliding doors and automatic windows had mechanical problems, and some flimsy plastic transmission lines cracked and leaked. It sure ain't a Honda or Toyota, you know? But certainly no major failures. But buying it used often means a BIG discount for a great engine and family car. That's how I got it. Plus all the seats fold down flat, and you have a pseudo-cargo van. So yeah, it's the kind of engine that you can find cheap and, with a bit of research, find a deal.
A lot of people don’t realize that usually the flawed engines are outliers. Maybe driven too hard, or not hard enough. Maybe not maintained. Maybe built on a Friday. It’s just that they tend to have more problems than other engines.
how many miles are on it tho? my 07 toyota 3.5 v6 have 260k miles still runs quarter mile in 13.8 , other than maintenance parts the only thing i’ve had to do to it was replace the alternator an fuel injectors , the engine will outlive the frame
I have a Chrysler 300s v6 pentastar and so far i have 58.000 miles on it, and i have never gone to the mechanic for any issue with the motor, no tics noise and I think is the best car i ever had. Very powerful, smooth i love it. My was made in Canada 🇨🇦
58,000 miles is still reletively new for a modern engine. Get to 250k and we'll talk about whether or not it was actually a good performer. Source: my chrysler 3.3 now has 253k on it and while its had some tune-ups, never had to have the block ripped apart for anything.
My 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 3.6L Pentastar has been a great SUV so far. 141,000 miles and only needed a thermostat replacement 3 years ago. Other than that, it's reliable and continues to run great.
@@FredFlintstone21 The oil gets changed every 5,000 miles. I have my friend's shop do the changes and they use PennGrade 1. Now with having over 177,000 miles, still running great.
The 3.6 is still a very reliable engine get the newer ones with updated parts. I seen one with 620k miles before losing a timing chain tensioner and locking it up.
I have one in a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I bought new and that now has 113,000+ miles. It's the quietest, smoothest, most trouble-free engine I've ever had. I change the oil myself, on schedule, and use quality oil and filter. (I love how easy, quick, and clean it is to change the oil and filter.) I also run a bottle of Techron concentrate through it each 3.000 miles.
@@Future-Preps35 Absolutely! Techron has polyether amine formulation, compared to polybutene amines used in all of the others. The latter clean injectors etc. but can actually contribute to deposits in combustion chambers that accumulate and cause knocks over time.
I have a 2011 grand cherokee with the 3.6 too with 165k on it right now, i change oil every 3-4k just to be safe with pennzoil high milage. runs and idles very smooth too i drive around 100 miles a day and have no problems.
@@MikeV8652 MMO is a fuel system and engine oil additive that cleans your fuel system, lubricates the fuel pump and upper part of the cylinder and absorbs moisture. It adds extra lubrication and cleans your engine out so it runs better.
Have a 2012 chrysler 300s with the 3.6 pentastar engine. Have 229,000 km with no issues. Did get a misfire code after using 89 grade twice, switched to minimum 91 grade and issue went away. It is a tank with great power and fuel economy mix. Have driven 3 lengthy trips with no issues. Only use synthetic oil and regular changes. Love it.
Have a 2015 with the 3.6. It needed new lifter and rocker for one cylinder at 98k miles. Fortunately, I had bought the 100k extended warranty. As long as they had the engine out, I had them replace all the lifters and rockers. It was pricey, but the warranty covered much of the cost of opening the engine and it provided peace of mind.
I'm the original owner of the 2012 T&C and I love the van. The only two things that I'm not happy with are the spare tire placement and no power sliding buttons on the back of the seats when stowing the second row seats. I have been extremely lucky to have no mechanical issues. The hood however had to be repaired due to rust under the paint. That happened about 4 1/2 years after I purchased it. The work was done under warranty and looks beautiful. I only have 54682 miles on it in 10 years.
The cylinder head issue hit my dad on his 300. Broke his heart. He'd already traded it in (after Chrysler fixed it with a refurbished part) before Chrysler sent him a notice saying they'd replace the part with a new part about 2 months later.
The biggest issue I saw while working at a dodge dealer. Was the oil cooler leaking. Causing oil to fill the valley of the engine. It was always a bad O-ring on the cooler. Constant heating and cooling would cause it to break and leak oil everywhere. Most people think it's the oil pan or drain bolt because of where the oil comes down. I guess that issue hasn't been reported enough yet, but it affects every 3.6L
@@louisbaiani6262 it's a huge issue. We would constantly have vehicles come back after an oil change complaining about an oil leak. So the Foreman would come out and inspect the vehicle, and would find oil in the valley. Those oil coolers are horribly designed.
I was a Chrysler tech also... I havent seen one leaking on the 2011-2013 unit they change the cooler in 2014. The cooler on my older 2012 Chrysler 200 never leaked but the one on my current 2015 200 was replace under warranty its was leaking
I own a 2016 Chrysler 300C Platinum with the 3.6L VVT and I’ve had no issues 88k miles. Change the oil every 5k miles with synthetic oil and always used the 87 recommended octane gasoline. Not even a tick out of the engine is heard. It runs perfectly healthy so far!
@@jonc2914 I actually just passed 112k with no issues at all. I do agree, The 200 is an engineering nightmare which is why it was cancelled because they had so many issues. I’m not saying all 300s are perfect either but if you take care of these things generally they will last longer
My 13" Charger SE got 197k miles with zero problems except for the oil cooler gaskets drying up and cracking causing a minor coolant leak. Fuel pump went out at 196k. Serviced religiously at oil change recommendations and tuned to match 91-93 octane gas. Real cheap prevention in total, hope this helps anyone concerned about their 3.6L.
Update sept 2021* Been using 89 but Put 87 octane gas in our 3.6L since manual says higher octane fuels don’t provide benefits but definitely can tell it losses some of its thrust when above 3k rpm on paved roads. No noticeable issues w the 8 speed’s decision making. Gladiator rubicon is still geared for low end torque which it provides in addition w 410 gears. Rock crawler that can do the job on pavement. Hopefully it’s reliable 🤞🏻 I’m hearing good things.
I had this in my 14 Promaster. The motor was terrific. The radiator did leak early on and was replaced under warranty. I kept it 7 years and just sold it this spring. Great combination of power and economy and smoothness. Call me a fan. Knowing the roller rockers could be weak, I never let it sit idling as that reduces oil flow. And I always changed the oil with good synthetic every 5k miles. No issues on mine!
I have a 2015 JKU with around 80K on the clock, the Pentastar is still running great, but I will be sure to keep my eyes peeled for any of these issues! Great video, thanks!
Just out of curiosity, have you done to cam phasers yet, or replaced the chains, tensioners and guides? If not, you'd better look into it, BTW it costs several thousand dollars.
The open deck design is used on all modern engines . It doesn't sacrifice cylinder strength , it keeps the tops of the bores round over time due to the fact that they are separated from the head bolts . On the old closed deck engines the pressure from the head bolts would pull the tops of the cylinders inward , making them out of round over time . The pentastar has an extremely robust bottom end that can handle a lot of boost .
Open deck design also cools the top of the cylinders better and lowers the tendency to knock. Manufacturer can run the engine with slight more efficient ignition advance.
Have a 2017 pentastar in my jeep jk . Been running 89 octane since I got it and will continue now after watching this video. I also change the oil more then average and use pennzoil synthetic . Hoping for many more years of happiness from the 3.6L.
I have a 2014 Jeep Wrangler, bought new from local dealer here in Queensland, Australia. The vehicle has been serviced as per specifications up until this point. At 96K km a P0306 code (engine misfire cylinder 6) appeared and the technicians stated that even though the code was active the engine was not misfiring. I have spent a lot of money getting this looked at with coils, plugs, injectors and eventually rocker arms replaced to no avail. Further inspection revealed issues with the exhaust valves in cylinder 6 leaking. Not good and it's going to be expensive to remedy. There is no extended warranty for this (known) issue in Australia, so I'm not very happy. Thanks Jeep, I'll be steering well clear of your products in the future.
Thanks for the research on this issue. I've been seriously considering buying a Mopar with this engine, so I now know what to look (or listen to) for to avoid an expensive issue.
@@TJ-wv8fs it's in its 3rd Generation and all the issues are fixed. Not only is it reliable over time with normal maintenance, it's not losing power either. Most would rather have something refined than something new.
I just had to change my heating and cooling system on my 2013 Grand Cherokee. Also the auto-starter for it as well. I do love the engine and glad it has been running great. I make sure to take great care of my engine to keep it running as best as it could.
These people will never admit when they have had engine replacements. There was one guy, I replaced the timing chains and phasers on this Charger. Didnt stop the right head from dropping a seat. Just like this guy here, this guy was sooo clueless he said it never needed a thing even though I replaced the chains and phasers less than a year prior. I never buy Mopar/FCA products to flip. Headaches and tears with picky cheap customers.
My Avenger has one and it’s been perfect so far! 130k miles ain’t don’t anything but change oil and plugs coils! She still gets up and goes with you! 282hp in a lighter avenger and 200 with the 6 speed move pretty good! Great mid range! I got 20’s on mine so it hooks hard and goes!
Our 2011 wk2 with the 3.6 vvt has 178k and yes, shes been a little higher in maintenance then some but she still runs good, quiet and smooth, the oil looks clean between changes as well. Impressive at nearly 200k
@@jakobanderson6213 there's a joke in northern Canada that if you drive a journey you either have no brain or no money. Either way you'll be calling a tow truck sooner than later. ( mostly new vehicles, 2015 and up.
Lol you say lots of horsepower... you ever drive anything elts or do research my 2003 has more horsepower then our 2020 dodge promaster but of course it's an infiniti Japanese v6s have lots of power with more to push dodge had awsome v8s but the rest are garbage!
We got a 2011 Journey in 2015. Carfax says the head was replaced on 2,4,6 side. But started to have cylinder 1 misfire. I replaced coil, didn't fix it. I swapped an injector with another cylinder. Cylinder 1 still misfire & other cylinder was fine. It eventually went away, now 4 years later it came back for a few days after an oil change & now fine. I replaced the thermostat today (10-23-2021) because not much heat & temp gauge was low. It actually had a P0128 code for thermostat when I checked for codes from the misfiring.
I've owned three (2014 Journey, 2012 Wrangler & currently a 2014 Wrangler). No issues with any of them although it's worth noting that all were under 100k miles during my ownership. No complaints from me!
@@louiewatson9389 I have a 2018 Pacifica and just hit 240k......business vam doing medical transport. Only thing I've done is normal maintenance, new serpentine belt etc. Still get 26mpg
I've had a 2012 Chrysler 200S, a 2014 Chrysler 300S, and now a 2019 Chrysler 300S, all with the 3.6L engine and no issues so far. They have been great engines.
Lucky you! I have a town and country 2014 with 3.6 engine 117k, I have issue #1 and #2 in it which are cylinder number 2 is misfiring, and I have a broken rocker arm and lifters 😩 I took it to a michanic and he advised me to change the whole engine I guess I’ll never buy Chrysler again
@@wildestcowboy2668 I maintain my cars regularly my friend! Matter of fact I have a Malibu 2008 4 cylinder (2.4L engine) it has 286k miles (original engine and transmission) still running very strong barely any issues with it! But that Town & Country was a cancer from the begging issues after issues after issues until the engine fail
I had a 2013 AWD Charger with the V6. Never had a problem with the engine, although I did have issues with the alternator (covered by warranty), and some electronic quirks. The car was also equipped with e-shift, and there was a recall for that. Otherwise, the car had plenty of power, was quick to accelerate, and fun to drive. The AWD came in handy for adverse weather. I miss that car!
I bought a 2014 Dodge Charger SXT AWD with the V6 last July. Had the same issue with mine. Had the Alternator replaced just this past February. It’s a great car, luckily mine drives a lot better now, can definitely tell the difference. I’ll probably have to start putting the 89 in the tank every once in a while. Im planning to keep it stock, I put some Xenon lights in to replace those crappy Halogens and planning to recondition the wheels and the paint in the future, and put on some Michelin Tires when the Cooper Tires wear more. I’m planning to have some fun memories in mine for years to come! Hopefully you had a lot of great memories in that car, it sounds like you did!
My 2011 Challenger V6 ran great after owning it for 3 years before upgrading to a challenger srt8. I like to think what helped my engine from experiencing any problems were that I had replace the coolant overflow tank and added new coolant during the first few months of purchase. Driving mostly at night to work and avoid long drives during the hot summer. Also not doing alot of burnouts and high accelerations. It was a good commuter car. Got it used from 76k miles until I sold it with 108k miles. Only real I had was with the front right control arm.
I'm a salesman and drive my 2018 Dodge Challenger GT, purchased in 2017, a lot of miles to put it mildly. My V6 is closing in on 200k miles. From its first oil change at 500 miles, I've used nothing but Amsoil. Other than plugs, cooling system flush and recently the tranny fluid, second time, with Amsoil. Bottom line, any grease or fluids all have been replaced with Amsoil products. Its an amazing car that gets very close to 30 mpg highway. It doesn't leak fluids or use any oil. I change my oil and filter every 6000. I know it can go much longer but I feel it's cheap insurance. Best car I ever owned.
I was amazed at the gas mileage my 3.6 got in my 2014 Grand Cherokee and that thing was a tank of an suv. 24-27mpg at 75mph depending on wind and terrain. I'm back in a HEMI Ram but considered a brand new single cab short bed Ram with the 3.6 since they were going for so cheap but knew the HEMI in a single cab short bed was what I really wanted. In a car or suv I'd own another 3.6 because of how smooth and refined the feel was.
First 400 mile drive with this engine in a 2013 Journey used 6 gallons for the first 200 miles at 80 mph and the second leg back against the wind at 80 used 6.5 gallons so 30 mpg or better both ways. Took roof cross bars off and aired tires to 44 psi using Castrol 0 to 20 synthetic oil. 87 octane fuel.
I had 3 hemis and then I bought a 1500-classic warlock with the V6. Honestly in day to day driving I don't miss the hemi, the 6 just needs more revs and it's about a second and a half slower to 60. I'm getting 20 mpg with 275/65/20 mud tires.
I recently traded in a 2013 Silverado reg cab with the 5.3 L V8 for a used 4X4 2017 reg cab long bed Ram with the 3.6 L V6. I was dubious about the smaller engine but took a test drive and was pleasantly surprised at its performance. It is no hot rod but is very adequate for normal driving. And gets amazing gas mileage for a full-sized pickup. It generally gets 20+ mpg for my routine driving, in warm weather. I have seen 27 mpg for a 170 mile trip with a light load on two-lane roads driving 60 mph. My criteria for performance is passing capability towing my 3000 lb boat. No issues here, it exceeded expectations, subjectively pretty close to the previous Chevy. Admittedly it revved up a bit more, but I that's to be expected as its 305 hp peak RPM is higher than the Chevy's 335. (And the 3.6 L's torque is a lot less.) I had one problem with the engine shortly after purchase which was fixed by the dealer under warranty - the plastic housing for the oil cooler/oil filter/etc cracked during a -25° cold spell (I live in MN) causing oil leakage. The dealer said this is pretty common and can be caused by overtightening the oil filter, due to the added stress plus the plastic getting brittle in the cold.
Same here, had the SRT and sold it to get a small performance car and a 3.6 for the dog. 3.6 is way better than the 6.4 Hemi apart from the noise. Fuel consumption is amazing and I've not lost any points, lost 6 points in 6 months owning the SRT 😂 SRT is way to easy to drive fast, even my nan could drive that. Required a fast car with manual to help my need for satisfaction. The SRT was too boring and so many nanny aids. I watch all these punks driving it fast, wow! Such amazing drivers - not! Personally if your GF, Mum and nan can drive it = Not a performance car. Opted for a MK2 Focus RS and a 3.6 blackhawk with the money.
A few BASIC things to prevent a lot of engine troubles. #1change your oil every 6 months or 5000kms(8000 is too much). #2 DON'T DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT. I can't stress that one enough And #3 do your daily, weekly, and monthly checks. It's your vehicle, you paid a shit tonne of money for it, look after it.
@@chrishansen7004 lol yeah , it’s more noticeable towards the end of oil life and it goes away after a few minutes warm up. But it’s there . I previously had a Nissan 350z with a VQ35DE motor. It had much louder valve tick.
@@hardrockrelics2157 my 2021 challenger with 700 miles on it ticks when cold started for about 5-10 seconds. Lol but so did my 2019 ram 3.6 and my 2016 ram 5.7. I think Chrysler makes the best looking , driving and riding vehicles but I definitely wouldn’t keep one past warranty lol
Oh man I had that engine in my 09 Ram and HATED it, lol. With 3.55's and 5 speed auto that truck couldn't get out of its own way. Drank the hell out of gas too for amount (or lack of) power it put out.
@@austinreed347 LOL no clue I haven't owned that truck since 2011. Once you go HEMI you can't go back even though I did have a 2 year fling with my loaded Grand Cherokee with the Pentastar. Wasn't the same after it got rear ended pretty bad so went back to a HEMI Ram and glad I got the loaded SUV thing out of my system. Gotta have an open bed behind me to be happy.
@@billyhill2488 I really respect Mopar guys just because of how loyal they are. Almost all Mopar owners have problems with their vehicle but still stick with them. Even the Pentastar V6 is an average engine and yet from Mopar guys, you would think it’s the greatest engine ever.
I've been subscribed for a while now and I just happen to be currently looking at buying a 2011-2014 charger with the v6 engine. So this definitely is helpful for me right now and a funny coincidence.
Honestly I have a sxt challenger and Ik videos and numbers say 0-60 in about 6.2 but mine is stock besides a cai and has a nail in a tire causing it to stay stupid low on air and I still hit 5.7 every time and sometimes run a 5.6
Before you buy used car designed 20 years ago and made by the worst and car manufacturing entity in NA and Europe ( Fiat-Chrysler and now Peugeot, financial pyramid is complete ) ask yourself what are your priorities, if its high quality reliable car with excellent handling and good power well FCA never made a car like that , its either one of those qualities or none of them ( its never quality/reliability) never a full package, if you want to become a stereotype like minded will be impressed and welcoming though
@@MegaNinjaMonkeyZord My family has been almost exclusively Mopar since the 1960s. Out of the four newer vehicles that we have had, two being from 2011 and 2012 respectively, we have experienced zero major issues. I get behind the wheel of my Challenger, and it’s a joy to drive. Handles well if you know what you’re doing, and has plenty of power. Pretty damn good quality on the interior, paint, etc. I always hear people complain about Chrysler products, but, based upon my experience, which is pretty significant, it’s mostly horse shit. What’s your experience with FCA or, hell, even Daimler for that matter?
Biggest solution for the cooling issues is to flush the cooling system early and often. Don't wait 150,000 miles to replace the coolant. Flush it in the first 50,000 miles and every 50,000 thereafter to get out any accumulated debris. Coolant is cheap, engines are expensive.
I had a 2015 dodge journey with the 3.6L V6 it was a amazing engine, HOWEVER. The maintenance I took care of it was over the top. I also used 10w40 which kept me from having chain stretch and pre mature timing chain adjuster failure, which was issues that I knew about. I never really knew about these other issues nor did I experience them in my 184 thousand miles I had the SUV. However it did crack the flywheel and the drive shaft to the rear wore out at around 114K and needed replaced. Which was expensive asf. I would still have it but unfortunately someone pulled out infront of me last week so it's in SUV heaven now 🤧
@@djkjthe3rd185 well usually that depends on the climate you live in colder climate's you want heavier oil I use 10w30 in every car I've had it's the best all around oil in everything from 4 cinders to V8's it does great in cold and hot climate's.
2015 Journey with 85,000 miles... Left Head Failure. We always had recommended maintenance performed, *independent shop Good Year affiliate, including oil changes at under 3,500 miles. Chrysler/ Dodge WILL NOT stand behind the Journey with that faulty Pentastar engine. Cost us $5,000.00 USD
This engine is a hoss in our 2013 town and country 136kand no issues. BUT I am a used car dealer and I Can honestly say almost ever used town and country I see at Auction is making a ticking sound. I hear it on the Routan as well. Funny though newer grand caravans run very well at auction I have seen very few with a nasty tick
Really well done video! I had to replace the oil cooler on my 2014 Chrysler 200 S at about 110k miles. Opted for the Dorman aluminum replacement. And I will be upgrading to other aluminum replacement parts if/when the original plastic parts fail.or wear. Other than that, no problems whatsoever. Great engine with lots of power.
120k miles on my 2011 Charger 3.6. 10w30 Penzoil full synthetic every 8k, zero ticking. Did have to replace my oil cooler unit this winter. Upgraded to R/T shocks and brakes, Diablo tuner 91 octane tune, cold air intake, dual exhaust and Tranzformer II.... 0-60 in 5 secs flat. Awesome V6 when cared for.
Since they fixed the original head issue these are one of the best v6s ever made in my opinion, I’ve put 100s of thousands of miles on this motor and never had a problem.
@@inse728 nah the 3800 is the best period. The 3.6 pentastar is just next on my list for the v6s the 4.0 i6 in jeeps and the 3.8 for Buick’s and other gm cars. Those are the best for the i6 and v6. The Nissan vqs is a cool engine but I wouldn’t want to own one long term.
I'll have to remember to use mid grade gasoline in mine once in awhile. I usually cheap out at the pumps. My 2014 is been excellent so far never even went back to the dealership once.
To be honest I haven't experienced any of these problems. I bought my 2011 Caravan used with 168,000kms on it. I've put another 40,000 kms on it and no tick or coolant issues at all. Clearly idk what, if any, recalls or repairs may have been done before. I will only use full synthetic oil in this engine though because of seeing videos about the tick. Great job on the video.
Had an 89 Voyager with 3L Mitsubishi V6. Valve guides twice, once under warranty. Bought a 98 Caravan with V6. Don't remember displacement. Ran that as well as the Voyager for over 150K miles.
@@curtisharrison5809 That 3,3 and 3,8 was bullet proof. As long as you changed oil regularly. A mate of mine still has 2 1997 caravans as company cars, cuz he likes them so much. They are both notching up to the half-million kilometers on the first engine, but do not ask me how many trannies those cars munched, haha :-D
We had a 2013 Ram 1500 with the Pentastar engine, traded it in on a 2023 Ram 1500. The 2013 had 105,300 miles on the engine, and we had NO engine problems in the ten years we owned that vehicle. Maintenance is key, regular oil and filter changes, air filter changes, coolant changes and spark plug replacements, all performed regulary, or early (coolant and sparkplugs). We also have a 2022 Durango GT AWD with the Pentastar engine, and we enjoy that vehicle very much too.
I have. 2015 Caravan...at 70,000 miles left cylinder head failure and replaced under warranty. I’ve had a broken motor mount and a thermostat replaced as well. Even with all that - a great affordable family vehicle.
@@MarspeedCars thank you for amazing videos you do to inform us, base in my research and as a owner 3.6 pentastar engine 2016 and up are the beset overall gasoline engine Have ever made!
Frankly? It sounds like you're just putting pictures to an article you read and I don't agree. Just because you bought a nightmare 5.7 Hemi, don't take it out on the V-6. The 5.7 has a lot more problems then just dropping valve seats and ticking. Mopar is probably going to finally junk that miserable engine. At idle, the cam shaft gets no oil splash from the crank shaft at all, because they wanted the cam shaft closer to the valves and raised it way up. Then they stuck an oil journal tube under it just to make sure. They tinkered that engine to death. To even fix that bad design would mean junking it. And that's why they won't fix it. Chrysler can no longer make a good 350 V-8 and hasn't been able too for quite a while. They can't even survive police or taxi-cab work any longer. Although the 3.6 does have its problems like any other engine, it's certainly not as bad as all that. And I've never heard ticking out of any one of them and everything they make all has that engine. I think whoever wrote that article confused the 5.7 with the 3.6. There were never any number 2 piston problems with the 3.6. Only the 5.7 and it still has them, and it still shears it rear exhaust manifold bolts off. And remember, you are only talking about less than 1% of all the Pentastar engines made. And they were the first engines. Only a fool buys the first of anything. Meanwhile, Chrysler has made over 10 million Pentastars. That's a LOT of engines. It replaced 6 different problem V-6 engines. Why would you want to scare your subscribers like that when over 90% of them have the Pentastar. The 3.6 has won awards over the years and it didn't do that with bad engines. It's the only engine I'm aware of with 2-stage cams and it got them back with the 2015 upgrade. I have a 2018 AWD Charger that has the 3.6 (it's the only way you can buy an AWD) and I supercharged it. She puts out over 500 hp in it's present configuration, handles it just fine and still makes an excellent daily driver. And this supercharged beast has raised it's efficiency to almost 30 miles per gallon average, up from 22. 22? Yeah, the AWD's take a mileage hit in stock form. Obviously, the 3.6 just loves its supercharger. If there was a backup of parts, it's because there is always a backup with Mopar. I'd say they are really slow at paying their bills. I remember all the way back to 2011 and I bought a brand new Jeep Liberty. They had an accessories catalog and nothing in it was available and I was told, wouldn't be. So why did they bother to even print it? And did they ever pay the printer? And are we really talking about the 3.6 here? That is suspect at this point. The 3.5 did have ticking problems because their lifters would drain down when they sat, but would immediately pump back up at start up and go away. But that's the 3.5, not the 3.6 Pentastar. The problems with the engines, at least since 2015 are quite few and I would start with the head bolts. While not making your list (surprise), they can stretch and cause a blown head gasket which can grenade the engine in extreme conditions. I installed hardened head bolts before I supercharged it as a preventative. They can actually torque down to as little as 16 ft. lbs. due to stretching. If you add a blower, you just can't take the chance although most do. There are very few problems with this issue on stock engines, even supercharged engines, however they do happen. The only other inherent problem I see is the horrible "cooled" PVC system they have. Another thing you didn't bother to mention and is the most critical. That's why I believe you're only reading an article. You might not know anything about these engines, but I do. You should stop acting like you do. You do a disservice to your subscribers and needlessly scare them. This crazy PVC system actually cools the crank case gases and sends them back into the engine instead of the exhaust to get burned up like any other PVC system. And it makes it a sealed non-vented system with no way to equalize engine pressure and vent the moisture. Who's nightmare idea was that? Because of it, It re-injects all that moisture caused by the engine heat back into the engine and coats the intake manifolds with oily gunk due to the pressure back up; and the water slowly corrupts your engine oil. Do NOT miss your oil changes folks. This in turn, coats the piston tops and intake/ exhaust valves with carbon which is a known issue with the 3.6 and could prematurely wear it out and burn the valves. If it's allowed to burn the valves, you'll get ticking because the valves will stick at first, and cause accelerated cam wear. If there is any flaw in the engine, that is it. And even that will normally take over 100,000 miles to surface. Luckily there is a fix and it requires two catch cans, one for each side of the engine. And this is for the engine without reference to the supercharger. Catch cans separate the water from the crank case gases and now, should come from the factory. They all need catch cans and I had to add them almost from day one. With less than 10k on it, before the supercharger, the intake manifolds were soaked with oil and so was the cold air intake. I couldn't believe it. You can easily see how the piston tops get carbon on them with oil vapor in the intake manifolds. Not any more. That white gunk in the catch can is what water does to oil and it would be back inside the engine without the catch can with even more water. Every time I drain one I smile. This is especially prevalent in cold weather. I highly recommend catch cans to anyone who owns the Pentastar! This is a KNOWN issue and many companies make catch cans for these engines. You can even get them on Amazon. I would recommend rippmods. Other than that? I just love the Pentastar better than any engine I've ever owned and I'm an old school motorhead. Really. I used to specialize in Olds 442, Hurst Olds W-30, Pontiac GTO, and Pontiac Trans Am 400/ 455 engines. I've never gotten 500 hp out of any engine with just a bolt on. Even the idea of it would be laughable. To supercharge an old school engine would take a mountain of parts, but this Pentastar 3.6 already has them built in, and some. They were very serious when they developed this engine. And here's the mountain of parts I mentioned: It has a very strong block made out of suspension grade aluminum, four valves per cylinder, heat treated heads, powder coated moly main and rod bearings, powder coated moly valve guides, iron piston liners, cast aluminum pistons with short skirts, low friction moly piston rings, forged rods, forged high flow valves, zero resistance exhaust (no exhaust manifolds/ headers needed), rolled fillet crank shaft (86% stronger than standard), 6 bolt mains, (4 bolt with 2 cross bolts), two stage oil pump and very high compression. And it has 2-stage variable valve timing dual overhead cams. It's a 4 cam system with the ability to individually time each cam and was added in 2015. Try saying all that in one breath. Try paying that bill... Anyway you look at it, this is one hell of an engine. One of the most advanced engines in the world bar none. And very BIG money is what made it happen. Well worth investing a couple of lousy catch cans into. Because this engine is so strong, I added ported intake manifolds, a ported throttle body to 70mm from 65mm, high performance coil packs and spark plugs, larger fuel injectors, a Ripp/ Vortech supercharger, and a high performance K&N intake filter. And I topped it off with a 304 Stainless Steel Borla S Catback exhaust system: All that taken together gives me almost a 220 hp gain from 300 to 520, and almost 7 more mpg; from 22 to 28.4 average, pretty much however I drive it. Well worth the effort and the engine could take at least 100 more hp. It handles this boost easily and judging by the mountain of standard parts, I would expect it to. It's absolutely bullet proof from the factory and the perfect engine to supercharge. So I did. (see rippmods) How does it act with the supercharger? It drives normally until you don't want normal. When you don't want normal, you hit Sport mode and the acceleration will pull your girls panties up. If you can afford it and want Scat Pack performance, you should do it. Don't forget the head bolts. Total cost is about 8,000 dollars, and your now SRT-6 will come in at half the price of a Hellcat SRT-8, AND be AWD. And if the Hellcat isn't on his game, you'll give him a heart attack because the AWD will not spin its tires. By the time he's done melting his tires, you're in 3rd with a 520 hp car and a head start. He'll need a very long track to catch your little 30 mpg V-6. I saw one take out a Hellcat 3 out of 3. Really. And to get almost 30 mpg average in a 520 hp 4,200 lb. car? The motorhead in me says this is just impossible, but there it is. I wish I could swing one of these into my 02 Prowler. I just love my supercharged Charger GT Plus and wouldn't have anything else. You should hear that Borla exhaust sing. I'll take your silence as a thank you.
Thank you..I read your complete write up..and yes his video did scare me into thinking twice now but I feel better after reading what you said..it sounds like you know a hell of a lot more than he does from what you took time to write up..My first thought a while back was if they used the 3.6 in the cargo van, a daily heavy duty cargo van, then it should be good enough for a minivan or car right?? I've seen many older T&C and GC with over 400K miles but these were the 3.8 engines in the 2006 model or whichever years they used those as well as the 3.3..I had a 3.8 in a 2006 GC myself..loved it..but want a newer T&C now but I think I will go for at least a 2015 to be safe? I really wanted a 4.0 that was in what, only a few years 2008-2010? That engine in the van was a rocket..even vids on how fast it was on here!
@ Daniel Staggers, if the 3.6 pentastar is the best engine you've ever owned, you have obviously never owned a Toyota 1-Uze 4.0 litre from their Lexus models. I'm also an old head who's owned several vehicles. I haven't owned anything other than Toyota products since the nineties and for good reason. I have a 95 Lexus LS 400 with over 200,000 miles that you can barely hear running. Not only is the 4.0l awesome, but overall the car is built like a tank. No cheap plastic falling off, no rattling when I'm cruising down the road. The car is almost soundproof with the windows up. I didn't get that with any American made cars that I've owned.
@@henryhawkins1194 This blog isn't about Lexus and I don't buy foreign cars and never have. Why are you watching videos about Dodge/ Mopar? What possible interest could Chrysler have to you? How do you know Marspeed? Marspeed is my favorite video blog, even if I don't always agree with him. He means well. I'm sure he didn't mean to scare the hell out of all 10 million 3.6 owners. This is a Chrysler forum and Marspeed only covers Chrysler, why are you bringing up a foreign car here? Did you supercharge your Lexus? I doubt you could. Did you even read all I wrote? If you must know; foreign cars are just too expensive to maintain by a long shot, especially Lexus, Mercedes and BMW. And anyone who buys a Range Rover or a Mini Cooper is a plain fool. As cute as they are. That's why they're so cheap used; when the warranty is up, a foreign car is worthless here; any foreign car. Especially a Rolls Royce or a Bentley. As far as Lexus goes, I understand you can put some cheap Toyota Auto Zone parts in them, but who would do that? I certainly wouldn't and god help you if you don't. Is that what you do? Put cheap Auto Zone Chinese parts in your Lexus? I wouldn't even do that to a Toyota. I only use aftermarket parts if it improves on the factory part and that's very rare. Maybe sway bar bushings or something like that. My aftermarket parts usually cost a lot more than the factory part, or the factory doesn't even offer them at all. The new Charger is just as soundproof with the windows up as your Lexus and doesn't have a rattle in it. You should drive one, really; you'll be surprised; I was. And the Charger doesn't claim to be a luxury car like your Lexus does, but you can load it right up. I did. Good luck trying to buy one however. Our local dealers rarely ever have one in stock, or a Challenger for that matter. I ordered mine from the factory. I actually don't like it with the windows up, it's too quiet and I'm sure you know what I mean. The Charger/ Challengers are basically Mercedes, they haven't changed them since the last Mercedes design. They keep selling like hot cakes so why would they? Some of the older ones did have a front upper control arms that liked to wear and rattle, but they upgraded that arm and solved the problem 6 years ago. And by the way, if you insist on comparing Lexus to Chrysler: Dodge sold 142,000 Chargers just last year alone. Jeep Grand Cherokee sold 242,000 units last year as well. Between just those two models, they outsold everything Lexus makes and over 90% sold with the Pentastar. Even in Lexus's best year ever which was 2018. Chrysler sold over 10X's that just last year alone, and it was a bad year. There are 10X's more Pentastar engines on the road than all Lexus vehicles in total. Lexus isn't even a pimple compared to that. You sound and act like you don't seem to know this. You're trying to mix apples and oranges. We look at things in a much larger scale here. We worry about Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, and Ram trucks here. All of them use the Pentastar. That's why I'm surprised you're here making comments. You should go to a Lexus forum if you want to talk apples to apples. You can all tell each other how clever you are buying foreign cars. Until they have to go into the shop, that is. Than you're just plain fools. It's quite easy and common to have a shop bill that cost more than the car is worth with a foreign car. Ever see what a Mercedes active suspension costs to replace when it wears out? And they ALL wear out. One thing is for sure, the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission Chrysler uses are also used on most European cars. Even Lambo and Aston Martin. In fact, the Europeans are dumping their dual clutch transmission because the ZF actually shifts faster. NO ONE uses a Lexus transmission or anything else from them. And, some European cars DO use the Pentastar engine. Thanks for the comment, I think.
@@chrisreed26 Thanks for the reply. Frankly, I expected more of them. The Pentastar is a great engine, just take care of it and change the oil at least every 5,000 miles, and it will take care of you. It's one of the strongest built engines in the world today. I highly recommend at least one catch can if you have any cold weather.
@@dannysdailys If you've never owned European models, how can you comment on them? At least I've owned both American and European models so I can make an honest assessment. You talk about how many Chrysler products sold compared to Lexus, but fail to mention your numbers are American sold only. How many Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep products are sold worldwide, compared to Lexus? Those numbers would be of more importance. How many car awards have those Chrysler vehicles won? You sound like you work for Mopar. I have driven a friends charger, but was impressed, but not impressed enough to own one over a Lexus/Toyota. Have a good day. 👍
A couple weeks ago I noticed my 2012 Jeep wrangler was starting to over heat and the heat would blow cold. Brought it into the shop and they replaced the temp gauge and everything ran great for the next couple days. I went away for a week and when I came back all the issues came back as well. I just got back from the mechanic for a second time and now they said there’s a warped cylinder head causing exhaust to flow into the cooling system. They quoted $5k to fix the issue including the rocker arms which they said could fail anytime in the near future. This is shocking to me since the car only has 97k miles on it and the temp gauge never read H only 3 quarters at most when it was overheating and the check engine light never came on once. I like the pentastar engine and Dodge and Jeep products but this is uncalled for. Even if the pentastar engine is overall reliable, a simple thing such as a thermostat failure should not cause catastrophic engine damage after only driving a few miles with it running a little hot.
I drive Uber and Lyft. Average 200/500 miles a day. Currently have 286,000 plus. Almost zero maintenance. Just normal maintenance, air filter, new alternator, spark plugs ect. My passengers are amazed that my Pacifica has that high of miles and still runs so smoothly.
Even though I know Chrysler vehicles always have issues, I still refuse to look at other brands. I just like these cars, they arent boring. I had a newer Toyota once and couldnt really connect with it cause there was never nothing wrong with it...
@@Sak-zo1ui I think you're a bit wrong, they are VERY reliable in having Quality control issues and some random problems which are just dumb. Ofc dealers see the most, but i'd like to think once they're out of warranty they'd be one of the best.
@@Haltech92 Any oil cooler fails if the oil is contaminated due to neglect, coolant entering oil or major engine failure (metal particles in oil galleries/passages etc.) Never clean or reuse an oil cooler/elements. Get a new one.
@@Haltech92 That is strange. Not flushing out the entire engine oil passages/galleries improperly or not fully is one thing that comes to mind. This is a tough one. Haven't ran into that one.....
2011 3.6 pentastar 118k miles and no issues at all. Only ones I've seen with issues are the one with owners that don't keep up with the oil changes and maintenance.
@@mmatthewdavey5704 only problem that it's given me was the oil cooler giving out but I replaced that my self. I maintain and repair my own cars if something breaks I don't worry about it since I know I can fix it. I plan on super charging it with a pro charger when there kit comes out so I know things are going to break lol
I dont wrench but i have an excellent mechanic that schooled me on car care when i was a teenager. Im much wiser now. Had this vehicle for 4 years and its reading 209,213 on the odometer currently. She's still running, but after about 160k i started having major issues. 2 fuel pumps is one thing but im on my 3rd round of catalytic converters because ive had a misfire since then. There was one point where my vehicle would barely whimper on at start and when it did it smelled like sulphur and rumbled like crazy at idle. The cylinder bank with cylinder 2 was shut off by the cars computer to help protect them from the misfire, which almost mechanically totalled my car. Not to mention the common fusing/wiring issue that my original owner thankfully got done at a dodge dealer before i bought it. I love my car..but it has been a pain in the ass to keep it on the road and i havent been able to pass an inspection in over well over 18 months 🙃
WOW! I've had every issue this video explained. I have a 2012 Jeep Wrangler, I had to replace my engine at 115K ($8K) approx. 2 months ago. My heater core is busted, haven't had heat or air in 3 years. And my Jeep randomly overheats, the overheating is not serious but I have to keep an eye on the needle. I love my Jeep just wish I didn't have all of these issues.
I had one in my 2012 200, loved it. No leaks, and always ran good. Then again, it had less than 50k on it. The fatal flaw was the stupid horrible performing/shifting transmission in those early 3.6's.
Yes the fwd 6 speed is not great but mine improved with a filter and ATF4 Mopar fluid change at 120,000 mile I wish I had done a fluid chain/filter change at 60k miles.
Yeah I also had a 2011 200. The trans was horrible. Intermit hard shifts into drive or reverse and harsh down shifts at times too. But the engine was great. Tons of power. Punch it from a stop and make sure you hold on the to steering wheel mad torque steer. Traded in with 60k for a 14 charger rt 5.7. I upgraded the intake plenum with the 6.4, wired the srv with a mds switch, cai, long tube headers, high flow cats, custom Jay Greene tune, and tranzformer shift kit. That thing was a rocket, then traded in for a 16 challenger 392 scat pack 6mt. This was was a handful to drive, all that torque and lack of traction was fun. Now I drive a 19 honda accord 2.0t, that gas guzzler was killing wallet.
I wish I could up-doot this more than once. That transmission is hot trash, failed at 89k on my Journey (3 months past 6 year powertrain warranty). Went from fine to grenade in 1 block. What the actual.. Thought my issue was a one-off until I had it rebuilt, the trans guy keeps them on the shelf because they're so common to fail. *sigh*
The ultra drive transmission is a 6-speed variant (62TE), introduced in the 2007 model year and remains in production for several models as of 2019 in front wheel drive application.
2018 promaster here with 36k here I use 91 every day and WOT drive it everywhere and leave it running for hours only issues coolent leak I daily check it everyday great motor!!!
Three of these engines. 2014 Avenger with 130K, 2016 Caravan 190K, 2018 Pacifica 112K, no problems on any of the three engines. Very good fuel economy, smoothness. Always use basic 87 octane fuel. Change oil every 8-10K miles.
On my 2013 Wrangler 3.6 I started having reduced heat on drivers side and found sand in heater core when back-flushed. This was at 6 year 90,000. several videos on sand issue if you have reduced heat. Plugs replaced at 105,000 shown normal wear. Thermostat (spring stuck open) replaced at 105,000. So I'm relatively happy with the durability of the engine.
Had coolant flush i n April this year, still minimum heat on drivers side, just replaced my oil filler cooler was leaking, still drivers side little heat. 2017 jk 143,00km
Yah, avoid taking it to shops that don't know the engine.. I've also heard of dumb technicians overtightening the oil filter cap causing the assembly to crack because the plastic is shitty. The filter is so damn easy to change on this engine you might as well just do it yourself anyways.
Either the housing itself cracks or the seal on the oil cooler fails, as was the case on mine '14 charger. Oil pooled in the valley and ran down the back of the engine, burning off on the bellhousing and causing it to reek of burnt rubber. Very expensive repair at the dealership, but looks to be an easy job if you have some mechanical inclination.
I own a 2014 Grand Caravan and it just hit 150k. I have experienced basic issues since owning. The damn oil filler, it "needed" a new water pump (dealer said it was leaking but never saw a drop) and starter. Other than that I've needed to do brakes and tires. I have been very impressed with this engine and hope to have the same luck with the one in my wifes 20 Pacifica.
I used to work at a dealer, typically during inspections they can see the start of a leak forming with pink crust forming around the waterpump. Happens to Toyotas a lot. Once that pink crust forms, it could be any day when that seal lets go completely and you're stranded on the side of the road because the coolant dumped out.
113,000 miles on my Chrysler 200's V6 Pentastar 3.6L. I got it at 29k. Issues are in the cooling system. Don't play around when that temperature light comes on.
We have a 2012 grand caravan. Had the misfire issue with the cylinder head, but it was replaced under warranty at around 60k. Had a broken thermostat, and after replacing it the housing leaked and had to replace that too. Had a ticking rocker arm and changed that at around 120k... thankfully before it wiped out the cam. Had a misfire issue at about 140k that drove me nuts. Finally figured out it was a bad cam phaser on the rear exhaust cam. Changed all of them while i was in there. Because of the misfire, the rear catalyst went bad but isn’t plugged, just setting a code every once in a while. Its got 160k on it now. Oh, and the drain back valve broke off in the oil filter housing last oil change but i was able to get one and replace it without changing the whole filter housing. Im a mechanic, and told my wife this was all going to happen when she wanted to buy it, but she didn’t believe me...
They made really difficult and time consuming to replace the oil pressure switch which fails a lot. Have to remove the entire intake manifold to get to a $20 part. Was never an issue doing it in under a min on the old 4.0
@@JJ4848 I just replaced the sensor myself, after my mechanic did the oil filter housing replacement the sensor he put in was junk, and the code returned. I bought an oem sensor from amazon and 6 hours later, I did a lot of cussing without taking the intakes off. Had to buy a special socket but saved me 350 $ from taking it to my mechanic. If you have basic tools you can do it hardest part was trying to thread the sensor while laying on top of the engine lol
Definitely one of the most reliable engines from FCA/Stellantis. But have to say if you want the V6 get the 3rd gen with ESS which resolved the problems from the previous generations. You'll find the 3rd gen only in Chrysler Pacifica, Ram 1500, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, and Dodge Durango. All the other models that I didn't mention with the 3.6 V6 like the Dodge Durango, Ram 1500 Classic, and Chrysler 200 for example uses the previous generation 2nd gen Penterstar V6.
Yea avoid any 1st and 2nd gen 3.6. I have a 2016 GrandCaravan and it had the infamous "tick". Had all cams, lifters and rockers changed due to that issue. Also bad injectors and 2 bad transmissions. I'd probably avoid most if not all Dodge/Chrysler products pre 2022, especially if you don't have a warranty worth paying for or if you're not mechanically inclined.
I purchased a 2017 RAM 1500 Express with this engine in 2019. I find it an great power plant, had as much horsepower as my 2003 RAM with the 5.7 Hemi. Ironically I did purchase a factory extended and have that security in mind. Believe most owners are to blame for this engine issues as most don’t follow the maintenance needs, very typical.
I have a 2012 V W Routan w/the 3.6. At about 120,000 miles the flywheel failed, the center completely broke out of it. Engine still ran fine but w / a nocking sound from the broken flywheel. Engine now has 140.000 miles, runs great, very smooth, great power, 20 -22 m p g.
Hmm.Yeah I've heard of these engines having some issues. I guess I got a good one. My 2015 Grand Caravan has the 3.6 and it's got 340,000 kms on it and it's never given me any trouble. Still going on the original engine and transmission. AC/Heat has never needed servicing either.
Lucky you. I've got a '16 GrandCaravan and had to change the trans twice, injectors and lifters, rockers and cams. Also cooling/ overheating issues. All before 80k miles.
The rocker arm issue is found in the first gens. With the updated PUG engine, this have this fixed, i think. Ive never seen one fail. Ive seen many with more than 100k without major issues. All in all, i think its one of Chryslers best engines ever made. Coming from Chrysler, its pretty reliable (and that is a mouthful). Thats good for them.
Pentastar engines are the biggest pieces of crap 2 grace our roads in decades! The main problem for me is that these vehicles also encounter a host of other issues besides the rocker arm failures, the oil, coolant leaks from up top there, the plastic thermostat housings, etc. They also have weak transmissions(62te), tipm issues, rear h/vac will definitely need some repairs eventually, I mean the list just keeps going on & on and the more you look at reviews and other people's experiences, you find other issues that make you wanna not buy any Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep product manufactured anywhere in the 2011 thru 2021 years! I think I'll pass...especially after hearing people with the new "revised" 2016-up pentastar engines still complaining about the same valvetrain issues & oil leaks from the filter/cooler housing assembly!?! You can replace it with an aluminum one & call it an upgrade all you want but it's still gonna leak from underneath it when the 0-rings give way eventually...
@@jbone1383 well, to each their own. Ive heard bad experiences but also good ones. All cars fail, though. Even Toyotas. Some cars just need some more work done to them to keep running. If your main concern is low cost of ownership and are not too much into fixing cars or you are not a car person, you can get a less problematic car. Read that again: LESS problematic. My GC has had some issues but engine and trans (the ZF) have been good to me. I fix it myself And no, no TIPM issues because mine doesnt have it. Thats for the older models.
@@Kevin09210 Oh, okay. GC must stand for Grand Cherokee if you have the ZF 8-speed? Those are pretty solid tranny's from what I can tell, I was gonna purchase a 300 back in 2012 that had one but the deal fell thru... the only complaint I had about it was the extremely high price of the fluid! I believe it was the most expensive tranny fluid on the shelf @ the time, lol...Also the procedure for just checking the fluid level seemed kinda ridiculous but yeah those seem to have been proven pretty durable over the years🦾
@@jbone1383 the fluid is expensive, but more expensive is a new tranny 😉 Chryslers products are not toyotas, but some of the new ones are better than the old pieces of crap they use to manufacture. I particularly like Jeeps and the Dodge Durango. They are relatively well built compared to other models. You just have to choose which ones have the least problems, and you can enjoy the car and not stick with the boring options only. There are many Chrysler products I cant recommend, but a few I can (like the GC and Durango), always telling people to check on the car and that you will have to do some extra maintenance to keep them running well.
Bought a 2016 Wrangler for my daughter with 56k miles...rocker arms failed and ate a camshaft at 63k miles but the dealer fixed it as it is a "known" problem and was so close to warranty. Also, the junk plastic oil cooler under the intake failed and this thing was the Exxon Valdez for a week. Bought the Dorman replacement metal part and fixed it myself this weekend. Not impressed. I have a 1996 Ford F150 with the 4.9 inline 6. Abuse it, don't change the oil enough, and it just keeps running and running. Had to replace the distributor ($100), but that is it. Factory AC, factory water pump, etc. This Jeep will be junk at 200k, just saying. Oh yeah, I hear the rear mains leaking before 100k is a common problem too.
My 2012 Caravan had a issue around 65k with the head. Took it to a Dodge dealer and Dodge warrantied 100%. I now have 179k on it with no problems ticks, engine light. Good maintenance intervals are done.
Oil leak is probably oil cooler assembly issue, that looks like a trans leak, but motor oil, fix it ASAP, you risk a fire with the oil pooling in the center of the motor, known as the “valley”.
Marspeed i watch your videos constantly and i like very much. But wend you say Fatal Flaws and point the penta star engine, it does not fill right. Its the best engine i ever drove as a v6 engine. People who does not know this will never bye one because of this picture and comment (fatal flaws) i love my v6 chrysler 300s. Its the best . But i have nothing to say about you. You are doing a very good job 👍🏻 bro. Thank you for all the info you have been providing to us. Best of luck to you.
Owner of 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 3.6L. Current odometer: 75K. Rocker arm/Cam assembly replaced at 55K miles. Done under warranty. Problem started with ticking sounds. Knew it was serious problem and immediately took it to local dealer. Tappets were toast. No problems with engine since. Could cylinder be next? Good to know about pending class action. Very informative! Thanks!
3.6 in my 2013 Grand Cherokee has been flawless. 93,000 miles on it now, runs perfect no ticks or coolant issues like described here. Guess I got a good one
