Why Chrysler Pentastar Engines Fail

Here's a look inside Chrysler's Pentastar engine and how it works!
In this video we teardown a 3.6L V6 Engine from a 2018 Jeep Wrangler that apparently failed to start. This engine features dual overhead cams with variable valve timing and aluminum construction. It also features exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for emissions control.
The engine's overall construction consists of alot of plastic components (intake manifold, plenum, idler pulleys, valve covers, vacuum lines, etc). Inside, the camshaft wore down grooves due to the rocker arm sliding up against it. This is a common issue with this engine and can be due to lack of lubrication (this engine had sludge buildup due to lack of maintenance), thin oils, the rollers and hydraulic lifters failing, or material and heat treatment defects. Worn camshafts will cause poor performance or low compression because the valves cannot fully seat properly anymore, in addition to a loud tapping noise from the valve clearance being incorrect.
Skip to section in this video:
0:00 Introduction
1:07 Teardown
12:30 Analysis
21:02 Conclusion
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[@OutsideTheTargetDemographic]

To be fair, ZERO of those plastic pulleys failed before the METAL cam shaft did. 🤣

[@speedkar99]

Haha that is true..

[@OutsideTheTargetDemographic]

@@speedkar99 😋👍

[@onlyusechopstik]

One of mine failed at 50k 😅

[@carljessen7903]

Plastic is a catastrophe waiting especially in the Mojave Desert and thank God our brains ain't made of plastic

[@TheCreatorhascome]

They can make plastic 1:1 toy better.

[@rudolphna54]

Having watched the whole video now, I think it's pretty clear the cause of the failure is an oiling issue caused by the oil probably never getting changed.

[@speedkar99]

Given the sludge in the engine and the piston rings, I agree a lack of oil changes accelerated this design flaw

[@onlyusechopstik]

​@speedkar99 what weight oil would you recommend going up to?

[@jeffreygoss8109]

@@onlyusechopstiknew

[@SomeRandomHuman717]

EXACTLY! Just one look at the sludgy molasses mess in the oil pan tells you that the oil this Jeep was born with was probably the oil it died with. Most likely NEVER changed. No modern engine design is going to survive that kind of neglect.

[@alwaysbadideas]

@@onlyusechopstik new oil + marvel mystery oil to reduce varnishing long term

[@aaronyoung6903]

I had a 2015 JK with the 3.6L. I changed my oil every 3000 mile s with full synthetic. In 113,000 I never had an issue with the engine. It ran tip top. Maintenance is key!

[@ericmorinmusic5910]

160xxx on mine. Every 3k and only rockers had to be replaced.

[@danialphaomega]

What weight oil you use ?

[@aaronyoung6903]

I don’t have that particular Wrangler anymore. I traded up for a 2024 Wrangler with 2.0 turbo. In that one I use Amsoil 5w-30 full synthetic.

[@BigScreenLife]

@@danialphaomega spec is 5w30, so heavier than that i assume?

[@jimmcmichael7751]

2014 JKU Rubicon, 161,800 miles on mine. Regular oil changes. Runs like a top.

[@Quebecer_Powerstroke]

I was surprise that the pistons were not in plastic too…

[@speedkar99]

It was metal and still had a broken ringland...

[@Quebecer_Powerstroke]

Yep that’s really bad. Thanks for the video BTW. Greetings from Quebec.

[@greathey1234]

😂

[@f.f.s.d.o.a.7294]

Don't give them an ideas.

[@DanielJohnson-ec8rk]

They are plated with tin

[@spelunkerd]

it is so sad to see that modern engines are designed to have multiple fragile plastic parts that will eventually break and be nearly impossible to source. I can't imagine any of the engines presently made surviving longer than 2 decades.

[@speedkar99]

I agree...there isn't much to recycle when I scrap thus because half of it is plastic.

[@pliedtka]

You'll be very lucky if they last more than 15yrs, even 15 is a challenge. I think they're designed to last a bit over a decade.

[@jerryp2433]

This Ford fanatic I work with was trying to convince me the positives of using composite brake pistons.

[@h8troodoh]

It's called Planned Obsolescence..

[@Thundering_Banshee]

@@pliedtka I think they're designed to last until the warrantee runs out.

[@davidmorgan8612]

I have this same engine in my wife’s van since 2011. The key is changing your oil and for me that is full synthetic every 5000 miles.

[@DanBlackRacing]

The Pentastar still has upper-engine dry starts no matter how often you change your oil. Aftermarket oil preservers that prime oil in the upper parts of the engine before starting solve this issue.

[@leakyjeep5.9]

Full synthetic is actually a blend and is only 1/4 of actual synthetic in it.

[@tdz69]

Yes. If you’re not changing your oil religiously then good luck. Have a 2014 jeep jk with 125k. Do my own oil changes since I got it among other maintenance. Runs great. Wirh that said, terrible engine design and pain in ass to do a basic tuneup. From a cost standpoint, Jeep can go scratch with what they are charging now. It’s comical. Next vehicle will not be a Jeep.

[@xzysyndrome]

The rockers are cheap subpar crap. I changed my oil every 5000. Still had a rocker go out....took it to a mechanic, warranty would only replace the bad one. (they were all bad) Long story short...a few months later tick came back. Stripped it down and found 3 other rockers failing. Replaced them all myself with Melling Rocker arms....haven't turned the key yet....but this Engine can suck a fart out of a dead camels arse.

[@TXFarmRoad]

​@@tdz69 187k on my 14 👌🏻

[@mbox314]

Every large project I ever worked on involved dozens of engineers designing subsystems with whatever fastener they like, management never cares enough to force anyone to use common fasteners so you find up with as many fastener types and sizes as there are people working in that project. This also applies to wire sizes, connectors, sheet metal thickness and whatever else the engineer has leeway with selecting.

[@BitterCynical]

Need more ocd bean counters trying to save a cent on each engine by reducing the bill of materials to a minimum. One size to rule them all.

[@speedkar99]

Yeah I hate that, and I'd imagine technicians have gripes about this too. On the production line they don't care because each step gets its own tool. I'd Imagine it would have been cheaper for them to purchase one kind of fastener for everything in bulk.

[@jamesmercer848]

I love when engineering firms make you do all the cheap parts of agile then shrug off the integration stages

[@markkent4295]

It’s painful watching this video. This engine is a disaster in numerous ways, from far too much plastic, to minimally hardened metal where it is needed most, to overly engineered everything, making repairs too difficult and expensive. It’s no wonder they’ve allowed the bean counters to ruin the entire brand and put them out of business. The old VV Beetle engine was vastly more reliable and easy to repair.

[@yurimodin7333]

@@markkent4295 remember everyone, a 5 year old engine failing for no good reason is progress........I avoid all post Fiat Chryslers now. I'm a lifelong mopar guy forced over to GM now.

[@bmacdoug]

Thanks SK99 for your expert teardown and explanation of the finer points of automotive engines of all kinds. I appreciate your point that more plastic parts means less recyclable steel and aluminium, and more junk in the landfill. I also concur that no-one designs for maintainability; arbitrarily different bolt sizes, service items buried under wiring harnesses, plastic clips prone to breakage, etc. Thanks again!

[@speedkar99]

Thanks. So far I think Chrysler is the worse for plastics on engines

[@900Yugo]

@@speedkar99 BMW uses tons of plastics too.

[@SkylineFTW97]

@@speedkar99 Those plastic oil filter housings are famous for leaking. Most of the replacements are aluminum instead.

[@johnstuartsmith]

@@900Yugo Not always a winning combination when the plastic parts and the twin turbos are so close to each other in a tightly packed engine compartment.

[@johnstuartsmith]

@@SkylineFTW97 The aftermarket metal ones aren't terribly expensive. Chrysler could be buying them in bulk. It makes me wonder how much they are saving themselves per vehicle by factory installing a cheap failure prone plastic oil filter and cooler assembly that is likely to cost the owner big bucks in labor hours when it needs to be replaced.

[@Sladep123]

Great video and explanation - you obviously really know your stuff! Well, FWIW... I'm @ 233,000 miles on my '12 Rubicon, driving on and off-road in the mountains & dez, towing a large enclosed trailer often, so lots of load and hard work. I do drive it as gently as i can and think that really helps, along with all scheduled maintenance plus extra PM love... Have had minimal problems other than the first #2 cylinder valve seat failure my dealer had seen @22k miles. Covered by warranty and all good since. Failures since include oil cooler cracking, cam phaser wearing out, clutch, 1st gear synchro, transfer case b/c Chrysler didn't make the one part in there that failed. Oil changes every 5,000 miles with Mopar's semi-synthetic oil, change f&r different fluids, manual tranny fluid and transfer case fluid all on factory schedule. Have done lots of PM to keep reliability as high as possible so can be off-road with confidence. @200,000 miles replaced water pump, serpentine belt, plugs & coils, PCV, all hoses, etc. Basically all consumables except alternator. Runs great, like new. Given that it's a Jeep, owned by Chrysler, owned by Fiat, I bought the lifetime warranty when new. That was money well-spent and gives me confidence to keep going. The whole vehicle really is amazing. Great everywhere, crawling, off-road, dunes, snow, towing, hauling, highway. I love it.

[@tedecker3792]

I once worked for a man who had been a Studebaker dealer. He told of visiting the factory and seeing the cam shafts being heat treated. They were turning over blue flames, slowly. He noticed a couple of flames were not working. He pointed it out to the tour guide, who told him not to worry about it!

[@williambrandondavis6897]

Ever hear of conduction?

[@thecloud1432]

Doesn't matter. The temperature profile across the length of the cam is no longer within spec. Sure it's still hot, but not as hot as it should be.

[@russell1265]

I will never by a penstar again $$$$ junk

[@mann_idonotreadreplies]

@@russell1265 good job. FCA sucks

[@danz1910]

​@@williambrandondavis6897 ticktickticktick into that camshaft drivetrain

[@paulmaul2186]

Thanks Speedkar for going through this exercise on a cold, snowy day. As for the engine....all that plastic!! I guess that's the era we are in though.

[@speedkar99]

It was a really cold day. The second half of the video was filmed right at the Beginning of a blizzard.

[@TrackPackRT]

Well done! What a great video! I’ve only torn into my Jeeps 3.6 to change plugs and the oil cooler (of course). It’s really interesting to see the entire engine broken down! Thanks for having the patience to film it all, I really enjoyed this. 🙌

[@speedkar99]

Glad it was helpful! Did you change the oil filter housing too?

[@TrackPackRT]

@@speedkar99 yea I updated to a 2014 type housing for a less annoying oil filter to change.

[@vladizlatko]

I love the video buddy, thank you for all the great info you shared with us! Keep it coming, can’t wait for the next adventure!

[@jn5727]

There is an aftermarket all aluminum oil filter/cooler housing available for these engines. And the reason for the 6 bolts is because the pentastar engines were originally designed for a boosted application.

[@erichoekstra206]

Do you have the manufacturer’s name? How about the rest of the intake?

[@19sxfr]

Dude outside in the snow, detailed explanation and good no shake footage.

[@speedkar99]

Thanks. Dedication.

[@baltazard133T]

I've seen this happen in probably six of these pentastar engine. Usually caused by an oil change done and failure to use synthetic oil then the engine was driving 20k, 30k, 40k etc till the oil lost all viscosity and the cam and lobes ate themselves to pieces.... Once they get eaten to a point that the intake valve will not hardly open the engine will no longer start, especially if it happens to multiple cylinders on the same bank 👍

[@andrewschmitt5792]

I had to disassemble and reassemble these engines in automotive class at tech school. I found them to be robust engines in several ways but at the same time there were cheap components. Plastic oil cooler assembly is one of the worst. I believe these are more sensitive to lack of maintenance. Oil pressure is critical in controlling timing and if you run it low or too long on poor oil then it will cause too much slack in the valve train which affects VVT and timing. It's definitely not like the old 3.3 and 3.8l pushrod engines

[@speedkar99]

They also ate cams, combined with the oil cooler doesn't bode well for it. Internally though it seems well built

[@mails5054]

@@speedkar99 i have a love hate relationship with my 2014 jeep wrangler. Robust vehicle with a solid 5 speed auto, axles, frame. Then also chrylser lets fucking cheap out on everything we can making something that could have been really great, just alright

[@Thegreekmenace95]

These engines are also very prone to warping the block and head at the slightest amount of overheating. Which they always do to that oil cooler and cheapo thermostat and water pump 🫠

[@hybrid7223]

"Plastic oil cooler assembly is one of the worst." I have a 2017 JK with this Pentastar and it actually started leaking on me and I just put an aluminum one in after trying to source an OEM one from the dealer, which was back ordered for a LONG time. Partsgeek and found an aluminum one for slightly more than the OEM plastic one, local shop did it because I did not feel like putting it in(i think at 66000 miles? I forget) This is something that baffled me, why use plastic in something called an OIL COOLER, when there's hot corrosive oil running through it? I suspect the next plastic thing to go is the valve covers or a sensor of sorts. If these engines are robust as you say, imagine without all of these plastic parts

[@zebman9228]

@@Thegreekmenace95 Which cheapo thermostat? The basic spring coolant thermostat made by the same company or companies that makes all the other thermostats for every car, or are you referring to temperature sensor? Water pumps are water pumps. Again same makers, and they all wear out. Just put in a new one - easy job. The hard part is changing spark plugs and cam sensors because the plastic intake manifolds have to be removed. Changing oil a lot with top syn oil and good filter goes a LONG way to help.

[@kristianhermann5971]

Great explanation of the worn cam and components!

[@speedkar99]

Thanks!!

[@petesworld8416]

Like your informative videos. Could you please make a video about what engines are built well and reliable?

[@douglasmorton6121]

Thanks for the video! Nice tear down! We have a 2012 JKU, with the first year Pentastar. No major problems yet at 137k miles. We just changed to full synthetic oil and man it made a difference in the feel and sound of the engine. “Spike” runs smooth now and seems a bit peppier. I wish I changed to full synthetic oil earlier. Now that his engine doesn’t sound quite as noisy… it makes me wonder why it sounded that way before…. I think you might have explained this out for us. We’ll just keep maintaining him and looking and listening for any signs and symptoms of trouble. I hope to get another 100k out of him before we rebuild his engine. Stay Safe Folks!!!

[@jairo_gonzalez3770]

I’ve gained so much interest in automotive mechanics by watching your videos. I’m enlisting in summer and the job I chose was wheeled vehicle mechanic cuz Man, this shit looks so interesting and fun. The Science behind all this is amazing and you are showing it to everyone for free. Thank you

[@failranch9542]

It can be fun and very rewarding. I’m not sure I’d want to do it for a living but there are far worse ways. I love to wrench in my spare time. I get more satisfaction from fixing and maintaining cars and bikes than from driving them.

[@zdenekkindl2778]

Would’t it be wiser to study batteries and electric motors these days? Or bicycle designs? Ride donky…?

[@swissflamdrag]

I'd like to see you do a video on general car maintenance. Fluid changes, direct injection servicing etc.

[@speedkar99]

That was my last video on my Lexus...

[@cookiebaker6133]

Great content, very informative and very interesting to watch. I have a wrangler with pentstar engine. I have it for 13k milage for now and it has been good, fingers cross it will always be good. Also I have already decided to change oil every 5k miles, so hopefully frequent oil change can help the engine to hold better.

[@1unkn0wn]

Thank you for this. I would love to see a teardown video on the 3.3/3.8 family of engines to compare.

[@RRaucina]

Yes, especially one with 250k miles on it. I saw one that went to 400k.

[@marcbrazzers]

Same. Really love those. I have a 3.8 and it hauls a$$ and is reliable.

[@AB-vc7ox]

Great teardown narration and editing... makes the old slant 6 seem like a marvel of simplicity... in and out of the car and all new parts rebuilt in an afternoon. I wonder how the parts count and points of failure would compare.

[@davidmata4786]

Great breakdown and video, the knowledge one can gain from your videos is useful and extremely helpful. Thanks. Subscribed..

[@speedkar99]

Glad you enjoyed and learned something new

[@rotorhead5000]

Great video as always, and we'll timed, just bought a jeep with this engine in it, I think I'm going to cut the oil change interval in half what the factory recomends.

[@speedkar99]

And thicken the oil weight as the engine ages.

[@davidschreiber1823]

@@speedkar99 every 4k or less, so far at 250k so good and no oil cooler change. I can see where that could be a problem though.

[@miklemikemuster]

Well done video. Good efficient editing.

[@darkivaz-aaa1145]

Chrysler can build reliable engines if they want to. They don't because it makes them money.

[@TheCloser1]

Yep they get $5000 for this repair and about a 24hr turn around. Makes sense in a ignirent kinda way

[@speedkar99]

I agree. They outweighed the costs of warranty vs being negligent and it still works out in their favor.

[@SWATT101]

Next car will be an older Camry

[@infernoking7504]

Same with pretty much any manufacturers today they have the most advanced computers and stuff could make the most perfect engine with reliability simplicity and able to be rebuilt and be simple but no they don't same with the car chassis as well.

[@jonnycando]

Change oil every 3000 miles and you might get some life out of these.

[@puffnstuff12]

I'm so glad that I stumbled across your channel to see your teardown of this engine. I see many comments about the oil, the pan residue was horrible, but generally I notice bearing damage when oiling was the primary cause. I don't think that I would buy anything with that engine in it.

[@pablos6.060]

Was almost sure the damage would be related to the issues with oil coolers failing on those engines. Crazy how only 1 cam got chewed up

[@speedkar99]

Didn't seem like the cooler failed but probably the oil galley going to this cam might have clogged up causing the wear

[@joshuakern1274]

heat treat on parts like that when done poorly can be inconsistent leading to some locations wearing quicker. A common failure will be one or two spots that just don't get hardened properly.

[@rcayabyab8994]

The Reverse Mount Alternator Bracket was primarily used for Wranglers, so they can raise it above the Engine for water fording purposes. That way the Alternator doesn’t get immersed in water. This unfortunately was the way to go to relocate the Alternator for that purpose. Most Pentastar powered passenger cars have the Alternator mounted low, somewhere below the Cylinder Heads.

[@judgedredd8876]

God forbid they place the alternator between the V.

[@luckyguy600]

I will go with you on that issue. But seeing it in bits, I am glad I never bought a 08 Dodge caravan or up!

[@fogogin]

Another good one. Sometimes I watch your videos on 1.25 or 1.5x speed. Its still easy to understand you and it makes it even funnier for me.

[@speedkar99]

Interesting...I too watch KZbin videos at faster speed. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@spencerward3606]

Wow that’s a very detailed breakdown of that engine. Seems like a lot of engineering went into it but a lot of plastic at the same time. Is it easier to work on a hemi? (Like the 5.7 or the 6.4?)

[@webDBGTYou]

Having just changed exhaust camshaft and one failed rocker arm and follower on a 150K motor I was fascinated to see the whole motor pulled. Thank you so much. I can't believe that we accept such inbuilt obsolescence. Great video though!

[@judgedredd8876]

Did you skip on the oil changes as many here claim is the cause?

[@KevinCovert]

This was both educational and entertaining. Thank you for posting this video! I'm going to carefully disconnect this wire... clip. great!😀

[@speedkar99]

You are welcome!

[@tomwujek4867]

Great video! I have nearly 174,000 miles on mine with the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Other than replacing a couple oxygen sensors, it's held up great. I use PennGrade oil for the oil changes along with some Lucas Oil High Mileage Stabilizer every 5,000 miles.

[@speedkar99]

Awesome!

[@ssmith4013]

Chryslers do not like Penzoil or Quaker State. They are made with high sulfur oil from PA., that gells when low temps happen. Actually, no cars really do.

[@james197016]

Interesting you say that. I must be lucky. My 2014 Grand Cherokee with 233k, I use only Quaker State every 3k like clock work. No issues yet. I keep on PM. Had to replace oil housing cooler. Other then that suspension work etc. Any more miles this vehicle gives me is a plus. Feel I got my money's worth. Though this will probably be the last jeep I own. Parts are expensive and bad design for doing a tune up. Also to mention I live in central Ohio.

[@kevinm5177]

I use the “clear flood” method to prime the engine before I start my Jeep. I crank it about three cycles without starting before I start it. It definitely reduces valve clatter at start. I’ve heard some say this causes more wear as the parts would normally get oil faster with just a quick start. I’m still doing this so we will see if it prolongs engine components or kills them faster! I am going to switch to a heavier oil and go full synthetic now that I am out of warranty.

[@speedkar99]

Interesting method

[@pantherplatform]

I replaced the oil cooler/filter assembly on one of those recently. Was leaking oil really bad. Happens to all of them. This vehicle was well maintained but it still melted the oil cooler housing.

[@Soothsayer-rs5nb]

Got 2014 GC with 171K... no major engine issues yet. I'm impressed with the Pentastar.

[@speedkar99]

Any transmission issues?

[@Soothsayer-rs5nb]

@@speedkar99 Well that's another story... I just replaced the transmission with a new one...100k Warranty though.

[@johnphillips3512]

Mines got 166k 2017. Engine and trans original. Take of of it. It will last

[@Camopar87]

My 13 Charger has the Pentastar with 176,000 and still runs like new. I've kept it well maintained and only have had to replace a couple sensors. I think it's a great engine just has too many plastic parts

[@speedkar99]

Keep it maintained and hopefully it'll last. You're right I have peev about the plastic

[@900Yugo]

I used Japanese Eneos oil in a pentastar engine from Napa. Runs well on it.

[@usnchief1339]

240K on mine, so far. Oil, oil, oil like my mom says

[@jamescole6846]

I just hit a 100K in my 13 2D Jeep. Zero issues. But I change the fluids regular.

[@900Yugo]

@@jamescole6846 That makes the difference.

[@montiac1970]

I have a 2017 Wrangler. Two years ago I bought the metal Dorman oil cooler. No troubles after 40k miles since replaced. Original plastic one had 48k miles on it and it shattered when I dropped from less than two feet onto garage floor. I change oil every 4k on the dot.

[@redcatxb125]

full time mechanic here. at an indy shop, Ive wrenched on more of these than I can count. the most common failures are the oil cooler and or its gaskets, the earlier ones like 2010-2013 have an issue where the rocker roller needle bearings needles drop and cause the cam to ride on the actual rocker instead of the roller on the rocker, eating the cam lobe. they seem to go through cats faster than a lot of other engines as well.

[@speedkar99]

Yes that's exactly what I found here. Just surprised it happened on a 2018

[@neilevenden3481]

I've used 4 Grand Caravan with the 3.6L Pentastar engine. They all worked great because I took care of them. Combined I've done over 300,000 km in these vehicles. They have never let me down.

[@heythere6983]

Probably worth considering this is used in racing cars

[@SupramanTRD]

I've seen these engines fail, but it was almost always from lack of maintenance. You have to remember these come in 300's, chargers, challengers, grand caravans, wranglers, etc. 90% of the owners of these vehicles don't even know what an oil change is...so I don't blame the engine

[@speedkar99]

True the owners are part to blame, it exaggerated a design flaw

[@aitf99]

Journeys too

[@TheActionStack]

Amazing video! I learned so much. Unfortunately my 2015 penta died a few days ago while taking a corner, I almost crashed though a fence. 148km on it. I did all recommended maintenance, including oil changes, 20% early. Needed to be towed in to a trusted mechanic....I await their call, scared for what I will hear....😫

[@blazerchris5444]

I've worked on a dozen of these engines and I've done 10 oil filter housing replacements due to oil leaks where the cooler mates to the block, and 2 that had chewed up cam lobes (the same owner with a grand Cherokee and a wrangler). Both of the cam lobe vehicles were well maintained and neither had oil filter housing leaks so it was odd to see the failure on both vehicles. The wrangler had both intake and exhaust cam wear, and the GC only had intake cam wear, both vehicles were driver side only. Both vehicles were roughly around 120k if memory serves me correctly. The oil filter housing leaks were random (some well maintained, some poorly, and some higher mileage ~180k, and some lower mileage ~65k).

[@ronsereda4242]

Very good video. I watched it twice. Perhaps one of your best. Thanks for the very detailed description of the valve train. I have one of these in a 2017 Grand Cherokee (120,000 km) so I was particularly interested to see if there was anything, other than frequent oil changes, to help it last longer. I did let the oil change monitor/reminder do its thing only once. At 10,000 km it said I had 40% oil life left. Do what does that mean. It's 40% oil and 60% mystery fluid? Not for me. Usually change it around 7,500 km instead and wonder if I should be doing it sooner. Aside from trying to get a miniscule amount of better fuel mileage I think there is the perception that the 0-20 oil is necessary for proper operation of the chain tensioners and valve phasers. I wonder if this is really so. Seeing the extreme wear on the cam and rockers I am very tempted to go to a heavier oil but also afraid that it would be detrimental for proper tensioner and phaser operation, mostly in very cold temperatures. How does anybody know. Darned if you do darned if you don't! If the cam and rocker heat treat is inadequate heavier oil would be the only thing that might prolong their life. I have not yet replaced the serpentine belt. Glancing at it I thought it would be a simple job because of all the room in front. Was a shocker to see an engine mount and tensioner had to be removed to do the otherwise simple job. Made my spirit sink. Very disappointing to see how so many manufactures are using so many plastic parts but a fuel rail is shocking. Thanks for the detailed video. Soaking in a little bit of vinegar and the toothbrush will be fine. Your wife will never know. The coolant passage did look like that .

[@speedkar99]

Glad you enjoyed it. I don't know why the belt is looped around the engine mount like that.

[@stevelacker358]

I expected the oil filter housing to make a mess, also... but having owned one for 10+ years now it *never* drips at all. It drains back down far enough that the lid comes off with no mess. The filter/cooler assembly is prone to leaks and Dorman makes an all-metal replacement. But again... 130k miles on mine and no issues. I'm always super careful not to torque it around too much when replacing the filter. These engines have turned out to be real workhorses. Not glamorous, but after a few early problems (2011-2013) they've been rock solid. There's a teardown video out there of a 600,000 mile example from a Promaster van. It actually looks a heck of a lot better than the one in this video- I'd have to guess this one never had an oil change.

[@hatsunemikufan4]

Yes I would definitely agree. I would place a large wager this engine came out of a fleet van.

[@heythere6983]

I think people using this engine in chargers and challengers who drive fast are gonna have more issues

[@rm5902]

GREAT explanation and analysis Keep up the detailed work.

[@rm5902]

Wife should be happy u smell like gasoline and tear engines apart. U could go 2 the shake shack and come back with lipstick and . . .

[@Transient901]

You have some interesting thoughts and theory's. Thanks for sharing them.

[@Transient901]

By the way, this is a direct injection engine. Not port fuel injected.

[@brenton9492]

This is a fantastic video! Lots of good information! I have this engine in my 2013 200. Put 75k miles in about 7 years and absolutely no issues so far related to the drive train (fingers crossed). It is designed well but the cutting of corners with too much plastic leads to the downfall of this engine.

[@speedkar99]

Thanks!

[@mann_idonotreadreplies]

good luck. it will fail soon

[@judgedredd8876]

S E L L I T !!!

[@luckyguy600]

It will self destruct. Or rather just crack, and fall off. The age of shoddy once again. Can't wait till millions of Teslas crap out!

[@cwb2992]

Had a 2013 convertible 200 with a 140k miles changed oil every 6k with synthetic the only issue was replacing the oil sensor.

[@stevenekdahl7124]

The problem with the Pentastar 3.6 is there very sensitive with oil type and gas octane, if you are lazy with oil changes and use cheap oil you can kiss your rockers and lifters and cams goodbye, if you use low octane gas you can kiss your number two cylinder valve seats goodbye, Chrysler said that they fixed the problem in mid 2013 with hardened valve seats and improved cooling, but there still blowing up, the best way to combat this is to use 91 octane to stop preignition which over heats the valve seats. And a quality full synthetic oil changed often will keep the engine from eating itself. I am a mechanic and machinist for 40 years so I figured I would help the people that have this engine, if taken care of properly it will give you good service. Good oil good fuel.

[@speedkar99]

Thanks. Unfortunately the type of people who own these aren't going to maintain them or more so spend extra for good oil and fuel.

[@waltchan]

Do you think the previous 3.8L V6 was more-reliable than 3.6L Pentastar today?

[@stevenekdahl7124]

@@waltchan The 3.6 is a much improved engine with variable value timing and overall a light powerful engine, millions have been put into service so of course a few will have problems and people don't take care of them, less powerful engines don't require much care there under much less stress, overall the 3.6 is a great engine.

[@heythere6983]

I know Iv has rocker arm tick. Use purple royal and marvel mystery oil usually at 3k intervals . My car has felt like it was gonna cut out after hitting gas a tiny bit harder . Idk if it’s fuel pump related since that was changed and I had to go back bc they didn’t install it right . So idk if it’s that again, fees somewhat similar , like the engine is about to shut off. Transmission is one thing but what about rocker arms , what would I have to buy to fix that , the repair is over a grand. Can an entire piece be bought to reduce repair time? Idk much about engine specifics. I also might get another but I did have to replace oil pump, gas pump, thermostat and then maybe a transmission n lifts/rocker arms lol. Then you gotta find a mechanic that’s trustworthy which I never have . Transmissions aren’t that expensive actually but idk what install will be . Nor do I have a clue about the rocker arm resolution other than replacing all at once with lifters and spending over a grand on an old car

[@stevenekdahl7124]

​@@heythere6983 once you pull the valve covers off I think you will find it's just the rockers, the roller tip wears out and if the car is not your pride and joy and you don't think you will keep it forever just do the rockers, I'm the type if I pull something apart I change everything but I always get burnt in the end when I sell the car shortly after and the new owner benefits, which is fine, the rockers can be popped out with a screw driver and some wiggling, I have strong hands and arms so I can cut some corners with some repairs, remember to replace all gaskets on everything you removed, your going to need a good scan tool to find out what else is wrong with your car , you can guess all day but that's not going to work , I would stop using Marvel Mystery oil it's more of a cleaner than a friction fighter, the rocker tips wear out because of low oil flow to that area, get Pro blend 1600 it's expensive but you will never have an oil related problem again.

[@HeyDude93gt]

Bought my 2012 wrangler new and still going strong at with a little over 118,000 on it. Nothing has been done then the driver side head recall and this is probably due to my strict maintenance schedules I practice on everything I’ve ever owned

[@nonamebleak]

You’re so knowledgeable, love these videos

[@NedFlanders612]

Your edits improved, nice bro.

[@Kevin09210]

With these engines you have to keep up with the oil changes. Sure, there are some plastic parts that need replacement, but if you do, engine lasts a long time. The first gen pentastars suffered of roller rocker arm failure, but I mainly think this is due to poor oil changes. I bought a 2016 GC with the PUG engine and up to now, I havent had issues. Lets hope it keeps that way.

[@applepoop10]

I had a Pentastar engine blow up at 10k miles with regular oil changes.

[@Kevin09210]

@@applepoop10 thats just bad luck lol.

[@speedkar99]

Hope it keeps up for you. This was a common problem back then I'm just surprised to see it on a 2018

[@wildman1137]

@@speedkar99 Seriously? It's a sludged up engine due to poor maintenance. Clearly lack of lubrication to the top end. Amazing how you'll justify every blown up japanese engine with a perfect maintenance history, but talk trash on every American product regardless of how it was treated.

[@robertbell525]

My in-laws had a T&C I believe it was, and that thing sounded like it was going to blow up when he cold started it. Meanwhile my wife's GC with the 3.3 and 280K would sound like new. American cars have gotten so bad we bought our first Toyota a couple years ago. Here's hoping we get many good years from it.

[@CDeuce152]

I used to have a 2017 Dodge Journey SXT FWD. Never had any issue with it in the 39 months in my possession. The dealer wanted to buy it back after they messed up the financing during the initial purchase. I was looking for an AWD variant, of it but each day passes and it was getting more difficult to find one in decent shape.

[@speedkar99]

They wanted to buy it back? Probably because of its inflated price

[@CDeuce152]

@@speedkar99 My mom and I jumped at the first opportunity to return it. That dealer also wronged me after I pointed out some issues like a dead TPMS on one wheel and a slow leak on another. I picked up the car and slow leak was worse.

[@luckyguy600]

SELL it now!

[@CDeuce152]

@@luckyguy600 I already did.

[@bdwms29]

Had one side of lifters, rocker arms, cam changed in a used 15 grand Cherokee limited. Pentastar tick is very real😢. Seeing you tear it down, I can understand the cost. Thank you for your content and thorough explanation of the process.

[@theaterlightman89]

I've had 4 pentistars so far (2011 2016 charger, 2021 and 2023 jeep) They've all been good, only complaint was the 2011 oil filter spring clip broke which caused intake manifold replacement.

[@MountainmanBuildz]

Awesome work, I wonder how old that oil is, and if it was the right spec. I only use Ravenol on my Jeep, and it loves it.

[@speedkar99]

Thanks

[@900Yugo]

Any high quality oil of the proper type works wonders. Even Walmart or Costco brand is Okay. You change it at the right interval matters the most.

[@russking7671]

This is absolutely the best in-depth explanation of a 3.6 motor. You have totally educated me on how every component in the motor functions in my jeep and I couldn’t be more thankful. Awesome video very well done.!!

[@NilesHlavacek]

14:10 The variable capacity oil pump design is really neat. I wonder what type of design history drove the location of the oil filter and cooler housing.

[@speedkar99]

It's cool to see how it works but I don't know if it's nessesary since most other vehicles use an oil pressure regulator (a ball and spring) to control flow.

[@tylermacconnell217]

It’s an unconventional oil pump that pushes more volume than a normal pump. At lower RPM the engine operates at 30psi fully warmed up; at higher RPM it instantly switches to 80psi when that solenoid engages, which is quite high oil pressure. The reason is the Pentastar’s variable valve lift which requires high oil pressure to achieve. By being able to increase the pressure instantly, VVL can function. Additionally, more oil pressure at high RPMs is not a bad thing.

[@ericmeifert1344]

I love your teardown video on this very common Chrysler jeep workhorse. I didnt hear how many miles were on this engine but its obvious been neglected.

[@speedkar99]

I didn't have mileage

[@MychaelZ]

Also, I totally agree with your comments about the oil cooler/oil filter housing. Without getting into detail, it was the downfall of my Avenger (although she did make it to 216k miles). Thankfully, Dorman developed an aluminum replacement, although availability is scarce.

[@wilde.coyote6618]

When mine leaked, I chalked it up to the oil change tech, over tightening the oil canister.

[@dfb1111]

@@wilde.coyote6618 Possible but unlikely. Those coolers are a pretty poor design. I have replaced them with OE Mopar parts to see them fail again. Plastic oil coolers might not be the most robust of design.

[@speedkar99]

Did it take out the engine when it failed?

[@dfb1111]

@@speedkar99 Fortunately no, because the leak was caught early enough. These can leak at a pretty good rate. Very poor design. I have not been able to get an aluminum Dorman one yet, they seem to be out of stock everywhere.

[@djdanner123]

There are many companies making replacement oil coolers for the 3.6 that are all aluminum and they are not hard to find.

[@michaelbezoski3096]

Great video as usual and another reason to lease & release these wonder's of modern technology. Wow, bummer about that tooth brush & bed situation.

[@speedkar99]

Thanks

[@texasaggie8449]

Other videos point out that the 3.6 doesn’t have a check valve to hold oil in the upper portion of the engine. This causes dry starts. See baxter performance to change the cartridge style filter to a spin on with a check valve

[@jonnyduncan7056]

Top knowledge as always! Do you know how many miles this engine has completed?

[@speedkar99]

No idea on mileage. It's 2018 so fairly new.

[@chadhaire1711]

I have never seen one of these go less than 150,000 miles if the oil was changed.

[@fredsalter1915]

speedkar dialog so funny!! Love his channel. My 2cents, owner never changed oil....

[@speedkar99]

Thanks

[@MrBeugh]

These engines drain oil down into the oil pan when not running because it has no check valve. The result? Dry starts with 3-4 seconds of oil less wear and tear. It may be that the side with the damage gets oil last after a dry start. There are aftermarket devices that provide the check valve to keep oil in the upper end of the engine (I think Baxter makes one that install just under the oil filter). Everyone with a Pentastar engine needs to get one of these. They’re easy to install using basic tools.

[@danielk7111]

Great job on the teardown and familiarizing everyone! So it seems the lifter got stuck and the valve floated beating the cam lobe. I have a new appreciation for a conservative 5K mile oil change interval with a premium filter and synthetic oil. Perhaps it might be a good idea to go with 5w-30 over 5w-20. It’ll be a little higher centistoke at operating temperature. Right now, it seems Mobil 1 has let their formulations get old compared to others like Pennzoil Ultra Platinum and Valvoline Extended Protection where it’s High Mileage variant has more zinc (to protect when there actually is unfortunate metal to metal contact and a seal conditioner. I’ve opted to go with the latter oil every 5K. These are the latest/popular recommended oils on Bob is the Oil Guy forum.

[@speedkar99]

Don't go more than 5k regardless of the oil

[@Paramount531]

I recently rented a Pentastar equipped Charger for a week, I surprised myself by actually liking the car and the engine. On the other hand, liking it as a rental doesn't translate into being willing to own one. I think this one died by an extreme lack of maintenance.

[@speedkar99]

They're good engines when running right. Once they start ticking or leaking it's time to fix and then things get costly. The design intent is good. Just needs these small things corrected.

[@luckyguy600]

TRUE Don't go cheap on the oil changes. Or you will pay dearly. That goes for all new vehicles. 10,000-mile oil changes. Friggin idiots!

[@justinmijnbuis]

you seem surprised about the various plastic pulleys: aren't they all these days? They seem durable enough too, with the failing part usually the (metal 🙂) bearing

[@speedkar99]

These days it's mostly plastic. This is one of the newer engines I've taken apart. If the bearing isn't pressed in properly or the plastic cracks or wears then it'll give out before the bearing itself wears.

[@johnkatakowsi9907]

Great job on explaining the issue, sad when people don't maintain there oil interval changes!!!

[@andrewkimberlyoldroyd9909]

Absolutely loved the video, thank you for creating it. I have a pentastar in my Grand Caravan.

[@colchronic]

I've heard that these are actually reliable if you replace the oil cooler with a metal one by dorman I don't know how true that is but I have seen them go up to 400,000 mi maybe the newer ones are just more junkie than the older ones

[@speedkar99]

Once fixed they'll run. The question is, is it worth it?

[@jayjacaty3009]

The Dorman aluminum oil cooler housings are on backorder to my knowledge. Have been for a while too. So, if you can get one...

[@creativecontrol9047]

I think the pentastar is a great engine but maintenance is key and definitely requires high quality oil. I have changed the oil every 4-6k miles depending on what kind of driving I’m doing and I never let it idle more than I need to. My 13’ grand caravan has 187,000 hard miles and pulled a trailer about half of those miles. The only failures have been thermostat stuck open and the oil cooler/filter assembly cracked.

[@elgastsos210]

This video is fantastic! Do you have a video of a tear down of the prior jeep 3.8 engine. Your knowledge is greatly appreciated although your wife might not think so. After replacing camshaft and rocker arms a new tooth brush may be necessary as well.✌️♥️✌️♥️

[@speedkar99]

Thanks and haha on the toothbrush

[@elgastsos210]

@@speedkar99 I looked everywhere this weekend for a tear down video of the 3.8, not much out there. Your insight and breakdown of why the 3.6 failed was fantastic. I used to tear down 350 race motors back in the day, typically just to bore them out to get more power. If one pops up(Ha Ha). Let me know✌️

[@waltchan]

@@elgastsos210 3.8L was more-reliable than 3.6L, but not many were produced in mass like the Pentastar today.

[@skylinefever]

It's amazing the oil pan could have so much sludge, yet there isn't much varnish on the cylinder heads. I also expected a lot more trash inside the oil pump. 9:37 Dorman makes all new oil coolers that are metal. I hate plastic cooling system parts with a passion. 10:26 Plus, I'm sure it's made out of bits of the shredded camshaft. 15:49 Oil squirters are mostly for keeping the piston cool. It said that one reason the Nissan 300ZX could handle people turning up the boost was the use of piston squirters when few other cars had them. The 300ZX was introduced in 1983. 16:46 Do these engines get valve seats that fall out? It seemed to happen to many other Chrysler aluminum heads.

[@touchofgrey8922]

Great! video. I have one of these little engines in a 14 ram 1500 4x4. Handy little truck for running around to pick up electrical supplies. I usually use a 3500 cummins dually and recently an eco diesel. I like my little V-6 gasser. Truck does light duty as I knew that when I bought it. Bought it with 230kms (143k miles). Truck now has 265kms (165k miles) and runs like a top. Wanna know why..cause I change the f'ing oil when it needs to be. Duh!! Tough little engine, btw I only use K&N filters on all my trucks, dually (6.7) spoiled with royal purple oil. Bottom line change your oil. That's why this little V-6 is on youtube for all the wrong reasons. TOG out!!

[@speedkar99]

Keep it up with the oil changes and hope it lasts you, since the ram is a heavy application.

[@brotherjesus4246]

Yep and synthetic I have an 07 Ram 5.7 hemi 1500 with 490000km never had an issue yet with the motor (internals) like valves or cam lobes. Although I have had to change the water pump, EGR, fuel pump, starter, one of those plastic pulleys, and the a/c fan motor (would only blow cold while moving). 490000 km Engine has never been apart and the tranny has never had a flush just replaced the filters and topped up the tranny fluid after. ATF4 So I am thinking synthetic oil Which I changed every 8-12K (YEP) and only use ATF4

[@elonsus9747]

A mechanic got a 3.6 up to 626,000 miles. The chains failed on it. Pretty impressive. He made a video of the tear down.

[@OnTheEdgeNow]

Thanks for another great video. Entertaining and educational. I'm waiting for the day your wife appears out of nowhere when you are using her bedsheets to sop up motor oil. That would be the biggest lesson we all learn.

[@speedkar99]

That would be the day you never see a video posted by me again 😭

[@richardwray8478]

I have the 3.2 V6 in a Jeep Cherokee. The rockers, lifters, and cams lasted until 172,000. The oil cooler was found cracked upon disassembly.

[@luckyguy600]

I have the old 2007 3.3L engine. Had the same engine on my 1995 caravan too. Got 450,000 Km on the 95, and so far 300,000 km on my 07. The MAIN THING IS to change the oil every 3,000 Km and you too can have a long-lasting engine. Kept both for 17 years each. No real complaints. 1 water pump failed on the 95 due to abuse climbing mountains in California, then driving 200 miles in 105 F heat. WTF? But the old gal hung in there for me. It was wobbling but it didn't let go. Amazing! Praise the Lord. Other than the carbonization of the upper intake plenum I really can't complain. Am waiting this week after 13 months for my brand new Toyota Corolla Cross M20A engine. No more crusty caravans for me! They gave me pretty good service/ fixed 90% myself.

[@dbird29]

Replacing the worn out timing chains & sprockets on my 2012 Jeep 3.6 @ 98,000 miles. While I'm in there doing rockers and lifters. I just remind myself it is still a Chrysler product, took me 35+ years before I bought another Chrysler after owning a 67 Plymouth. Jeez

[@speedkar99]

Any wear on the camshafts?

[@iaov]

I love how you allow your family to participate in these projects!!❤️

[@speedkar99]

Me too. Very helpful

[@luckyguy600]

That wife of yours is one 'hell of a woman' to put up with you!

[@justforkiks29]

Use compressed air to remove the coil boots. Use a air blower with a tip long enough to go down in the middle then blow and it will lift the boot.

[@synt4x3rror13]

Great video man! Shame for the (owner of the) Jeep, 5 years is practically new!

[@speedkar99]

Thanks

[@JasonLuther1]

You're a great teacher. Are you a mechanical engineer?

[@speedkar99]

Yes I'm a mechanical engineer

[@JasonLuther1]

@@speedkar99 I knew you were in the field one way or another. Just had to ask again. Nice video as usual man

[@philclark1688]

AWESOME EDITING PRACTICES and a Great POS-a-star engine expose'! Thanks for your efforts.

[@bobbiejoyamann3981]

When My 2012 started clicking at 138,000 miles I immediately took it to a mechanic and had the rollers and hydraulic lifters replaced, fortunately the camshafts were still in good shape. Very important you changed the oil more frequently- I don't go over 4K miles between changes even with synthetic oil. At this point I have 187,000 miles on the clock. Fingers crossed 🤞

[@mbox314]

I have a pentastar engine and the manual for the vehicle does not list a regular oil change interval but says to go by the oil life meter. The rate that the oil life was going I would be changing my oil every 15,000 miles (24,000km) which seems like a bad idea so I ignore the oil life meter and change the oil every 4000 miles but I can't see how such a long interval could be a good idea.

[@SeanBZA]

For the manufacturer great, it gets you out of warranty period, and then the vehicle is scrap, so you buy a new one.

[@matt9c1]

5,000 mile oil change intervals are fine with modern synthetic oils. I wouldn't go more than that with any oil.

[@larryreno8293]

Mercedes 2.0 turbo, 14,000 interval. Land Rover 3.0 supercharged, 16,000 mile intervals. The theory is that modern engines run much cleaner than engines of the past. Engine oil is much better than it has ever been and some oils are designed to last 20,000 miles as long as it doesn’t get contaminated by a improperly running engine. However, you must use the specified oil and the specified filter to achieve that change interval. The problem arises when people go to the quick lube shops and still expect to achieve extended drain intervals with substandard oil and filter.

[@matt9c1]

@@larryreno8293 " The theory is that modern engines run much cleaner than engines of the past" And this theory is keeping the salvage yards and engine teardown KZbin channels with excellent cash flow. Think about it. You just watched a video of a guy teardown an engine due to lack of maint and yet you preach about extended oil changes? Sorry, you're not going to be my mechanic.

[@SeanBZA]

@@larryreno8293 Also smaller volumes of oil in modern engines means the oil does not have much margin in it. Yes you do need to have a perfect engine to do the long interval, but most are not perfect, and do not run in a dry dust and contaminant free climate either.

[@Toutvids]

The Pentastar 3.6L engines are widely considered great.

[@chiefjoseph8154]

Lol. You’re delusional.

[@user-lx3mk4bl4v]

Wow, that is the fastest and most comprehensive Pentastar engine breakdown I have seen on KZbin. So much plastic.

[@SeaMonkey137]

Great video. Although it looks like this one died from neglect, I'm really disappointed to see the amount of plastic in the Pentastar. I had an '09 Wrangler with the 3.8 and it was a sled of an engine, but aside from a failed transmission sensor and a leaking bell housing gasket, it gave me zero problems over 11 years. I have a '22 with the Pentastar and my biggest complaint (as usual with FCA) has been the asinine programming they do with the ECU. But after seeing this, I'm wondering which plastic component might fail first.

[@adrianw3985]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say a lack of oil changes was probably the biggest failure

[@seahorse5677]

These things ticking time bombs from top to bottom. It's a shame that FCA's new inline 6 features a lot of this same architecture, like the silly cylinder head integrated exhaust manifold.

[@speedkar99]

I'd love to teardown a hurricane engine!

[@tyronesart]

Hey man. Absolutely love your videos . I have to ask , what do you do with all these car parts ? Lol

[@speedkar99]

Scrap. See my recent community post

[@liudas5377]

Your the best,man...great video. I'm in the market for a Pacifica. I now have a bit more knowledge.

[@speedkar99]

Ugh...Pacifica isn't a wise long term investment. Go with a Sienna instead.

[@chrysler238]

Reminds me of the 2.7 if you take care of the 2.7 especially the ones from 2007 to 2010 they are pretty good engines if you take care of them correctly

[@speedkar99]

Aren't the 2.7 an older design M