Ram owners with 3.6 V6

[TomB 1269]

I have heard over torquing an issue since the motor came out years ago. As for heat and time, it should not cause the cracking, however they are not adding in the 3rd factor for these.

Regular activity, as in routine oil changes!!!!

If I had one of these engines and it cracked I'd be all over them. It is also one of the reasons that I have started taking my vehicle under warranty to the dealer for oil changes, and most likely will once out of warranty, particularly if I hear of any common issues, such as this.

Heat and age will cause any plastic to become hard and more susceptible to cracking. So it may have not been the mechanic today that directly caused it, but the mechanic 2 or 3 years earlier that stressed it. In any case, FCA needs to take responsibility for this issue as its a defect in part design. Just as cam failures on the Hemi, just like Ford had to on the spark plugs for the 5.4 3v tritons. However, it's gonna take lawyers, NIHTSA, and a couple of vehicle fires. Which by the way I am amazed have not been more common with as prolific as this issue seems to be. But then again, it could also be more time then heat that truely does these in, i.e. the oldest ones maybe the ones failing the most.

 

[Matty Moo]

Hard to believe your 2012 JK lasted 143K with the defective AA left cylinder head. Both my (2) 2012's **** the bed around 50K.

I got a letter or postcard in the mail sometime after I bought it stating something to the effect that it was warrantied until 115k or something like that. It also seemed to vaguely state that my particular vehicle wasn't within the run that had issues if I remember it correctly. It's always been in the back of my mind though.

Really all I've ever had to do to the engine is the thermostat at 85k, that cooler adapter and of course plugs and a coolant change. My wife drives it so it idles a lot and sees millions of short trips.

I replaced the trans pan last summer and had the entire front end done at 115k. A few weeks ago I replaced the starter as it seemed to be turning slower than it should. Everything else has been fluid changes.

 

[rvance]

My 13 Ram V6 performed perfectly for 74k miles and was running particularly well the day it was totaled. No issues at all.

 

[Xena1]

I got a letter or postcard in the mail sometime after I bought it stating something to the effect that it was warrantied until 115k or something like that. It also seemed to vaguely state that my particular vehicle wasn't within the run that had issues if I remember it correctly. It's always been in the back of my mind though.

Really all I've ever had to do to the engine is the thermostat at 85k, that cooler adapter and of course plugs and a coolant change. My wife drives it so it idles a lot and sees millions of short trips.

I replaced the trans pan last summer and had the entire front end done at 115k. A few weeks ago I replaced the starter as it seemed to be turning slower than it should. Everything else has been fluid changes.

The AA heads were replaced on 7/26/12 which included a few 2013 model years. All 2012's had the defective AA heads. FCA offered a 150M warranty on these bad heads. My 2013 had sand in the casting which clogged up the radiator and heater core. Will never buy another 3.6L from FCA.

 

[El Huapo]

Not only that, it's where the thing is located, being buried under the intake manifold. I've not had to replace one yet, but it doesn't look like too bad a job. Another issue is, if they do start to dribble, the valley in the engine block holds like a quart and a half of oil before it will start to drip onto the ground.

I think I have some seepage from this housing on my 2017 Ram 1500 because I can smell a slight oil smell from the engine bay and it sometimes gets into the cabin. I'm at 45K miles and have noticed it for awhile. No evidence of leaking that I can see, but you pretty much need one of those snake cams to get in there to see. I've done every oil change myself since I bought the truck a year old with 12K miles on it. I do wince every time I hand snug the oil filter cap.

Regardless.. I absolutely love my pentastar powered Ram and would buy another tomorrow.

So you're saying that the oil cooler is located underneath the intake manifold? I suppose that's why I haven't been able to get a look at mine. Silly me, I was looking for a small heat exchanger type device out in front by the radiator and maybe some oil lines going out that way. Never found anything like it. My build sheet says I have an oil cooler but I was suspecting they goofed on the write-up. If my oil cooler is under the intake, on top of a hot engine, I cannot imagine a worse place, unless on top of the exhaust manifold, WTH?

Now I do like seeing where the oil filter is up on top of the engine since I prefer to turn all the wrenches on my vehicles myself, and not crawling under the engine for the filter change is fine with me, the drain plug is bad enough. Plus the filter should be drained out if I give it some time while the oil itself is draining.

And like a prior post, I see about 98 PSI upon some startups, spooky. So if it's gonna leak, that kind of pressure will do it.

Well, once the warranty period is past, I guess I will go to a remote filter and cooler arrangement. Anyone done that with good success? Brand recommendation, anyone?

All said and done, I do like this little truck a lot, it must be the nicest one I've ever had.

BTW: When I worked in the Semiconductor Fabs, operating and maintaining machines that operated at incredible vacuum levels, we always lubed the O-ring seals with silicone grease, just enough for our finger grooves to leave little lines of grease all around.... And when removing those old O-rings, we NEVER ran a sharp pick under them, which could leave a little channel for leakage. We would stab the ring itself carefully and pull it out if we couldn't just roll it out.

 

[El Huapo]

Anyone who owns the Ram with a V6 Pentastar. Are any of you hearing of, or having a problem with an oil filter housing adapter cracking, and then leaking oil?

I'm starting to hear rumblings about this being a common problem because they are plastic. The heat of the engine starts to degrade the plastic, and then it eventually develops a crack, only to leak oil.

Was, or is this a problem?

Found some info on the filter housing and oil cooler on good old YouTube:

and a how-to that works even though it's on a van and sideways, I think it's applicable.

I wish he'd put rags or something in those holes.

So the oil cooler is a coolant-to-oil heat exchanger instead of oil-to-air like I expected. Hope I never need to go after it, yikes!

 

[Haas]

Thanks for those videos. Boy, I really would love a Ram truck, but Chrysler is sure making it difficult to trust. It's either the Hemi with the cam and lifter issues, or the Pentastar with the leaking oil issues. Great choices.

 

[bruce219]

Thanks for those videos. Boy, I really would love a Ram truck, but Chrysler is sure making it difficult to trust. It's either the Hemi with the cam and lifter issues, or the Pentastar with the leaking oil issues. Great choices.

Trust me dude the 3.6 is bullet proof,this thread is just making you paranoid.I believe it was just the older v6 that had this problem and its resolved now.This truck and my prior 95 ford F-150 with the 5.0 are the best.The 4.7 ram I had before this was pure junk,should have bought the hemi instead of the 4.7,personally don't understand the point of the 4.7 as it uses more or less the same gas and has less power and not as reliable as the hemi.

 

[Haas]

Trust me dude the 3.6 is bullet proof,this thread is just making you paranoid.I believe it was just the older v6 that had this problem and its resolved now.This truck and my prior 95 ford F-150 with the 5.0 are the best.The 4.7 ram I had before this was pure junk,should have bought the hemi instead of the 4.7,personally don't understand the point of the 4.7 as it uses more or less the same gas and has less power and not as reliable as the hemi.

Thanks for talking me off the edge. LOL! So, what year would entail "the older v6"? You're right, I'm getting paranoid. I want a ram bad, just keep hearing of problems, then I go looking to see how prevalent they are, and find that many people have it, then I get cold feet.

 

[Mpgrimm2]

3.6L Pentastar was available on 13+ rams with the 8spd transmission.

I had a 13 ram 1500 SLT 8spd/3.21 CC 4x4 for 5 yrs before trading it in on a 2018 (didn't want to but they gave me a deal I couldn't pass up when I was in for an oil change).

Never had a problem out of mine and I moved myself from VA to Indiana to SC during that time with a fully loaded bed, back seat and 5x10 uhaul trailer worries missing a beat over the mountains at 70mph. It was a great truck.

M² Mods.

 

[Haas]

3.6L Pentastar was available on 13+ rams with the 8spd transmission.

I had a 13 ram 1500 SLT 8spd/3.21 CC 4x4 for 5 yrs before trading it in on a 2018 (didn't want to but they gave me a deal I couldn't pass up when I was in for an oil change).

Never had a problem out of mine and I moved myself from VA to Indiana to SC during that time with a fully loaded bed, back seat and 5x10 uhaul trailer worries missing a beat over the mountains at 70mph. It was a great truck.

M² Mods.

And that was a V6?

 

[Mpgrimm2]

Yes... Newer style 3.6L Pentastar v6 was first available in a ram starting in 2013.

M² Mods.

 

[Haas]

Yes... Newer style 3.6L Pentastar v6 was first available in a ram starting in 2013.

M² Mods.

Ok, what I'm trying to determine is, what year was the Newer style Pentastar?

 

[Mpgrimm2]

2013+
(Before that, 09-12, there was a 4.7L v8 = not great and awhile back there was a 3.7L v6 that was not great too)

M² Mods.

 

[Haas]

2013+
(Before that, 09-12, there was a 4.7L v8 = not great and awhile back there was a 3.7L v6 that was not great too)

M² Mods.

Oh, ok. I'm sorry. I misunderstood at first. I thought you were saying when it comes to this oil filter housing, there was a bad 3.6, and then there's the newer better 3.6.

 

[Mpgrimm2]

Well if you get a 2015 or newer you won't have to worry about the original design of the oil filter/cooler housing (which as stated earlier can be replaced with never version).
Never had an issue with my 13 ram 3.6L v6 but I was careful with installing the oil filter during changes and never broke it.

M² Mods.

 

[Haas]

Well if you get a 2015 or newer you won't have to worry about the original design of the oil filter/cooler housing (which as stated earlier can be replaced with never version).
Never had an issue with my 13 ram 3.6L v6 but I was careful with installing the oil filter during changes and never broke it.

M² Mods.

That exactly what I was trying to find out. "15 or newer. Got it!! thanks!!

 

[TheEnder]

2013+
(Before that, 09-12, there was a 4.7L v8 = not great and awhile back there was a 3.7L v6 that was not great too)

M² Mods.

The 4.7L (in my opinion) is the engine Chrysler should’ve kept putting in the RAMs past 2013. I love the Pentastar V6 a lot, but it’s a car engine, and should stay in a car. The 4.7 is a lot more practical and with 80 more FT/LB of Torque and 5 more HP it would’ve worked better with the 8SP than the current V6 does.


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[Haas]

The 4.7L (in my opinion) is the engine Chrysler should’ve kept putting in the RAMs past 2013. I love the Pentastar V6 a lot, but it’s a car engine, and should stay in a car. The 4.7 is a lot more practical and with 80 more FT/LB of Torque and 5 more HP it would’ve worked better with the 8SP than the current V6 does.


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I currently have the 4.7 in my Dakota. 221,000 miles, and runs great, but burning about 1 quart every 500 miles.

 

[Mpgrimm2]

The 4.7L (in my opinion) is the engine Chrysler should’ve kept putting in the RAMs past 2013. I love the Pentastar V6 a lot, but it’s a car engine, and should stay in a car. The 4.7 is a lot more practical and with 80 more FT/LB of Torque and 5 more HP it would’ve worked better with the 8SP than the current V6 does.


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I never owned a 4.7L v8 Magnum ram (test drove a few, but with 6spd). Do you have a 3.6L v6 Pentastar Ram?
(gas mileage was great on my 13 v6 compared to my 18 Laramie 5.7L now... If there had been a deal on a V6 Laramie, I would have bought it over the v8 for the amount of highway driving I do for work).

M² Mods.