Upgrading Oil Filter Housing....Anything else I should do?

[tiffytiff25]

Hey guys!!!

Loooooong time lurker first time poster - this site has been so great that I have always been able to just find the info I needed, and never needed to make a post myself asking anything. But I figured maybe it's time I make an account and make it official!!!

I have the 3.6L and I have been losing oil for some time now so I've decided it's finally time to replace the factory plastic Oil Filter housing with the upgraded aluminum one -- I will most likely be getting the Dorman 926-959 one.
I know there are lots of posts on here about doing the swap, so I am fully confident I will be able to do it, but just thought I'd ask you guys....

While I'm under there with everything taken off, anything else you recommend I do/or check for? I plan on putting new Spark Plugs, but anything else I should do?

Thanks again all of you for being so great!!!

 

[SitKneelBend]

Hey guys!!!

Loooooong time lurker first time poster - this site has been so great that I have always been able to just find the info I needed, and never needed to make a post myself asking anything. But I figured maybe it's time I make an account and make it official!!!

I have the 3.6L and I have been losing oil for some time now so I've decided it's finally time to replace the factory plastic Oil Filter housing with the upgraded aluminum one -- I will most likely be getting the Dorman 926-959 one.
I know there are lots of posts on here about doing the swap, so I am fully confident I will be able to do it, but just thought I'd ask you guys....

While I'm under there with everything taken off, anything else you recommend I do/or check for? I plan on putting new Spark Plugs, but anything else I should do?

Thanks again all of you for being so great!!!

So around 2016 they redesigned the lower intake manifold to have larger, freer flowing passages and is a direct bolt on to your 2013. Might be worth doing while you're in there (last I looked you could find them ~$100). Here is what I'm referring to...

Pentastar V6 | PUG Upgrade | Lower intake manifold

So here we go. We are installing the lower intake manifold from the 2018 and up Chrysler, Dodge, RAM, Jeep V6 Pentastar Engine with the start/stop technology...

www.youtube.com

 

[diymirage]

just being curious, but why do you want to replace the housing?
what i mean is, how sure are you this is where the oil is leaving the engine, and not around the rings?

 

[star_deceiver]

Spark plugs while you’re in there.

160000km/100000mi maintenance

Spark plugs, oil filter housing, oil/filter change. You're halfway there with the upper intake off to do the plugs so might as well do the rest as the weather is nice. Wrenching in winter sucks. The coolant hose on the back side was a bear to remove. Fortunately, all 6'4 of me can stand...

www.ramforum.com

Get a set of long reach angled needle nose pliers. The coolant hose on the back will be a nightmare.

Vacuum everything, cover everything, blow out everything, have a crevice tool to suck out whatever gets into the valves.

The oil temp sensor did not want to come off easy. Put the old housing in a vise.

Make sure you have a good torque wrench. Some of the intake bolts bolt into plastic.

This will be a 5 hr job.

 

[Wild one]

Spark plugs while you’re in there.

160000km/100000mi maintenance

Spark plugs, oil filter housing, oil/filter change. You're halfway there with the upper intake off to do the plugs so might as well do the rest as the weather is nice. Wrenching in winter sucks. The coolant hose on the back side was a bear to remove. Fortunately, all 6'4 of me can stand...

www.ramforum.com

Get a set of long reach angled needle nose pliers. The coolant hose on the back will be a nightmare.

Vacuum everything, cover everything, blow out everything, have a crevice tool to suck out whatever gets into the valves.

The oil temp sensor did not want to come off easy. Put the old housing in a vise.

Make sure you have a good torque wrench. Some of the intake bolts bolt into plastic.

This will be a 5 hr job.

View attachment 573957

These work great on the newer style hose clamps.

25.6in Hose Clamp Pliers Tool with Flexible Cable - Long Reach Radiator Hose Clamp Removal Tool for Car Fuel Oil Water Pipe Repair, Automotive Mechanic Hand Tool, Plier Sets - Amazon Canada

25.6in Hose Clamp Pliers Tool with Flexible Cable - Long Reach Radiator Hose Clamp Removal Tool for Car Fuel Oil Water Pipe Repair, Automotive Mechanic Hand Tool in Plier Sets.

www.amazon.ca

 

[SitKneelBend]

Good points PCV too...

 

[tiffytiff25]

just being curious, but why do you want to replace the housing?
what i mean is, how sure are you this is where the oil is leaving the engine, and not around the rings?

Hmm good question….im not 100% sure lol. But I figured its the most likely culprit, and even if not it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while for safety going forward.

Hmm could be around the rings, I figured when I do the Oil Filter Housing swap I’ll be changing some of the gaskets, right?

 

[tiffytiff25]

Spark plugs while you’re in there.

160000km/100000mi maintenance

Spark plugs, oil filter housing, oil/filter change. You're halfway there with the upper intake off to do the plugs so might as well do the rest as the weather is nice. Wrenching in winter sucks. The coolant hose on the back side was a bear to remove. Fortunately, all 6'4 of me can stand...

www.ramforum.com

Get a set of long reach angled needle nose pliers. The coolant hose on the back will be a nightmare.

Vacuum everything, cover everything, blow out everything, have a crevice tool to suck out whatever gets into the valves.

The oil temp sensor did not want to come off easy. Put the old housing in a vise.

Make sure you have a good torque wrench. Some of the intake bolts bolt into plastic.

This will be a 5 hr job.

View attachment 573957

If I’m opening the coolant hose, would it be a good idea/required to drain/refill/burp the cooling system after?

 

[star_deceiver]

These work great on the newer style hose clasps.

There isn’t the space for that attachment. There isn’t space for vice grips. There barely space for regular needle nose. It’s an old style 2 ear clamp in a space that 4 letter words bounce off of.

 

[star_deceiver]

If I’m opening the coolant hose, would it be a good idea/required to drain/refill/burp the cooling system after?

Drain the radiator until it stops dripping. About 1 gallon. That’s enough.

It’ll take about 3 days of topping up to get the coolant system full.

 

[Wild one]

There isn’t the space for that attachment. There isn’t space for vice grips. There barely space for regular needle nose. It’s an old style 2 ear clamp in a space that 4 letter words bounce off of.

I've never had much to do with the hoses on the back side of the 3.6,so i'll take your word for it,lol.If you don't have a set of them,they do make removing the majority of newer style hose clamps alot easier though.
These ones at Princess Auto are a fairly decent set if you don't have a pair of them.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/flexible-hose-clamp-pliers/product/PA0009154873

 

[Wild one]

@star_deceiver after reading the reviews on the crappy tire version,i removed it,as it doesn't appear to be very good.The Princess Auto one i have used,and it's actually fairly decent

 

[SitKneelBend]

If I’m opening the coolant hose, would it be a good idea/required to drain/refill/burp the cooling system after?

How many miles?

 

[tiffytiff25]

How many miles?

About 250k

I got the truck from my dad when it was just under 200, I know he had the thermostat replaced about 5 years ago.

 

[tiffytiff25]

just being curious, but why do you want to replace the housing?
what i mean is, how sure are you this is where the oil is leaving the engine, and not around the rings?

This is what I’m seeing currently (don’t hate me guys lol. Ive just been topping up the oil between the last 2 oil changes because I haven’t had time to park the truck and work on it)

….do you think it’s the filter housing/oil cooler? Or any other seals and gaskets you recommend replacing?

 

[SitKneelBend]

This is what I’m seeing currently (don’t hate me guys lol. Ive just been topping up the oil between the last 2 oil changes because I haven’t had time to park the truck and work on it)

….do you think it’s the filter housing/oil cooler? Or any other seals and gaskets you recommend replacing?
View attachment 574014View attachment 574015

I think you might have a bigger problem. Oil filter housing usually goes unnoticed and appears somewhat like a transmission leak under the vehicle as it blows out of the valley off the back of the engine and leaks down.

I think you are in for a much bigger job...

 

[Daw14]

Start by degreasing it , finding the actual leak should be easier , as well as the repair.

 

[diymirage]

This is what I’m seeing currently (don’t hate me guys lol. Ive just been topping up the oil between the last 2 oil changes because I haven’t had time to park the truck and work on it)

….do you think it’s the filter housing/oil cooler? Or any other seals and gaskets you recommend replacing?
View attachment 574014View attachment 574015

yeah, that looks pretty bad, like Daw14 said, clean it off first and then see

oil leaks can be hard to track down, i had a 71 duster (still have it, actually) and when i rebuild the engine i put in a new oil filter adapter and wouldnt you know it, it was leaking

so i took it off, put a new O ring on it. kept leaking

then i pulled it off and replaced it with a different 90 degree adapter and THAT leaked

now, heres the kicker, it has to be the oil filter adapter, because the highest part of the engine where i found oil on was the filter which sits on the adapter

after all, oil doesnt leak up, now does it?

i was about to torch it down, it was so frustrating

finally, i taped a napkin around the oil filter and the adapter and took her out for a drive

when i pulled it back in, i found oil...but on the outside of the napkin, if the adapter was leaking the oil should be on the INside of the napkin

i did some more investigating and finally found i had a leaking rear main seal, that oil seeped down onto the torque converter which flung it up onto the oil filter adapter


the moral of the story is, i replaced that thing half a dozen times and never fixed the problem because i wasnt replacing the part that was faulty


now, if you "want" to replace that housing, go for it, but first figure out what the issue really is

 

[tiffytiff25]

Hmm I remember a little while ago, whenever I’d back up I’d see drops of oil just from where I was in reverse….for example right in front of a parking spot I was backing into.

Any ideas if that could help me pinpoint where the leak could potentially be coming from?

 

[brad byron]

do a new PCV valve (at the back of the right "rocker" cover...........