2014 Chrysler T&C suspected oil cooler leaking

[tnt_motorsports]

Happy New Year BITOGers!

I wanted to reach out to this board for some input on my 3.6L situation. We have a 2014 Chrysler T&C with the 3.6L in it. The van was bought used in May 2017 with ~34K on it and has ~94K on it now. The problem I have is we traveled home from Canada yesterday after a 10 day, 1,400 mile round trip. I parked the van over night and noticed some oil this morning on the garage floor. I have suspected a leak for a little while now, but there seems to never be anything on the garage floor.

Currently, the oil is down about 2/3 of a quart some 7,700 miles and 11 months into this OCI. It started the 1,400 mile trip down about 1/3 of a quart. For full transparency, I did notice a smaller drip this summer after a long road trip to Canada, but it seems slightly worse now. This van is my wife's DD. Good news is she is a stay at home mom, so we average less than 400 miles a month unless we go on longer trips like the one to Canada. Currently we have no trips planned.

FWIW, I check the oil and do the maintenance and fueling so I can keep an eye on it. The leak only appeared after 2 long drives to Canada. Back in August there was 1 smaller run like the one at the top of the picture, and now this one in December. Day to day there is nothing on the garage floor, even if we do a 400 mile round trip to see our son in Ames.

Not sure it matters, but I am currently running a Mopar filter with Citgo FS HM 5w30.

So now my questions...

1. Would you use this Amazon part or a similar one? cooler
2. Would you replace the oil cooler now, or do you think I can wait until spring and the warmer weather? I'd like to wait
3. Would you replace the PCV valve when I do the oil cooler? Will use an OEM Mopar
4. Would you replace the spark plugs when I do the oil cooler? Planning to use NGK's
5. Would you replace the injectors when I do the oil cooler? I am leaning towards no on this one.

I would appreciate any insight members might have.

Just my $0.02

 

[Rand]

I sure as heck wouldnt use a no name amazon part.

OEM or better the metal dorman replacement.

 

[Timmastertech]

First step would be to make sure it is in fact the oil cooler. Look down where the oil filter is and see if there is oil pooling under the intake manifold. As for replacements, we use the Dorman housing with Chrysler seals and Chrysler oil pressure & temperature sensors. The Dorman kit does not currently include sensors because the feedback we professionals gave dorman through their advisory council is that we dont trust aftermarket sensors on Chryslers and would likely not use ones that came with the kit so they opted to remove the sensors from the kit and reduce the price a bit.

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

I wouldn't trust a no name cooler or sensors either.

OEM sensors and whatever cooler assembly has the best track record (if it’s the cooler leaking, it probably is).

At your mileage, I’d do the spark plugs with what Chrysler put in it originally. NGK is correct I believe.

I wouldn’t worry about injectors, but someone else did this job on their personal vehicle recently on here and did the whole 9 yards. I’ve yet to see an injector failure on our fleet of 2016 or 2018s yet. We have a few-five hundred or so.

I’d get the coolant hose that comes off the cooler too, it’s usually swollen from oil.

I’d also get a couple intake plenum screws as the heads are usually rusted on 2 of them. Just in case. Maybe this is just a ram promaster thing though.

I’d think about the knock sensors depending on the price, since they’re under the oil cooler. I don’t think it’s a high failure part, though.

 

[Bighorn2500]

Dorman upgrade, plugs, and PCV.

You’re gonna need new upper intake plenum gaskets too while you have it off to do the plugs.

 

[Kira]

Do keep in mind that the oil filter housing has a posted torque value which isn't necessary.
You run the housing down until it 'shoulders out' against its land.
A carless tech with an inaccurate torque wrench can overdue it; cracking the assembly and causing the leak.

 

[wwillson]

@tnt_motorsports

There is a casting web that dams the oil up at the other end of the block from the filter/cooler. If the oil cooler is leaking, the valley will fill with oil before it spills over the dam. When the oil finally spills over the dam, it will run down the bell of the trans, you should be able to follow the oil from the drip point all the way back to the dam in the V.

Check your motor mounts to make sure they aren't the source of the oil dripping.

If you find the cooler is leaking, then I'd use the Dorman, not the one posted in the Amazon link you posted.

Your coil packs and injectors should be fine. Replace the plugs while you have the intake off. The upper intake on the transverse mounted engine is a cake-walk. The longitudinally mounted engine in the Durango makes removing the upper intake much more difficult. The PCV is a 100k miles replacement item, which could also be the source of the oil consumption.

Watch the Motor City Mechanic's video series on replacing the 3.6L oil cooler. His videos are top notch instruction tools. He's really a great teacher.

 

[RAR]

Everyone’s going to happily spend your money. If you choose to take a chance with that one, it’s your chance. I won’t judge you if you did use it.

I used a similar no-name oil filter-cooler on my 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan and have had no issues, leaks or sensor problems. None.

But if it did, I’m versed enough in the procedure to swap it out in a couple of hours start to finish.

And yes, while the intake is off is an ideal time to change plugs, coils, anything that’s easier to reach without it being in the way.

The added benefit I got is that it’s an aluminum housing that uses updated filters. So I have commonality with the other Pentastar engines in our family fleet.

 

[Kira]

Everyone’s going to happily spend your money.

Replacing a known, cheap part with a metal one at essentially the price surely doesn't warrant the playing of that card.
Similarly, warning against using a possibly unknown 'Amazon part' doesn't either.

 

[jjf729]

I replaced the housing on my 2011 Town and Country last spring with the SKP brand aluminum housing from Rock Auto. It’s a nicely made part and comes pre-assembled with new sensors (the Dorman aluminum housing requires assembly and does not include sensors). I’ve gone over 9,000 miles with it and it’s still leak free. I also replaced the spark plugs at that time with Champion 9407s.

 

[KrisZ]

I will be the odd one out, I would just the get new seals for the cooler. That's the source of the leaks most of the time. The aluminum cooler doesn't solve that.

 

[wwillson]

I will be the odd one out, I would just the get new seals for the cooler. That's the source of the leaks most of the time.

My understanding is that it's not the seals, but a crack in the filter housing because of a bad design.

 

[1 SX]

My understanding is that it's not the seals, but a crack in the filter housing because of a bad design.

Unfortunately, I can confirm on the 3.6L - see a lot of them come in leaking oil, sometimes POOLING in the cavity of the engine below the filter housing, and oil than running down the bell housing and dripping/running down the whole undercarriage of what ever vehicle the 3.6L is installed in.

Basically, at the end of the day it comes down to the tech or whoever installed the cartridge filter into that plastic housing and then decided to send it at 180 lbs worth of torque, when the housing only needs a "snug", and NOTHING more...

 

[jjf729]

I replaced the housing on my 2011 Town and Country last spring with the SKP brand aluminum housing from Rock Auto. It’s a nicely made part and comes pre-assembled with new sensors (the Dorman aluminum housing requires assembly and does not include sensors). I’ve gone over 9,000 miles with it and it’s still leak free. I also replaced the spark plugs at that time with Champion 9407s.

Update on the SKP aluminum housing: I smelled hot oil while driving today. I parked the van for a couple hours and found a nice puddle of oil underneath. I’m 342 days out from my original purchase date so Rock Auto will replace it, but I’m not sure I want to put another one of these in.

 

[KrisZ]

Update on the SKP aluminum housing: I smelled hot oil while driving today. I parked the van for a couple hours and found a nice puddle of oil underneath. I’m 342 days out from my original purchase date so Rock Auto will replace it, but I’m not sure I want to put another one of these in.

If you used the seals that came with the unit apparently they leak, same thing with the Dorman cooler.
Apparently you should use the Mopar seals.

But still, these aluminum don’t have the run time necessary to deem them an upgrade to the OEM plastic cooler that will last a lot longer.

 

[D60]

Update on the SKP aluminum housing: I smelled hot oil while driving today. I parked the van for a couple hours and found a nice puddle of oil underneath. I’m 342 days out from my original purchase date so Rock Auto will replace it, but I’m not sure I want to put another one of these in.

So, you know the exact mode of failure?

 

[GMBoy]

First step would be to make sure it is in fact the oil cooler. Look down where the oil filter is and see if there is oil pooling under the intake manifold. As for replacements, we use the Dorman housing with Chrysler seals and Chrysler oil pressure & temperature sensors. The Dorman kit does not currently include sensors because the feedback we professionals gave dorman through their advisory council is that we dont trust aftermarket sensors on Chryslers and would likely not use ones that came with the kit so they opted to remove the sensors from the kit and reduce the price a bit.

I agree 100 and I am also on their Advisory council.

 

[D60]

I agree 100 and I am also on their Advisory council.

Wow! Can you advise Dorman to stop sucking at life on 99.8% of the parts they sell??

I feel like they don't much listen to said council??? It would be nice if they did!!

 

[GMBoy]

Wow! Can you advise Dorman to stop sucking at life on 99.8% of the parts they sell??

I feel like they don't much listen to said council??? It would be nice if they did!!

I have and they realize it. To be honest, I am a member for the feedback they accept and the free stuff ....also I pretty much stopped using Dorman.

 

[KrisZ]

So, you know the exact mode of failure?

It is likely the seals, just like with the plastic cooler. That’s the most common failure point.