3 Blown Engines This year

[tiger862]

That Pennzoil is the devil?

Ha ha. I am running Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 in Caravan at this time as well as in Mom's Impala for 150k and in sister's Altima. I ran Pennzoil Platinum in Saturn Vue for 40k.
The difference is he stated just under 10k OCI in Pentastar and all engine problems in Hilander which is why I stated what I did. We only ran 5k on all engines with Pennzoil Platinum.

 

[tiger862]

I thought 14+ Penastars have the updated design or are they still failing?

2 different Pentastar engines
His is Gen1

 

[OVERKILL]

2 different Pentastar engines
His is Gen1

Correct, 2016MY+ was a completely different engine.

 

[nthach]

If the Mopar dealer merely replaced the cam and not much else, the problem will come back. If the head was replaced, there’s still debris from the failed cam floating around in the oil.

 

[mrsilv04]

Really? You have had bad luck with Jasper engines I have had nothing but good luck with those and heard nothing but good things about them.

I've "heard" a lot of things in my life as well. Problem is, most of what I hear isn't true.

First hand experience is a lot different than "heard".

 

[tiger862]

Correct, 2016MY+ was a completely different engine.

The new upgraded engines are only in these vehicles. From https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Pentastar_engine

• 2016-present Jeep Grand Cherokee
• 2016-present Dodge Durango
• 2017-present Chrysler Pacifica
• 2020-present Chrysler Voyager
• 2018-present Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JL
• 2020-present Jeep Gladiator (JT)

 

[OVERKILL]

The new upgraded engines are only in these vehicles. From https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Pentastar_engine

• 2016-present Jeep Grand Cherokee
• 2016-present Dodge Durango
• 2017-present Chrysler Pacifica
• 2020-present Chrysler Voyager
• 2018-present Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JL
• 2020-present Jeep Gladiator (JT)

I think you'll find that list is incomplete. For example, the description says that the update introduced 2-stage variable valve lift, if you look at the current 3.6L Pentastar in the RAM 1500 it has that feature.

I expect that the updated 3.6L has completely replaced its predecessor but I assume the GC and Durango simply got the engine first.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I've "heard" a lot of things in my life as well. Problem is, most of what I hear isn't true.

First hand experience is a lot different than "heard".

I have personal experience too. But yeah I have heard a lot and most of the reviews online say good things now I am speaking from the personal experience of a new engine I would never buy a remanufactured one. My friend got a remanufactured one for his car and hasn’t had an issue.

 

[el Nuke]

Lots of bad assumptions about the pentastar head problem. The warrantied problem had to do with valves (problems during casting left a head that would eventually show up bad) and manifested itself in irreconcilable misfires.

If a cam on the engine got chewed up, that’s not the original issue the bad heads were known to cause.

If a head was bad and got replaced, there would be no leftover pieces of cam, as the cam would not have failed in a warrantied replacement.

If a cam failed, it might have been replaced under warranty, but not the extended one on the heads that arose from the casting issue.

It sounds like there is just a run of bad luck going on here. It’s rare to have so much so close together, and it’s definitely not because of the oil being run. It’s just plain old bad luck...

 

[wdn]

What is the theory behind changing the factory fill at 500 miles? That is not following break in recommendations by the book. Toyota does not recommend that.

 

[supton]

What is the theory behind changing the factory fill at 500 miles? That is not following break in recommendations by the book. Toyota does not recommend that.

Lots of folks still think engines come from the factory with junk in them. If not always, then there's always the chance that one gets the one random engine that happens to have something floating in the sump... Oil being cheap insurance and all, it can't possible hurt to change early.

 

[PimTac]

Switch to Havoline Pro DS.

 

[Mathew_Boss]

What is the theory behind changing the factory fill at 500 miles? That is not following break in recommendations by the book. Toyota does not recommend that.

Honestly we were getting 15MPG and I knew changing the oil wouldn’t make it worse

 

[Andrew1972]

The Toyota failed second time because of poor repair the first time replacing short block. Thankfully warranty. Hopefully the same clown did not do the second repair.

Sorry about the Dodge as I presume you forked some serious coin for that or did you get car maker coverage?

Bad luck.

 

[wdn]

The first time the engine failed, blame Toyota. The second and all subsequent failed repairs lie with the dealer's service department you bought it from. I wish you better luck on the replacement car because if that happened to me I would get rid of it too.

 

[Mathew_Boss]

The Toyota failed second time because of poor repair the first time replacing short block. Thankfully warranty. Hopefully the same clown did not do the second repair.

Sorry about the Dodge as I presume you forked some serious coin for that or did you get car maker coverage?

Bad luck.

bought it CPO so it had 3 months left on the Warranty.$120 diagnosis fee and $250 deductible. They called today and said the drive shaft was bad also so they ordered a new one under warranty but it’s backordered

 

[Slick3914]

So this weekend our 2015 Pentastar ate the camshaft at 72k miles.

This is our 3rd major engine failure this year. I change the oil before the 10k miles recommendation. I follow maintenance and breaking in procedures by the book and yet here we are.

I use Full Synthetic Oil. My Charger has had Pennzoil Platinum or Platinum High Mileage it’s whole life except it had one oil change of Castrol Edge Extended Performance and it had 3k miles on Quaker StateUltimate Durability when the failure occurred.

our 2019 Toyota Highlander threw a rod bearing at 2,700 miles and got a short block replacement then it had oil gaskets fail and they had to do a gasket kit at 3,800 miles and it blew a head gasket at 4,900 miles. I changed the FF at 500 miles with Pennzoil Platinum and the rest of the time it was using TGMO from the dealer.

Are engines really this low of quality now? Am my just having bad luck? Is it time to avoid Pennzoil? I’m open to suggestions and comments.

I call BS

 

[Mathew_Boss]

I call BS

what part don’t you believe?

 

[Eddie]

Three coincidences suggest something else may be the problem? Ed

 

[Silver]

Are engines really this low of quality now?

Yes.