Engine issues 3.6L

[ShadowsPapa]

It's 60k and 5 years on the powertrain.

OP, I'd give @JeepCares a shot with this. You aren't that far out of warranty. Jeep coverd a Uconnect 8.3 for me well after the 36k warranty due to a known issue. You never know. THey don't have to cover it, but they just might.

Since it's a 2020, IMO, it should be a known issue.
And like you said - it's not that far out, and it's worth at least trying.
This is one reason I suggest that if people feel something is wrong - get it reported, on record, checked out, a work order written up on it. If a loud tick is reported at 59,000 miles and then the cam goes out at 61,000 miles - there's a paper trail, it was reported prior to warranty expiration.
May not always work but there's nothing to lose but the trip and time.

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[DanW]

I hate hearing about it. As reliable and durable as the Pentastar is, even with 14,000,000 of them out there, when it is yours, it is a shitty deal and a lousy engine. I hope OP is able to get Jeep's attention on it and they take care of him and he can enjoy his Jeep without worry.

 

[REDBEAST]

That is about what a fully loaded 2020 Launch Edition was going for back then. Also, nobody was discounting early on unless you had a below invoice dealer.

My 2020 Launch Edition was 62k. The OP must be including after market installs.

 

[JAVYPRO]

https://bruiserconversions.com/v8-crate-engine-kits-jeep/gladiator-jt-lx3-550-horse-power/

That is sick .

Thanks for all of y'all input, hey $68 was a typo it had been a very long day, my JT was $58K. I spent the day looking for a replacement for my Jeep and spoke to my friend, an AWESOME mechanic and he is going to fix it, it will be less than $1,500 including parts. Believe me, I was so, SO mad.

I love my Gladiator, ever since they were a rumor I was interested because they broke the mold of what have been on the market for so many years. All other pickups are more of the same.
Javypro

 

[BlackRuby23]

There is no way to do it, but I'd love to see the data on every engine that developed the tick and what brand oil and viscosity they were using. This almost seems like it could be a lubrication problem causing wear. Because why in the world would a company continue to install substandard metal parts? That doesn't make sense.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

There is no way to do it, but I'd love to see the data on every engine that developed the tick and what brand oil and viscosity they were using. This almost seems like it could be a lubrication problem causing wear. Because why in the world would a company continue to install substandard metal parts? That doesn't make sense.

This has been tossed about years ago.
The thing is - the incidences of the failed cams has dropped off since 2020 model year.
So it's hard to say they "continue to install substandard metal parts".
Looks to me like they've pulled out of that cam thing moving forward.
Note the model year of almost all of them being reported - even recently. (like this thread)

You'll get into a crazy deep long drawn out thing if you go down the oil rabbit hole.

 

[BlackRuby23]

This has been tossed about years ago.
The thing is - the incidences of the failed cams has dropped off since 2020 model year.
So it's hard to say they "continue to install substandard metal parts".
Looks to me like they've pulled out of that cam thing moving forward.
Note the model year of almost all of them being reported - even recently. (like this thread)

You'll get into a crazy deep long drawn out thing if you go down the oil rabbit hole.

I'm not sure what "dropped off" really means. The newer the year, the fewer the miles, generally. Here's a 2022 with under 40k miles experiencing it:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/cam-rockers-and-lash-adjusters-at-39k-miles.79055/

I've only got 4,500 on my 2023. It will be several years until I hit even 30k miles. Only time will tell if this issue has "dropped off" or if it's just because the newer vehicles need to log miles.

I just bought Pennzoil 0w20 for my first oil change. Truth be told, I've hated Pennzoil since I was a kid and my friend's dad who owned an auto shop said "never, EVER run Pennzoil." He showed me a small block Chevy with sludge so bad it was unreal. I know things have come a long way, but he was always a Valvoline guy.

I'm somewhat concerned that the 0w20 is part of the green agenda and has nothing to do with actually benefiting the engine. I know, I'm quite the skeptic.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm not sure what "dropped off" really means. The newer the year, the fewer the miles, generally. Here's a 2022 with under 40k miles experiencing it:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/cam-rockers-and-lash-adjusters-at-39k-miles.79055/

I've only got 4,500 on my 2023. It will be several years until I hit even 30k miles. Only time will tell if this issue has "dropped off" or if it's just because the newer vehicles need to log miles.

I just bought Pennzoil 0w20 for my first oil change. Truth be told, I've hated Pennzoil since I was a kid and my friend's dad who owned an auto shop said "never, EVER run Pennzoil." He showed me a small block Chevy with sludge so bad it was unreal. I know things have come a long way, but he was always a Valvoline guy.

I'm somewhat concerned that the 0w20 is part of the green agenda and has nothing to do with actually benefiting the engine. I know, I'm quite the skeptic.

The 2020s experienced it before 20,000 miles, some before 10,000 miles. So it's not just miles. The 22s and 23s have been around long enough there's a lot of owners with 30,000 or more on them. It happens, but it's not common like it was on the 2020s.
I never said it never happened, just that it's dropped off a lot. The numbers have fallen greatly.

As far as Pennzoil - there's a lot of hate out there based on the 1960s and before. Sludge isn't the result of the oil these days - it's result of the care the engine gets - or doesn't get.
Short drives, cold running engines, that sort of thing, results in sludge.
Pennzoil today is some of the best out there.
Yeah, I recall those stories - I have been in the field since the early 1970s and there's so much bunk that's carried over to this very day - some had some basis in fact, some was lore that really had no basis in fact.
Over 15 million Pentastar engines out there. The vast majority of those owners let a dealer or other shop do the oil changes, and of those, most will go right back to the "book" on the oil that gets used.

Remember, the internet is where everyone is an expert based on what uncle bubba told them, and where problems get magnified because they are all seen in a single place.
Most Jeep owners aren't even on the internet.

BTW - the thread you link to - there's a bunch of not quite correct information in there.
Non-engineers speculating and so on (not even real mechanics speculating)
Example - ZDDP has nothing to do with oil film. The oil's chemistry other than ZDDP determine that. Modern oils don't need the ZDDP of the past. That's changed since the 1990s but people cling to the old beliefs.
And the bit about "exercising the oil pump" to "blow out........." really? What's to blow out unless you have chunks in there - and that's a bigger problem. The oil goes through a filter first. What's to blow out?
When you first start the 3.6 PUG, the oil pressure jumps to 70 psi because these start in high volume mode, so every time you start it - it's running the pump in high volume mode building pressure quickly to that 70 level. And I don't know of too many people who can drive normally and never reach 3,000 RPM - and if they are trying to keep the RPM down, that's a problem in itself. You don't need to thrash these things - that's BS.
I can't get onto highway 65/69 from Vandalia road without hitting well over 3,000 RPM and it staying there for quite a ways. It's really common. So I don't know what the heck they are talking about when they mention mashing it to raise oil pressure to blow stuff out. That's silly, IMO.

 

[Hootbro]

I just bought Pennzoil 0w20 for my first oil change. Truth be told, I've hated Pennzoil since I was a kid and my friend's dad who owned an auto shop said "never, EVER run Pennzoil." He showed me a small block Chevy with sludge so bad it was unreal. I know things have come a long way, but he was always a Valvoline guy.

I'm somewhat concerned that the 0w20 is part of the green agenda and has nothing to do with actually benefiting the engine. I know, I'm quite the skeptic.

That legacy thinking was warranted back then, but Pennzoil today is really not the same company of yesteryear that had those problems.

Really since Shell took them over in 2002, they have been a top tier oil company and the products have put out meet the specs they claim. You would be hard pressed to find a truly bad oil from Pennzoil or any other truly API licensed oil maker in the modern era when both correct weight grade and manufacturer specs are followed.

There is nothing wrong to run a modern 0W-20 oil in these engines in the interval the car makers ask for. There is a lot of internet hyperbole and speculation, but never the data to show otherwise it is a detriment to run these grades of oil

 

[BlackRuby23]

The 2020s experienced it before 20,000 miles, some before 10,000 miles. So it's not just miles. The 22s and 23s have been around long enough there's a lot of owners with 30,000 or more on them. It happens, but it's not common like it was on the 2020s.

As far as Pennzoil - there's a lot of hate out there based on the 1960s and before. Sludge isn't the result of the oil these days - it's result of the care the engine gets - or doesn't get.
Short drives, cold running engines, that sort of thing, results in sludge.
Pennzoil today is some of the best out there.
Yeah, I recall those stories - I have been in the field since the early 1970s and there's so much bunk that's carried over to this very day - some had some basis in fact, some was lore that really had no basis in fact.
Over 15 million Pentastar engines out there. The vast majority of those owners let a dealer or other shop do the oil changes, and of those, most will go right back to the "book" on the oil that gets used.

Remember, the internet is where everyone is an expert based on what uncle bubba told them, and where problems get magnified because they are all seen in a single place.
Most Jeep owners aren't even on the internet.

BTW - the thread you link to - there's a bunch of not quite correct information in there.
Non-engineers speculating and so on (not even real mechanics speculating)
Example - ZDDP has nothing to do with oil film. The oil's chemistry other than ZDDP determine that. Modern oils don't need the ZDDP of the past. That's changed since the 1990s but people cling to the old beliefs.

The thing I don't get is that these engines are designed to run hot. Why only go with a 0w20 instead of something a bit thicker to handle the heat? I will go ahead and use what is recommended, but I do wonder if it is providing the best lubrication rather than just satisfying emissions and economy requirements.

 

[BlackRuby23]

There is a lot of internet hyperbole and speculation, but never the data to show otherwise it is a detriment to run these grades of oil

I agree, but if you think about it it would be darn near impossible to glean any data. So people like us need to just try and put 2 and 2 together. That's why you see people asking what kind of oil they were running. It's either substandard parts or a lubrication issue - or a design flaw with the engine which seems less likely. The fact that these engines are routinely hitting in the 235 degree range makes me wonder if the 0w20 is sufficient for that heat, but I totally acknowledge that all of this is out of my wheelhouse.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The thing I don't get is that these engines are designed to run hot.

Where's that coming from? The fact that they actually show you numbers now instead of just a green range with red at the top?
Did you know that thermostats of the past - say, at least into the 1990s, perhaps beyond, didn't start to open until their rated temperature, for example, a 190 stat just barely started to open at 190, and then wasn't fully open until 224 degrees?
And the temperature gauge range was actually normal up into the 230-240 range?
So these aren't running any hotter than other engines over the years.
These don't run hotter than anything else I've had.
My 87 Comanche 4.0 used to run 210-220 normally. My 3.6 actually runs a bit cooler most of the time.
Heavier oil can lead to more sheer - sheer generates heat in the oil. Heavier oil also moves more slowly, retaining more heat. So you can actually make the oil temperature run higher if you go heavier (depending on where you start and how far you take the oil weight)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The fact that these engines are routinely hitting in the 235 degree range

Only when working hard or at altitude.
If you are working them outside of normal, then an adjustment may be needed - but I don't see them hitting 235 routinely.
Mine has to work hard towing on a hot day to get even into the 220s.
Mine may climb to 220 when I'm pushing it hard on a hot day at a high speed on the interstate but it hits that and then quickly drops again.

Are you reading the internet to get this type of stuff like "routinely hitting.........." such temperatures? Because I'd bet they aren't routinely doing that.

People start tossing stuff out there, guessing, when something happens or comes along that they don't understand. It's human nature. But on the internet, it becomes fact because it sure sounds good and no one has a better answer

 

[Hootbro]

I agree, but if you think about it it would be darn near impossible to glean any data. So people like us need to just try and put 2 and 2 together. That's why you see people asking what kind of oil they were running. It's either substandard parts or a lubrication issue - or a design flaw with the engine which seems less likely. The fact that these engines are routinely hitting in the 235 degree range makes me wonder if the 0w20 is sufficient for that heat, but I totally acknowledge that all of this is out of my wheelhouse.

Link below is my oil analysis thread covering over 7 oil changes. It is a mix of 0W-20/5W-20 and the last few 5W-30 grade oils used. Past the first couple of oil changes once the wear metals were flushed out, there is no noticeable change from using 20 or 30 weight grade oil and the wear is pretty much the same. As mentioned in my thread, I buy oil on sale and has been the only reason I have used a 5W-30 of late but I have no qualms in going back to a 0W-20 when the time comes.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/jeep-wave-oil-change-analysis-5k-mile-oci.70504/

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Link below is my oil analysis thread covering over 7 oil changes. It is a mix of 0W-20/5W-20 and the last few 5W-30 grade oils used. Past the first couple of oil changes once the wear metals were flushed out, there is no noticeable change from using 20 or 30 weight grade oil and the wear is pretty much the same. As mentioned in my thread, I buy oil on sale and has been the only reason I have used a 5W-30 of late but I have no qualms in going back to a 0W-20 when the time comes.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/jeep-wave-oil-change-analysis-5k-mile-oci.70504/

How far out is Blackstone now? I think I sent a sample in about 2 weeks ago..........
I went a long stretch this time because there wasn't time (or my ability) to get a sample or oil change done so mine went farther than I generally go.

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