Oil filter/cooler housing failure

[Joe in Montana]

Did my first oil change on my 2020 Gladiator at home after going out of warranty a month ago and having had 3 free oil changes at the dealership. I had to put a snipe on the end of my socket wrench to get the oil filter cap off! The oil pan plug was also incredibly tight and I don't know how the dealership did not strip it out of the pan! Did the oil change and the next day found a huge oil pool in the garage. Thanks to all of the folks who post on these forums I was able to determine that it was likely the housing. Did not know for sure but knew putting the upgrade housing in would be worth the work. When I removed the upper and lower intake and undid all the sensors and hoses I was pleased to find the galley on top of the engine full of oil.

Two weeks waiting for a new aluminum housing and some specialty tools. Two days of labor and 5 quarts of oil (again) and it was done. Could not find a crack in the plastic housing and the seals all looked good but all that oil came out of somewhere. On start up, I had several CEL warnings that I could not clear with my OBD so I made it to the dealership in limp mode. They said I had a bad MAP sensor and I made an appointment (a month out). Got home and researched that sensor and found out where it is located on the Jeep. Took the engine cover off and there was the sensor. I had failed to plug in the harness! Plugged it in and started the vehicle and it was perfect except I had a CEL which I will clear tomorrow with the OBD. Over $1000 saved. I will NEVER take my Jeep to ANYONE for an oil change again.

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[Jteakus]

I just quit taking my JL in for the "free" service. The JT will not make it for any as I did the first one myself. Every single time my JL went in there was some kind of problem. I finally had enough.

 

[JTenn]

I have the Dorman aluminum housing sitting on the shelf waiting. I was fortunate enough to find one at Advance a couple months ago so I picked it up. Some things just shouldn't be made of plastic on an engine. Especially something like the main component of the oil system.

 

[Lunentucker]

Looks like I can have one in a few days from Amazon.
Several sellers - $80-$105

I have never taken mine in for the free anything, and never will.

 

[Gvsukids]

On the other hand, my dealership has treated me very well on my free oil changes and subsequent ones I've paid for.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have the Dorman aluminum housing sitting on the shelf waiting. I was fortunate enough to find one at Advance a couple months ago so I picked it up. Some things just shouldn't be made of plastic on an engine. Especially something like the main component of the oil system.

AMC learned that lesson in 1981 or 82 when they experimented with plastic valve covers on the 258 I6 held down by two nuts on top. Once they started to leak a bit, everyone simply tightened the nuts, leak, tighten, leak, tighten, until the cover bulged and cracked.
First thing you did with one of those was take it off and install a steel cover or a cast aluminum cover. Ironically, the weight of the aluminum cover isn't that much different and the stamped steel covers weighed only a bit more than the plastic. The weight savings was ounces, not pounds.
And a couple of years later -guess what the valve covers were made of. (not plastic)

On the other hand, my dealership has treated me very well on my free oil changes and subsequent ones I've paid for.

I've had great luck. No leaks, nothing over-tightened, everything just as it should be. They are really quite good at the WAVE services around here.
I've got enough more technical things to do - and money making stuff I do for others, don't need to mess around with monkey work - maybe if I'm doing other related things or get bored or whatever, but they do fine here.

 

[Jteakus]

I had almost forgotten about the plastic valve cover on the 258 but will never forget the two-piece axles and the tin foil axle tubes on the Model 20.

 

[CJ99x]

I had almost forgotten about the plastic valve cover on the 258 but will never forget the two-piece axles and the tin foil axle tubes on the Model 20.

I was in High School and our local Jeep Dealer came over to our vo tech and hired a bunch of us guys to assist in assembly replacements in the evenings on J20s. I forget what the exact issue was but man I can remember we did a ton of those. I can also remember the local Ford store bringing third members over for us to rebuild at the vo tech.

 

[HooliganActual]

AMC learned that lesson in 1981 or 82 when they experimented with plastic valve covers on the 258 I6 held down by two nuts on top.

OMG!!! That was the bane of my existence when I had my 81 CJ7. First one did exactly what you describe. Bought a plastic replacement...because there weren't any metal aftermarket ones at the time. When that one failed, enough was enough. I'm pretty sure I was able to find an aluminum cover and life was good again!

I have told people over the years that story and they looked at me sideways in disbelief and I know they humored me but wanted to say "no one would ever build and engine with a plastic valve cover..you MUST be wrong..."

Thank you for confirming that I haven't been mental all these years...LOL

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I remember when I first started this one after getting it to check it over. I noticed the right side of the block appeared to shimmer in the light, almost alive, and realized it was a "water fall" of oil coming down the side.

There were pins that fit into the head's valve cover screw holes - those were supposed to keep it lined up and prevent spreading. LOL, yeah, right.
AMC owned a big high-tech plastics company at the time -they made interior panels for themselves and Ford (yeah, some of the plastic panels in the cab of your Ford car or truck may have been made by AMC) and they used a new unique compound to make the fender flares and bumper ends for the Eagle - but their wandering into plastic valve covers was a complete disaster.

That problem was resolved with this - of course AMC was long gone by the time these came out. But in prior years you could retrofit a later steel VC in place of the plastic. May have to thread some of the holes in the head to mount it, but could be done.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I had almost forgotten about the plastic valve cover on the 258 but will never forget the two-piece axles and the tin foil axle tubes on the Model 20.

Maybe not great for rock crawling and abuse in Jeeps, but quite a few of us put a fair amount of torque through those in our Javelins and AMXs. A few guys weld the tubes into the differential housing to prevent breaking them loose when the front end comes up. They'll handle 400-500 hp, get above that and it's just too light a differential in stock form.
I'm running close to 400 HP and some good torque through the 20 under my 73.

The J20 doesn't seem like a great candidate for a car axle assembly........ I bet a few got broken.

AMC sold the rights to their differential/axle design to Dana and the smaller AMC 15 morphed into the Dana 35.

The two piece axle was mostly a problem is poor maintenance and people who didn't use the book when working on them. I've never twisted one off. I've abused a few and never had a problem.
There's a lot of power equipment that relies on tapered and/or tapered and splined shafts and hubs including boats and more. It's a really strong joint if not messed with.
The trick is to follow the book exactly - and don't skimp on that 250 ft/lb torque.
Another key is that when reinstalling the hub on the axle, treat it as a new install and pull that hub on to the depth specified in the book for a new hub installation.
The problem is that the axle cuts splines into the hub when it's pressed on. The axle end should protrude xx" through the hub, THEN you do the final torque - but people pull the hub, service bearings or seals, then put the hub on and torque the nut. The hub may not be on as far as it was even at 250 ft/lbs. But if you put the hub on to the correct depth, THEN torque the nut, it's not going anywhere. Again, there's a lot of these that hit the track with stock axles and do fine.
Besides the people aspect not servicing them correctly, is the sudden grip resulting in an instant hammer on those splines. You show off a bit, or hit loose ground, apply some spin - get the tires spinning, then suddenly you hit total traction and something's going to give.
Show off in the dirt or on sandy pavement then the tires get an instant grip, you'll snap something.
My 73 didn't break the axles, it snapped the driveshaft. Pinion nosed up a bit and busted the driveshaft loose. Beat the crap out of the floor and ripped the brake line going to the rear clear off the underside of the car. But the axles and differential were fine.

I've done service on these axles/differentials since the mid-1970s. Never lost one (not yet LOL)

Notice the torque links.

 

[Labswine]

I had to have the oil filter assembly replaced on my Wife's '19 GC Ltd. as it was doing it's Harley impersonation on my driveway. It was due for an oil change anyways and my local mechanic (don't go to the stealership anymore as it's outta warranty) noticed the leaking assembly. $1,089 later, all fixed.

Now, hoping I don't get the same issue with my JT (a 6/2019 build, like my GC, built in 6/19, taken from the dealer's lot, the same time as my JT which I ordered) but, it's good to know that if it does happen, I can tell my mechanic to get the aluminum replacement instead of the plastic one.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

but, it's good to know that if it does happen, I can tell my mechanic to get the aluminum replacement instead of the plastic one.

Yup - that's how I'd go if it ever happened to mine. Might let them deal with it under warranty If it was the dealer I bought from, otherwise, I'd go aluminum. (not that you can't destroy those, too - I've seen some amazing stuff broken over the years but your odds are better)

 

[Varooom]

I have seen people put the o-ring on the oil filter housing wrong. Easy to do. Causes one hell of a leak.

Varooom

 

[Skull]

What part number is correct from Dorman as they all claim “does not fit your vehicle” no matter what auto part store…

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