3.6 Pentastar oil pressure sender woes.....

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pishta

pishta

I know I'm right....
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2012 Mommyvan: WTF, this thing is UNDER the lower intake manifold? Its on the oil cooler block that sits in the "lifter valley" between the cylinder heads. The sender is actually accessible with a long extension and a 1 1/4 deep 1/2 drive socket or a sensor socket. My GM 1 1/4 deep socket I got for the crank bolt worked great: The sensor plug JUST fits up in the round relief in the socket and the sensor I bought is a 6 point instead of the almost round looking stock ones. I am getting an oil pressure sender circuit malfunction on my CEL but its not flashing so its not a major alarm. A few tubers say to follow the manufactures procedure and remove the friggin lower intake (along with replacing the O-ring intake seals), a 2 hour job but a few more found they actually may have made it to be removed with a simple socket and an extension. Why would Mopar tell everyone to remove the intake? I can see for the oil temp sender thats mounted at an upper facing 45 angle, but this one is a straight 90 shot out the side of the engine. Will report back with results as soon as motor cools a little. The one coolant hose is right next to it, I hope its not in way or sensor clip is frozen on. RED one is sender. about 6" into motor from trans side.
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This socket and sender works great. Note hex head of sender, others are different

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looks like it is under the "upper plenum" not too bad I used to use a bungee chord to hold upper plenums up, and work under them. I'd replace the silicone seals though...
 
No its under the lower plenum with the injectors. Upper would be fairly easy...but noooo!
 
I have done many of them. The van is only one you can get it out that way if you lucky enough to have the fitting in the adaptor not spin on you. It's not bad to remove the intake on them anyway. Now the 3.6 in the Grand Cherokee sucks to get out. I have replaced many that the oil change places crack cranking the oil filter cap down.
 
From your picture it looks like it has been done before. The red lock tab on the connector is missing. Not really needed anyway.
 
OH yeah......how common is this? The wife driver a 15' Journey with the 3.6. I hate that thing. I call it Eeyore, because it drives the way Eeyore would. "OK Pooh,.... I know you've been WOT for 30 seconds so I guess I'll go ahead and kick down now long after you needed to narrowly avoid that accident"
 
Thats a stock picture. I understand they don't have the extra red lock tab on this connector .
 
Ok success! The water hose is the PITA in this setup. Its a semi rigid line and you really have to get the socket in there at the correct angle before it will slide onto the sender. You need to get it close and then really crushed that hose under the extension and press the socket onto the sender until it catches. Its a 1 1/16 deep for those following at home. I got it off and replaced in about 15 minutes minus the time to take the battery out for better visibility. Found a loose negative cable clamp while i was in there. Started it, checked for leaks, code cleared when the battery came out. No more CEL. We'll see after 20 miles.
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oh yeah, dont cross thread it! The orange goop on the threads will put up some resistance and I thought I may have crossed it so I took it out (finger tight) and checked but it was clean. You can get it started by turning the connector with your fingers about 1 revolution then the sealant starts to drag.
 
Well F me running. The CEL came back on with same code. This happened right after an oil change. Did I get some bad oil? Can the motor tell the diff between 5W-30 and the 5W-20 that ended up in there (it was in the 5W-30 slot at the store) Ill change the oil no problem but that seems suspect that it happened right after the (thin) oil change. Kinda makes sense that it only went on after warm up as both oils are 5W cold. "A 5W-20 and 5W-30 will have very similar if not equal viscosity at lower start-up temperatures. But as the engine heats up, the 5W-20 will move with less resistance than an 5W-30" Bingo.....Now to get some 5W-30 in there.....and cross my fingers that fixes this.
 
There are two different oil filters for a 3.6, may have install the wrong one.
 
Also that engine has a high and low pressure regulator. If one sticks it will trip the light on. They and the oil pump are in the front cover and not serviced. You would have to replaced the pump/cover as the repair. And yes it can tell the difference in 5-30 and 5-20 oil but I don't think that is the problem.
 
good luck :thumbsup: jobs like this are the down side to wrenching on your own stuff :(
 
Hellrats said:
There are two different oil filters for a 3.6, may have install the wrong one.
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only one they offered was the little plain element drop in one. I hope its as simple as thin oil . Well see today at about 1PM. My cheap scan tool doesnt have oil pressure visibility.
 
What is the P code set? The oil pump runs off a chain and is in the pan. It is a 2 speed variable vane pump with a solenoid that switches between high and low. There are 2 different oil filters depending on year.
 
I don't think the oil filters can be swapped. The early element fit over a plastic center tube and the newer one the tube is part of the filter.
 
68079744AD is the early filter 2011-2013
‎68191349AB is the later part which is what the Journey should have.
 
It could be a crap aftermarket part seen that plenty.
 
Hellrats said:
Also that engine has a high and low pressure regulator. If one sticks it will trip the light on. They and the oil pump are in the front cover and not serviced. You would have to replaced the pump/cover as the repair. And yes it can tell the difference in 5-30 and 5-20 oil but I don't think that is the problem.
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Just to clarify, Oil pump is NOT part of the frt cover. Pump and regulator are one piece with a wiring harness clipped in through a hole in back of block.
 
Anything is possible I guess. But you'd have to break out the tube to get the new filter in the old housing. Do you have oil pressure with the old filter on the newer style.
 
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