Pentastar problems.........
12-21-2012, 01:00 PM
#1
JK Newbie
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Pentastar problems.........
I've had half a dozen Wranglers over the years. In January 2012 I went for a new Cherokee. Well, I got taken for a long ride off a short pier. I just finished reading the thread on the pentastar engine head problems. My Grand Cherokee (9,000 miles) has been in the shop for two weeks getting overhauled. New heads, new cam and rings. They got it together a couple days ago and could not get the timing correct. Factory advised them to order another cam as the replacement was bad. My engine light came on around 4-5000 miles. After 5 visits to shop they replaced an injector. Finally at 9,000 they decided to do the heads, etc. Chrysler has not been upfront on this and have dragged their feet......like trying to hide the problem. I didn't realize how big the problem was. I'll dump this sucker soon as the warranty runs out!! AND, NO more Chrysler products for me.
12-24-2012, 02:09 PM
#2
JK Freak
I've had half a dozen Wranglers over the years. In January 2012 I went for a new Cherokee. Well, I got taken for a long ride off a short pier. I just finished reading the thread on the pentastar engine head problems. My Grand Cherokee (9,000 miles) has been in the shop for two weeks getting overhauled. New heads, new cam and rings. They got it together a couple days ago and could not get the timing correct. Factory advised them to order another cam as the replacement was bad. My engine light came on around 4-5000 miles. After 5 visits to shop they replaced an injector. Finally at 9,000 they decided to do the heads, etc. Chrysler has not been upfront on this and have dragged their feet......like trying to hide the problem. I didn't realize how big the problem was. I'll dump this sucker soon as the warranty runs out!! AND, NO more Chrysler products for me.
Now I remember how hot everyone was to get the Pentastar engine in the Jeeps, how great that would be, how the 3.8 L was under powered, was a minivan engine and so on.
So brother, don't feel bad, a lot of people are having trouble with the Pentastar engine and they just need to swap it out. Perhaps you could trade it in after the warranty runs out if it is still giving you problems, think about trading it in for a 2011 with a 3.8 L.
I have over 40,000 on mine with no problems.
I am very sorry that you are having all these issues.
12-24-2012, 02:24 PM
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I've had half a dozen Wranglers over the years. In January 2012 I went for a new Cherokee. Well, I got taken for a long ride off a short pier. I just finished reading the thread on the pentastar engine head problems. My Grand Cherokee (9,000 miles) has been in the shop for two weeks getting overhauled. New heads, new cam and rings. They got it together a couple days ago and could not get the timing correct. Factory advised them to order another cam as the replacement was bad. My engine light came on around 4-5000 miles. After 5 visits to shop they replaced an injector. Finally at 9,000 they decided to do the heads, etc. Chrysler has not been upfront on this and have dragged their feet......like trying to hide the problem. I didn't realize how big the problem was. I'll dump this sucker soon as the warranty runs out!! AND, NO more Chrysler products for me.
12-25-2012, 05:41 AM
#6
no problems w/ ours....sure its got some valve tic on start up but im gonna drive til just before it blows up and then ill sell it or trade it 
im under warranty & its not our daily driver so i dont really care
im under warranty & its not our daily driver so i dont really care
12-25-2012, 05:47 AM
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Not saying this is the norm but a guy I wheel with had a 12 JKU sport with 2500 miles that developed a coolant leak. While he was at the dealership to get it fixed they talked him into a 12 JKUR upgrade that he was very happy with. Sunday we went out and his Jeep overheated on a very easy trail. His fan wouldnt kick on so we let it sit and cool a while. Then the Jeep wouldnt start. We ended up strapping up and I towed him to the trail head. When we got there the Jeep decided to start and he was able to make it the rest of the way home. Needless to say he's pretty disapointed with Jeep in general right now. I hope they work it out for him.
Rob
Rob
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12-25-2012, 06:36 AM
#9
i add that you can catch this casting sand & stop leak that the mfg's are adding to all engines these days, by adding a coolant by-pass filter.....there was a similar problem w/ the Ford 6L diesels (which eventually blocked, water cooled, oil cooler & then caused the egr cooler to crack, do to insufficient coolant flow & over heating).
coolant by-pass filtration is a common thing on large OTR trucks. coolant filters can even be had w/ SCA's (supplemental coolant additive) inside the filter....the SCA additive (in pellet form) dissolve over time & keep the coolant from deteriorating & they keep the water pump lubed.
any coolant filter can be adapted to ANY engine.
coolant by-pass filtration is a common thing on large OTR trucks. coolant filters can even be had w/ SCA's (supplemental coolant additive) inside the filter....the SCA additive (in pellet form) dissolve over time & keep the coolant from deteriorating & they keep the water pump lubed.
any coolant filter can be adapted to ANY engine.
