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Time to vent. This morning I did an oil and filter change on my 2015 Grand Cherokee with it's 5.7 HEMI V-8. It's about the 4th one I've done so far. There are 2 things that annoy me the most. The first is the oil filter location. It's located to where you cannot get a strap wrench on the filter, and locate it to where the handle isn't interfered with so you can get some leverage on the thing.
That forces you to use either one of those cap wrenches, (which don't work worth a damn). Or else a band wrench that takes an extension. The problem with both of those is the angle of the oil filter doesn't match to where the extension you use will fit through the little opening provided to get at both it, and the drain plug. And you have no room, plus you have to struggle to get any leverage, if you try working up in there.
I bought a couple of those K&N oil filters with the sheet metal "nut" spot welded on the end. But the problem with those is that silly "nut" has such rounded edges, even a 6 point socket just slips off before you can provide any decent amount of torque. I did buy one of those "3 finger" wrenches that close up as you apply torque. I'll try that the next time. The other PITA is that stupid cast aluminum, "guard" right up along side the oil filter that protects nothing. And only causes filter wrench interference. (That could prevent me from using the 3 finger wrench)..... We'll see.
The second issue doesn't involve difficultly, it's just time consuming. After you pull the drain plug, the oil drains out to a trickle in less than a minute. Then it just keeps coming out for at least 20 MINUTES OR LONGER! I have never had a vehicle that took so long to drain, before you get the intermittent drips, and know it's all out. This in spite of the fact it's 5W-20, that is as thin as water when it's hot. I always drain after a warm up, (200F+ oil temp.). It still takes what seems like FOREVER for it to drain.
I do my own oil changes, so I just deal with it. But you know if you take it to a dealer, or anywhere else, they are not going to wait all that time for all of it to drain out. Which means you're getting 1 to 2 cups of dirty oil left in your system. Not to mention a slight overfill. I could drain the oil in my F-150 twice in the time it takes my Jeep Grand Cherokee to completely drain. I don't know where it keeps coming from? Perhaps the MDS System, or else the VVT System. Both operate on engine oil.
I got through it alright. Perhaps I'm spoiled by such easy access on my truck.... And most every other vehicle I've had through the years. But I don't look forward to oil changes on this new Jeep. It's tolerable...... Just barely...... OK, rant off.
That forces you to use either one of those cap wrenches, (which don't work worth a damn). Or else a band wrench that takes an extension. The problem with both of those is the angle of the oil filter doesn't match to where the extension you use will fit through the little opening provided to get at both it, and the drain plug. And you have no room, plus you have to struggle to get any leverage, if you try working up in there.
I bought a couple of those K&N oil filters with the sheet metal "nut" spot welded on the end. But the problem with those is that silly "nut" has such rounded edges, even a 6 point socket just slips off before you can provide any decent amount of torque. I did buy one of those "3 finger" wrenches that close up as you apply torque. I'll try that the next time. The other PITA is that stupid cast aluminum, "guard" right up along side the oil filter that protects nothing. And only causes filter wrench interference. (That could prevent me from using the 3 finger wrench)..... We'll see.
The second issue doesn't involve difficultly, it's just time consuming. After you pull the drain plug, the oil drains out to a trickle in less than a minute. Then it just keeps coming out for at least 20 MINUTES OR LONGER! I have never had a vehicle that took so long to drain, before you get the intermittent drips, and know it's all out. This in spite of the fact it's 5W-20, that is as thin as water when it's hot. I always drain after a warm up, (200F+ oil temp.). It still takes what seems like FOREVER for it to drain.
I do my own oil changes, so I just deal with it. But you know if you take it to a dealer, or anywhere else, they are not going to wait all that time for all of it to drain out. Which means you're getting 1 to 2 cups of dirty oil left in your system. Not to mention a slight overfill. I could drain the oil in my F-150 twice in the time it takes my Jeep Grand Cherokee to completely drain. I don't know where it keeps coming from? Perhaps the MDS System, or else the VVT System. Both operate on engine oil.
I got through it alright. Perhaps I'm spoiled by such easy access on my truck.... And most every other vehicle I've had through the years. But I don't look forward to oil changes on this new Jeep. It's tolerable...... Just barely...... OK, rant off.
