Dodge Journey With 3.6L Losing Coolant (Look HERE first)
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The 3.6-liter engine from Chrysler has become notorious for leaks, especially coolant. Coolant leaks can cause overheating, loss of heat in the cabin, and irreversible damage to the engine. In this article, we will look at a common coolant leak in the 3.6-liter engine.
Which model of Dodge Journey has the 3.6-liter engine?
The 3.6-liter engine was introduced in the 2011 Dodge Journey models and is available through the present models.
Frequently Asked Question:
Where do I find wiring diagrams and step-by-step repair procedures for Dodges?
The best online resource I use is Alldatadiy.com.
I used it for this case study to find the correct procedure for this Dodge Journey.
What is the cooling system?
A vehicle uses coolant to keep the engine from overheating. It flows through passages in the engine and disperses the heat. This keeps the temperature of the engine in a specific range.
There are many parts of the cooling system, including the radiator and thermostat, that have coolant flowing through it.
What is a coolant leak?
If a part of the cooling system becomes weak, coolant can leak out.
O-rings and gaskets are the most common issues with coolant leaks, but components of the cooling system can also become cracked and leak.
Why is my Dodge Journey leaking coolant?
Dodge Journey and the 3.6-liter engines have issues with leaks coming from the oil cooler/oil filter housing.
The oil cooler/oil filter housing is part of the cooling system and has coolant flowing through it.
The oil cooler/oil filter housing is designed to cool the engine oil to a certain temperature. It does this by dispersing heat throughout the oil cooler.
A common symptom of this leak is coolant running down the back of the engine onto the transmission.
Here is a link to the oil cooler/ oil filter housing. Before ordering, make sure it is the correct one for your Dodge Journey.
What can happen if I lose coolant?
Here is a list of things that can happen if you lose all of your coolant.
You will lose heat inside your vehicle
A “low coolant” message may pop-up
Your vehicle will overheat
Where is the oil cooler/oil filter housing located?
The oil cooler/oil filter housing is located in the “V” of the 3.6-liter engine. It is below the lower intake manifold.
How do I stop my Dodge Journey from leaking coolant?
The only way to truly solve this coolant leak is to replace the oil cooler/oil filter housing.
Can you still drive with a coolant leak?
Driving with little to no coolant is bad for the engine.
The reason is that the coolant keeps the engine from overheating.
If an engine overheats, it can potentially be destroyed.
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