Not the jeep again

Sgt_Mike

Sgt_Mike

Well-known member
So this past week, the wife comes in tells me the check engine light is on in her 2013 Jeep Wrangler (3.6L pentastar, 6 speed manual transmission). Mentally I'm grumbling as this completely destroys my plans on spending the next couple of days on range. I take it down to the local auto parts store to see what the code is.
Oil pressure switch/sensor, or intake /pletanum gasket leak is what it comes out to. For those not familiar with the engine, that switch / sensor is located in the oil cooler/oil filter housing on the top of the motor under the intake, and pletanum (both are plastic molded).
I'm not a automobile mechanic, but I've always been able to keep my vehicles running, and back in the days when it was actually affordable to do so I have rebuilt a engine or two. In the past I have pulled the exact parts off to service/replace that oil cooler. So this wasn't my first dive into this, and was easier than the fuel line that my daughter and I installed when it cracked leaking fuel unto the manifold. Which again same parts come off to fix.
(that one the wife asked me if she could keep driving it? I asked her if she wished to burn the Jeep up. Her eyes widened, hot manifolds, engine blocks and fuel not good combination = engine fire).

Well I didn't think the best strategy would be just to replace the gaskets and see if that was it, with the chance of having to re pull everything to put in the switch / sensor. So sensor / and gasket set. Gathered up the parts, go to the house which was late evening so I just pulled every thing to have access to the switch sensor. The longest tasks was disconnecting the fuel injectors, and the oil pressure and oil temp switches. While not breaking the fuel lines and other connectors. PITA to say the least when one is trying to be careful. once I flipped the intake I seen where this was probably the culprit, gaskets was actually recessed in some areas. OK no problem I think so I set in went to pull the sensor crap special socket. So back I go to get the correct socket, pulled and installed without issue. Set everything back in. Because of my aging years I've lost much of the ability of strength/agility in my hands so I pulled my daughter out to help when I just couldn't reach things. That greatly enhanced the project her skinny hands could get to the areas I would struggle and cuss at.
So I set about cleaning all the mating surfaces installing the new gaskets, Lining everything up, go and grab my wheeler engineering FAT torque wrench to torque the manifold down (15-20 inch pounds is the torque value). Torqued everything down, (then I repeated the exact same error I did last time I pulled those items. failed to connect the vacuum hose to the master brake assembly un beknownst to me at the time).
I fired it up and it throws a check engine light after idling a while, run it down to check the code comes back egr valve. The kid that ran the code goes in, to find the part I stop him ... look that motor doesn't have a EGR valve. It has to be a hose, finally we find the hose reconnect. Bingo success. no check engine light.
The point in all this wasn't to brag on the skill set /knowledge to fix this, nor anything other than in my later sixties this whole process hurt. It didn't matter that I had the know how to fix it. But the pain level today is up there a bit.
My wife said to me I know you still love me as you could have said "Good Luck with that", my response is honey that day is soon coming, there will be a day when I simply can't physically do that any more.
This realization for me is rather a downer to say the least, as I hate the fact that my disabilities are now taking a toll on such activities... Not that I can't do most things but the knowledge that it won't get any better.

Before too much longer the brakes will be due service, That I can still do without much pain as I can get it high enough to actually work on without much pain.
 
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Know the feeling and I'm a few years younger than you are. Not taking care of oneself when younger and thought invincible bites one in the ass sooner rather than later.
I now find paying someone to do certain jobs that I probably could do, hurts less than actually doing them myself.
 
crapshoot said:
Not taking care of oneself when younger and thought invincible bites one in the ass sooner rather than later.
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No truer words were ever spoken!

Most of the pains I feel these days can easily be traced back to my younger days!

Not to mention the parts I’ve had “fixed” over the last 20 years or so! Play hard, pay hard I guess?
 
@crapshoot ,
& @hunt0168
Yes Sirs, you hit the mark there on the head, I didn't take care of myself when younger. Thus now I'm starting to see the mark it leaves. I suppose it more the realization of what is to come in the upcoming years is what gets me. As well, I know I'm not the only one on here with the same situation. A lot of us are in the same boat, or will be later on.

But what is funny I would rather work on the Dodge 3500 dually I have, than the Jeep, and the pretzel configuration I have to get into for the Jeep. Way more room even though the parts are 3 to 5X as heavy. Still can work on my firearms, reloading etc.. that keeps me from feeling down. The daughters Challenger (actually my old car, btw is 1 year newer than my truck her's is at about 50,000 miles) is way easier to work on once I get it up on the jack stands. So yeah her's gets serviced quicker than the Jeep, it's easier to work on. even though the power train is very close. Mine shoot I'll jump on as soon as something raises it head, it is the easiest of the three. I have room to get to items that need servicing.

While I am not a big fan of Jeeps (thanks to the M151 worn out series in the military we had assigned to us), they are a good utility platform with many pluses. Although the wife uses her as a daily driver. Which amazes me as to actually how few times I really have to work on that jewel at almost 200 thousand miles on it. While the Dodge 3500 truck I have is one year newer, and at less than 80,000 miles. She drives the pee outta that thing LOL it does not accumulate dust . And she absolutely loves it, which makes me happy.
 
Sgt_Mike said:
But the pain level today is up there a bit.
My wife said to me I know you still love me as you could have said "Good Luck with that", my response is honey that day is soon coming, there will be a day when I simply can't physically do that any more.
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hunt0168 said:
Most of the pains I feel these days can easily be traced back to my younger days!
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Sgt_Mike said:
Yes Sirs, you hit the mark there on the head, I didn't take care of myself when younger. Thus now I'm starting to see the mark it leaves.
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crapshoot said:
I now find paying someone to do certain jobs that I probably could do, hurts less than actually doing them myself.
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Yep, you know the old saying, "Too soon old, too late smart"; really applies in this case. I can sympathize with you guys, but hate to inform you, just wait, it gets better!

I used to maintain all my own vehicles up to and including engine overhauls....up until 10-12 years ago, but Lance hit the nail on the head. I'm just a slow learner.

These darn sensors on newer vehicles are more costly to repair than the mechanical things. A few weeks ago decided to take my 2003 Z71 out of mothballs; hadn't driven it in 2 years so had it serviced and started driving it again. First day or so, check engine light came on...bummer. My mechanic checked and said it was the knock sensor, he cleaned all connections and light remained on. 350 V8 and sensor is located under intake manifold; $700 replacement cost. Well, now, several thoughts came to mind. Not worrying about any mechanical knock in that engine as it has been well cared for, rode hard a few times but never put up wet and and truck only has 69,000 miles on it. I can hear any knock of substance so, knowing the (full tank) gasoline had to be pretty puny after sitting for 2 years I decided to drive it and watch it a bit. Sure enough, drove it down to 1/2 tank of fuel and filled the tank. Light remained on for a few days and then went out. Won that round, but wife's 2015 GMC Terrain (28,000 mi) favored us with three lights in one fell swoop, ABS, anti skid and brake. Parts house currently trying to locate that/those sensors. Understand it is quite a chore to get to them as well??
 
I know what you're saying and feeling, some things I do and a lot of things I just have them repaired. The aggravation and pain just isn't worth it!
 
So those check engine lights actually mean something? Mine came on in the ole Ford with about 180,000 miles. It’s still on at 474K, lol. I’m NOT a mechanic, but I do have a good one. Yellow check engine, we good. Red check engine and he said to give him a holler, lol.
 
hm1996 said:
Gettin' down is easy, getting up, now, is a whole nother story.
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I'll echo that one, the wife and I have a running joke about getting down on the floor level that involves "did you have a plan to get back up?' . At least we can both laugh about it.

I did look up the knock sensor replacement on a 2003 5.7L Chevy. Little under $60.00 ea (2 needed) = $120ish not counting the new harness (about $60.00) and intake gasket kit ($60 to 150ish for AC/Delco). I do prefer the small block sized motors in a truck usually means more room and less plastic to rest a hand or knee on, brand doesn't make any difference to me .
What I seen on the video was pretty close to what I just did. And they reside in the valley between the intake ports, where on the 3.6 L is the oil cooler and it's sensors. If I lived close, heck I'd do it for ya provided you keep me company while doing it. And laugh at / with me when I do it. And maybe provide a adult beverage or so afterwards.
 
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@Spurchaser
yeah, I've done that in quite a few of my past vehicles I drove and like you no problems. Of course I'll have the codes checked first as a just in case, not major I'll keep driving.

The wife's nope, I tend to stay on top of them, she would lose her mind if one broke down even though she does everything opposite to keep one running. Such as gas, I have a hard time with her about that.
 
If it weren't for having to pass an annual smog test (lights are cause for failure), I'd ignore most of them too provide the vehicle still ran descent. I keep a cheap code reader in my diesel so I can clear them if I'm on a haul to prevent it from going into limp mode out in the middle of nowhere.
 
Sgt_Mike said:
@Spurchaser
yeah, I've done that in quite a few of my past vehicles I drove and like you no problems. Of course I'll have the codes checked first as a just in case, not major I'll keep driving.

The wife's nope, I tend to stay on top of them, she would lose her mind if one broke down even though she does everything opposite to keep one running. Such as gas, I have a hard time with her about that.
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And checking oil, air in tires, etc.

Honey, how long has that light been on?
Oh, only a week or two. 😱
 
Sgt_Mike said:
I did look up the knock sensor replacement on a 2003 5.7L Chevy. Little under $60.00 ea (2 needed) = $120ish not counting the new harness (about $60.00) and intake gasket kit ($60 to 150ish for AC/Delco). I do prefer the small block sized motors in a truck usually means more room and less plastic to rest a hand or knee on, brand doesn't make any difference to me .
What I seen on the video was pretty close to what I just did. And they reside in the valley between the intake ports, where on the 3.6 L is the oil cooler and it's sensors. If I lived close, heck I'd do it for ya provided you keep me company while doing it. And laugh at / with me when I do it. And maybe provide a adult beverage or so afterwards.
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Thanks, Mike, appreciate the research and bet we'd enjoy the visit. :) I suspected the knock sensors may have picked up a labor knock caused by the old fuel and that proved to be the case, but had made up my mind, if the new gas didn't clear the alarm, and, if I keep the truck I was going to get the mechanic to bypass that alarm as I can still hear well enough with my new hearing aids to detect any knock that would be a problem. If I should decide to sell the truck I would have had the sensor replaced. I don't think the mechanic was out of line on his estimate, based on your parts price search (thank you!) I've pulled all that garbage on a number of V8's (mechanic in the early 50's) so know what all is involved in getting to them, so don't think he is out of line on labor.
crapshoot said:
I keep a cheap code reader in my diesel so I can clear them if I'm on a haul to prevent it from going into limp mode out in the middle of nowhere.
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When my truck was brand new, we were about a half mile inside the ranch gate (55 miles from home) when we shut down the first stand, of a planned 3 day hunt, at dark. We were in soft sand, but normally wouldn't have needed 4WD. Backed out of the brush OK but when I started forward, didn't have the power to move. (Had never heard of knock sensors at that time.) We had left our gear in the bunk house about five miles in, and finally managed to get on a caliche road using grammaw is 4WD. That think couldn't pull the hat off your head. Limped into camp and decided to go ahead and spend the night and limp into town in daylight tomorrow. Next morning fired truck up and it revved up fine and had it's mojo back. Ran fine the full 3 days and when I took it back to the dealer, they couldn't find any problem and it never happened since.
 
Hunt0186 said, "Most of the pains I feel these days can easily be traced back to my younger days!"
Boy howdy and beyond. Once upon a time in place far away I was a framer. Young, dumb, stupid and strong. I could do the work of two men and was a legend... in my own mind. I can still remember the day that an older guy, he was about 40 and I was still in my early 20's, told me "you're going to ruin your body working like that" being invincible, I just laughed at him and told him to "shut-up old man, you don't know what your talking about". Talk about stupid:rolleyes:....
Now I have two bad knees, two bad shoulders, a back that only works when it wants too and a host of other more minor aches and pains.
If only someone had said something.... ohhh, that goes back to me being young, dumb and stupid.
 
Well today is met with much better day in the pain levels, now returned to the "normal" things that just hurt, but yet doesn't if that make any sense. The problem now is the ditches, they need weedeating and the other areas around the house, another usually painful task. Debating of doing it today, or tomorrow for that part of the yard work. Then comes the easy part actual mowing. Man I like my kubota sub garden tractor for that task. Power steering etc etc makes it a breeze, no pain involved on that, just ride circles in the yard.
On top of that the wife's favorite Tom cat (18 years old) is on his last legs, so I might be digging a grave today, or tomorrow. She is beside herself today, I don't dare dig the grave early. Afraid it would put her over the edge.
Weather is nice with a hint of fall in the air. So should be a great day to do the yard work.
Maybe another cup of coffee and more thought on it, usually that stiffens my resolve to get it done. Just need to check if I have enough line, and enough fuel to "git her done" before getting started with the weedeater.

@Sprinkman
Yes sir, I think we have all been told the same by others, the very same statements. I know I have, and like you I ignored it. The only thing I can surmise is it is the hubris of youth. And really don't know if I would have done it differently even if I had the great gift of hindsight of today.
Not grumbling just filling the need to write down, and share in conversation with others, whom I know have the very common ground I talk about.
 
Man the yard work did add insult to injury. I should have waited a couple more days instead I cleaned out 2 full loads ( 8 foot bed on a 3500 dually) of old pine needles and grass clippings from the ditches and yard. After the weed eating, and grass cutting. Knowing full well tomorrow I'll feel sooo much better, than last night and this morning.
After pulling a lot and I do mean a lot of needles from the ditch I looked at the pine tree thinking I ought to cut it down. But, I do like the tree way more than it's shedding of pine needles, it provides way more shade than nuisance.

Thanks for reading this as I really don't have anything to report on shooting, or anything else interesting. And this post is just to fill the need to type /posting something on here.
 
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