By Markus Z. Watkins (Automotive Technician and The CarKeeper CEO)
My job offers me many opportunities to experience the good and bad of the vehicle world. I work mainly on low-to-mid range vehicles mostly, and occasionally high-end vehicles come through too. Recently, I had the opportunity to replace (and review) a motor in a Ram 1500 with the 3.6L V6 engine in it. Why should you care? Well, if you own a newer Jeep, Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Pacifica, or Ram 1500, you most likely have this same motor in it. If you're ever wondering if the Pentastar 3.6L is a good engine or not, I hope to answer that question for you in this post today. There are various pros and cons to this motor which make it interesting to review, but to summarize it, I say it's pros outweigh the cons by a lot.
A Little History....
The Pentastar 3.6L was first installed in vehicles in 2011. They were a part of a lineup of engines Chrysler designated as the "Phoenix" engine line. The name was changed to Pentastar and birthed 4 varieties of engines -- 3.0, 3.3, 3.6, and 4.0 L. They run on regular pump gas, have an industry standard multipoint fuel injection (MPFI), run off of the engine control unit (ECU). Dual overhead cams (DOHC) run on individual bank timing chains to provide precision timing to get max performance. The Pentastar lineup is still in use today and can be found in new vehicles in the Mopar/FCA North America family lineage.
Are Chrysler Pentastar Engines Reliable?
In short, they are very reliable. From my experiences with them, as long as sufficient oil levels are maintained, they will quite literally run forever.
Some negative sides of this engine are the following:
Timing Chain stretch is normal, but unpredictable. Some engines have it, some don't.
Cam Lobe channeling due to lack of oil. Maintain oil levels to extend life.
Oil Filter Housing leaks from top of engine. No way to prevent this. But aftermarket parts have fixed this issue and can be installed to ensure the problem goes away.
Emission Control Systems are often sensitive and need replacement. These engines are linked to a pressure sensor that goes bad. It may sap MPGs and set your Check Engine Light. But these are normally an easy fix.
Some positive sides of this engine are the following:
They are a multiplatform engine with parts easily available. These engines are all over Mopar/FCA North America's line-up of cars. Parts are easy to find and not overly pricey.
They are strong, for being a naturally aspirated V6. For being a non-turboed V6, these engines have decent power for being what they are. They don't feel too out-of-place for being in a Ram 1500.
They aren't overly-complicated. They rely on basic systems and aren't hard to figure out. Any mechanic should be able to work on them easily.
They're proudly made in the United States of America! They give people like me a job working on engines and building them in the United States.
Need to know about the Ford 3.5L EcoBoost motor?
Read about it's problems and high-points here at this article
focusing on Ford's boosted six-banger!
If I Own A Vehicle With One In It, What Can I Do To Keep It Running?
The NUMBER ONE thing you can do is make sure you keep our oil changed every 5,000 miles. Don't let them run low on oil, and consider using fuel injector cleaner fuel treatment every once in a while. They will serve you well and will run for a long time, if taken care of. Here are some quick links for some dependable products to help you maintain your 3.6L.
Oil Filter - https://amzn.to/4glQy5q
Oil (often 5W-30) - https://amzn.to/3MJGsh2
Air Filter - https://amzn.to/4d1AdA3
Oil Stabilizer - https://amzn.to/3XpZ2Qa
Should I Buy A Car With A Chrysler Pentastar Engine In It?
I'd absolutely recommend that to anyone. While there are some odd-ball engines that may be a few ticks from grenading, these engines are generally reliable and will serve you as well as you serve them.
In Conclusion...
I typically see one of these engines every day. They are extremely common and I hope this helps you come to a conclusion on what direction you will head in, if you are considering buying a Mopar/FCA North America vehicle with this Chrysler Pentastar engine in it.
Have you read these posts from The Carkeeper?
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