2012 Jeep JK Wrangler 3.6L V6 Pentastar Engine Oil Change Write-Up

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Changing your engine oil is a necessary part of routine maintenance and really, it's something that anyone can do. In fact, thanks to the design of the all new 3.6L V6 Pentastar engine, it's something that easier to do than ever before. This short write-up will explain in detail what all is involved and just how little you will need to do. And, after you done this on your own, I can almost guarantee that you’ll never take your Jeep back to your dealer or a shop to have it done for you again.

What you will need
• 13mm Socket
• Ratchet
• Crescent Wrench
• Small Flathead Screwdriver
• Oil Catch Pan
• Funnel
• Oil Filter Media
• 6 Quarts 5W30 Oil (meets or exceeds MS-6395)
• Empty Milk Jug
• Paper Towles

Brands & Part Numbers
The new 3.6L V6 Pentastar engine does not use a traditional can style oil filter but rather, uses a disposable filter media that is installed into the top of the engine. This makes changing your oil super easy and without any additional mess. The following are 3 different brands along with their part numbers that you can buy including one from your dealership:

• Mopar #68079744A
• STP #S10955
• WIX #57144

As far as oil goes, you can use traditional dino oil in your engine but, you need to make sure that meets or exceeds MS-6395 standards.

Instructions
Here’s a shot of everything you will need to change the oil in your 2012 Jeep JK Wrangler. As you can see, you will need 6 quarts of oil, a new filter media, some tools and a means to collect your used oil.
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1. Your engine cover is just snapped in place and to remove it, simply grab and lift it up as shown.
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2. Located the engine oil filler cap and rotate it counter clockwise until it stops. Do not remove the cap at this time.
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3. Climb under your Jeep and place an oil catch pan under the oil pan. Then, using a 13mm socket, loosen but DO NOT remove your engine's oil pan drain bolt.
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4. Using your fingers, carefully remove the drain bolt and allow the used oil to drain completely.
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5. Once completely drained, reinstall the drain bolt using a 13mm socket.
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6. Back up on top, locate the oil filter cap and use a crescent wrench to unscrew it.
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7. Carefully remove the filter cap with filter media attached as shown.
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8. Firmly grab the filer media and pull it off of the filter cap as shown.
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9. Use a small flathead screwdriver to carefully pry off and remove the rubber O-Ring installed on the filter cap.
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10. Take the new O-Ring that came with your new filter media and apply some of your old engine oil to it.
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11. Install the new O-Ring onto your filter cap.
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12. Install your new filter media onto the filter cap by pushing it in to it until it snaps in place.
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13. Carefully reinstall your filter cap with new filter media attached back into the top of your engine.
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14. Using a crescent wrench, carefully tighten the filter cap back in place. Please note that this cap is plastic and will break so make sure to NOT overtighten it.
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15. Remove the engine oil fill cap.
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16. Insert a funnel into the fill hole and pour in 6 quarts of oil.
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17. Reinstall your engines oil fill cap.
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18. Reinstall your engine cover by snapping it into place.
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That’s all there is to it. As mentioned, super simple and easily something that anyone can do. Please be sure to clean up your mess and take your used oil to a recycling center. Most autoparts store such as PepBoys, Kragen/Checkers will take your used oil free of charge. Please let me know if you have any questions. :cool:
 

Bullwinckle

Hooked
Sweet I thought it would be this simple, I just love the new 2012s even more now. haha Thanks Eddie for the write up! :thumb:
 

MTG

Caught the Bug
Are you running synthetic oil in rubicat? If so, can you educate me (us) on why you would do that? My extremely limited understanding of when people use synthetic is typically 1) on older engines and 2) ones that require it, neither of which is applicable to our 2012s. Also what interval are you doing your changes?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Are you running synthetic oil in rubicat? If so, can you educate me (us) on why you would do that? My extremely limited understanding of when people use synthetic is typically 1) on older engines and 2) ones that require it, neither of which is applicable to our 2012s. Also what interval are you doing your changes?

Yeah, running synth but not because it's necessarily better. Dino is fine so long as it's meets the requirements of Chrysler which, most oils do today. As far as intervals go, I know I'm gonna catch crap for it but... this was my very first change since getting Rubicat and that was over 10,000 miles ago :eek:
 

Bullwinckle

Hooked
Yeah, running synth but not because it's necessarily better. Dino is fine so long as it's meets the requirements of Chrysler which, most oils do today. As far as intervals go, I know I'm gonna catch crap for it but... this was my very first change since getting Rubicat and that was over 10,000 miles ago :eek:

:nono: No wonder that oil is so dirty... lol :cheesy:
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
:nono: No wonder that oil is so dirty... lol :cheesy:

:cheesy: if i recall, the owners manual recommends a change once every 8000 miles so i'm just a little bit over :D

today's new motors are far superior to ones from a long time ago and frequent oil changes simply aren't needed anymore. certainly, moby has over 100,000 miles on his original motor and it still works like a champ. :yup:
 

MTG

Caught the Bug
Delete the above or Chrysler will have proof enough to void your warranty...or what is left of it. :crazyeyes:

I think the owner's manual says 8K or 6 months. Maybe you are still within that window? I can't remember when you took delivery.

I thought I had a lot with 7K miles on mine. Clearly I am not driving enough. But I have changed my oil twice in that time.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Delete the above or Chrysler will have proof enough to void your warranty...or what is left of it. :crazyeyes:

I think the owner's manual says 8K or 6 months. Maybe you are still within that window? I can't remember when you took delivery.

I thought I had a lot with 7K miles on mine. Clearly I am not driving enough. But I have changed my oil twice in that time.

what's a warranty? :thinking: :idontknow:
 

Drumr90

New member
Wow got to be easiest oil change ive seen. Ive been runnin synthetic for past yr. i personaly feel older higher mile motors run better with synthetic.
 

ichthus

New member
Auto parts stores take your used oil for free, an then they sell it to a recycle center. We store the used oil in 5 gallon jugs and then my father-in-law sells it himself.
 

ichthus

New member
It's not a lot of cash, but he hates letting someone else make $ off his trash....and in this economy, it all makes a difference.
 

Drumr90

New member
ichthus said:
It's not a lot of cash, but he hates letting someone else make $ off his trash....and in this economy, it all makes a difference.

I agree with ya. We take ours to a local auto parts store witch he uses it to heat his building.
 

DMFNJ24601

New member
the 8k miles was pointed out to me by the salesman when I bought mine in Feb, he said to ignore it and change it every 3 to 4k miles.
 

nacho

New member
my change oil indicator came on at about 7500 miles. I think I have changed my oil 3 times so far. Granted I get mopar filters at cost and oil doesnt cost me anything. I am at 8300 miles and just replaced my air filter.. Man it is dusty here, actually noticed my fuel mileage slipping.
 

Jeepin it

New member
Its the same here in aus i have a 2012 3.6L and i was told to book my first service in at 10000km i was suprised there was not a 1000km check up or so on.
 

Billabong

New member
Thank you for the write up! Will be doing mine this weekend. 2K miles on the new engine, probably should have done it at 1K, but the Jeep Thing was busy on vacation. :)
 

dluber

New member
This is a great write-up. I just ordered a case (10) of the MOPAR oil filters for my 2012 and now I just need to get the oil. I will be using a full Synthetic oil in this new 2012, but I've been debating between Castrol and Mobil 1. I've seen a lot of folks using the 5W-30 Mobil 1 brand in their JKs. I've had great experience using Castrol in my previous vehicles so I need to decide if I'm going to make that switch.
 

jeffd

New member
This is a great write-up. I just ordered a case (10) of the MOPAR oil filters for my 2012 and now I just need to get the oil. I will be using a full Synthetic oil in this new 2012, but I've been debating between Castrol and Mobil 1. I've seen a lot of folks using the 5W-30 Mobil 1 brand in their JKs. I've had great experience using Castrol in my previous vehicles so I need to decide if I'm going to make that switch.

Not that it really matters but Mobil 1 synthetic does not meet Chrysler specs (ms-6395) at this time. It seems bogus to me but Mobil 1 says that Chrysler requires a 2 year test and while they fully expect they meet the standards it has not been completed yet. google ms-6395 oil spec
 
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