Dorman oil cooler and Felpro gasket kit?

[Moab]

1) Is the current best option for oil cooler replacement the aluminum Dorman unit with separate Felpro gaskets? If so, which Dorman unit and which Felpro gaskets? I read that the aluminum Dorman is better than the plastic OEM unit. But that the Dorman gaskets don't fit right or last.

2) I have a horrible radiator fluid smell in the cab and around the front of the engine bay. Could this be caused by a faulty oil cooler? No leaks in the heater core system. But no heat coming from the heater either.

3) It never overheats driving around town. But it did overheat two or three needle widths driving up a long steep hill a couple months ago. Could this be the oil cooler too?

4) I had the codes pulled three times in the last 3 months. Once by the dealer and once by my old local mechanic. Both times I got code P06dd - (Engine Oil Pressure Control Circuit Stuck Off. Dealer wanted to replace the oil pump.) Had to switch to another mechanic this week. He did not get this code. But got the code showing the oil cooler needed replaced. Why would I suddenly not get the P06DD code but now get the oil cooler code?

These are Amazon links to what I found. Best price I could find too:

926-959 Upgraded Aluminum Engine Oil Filter Housing with Oil Cooler Sensors and Gaskets Compatible with Dodge Charger Challenger Journey, Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500 2500 3500, Chrysler 200 300 3.6L V6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BV9Z9KRF/?tag=jkforum-20

FEL-PRO ES 73012 Oil Cooler Gasket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CACYUII/?tag=jkforum-20

 

[JeepJeezy]

The only thing I can chime in on is, you don't need the Fel-Pro gaskets kit. Your new Dorman unit comes with new gaskets and they work perfectly. After you replace the oil cooler, reset your ecu and see if the new sensors make your codes go away.

 

[Moab]

The only thing I can chime in on is, you don't need the Fel-Pro gaskets kit. Your new Dorman unit comes with new gaskets and they work perfectly. After you replace the oil cooler, reset your ecu and see if the new sensors make your codes go away.

There are many long term reports of Dorman oil coolers going bad after a year a so from bad gaskets. The $10 worth of felpro gaskets seems like cheap insurance. I generally use felpro on anything I can. However the Dorman was recently renamed "Upgraded". So the gasket issue may have been fixed. But I have not read any reports that confirm that.

Turns out my radiator fluid smell is do to a leak in my radiator. Replacing it this week. My heater issue is a blend door. Which is gonna have to wait. Unless I get the time and balls to take the dash apart. Looking at replacing my stereo with a double din android unit. Which requires replacing a couple large sections of dash. So I may wait until then to deal with the blend door issue.

All in all not bad. Previous owner was convinced it had a bad head gasket or warped head. So he sold it to me for $6000+ off blue book. I'm pretty sure the oil cooler and radiator replacement will solve this issue.

 

[SteveF]

There are many long term reports of Dorman oil coolers going bad after a year a so from bad gaskets. The $10 worth of felpro gaskets seems like cheap insurance. I generally use felpro on anything I can. However the Dorman was recently renamed "Upgraded". So the gasket issue may have been fixed. But I have not read any reports that confirm that.

Turns out my radiator fluid smell is do to a leak in my radiator. Replacing it this week. My heater issue is a blend door. Which is gonna have to wait. Unless I get the time and balls to take the dash apart. Looking at replacing my stereo with a double din android unit. Which requires replacing a couple large sections of dash. So I may wait until then to deal with the blend door issue.

All in all not bad. Previous owner was convinced it had a bad head gasket or warped head. So he sold it to me for $6000+ off blue book. I'm pretty sure the oil cooler and radiator replacement will solve this issue

Is your issue with the blend air door the motor or the door itself? If it's the motor then you don't have to tear your dash apart. There are YouTube videos that show you how to do it. I did mine about a month ago.

 

[JerryD]

There are many long term reports of Dorman oil coolers going bad after a year a so from bad gaskets. The $10 worth of felpro gaskets seems like cheap insurance. I generally use felpro on anything I can. However the Dorman was recently renamed "Upgraded". So the gasket issue may have been fixed. But I have not read any reports that confirm that.

Turns out my radiator fluid smell is do to a leak in my radiator. Replacing it this week. My heater issue is a blend door. Which is gonna have to wait. Unless I get the time and balls to take the dash apart. Looking at replacing my stereo with a double din android unit. Which requires replacing a couple large sections of dash. So I may wait until then to deal with the blend door issue.

All in all not bad. Previous owner was convinced it had a bad head gasket or warped head. So he sold it to me for $6000+ off blue book. I'm pretty sure the oil cooler and radiator replacement will solve this issue.

Just curious, was the radiator leak at the expansion tank? That's the usual culprit. Are you replacing with OEM or aftermarket?

 

[Moab]

Is your issue with the blend air door the motor or the door itself? If it's the motor then you don't have to tear your dash apart. There are YouTube videos that show you how to do it. I did mine about a month ago.

I have not run the diagnostics for the heater issue myself yet. But plan too. My mechanic said it was most likely a blend door. But I don't know what diagnistics he did. He did check the heater core and lines and observed no leak.

But I find forums and yt videos to be better informed on vehicle specific issues like this. I do have a couple videos saved that walk you thru the diagnostic process to figure out exactly why no heat is coming out. Which I plan to do myself. With the other repairs I dont have the money to let my mechanic chase down this issue. Especially if he wants to take the dash apart. And I know some solutions to yhe no heat issue dont require that. Like you say.

One example of mechanics not being able to be up to date on every single issue with every single vehicle make and model is the oil cooler. He was convinced that we needed to use the oem oil cooler. But we both know the Dorman all aluminum oil cooler is the way to go. So I bought all the parts myself. But that is another reason I love my mechanic. He doesn't mind me supplying my own parts. He did insist on oem oil temp and pressure sensors. But I didn't fight him on that. The Dorman ones were cheaper. But I found oem for a reasonable price.

 

[Moab]

Just curious, was the radiator leak at the expansion tank? That's the usual culprit. Are you replacing with OEM or after

I don't recall the location of the leak exactly. I want to say drivers side lower corner. The original radiator has 122k on it. So it performed fairly well.

I found an oem radiator at northrideg4x4 for $362. So I'm having my mechanic swap that. The only aftermarket one I could find good forum reviews on was a $500-$600 higher performance unit. I do not recall the name. But I have no need for a high performance one.

I will just be glad to get rid of this nasty radiator fluid smell. Its pretty bad.

 

[JerryD]

x1000 on his recommendation for OEM sensors.

Sounds about right with the radiator. I've gone through a few radiators on my JK's. For the price, I don't think there is a better alternative to the mopar one.

Good luck

 

[Moab]

x1000 on his recommendation for OEM sensors.

Sounds about right with the radiator. I've gone through a few radiators on my JK's. For the price, I don't think there is a better alternative to the mopar one.

Good luck

Thanks man.