Overview

If you have a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee and you’re seeing oil pooling on top of the engine (or smelling burning oil), there’s a good chance you’re dealing with a common failure: the plastic oil filter housing / oil cooler assembly. These housings can warp over time, the seals can get crushed, or the housing can crack—especially if the oil filter cap was over-tightened.

This guide follows a real repair and walks you through how to confirm the leak, access the housing, replace it with an aluminum upgrade, and torque everything correctly so it stays dry.

If you want to see the full repair here is the video:

Quick Diagnosis: Check for Oil in the “V” of the Engine

The oil filter sits on top of the engine under a small access panel.

Remove the access panel

1.       Remove the T30 Torx screw.

2.       Pop up each corner—there are four clips.

3.       Lift the cover off.

Use your phone flashlight trick

Turn on your phone flashlight and aim it down beside the oil filter. If you see a shiny reflection, that may be pooled oil on top of the engine—a classic sign the housing seal has failed (warped housing or cracked from over-torque).

Recommendation: Replace the plastic housing with an aluminum housing. This is such a common failure that the upgrade is worth it.

Tools & Parts Used

Tools

·       T30 Torx

·       10 mm socket/wrench

·       8 mm socket (lower intake bolts)

·       5/16” nut driver/socket (hose clamps)

·       E8 external Torx socket (housing bolts)

·       15/16” socket (oil pressure sensor)

·       Pick tool / trim tool (clips, hose loosening, connectors)

·       Torque wrench (inch-lbs + ft-lbs)

Tools that made this job much easier

·       Extended ratcheting hose clamp pliers (the rear clamp is the hardest part)

·       Bungee cords (to hold the manifold up)

·       Turkey baster (to remove oil/coolant pooled in the valley)

Parts & supplies

·       Aluminum oil filter housing/oil cooler assembly

·       Intake gasket kit (lower + upper gaskets)

·       Thread sealant (oil pressure sensor)

·       Brake cleaner + paper towels

·       Oil + filter

·       Coolant (you’ll drain some)

Step-by-Step Replacement Guide

1) Disconnect the battery

You’ll be disconnecting a lot of electronics, so start here. On the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the negative battery terminal is under the front passenger seat: slide the seat forward, pop up the plastic cover (lift at the corners), and use a 10 mm to disconnect the negative terminal. If your Jeep has an auxiliary battery, disconnect that negative terminal too.

2) Remove the air intake

4.       Loosen the first 5/16 hose clamp.

5.       Remove the air temp sensor: pull the small red tab up, then disconnect.

6.       Loosen the second 5/16 hose clamp.

7.       Disconnect the hose from the throttle body first.

8.       Tug the intake tube free from the rear push connectors and remove the intake assembly.

3) Unplug connectors and move the harness

Disconnect the wiring harnesses (throttle body, MAP sensor, and nearby connectors), then move the harness out of the way by removing the engine-cover mount peg, a 10 mm bracket bolt, and the connector with the green tab (pop up, slide off). Remove the 10 mm nut that becomes accessible behind it, pop the tree connectors with a trim tool, slide the harness aside, and rotate the bracket up so you can slide it around the connector.

4) Remove brackets, lines, and hoses around the manifold

·       Remove the bracket below the EGR valve (10 mm nut).

·       Disconnect the electrical connection to the vacuum (push in, pull off).

·       Behind the manifold, disconnect the airline with the green quick connect.

·       Remove the two additional brackets (10 mm nuts).

·       Remove hoses on the side using hose pliers (twist + lift to avoid damage).

·       Release clipped lines using a screwdriver and trim tool.

5) Remove the lower intake (8 bolts) and loosen the EGR hose

Remove the eight 8 mm bolts holding the lower intake. Then loosen the hose at the EGR valve. A pick tool helps—work your way around the hose to break the seal. Remove the foam pad (it sits on the passenger side; mark the front so it goes back the same way).

Critical: Stuff paper towels into every intake port so nothing falls into the engine.

6) Lift the lower manifold and secure it

Gently lift the lower intake manifold and use bungee cords to hold it up. Add paper towels into the exposed ports (again) before moving forward. Now you have full access to the oil filter housing/oil cooler.

7) Remove the oil filter housing (E8 external Torx)

Disconnect the harness behind the housing by pushing the gray clip up, squeezing, and pulling it free. Remove the five E8 bolts (three accessible and two behind the cooler). Lift the housing up—this is where you’ll often see oil and coolant pooled in the V of the engine.

8) Clean the valley and drain coolant below housing level

Before disconnecting the coolant line, remove pooled oil/coolant from the valley. A turkey baster works well and keeps things controlled. Then drain about two quarts of coolant so the coolant level is below the housing height. On this 2019, the radiator drain plug is a red dial near the bottom of the radiator (front/driver side area). Once drained, remove the rear hose clamp and pull the old housing out.

9) Prep the new aluminum housing

The old plastic housing may not show obvious cracks, but seals can be flattened/crushed and stop sealing. The aluminum replacement eliminates warping concerns and typically comes with O-rings that stand taller for a better seal. If your connector doesn’t match, swap the old connector onto the new unit if your kit allows it.

10) Transfer the oil pressure sensor

Reuse the oil pressure sensor using a 15/16 socket. Apply a small amount of thread sealant and tighten to about 16 ft-lbs. Lightly oil all O-rings on the new housing so they seat cleanly.

11) Install the new housing (hardest part: rear hose clamp)

The rear hose is rigid and awkward. Put a little soapy water on the pipe to help the hose slide on (once dry, it grips). Use extended ratcheting hose clamp pliers to hold the clamp open while positioning. Slide the hose fully on, then work the clamp higher into the correct position. Once the clamp is seated, gently seat the housing and confirm bolt holes are aligned.

12) Install bolts and torque to spec

Hand-thread the E8 bolts first to avoid cross-threading.

·       Torque the five housing bolts to 106 in-lbs using a cross pattern.

13) Verify the filter and torque the cap

Open the new housing and confirm the filter and O-ring are present. Add a little oil to the cap O-ring. Torque the oil filter cap to 18 ft-lbs. Before reassembly, it’s smart to check the cooler screws (T30) are at about 35 in-lbs.

14) Replace intake gaskets and reinstall the lower intake

Replace the intake gaskets with the new ones from the kit (they often stand a bit taller). Remove ALL paper towels from ports before lowering the intake. Lower carefully while watching gasket alignment and harness routing. Thread bolts gently, snug, then torque in the proper pattern.

15) Install the upper intake (alignment tips)

Tips that help: come in from the side with the foam pad underneath; use painter’s tape on bolts so they don’t drop and disturb gaskets; the EGR hose fights you—get it on while sliding the intake into place; use bungees to hold vacuum lines out of the way; and keep checking alignment with a flashlight underneath.

·       Torque the upper intake bolts to 89 in-lbs in the proper pattern.

16) Reconnect battery and final checks

Reconnect the negative battery terminal(s). Then either top off oil and coolant or perform an oil change/flush depending on contamination. After a short drive, re-check for leaks. After about 30 minutes of driving, this repair was bone dry.

Torque Specs (Quick Reference)

·       Oil filter housing bolts: 106 in-lbs

·       Upper intake bolts: 89 in-lbs

·       Oil pressure sensor: ~16 ft-lbs

·       Oil filter cap: 18 ft-lbs

·       Cooler screws (T30): ~35 in-lbs (check)

FAQ

Why does the Jeep oil filter housing fail? It’s plastic and sees constant heat cycles; seals compress over time and the housing can warp or crack.

What’s the biggest “tell” the housing is leaking? Oil pooled in the “V” of the engine under the oil filter area.

Should I replace it with aluminum? Yes. It’s the most reliable long-term fix.

What’s the hardest part of the job? The rear coolant hose clamp behind the housing—extended hose clamp pliers help a lot.