WARNING: Don't Do Your EcoDiesel Oil & Filter Change Until You Read This!

The Truth About EcoDiesel Maintenance

The 2 big mistakes Ecodiesel owners make when it comes to routine maintenance on their rigs are:

1. Believing the instrument cluster oil life gauge when it tells you what percentage of oil life is left.

2. Using the manual as a guide to tell you what mileage to change the other (engine air, fuel, cabin air) all the other critical filters on the vehicle.

This guide gives you the full, tried-and-true maintenance method going beyond a Ecodiesel oil filter change and includes the 3 often forgotten filters that keep your Wrangler EcoDiesel (and Gladiator/Ram models) running great. I'll show you what my quick 6-minute video covers, but here, we'll get into the nitty-gritty. As a fellow Jeep owner in dusty Las Cruces, NM, I've honed this process to be quick, efficient, and budget-friendly, so I can service my ride every 5,000 miles.

I don't use my oil life gauge to guide me on maintenance intervals. I change my oil every 5000 mile and my air filter, fuel filter and cabin air filters at the same time.

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The Critical Mistake: Why The EcoDiesel Oil & All Filters Change is Essential

Why You Can't Skip the Fuel Filter

Here's the deal with diesel engines: they need you to be super picky about keeping the fuel clean, way more than gas engines do. That's the main takeaway from the "WARNING" in the title. If your fuel filter gets clogged or isn't working right, it can quietly cause some serious damage, like messing up the injectors or the high-pressure fuel pump, which can cost you big time. Want to know about the different types of diesel fuel available? See my Comparing Diesel Fuels article here.

The mess associated with changing the fuel filter might put some folks off but it actually is not that bad. The benefits to your motor far outweigh having to deal with a little diesel fuel.

The Doc's Diesel Filter Kit: 4 OEM Quality Filters That Help Make Diesel Maintenance Affordable

The EcoDiesel Fuel Filter is often overlooked by DIYers focused only on oil, but neglecting it dramatically increases the chance of a catastrophic breakdown. We don't just change the fuel filter—we use the best. By purchasing the filter kit from Doc's Diesel Filters, I discovered I can change the oil filter, the engine air filter, the fuel filter, and the cabin air filter for about roughly the same price as a single oil filter from the dealer. That’s why I can afford to do my maintenance twice as often as recommended!

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Doc's Diesel Combo Filter Kit (All 4 Filters In One Place) Very Convenient and Easy

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Easy DIY Maintenance: Step by Step How I Change The Oil & Filters On My Wrangler & Gladiator Ecodiesels

It is critical to use a good quality full synthetic oil in the 3.0 Liter Ecodiesel that meets the Chrysler MS-129991 oil designation. The oil is a important part of the emissions system and is designed to be "Low Ash Producing." Check this article out to learn about Ash and motor oils.

Part 1: The Oil Change: Tip And Tricks To Make It Easier

Warm the engine and sing a 13 mm socket remove the drain plug and let the oil flow! There are 9 quarts in there so make sure your drain pan can handle it.

The oil filter is not difficult to access but there are a couple components in the way. I always place some rags under it to catch any drips that come out of the filter when its removed. A 27 mm or 1 1/16" socket is required and a extension.

There will be some residual oil left in oil filter housing. I use a rag to soak it up and get it out.

The O Rings on the new Cartridge Filter have to be lubricated prior to installing it. I just use some fresh motor oil I keep in this little dispenser then I rub it around.

Carefully thread the new oil filter into the housing and use a torque wrench to tighten to 25 Newton Meters. Its critical to torque this filter. You don't want it too tight or too loose. I bought a cheap filter years ago and it had a smaller O ring than the Doc's or OEM filters have and fell out while I was at Joshua Tree NP. That was a nightmare! Check out that story here to see what I had to do to fix it here.

The oil is filled through here. The cap locks in pretty well and can be hard to remove. I always oil the gasket on it before I put it back in place. Use a funnel to avoid the mess of oil.

Make sure you have replaced the oil filler plug before filling up the oil or you will find one heck of a mess under your vehicle. I use Amsoil, it's a little more expensive and harder to find. The dealer uses Pennzoil Platinum Euro (Amazon). Any oil that meets the Chrysler MS-12991 designation is fine. It takes 9 quarts but I add 8 1/2 and check the oil level after running the motor. I'm kind of a oil snob but I've used a lot of the Pennzoil.

You will want to reset the oil life meter in the instrument cluster when your done. Simply get to this screen and hit the "OK" button to reset.

Make sure you dispose of the waste oil properly. Many of the auto parts stores accept it. I find they are often full so I bring mine to our local transfer station where they have a large tank I pour it into. Its free because waste oil is actually quite valuable.

Oil Change Complete! That Was Slick!

I began my illustrious career as an oil-changing prodigy at the tender age of 9 or 10. Every time I give my car a fresh dose of oil, I swear it starts humming a happy tune and running like it's auditioning for a car commercial. Of course, that might just be my overactive imagination. But hey, regular oil changes are like spa treatments for your engine—they help it live a long, happy life and perform like a superstar!

Part 2: Fuel Filter Change - Often Neglected But Incredibly Important

The fuel filter is located on the driver side under the vehicle just inside the frame. It is protected by a heavy skid guard. The filter is also a water seperator. A notch in the gard allows access to a petcock that is used for draining water from the fuel when the dash light notifies you of that condition. Use a 10 mm socket to remove the 3 bolts and the filter is accessible.

Use the petcock to drain fuel into a container. After that use a 28 mm socket to remove the filter housing cap and the filter will come out also. There will still be fuel left in the filter so be sure to use a drain pan to catch it.

The fuel filter housing cap and fuel filter will come out together and need to be seperated.

The petcock used for draining water from fuel. Petcock needs to line up with notch in skid plate when filter is installed and fuel filter housing cover is threaded back in.

The new fuel filter will come with a new O ring that must be installed on the fuel filter housing. Remove old O ring and discard. The fuel filter also has a O ring in the end. Both O rings need to be lubricated prior to installation.

Insert the new filter into the filter housing and twist till it locks into postition.

Thread the Fuel Filter Housing Cap back into the housing. Rotate is till its tight and postition the petcock so it lines up with the notch in the Fuel Filter Skid Plate.

Replace the skid plate and tighten up the 3 10 mm bolts. Filter is now empty of fuel. To start turn the start button to run with foot off the brake for 30 seconds and pump should refill the filter with fuel. Try starting and if it does not start repeat the first procedure.

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Wear Gloves To Protect Your Hands From Nasty Chemicals

These gloves work with the phone! I don't have to remove them to use my iphone and that is handy. Thorgrip (the raised bumps) really work and these gloves have a great feel.

Check The Price Of These Titanflex Thorgrip Gloves On Amazon

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Part 3: The Air Filter Change: The Easiest Way to Give Your Car a Breath of Fresh Air

4 10 mm bolt/screws hold the air filter housing on. Remove those bolts and move the housing out of the way to get at the air filter.

Step 4: The Cabin Air Filter: Wait, My Car Has A Filter For The Air I Breathe?

Who knew our cars were secretly air purifiers? How many people even have a clue about this hidden gem? Its in a strange place but I'll show you in my photos.

The cabin air filter is located behind the glove compartment.

Open the Glove Compartment all the way to access the cabin air filters. It is 1 filter built in 2 pieces.

Squeeze the clips and remove the rectangular door.

Remove the filters and replace with the new ones. Remember the filters airflow points down.

Conclusion: The Proven Way to Peace of Mind

The core message of my EcoDiesel filter change is simple: The PROVEN method isn't just about speed; it's about completeness (Oil + Fuel + Air + Cabin). By taking just a few minutes, you save hundreds of dollars and add thousands of miles to the life of your Jeep EcoDiesel.

The best way to learn is by watching.

WATCH THE FULL 6 MINUTE VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/jKou5YknrUM

Call To Action:

Check out more DIY articles on The Muddy Ruttzz Gazette and my videos on Muddy Ruttzz Youtube. I have awesome overlanding adventures too. Thanks for visiting my website!

#EcoDiesel #JeepWrangler #FuelFilterChange #DIYMaintenance #MuddyRuttzz #EcoDieselFilterChange #Amsoil #DocsDieselFilters #DieselService #JeepLife #WranglerJL #SaveMoneyDIY

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