Jeep Liberty 3.7 Engine Problems: Reliability, Specs & Reviews

The engine used in the Jeep Liberty is a 3.7L one. It is commonly known as the PowerTech engine. It is a pretty reliable and decent option to have under the hood of your vehicle.

The V6 engine has received high praises from almost all users who had the chance to experience its power.

No matter what, the PowerTech is an engine that comes with its own sets of faults.

Let’s look at some of the more common Jeep Liberty 3.7 engine problems that caused problems for customers.

1. Valve Seat Failure
2. Failure Of The Piston Rings
3. Problems With The PCV Valve
4. Stuck Lash Adjusters

I know some of these problems may sound dangerous or irreparable. Do not worry, as this article will focus on all these problems and elaborate on how to address them.

So, without any further ado, let’s jump straight into it!

The 4 Most Common Dodge/Jeep 3.7 Liter V6 PowerTech Engine Problems

As promised, we will now be discussing all of the four issues that I highlighted above.

So, let’s begin with the first one!

1. Valve Seat Failure

Function

The valve seats, present in the engine, have the sole purpose of keeping all intake valves and the exhaust sealed.

When a valve closes, it rests directly on the valve seat. This ensures that there will be sufficient cylinder compression at all times.

The Issue

So, what would happen if the valve seat on the engine fails?

Well, if a cylinder does not have enough compression, then it becomes useless. Losing a cylinder has a serious effect on vehicle performance.

Some of you may be wondering about the root cause of this issue. Many of you may have suspected it; the culprit is engine heat.

Unfortunately, the valve seats used in the 3.7L engine are not durable enough to handle the high engine temperature.

Damage And Symptoms

Apart from the noticeably poor performance, you can easily observe several things that can confirm the issue. The engine will have:

• A loss in compression.
• Unexpected power loss.
• Hesitation while accelerating.
• Unexpected misfires while driving.

If your engine is checking all of these four boxes, the chances are that the valve seats have failed. It is advised to fix the issue as soon as possible.

The engine is working using five cylinders instead of six means that some of you may not even notice the performance drop.

But if the symptoms are present, then you should get the engine checked without any delay.

Well, that is only one reason. The problem can go misdiagnosed easily because misfires are a common symptom of failing spark plugs and ignition coils.

You should get the check-up done by a professional to ensure that this is indeed the issue.

2. Failure Of The Piston Rings

Some of you may not know what a piston ring is. Well, it is a part of the engine that protects the piston from touching the cylinder wall.

If the ring fails and the piston touches the cylinder wall, you can expect major engine failure.

The Problem

In the case of the 3.7L PowerTech, the rings have a design flaw. The grooves on the rings, called ring lands, help create a seal to protect the piston from touching the cylinder wall.

Well, the rings, due to the design flaw, produce too much heat. The heat causes many issues, one of which I will discuss further in the article.

The high heat output can damage various engine parts, such as the cooling system and valves.

If critical parts like this are compromised, they will leave the engine in unusable condition.

Commonality

Although this issue did occur with a few users, it was still very uncommon.

You may be wondering that what the problems are doing on this article then. Well, it is one of the only four problems that users reported.

There were no more, so it needed to be included in this article. This tells you that although the engine has different problems, the list is not that extensive.

You can get all of them repaired at one time, and the mechanic bill won’t be that long!

Damage

Let me give you a brief outline of what could happen when the ring landing produces excessive heat:

• A failure of the coolant system will lead to overheating.
• The quick-burning of oil means that you will require a refill soon.
• Pistons and valves could warp, which is expensive to fix.

These are the things that will be affected first if the landing rings fail. They will be easily noticeable.

So, you need to get the Jeep towed to the nearest mechanic as soon as possible, so he can confirm the issue and fix it.

3. Problems With The PCV Valve

Function

PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation. Now, I know the name sounds like it belongs to something important. Unfortunately, it is a part of the exhaust system.

The PCV valve has been designed to release gases that may have escaped from the exhaust system and made their way down to the crankcase.

The crankcase is the place where oil is stored, at the bottom of the engine. The valve mostly does not cause any issues for engines.

But there have been instances where the valve got stuck due to the gases. With it being unable to move, it will not be able to release the escaped gases.

Symptoms

So, what happens if the PCV valve stops doing the one thing it is supposed to do. You will not like the answer. The gases can gunk the oil up, which will turn into sludge.

As the engine has not been designed to handle such a fluid running in its pipes, several issues can occur:

• There can be an oil leak due to seal or gasket breakage.
• The valve cover may leak too.
• The fuel economy will drop.
• The engine will perform poorly.

The sludge-like oil is difficult to use in combustion. The process will be incomplete, which will give off toxic fumes.

Plus, the incomplete combustion will translate to poor performance, which will be easily noticeable.

The hesitation while accelerating and reduced fuel efficiency are things that will be noticed almost immediately.

If you do, you must get the vehicle checked immediately, so the issue can be diagnosed and fixed as soon as it arrives.

Repair

Fortunately, the repair of the valve is easy and will not cost you too much. The whole valve will need to be replaced.

Plus, the replacement is easy, so you don’t even need to get a mechanic for the job.

You can do it from the comfort of your home. If you choose to do it yourself, you also get the opportunity to know more about the engine’s inner workings.

4. Stuck Lash Adjusters

Background

As many of you readers may already know, the 3.7L PowerTech is a SOHC engine. In engines like this one, the camshaft is found inside the cylinder head.

So, there are no lifters present in the engine. But what it does have are lash adjusters, which perform a similar role.

The adjusters are installed in the cylinder head. Their only function is to ensure that the valve and the cam follower don’t have any clearance between them.

The Issue

You may be wondering what could go wrong with a part that has such a simple function.

Well, over time, the adjusters can get stuck. I did mention before that the sludgy oil caused problems.

Well, this is another one. The thick oil can make the adjuster dislodge and stop working.

The valve will stop working completely, which can cause many issues. So, what does happen is the lash adjusters get stuck.

You are bound to run into various issues, such as:

• Rough idling.
• Unexpected misfires.
• Poor acceleration.
• Ticking sound coming from the engine.

Now, these symptoms can be caused due to a variety of reasons. So, they cannot confirm if there is a lash adjuster issue.

But, if all of them are happening at once, then there is a high probability that the adjusters might be the source of the problem.

Replacement

Fortunately, there is a very small chance that more than one adjuster in your engine needs to be changed. As there is one adjuster for every cylinder, it is isolated.

You can get a new lifter, the same as the old one, or get an upgraded one, which is more reliable.

This way, you can rest assured that the chances of the problem repeating itself are incredibly low.

What Is The Jeep Liberty 3.7 Engine?

The Jeep Liberty 3.7L engine goes by the name of Powertech, something I also mentioned in the intro of this article.

Although the lineup debuted in 1998, it wasn’t until 2002 when Chrysler also started making the 3.7L variant.

The engine was used in trucks and SUVs. No car was lucky enough to get the beast under its hood. The engine can output a very decent 210 HP and 235 lb. ft of torque.

It is more than enough for anyone who wants to use their vehicles for racing or other similar activities.

The engine has a unique counter-rotating shaft that helped absorb most of the produced vibrations. It is very effective at its job.

And, the engine is a SOHC one. It uses sequential fuel injection. If you want to know more, a spec sheet has all of this information and much more.

Is The Jeep Liberty 3.7 Engine Reliable?

Now, this is an interesting question. Although users were happy with the engine’s performance, they were not so thrilled about its reliability.

It is true that the issues it had were unique and were rare to see on engines. This made the repair or replacement much harder.

Take the four options I discussed above. None of them are ones that commonly cause problems in other engines.

This repairs harder for the mechanic, too, because there is a high probability that he has not fixed a repair like this before.

There is no doubt that the engine runs great. That has been the consensus of almost everyone who owns a vehicle with it under the hood.

But the engine requires repair for parts that are supposed to last a lifetime means that it is not that reliable.

If you do decide to get it, I would suggest spending a bit more to get the Jeep Liberty 33.7L engine problems diagnosed and repaired as soon as possible.

What Cars Use The Jeep Liberty 3.7 Engine?

The engine was featured in multiple vehicles throughout its lifetime. The first vehicle was the highly popular Ram 1500.

It was a great truck, and with this engine under the hood, the performance was outstanding.

The truck rocked this engine from 2002 to 2010. The Ram 1500, from 2011 to 2012, again used this 3.7L engine.

The Jeep Liberty was also released in the same year, and it used the engine up until 2012. That is one whole decade with the same engine!

The Dodge M80, in 2002, was also unveiled with this beast under the hood. But it was not seen again on this vehicle.

The Dodge Durango was released alongside this engine from 2004 to 2009. The same was the case for the Dodge Dakota, but it used the engine for two years more, up until 2011.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee, in 2005, came fitted with this bad boy under the hood. It came with the same engine up until 2010.

Other vehicles that came with the PowerTech engine were the 2006-2010 Jeep Commander, Mitsubishi Raider, and the 2007-2011 Dodge Nitro.

Jeep Liberty 3.7L Engine Specs

The Benefits Of Choosing The Jeep Liberty 3.7L Engine

I think the answer to the reliability question made you question your decision to buy the PowerTech engine.

I have stated, more than once, that the engine is an excellent performer. Like all engines, it may need work after some time.

Let me outline some of the benefits of it:

• Newer models had an improved compression ratio.
• The electronic throttle body was added in 2007, and later models.
• It is the 4.7L V8, but with two fewer cylinders.
• The engine can easily cross the 200000-mile mark.
• Parts can be replaced before time to make certain problems never arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is The 3.7 PowerTech A Good Engine?

In terms of performance, it is an excellent one. But, when it comes to reliability, a few points have to be taken off.

But, with the proper maintenance and regular check-ups, you will hopefully never encounter the above-discussed issues.

Other than that, you have nothing to worry about with this bad boy.

Q2. How Can I Get More Power From My PowerTech Engine?

The answer depends on how much you are willing to spend on achieving your goal. If you aim to spend as little money as possible, then the answer is a new exhaust system.

You won’t believe it, but a new exhaust system can make a night and day difference. You can expect an increase in HP from the upgrade too!

Q.3 How Long Will My 3.7L Engine Last?

You don’t have to worry about much, except for the issues above. Even with these issues, users reported that they reached the 200000-mile and sometimes even the 300000-mile limit.

This means that the engine is certainly equipped to handle long-term usage.

But this is only possible if you keep it maintained at all times and don’t take time to get any problems repaired.

Q4. What Does A 3.7 V6 Engine Weight?

If you plan to swap your vehicle’s old engine with a new one, then I must say that it is certainly a good idea.

You will be giving your old vehicle a new lease on life. The engine’s weight is 1822 kg, to be exact. If you have the right tools, you could perform the job at home.

Q5. What Is The 3.7 Magnum V6?

I have had this question asked several times in my previous articles. The Magnum V6 is the same engine as the PowerTech V6.

I don’t know why the company releases the same thing with different names. All it does is confuse consumers when they are looking to buy a new engine.

Conclusion

If you read through this entire article, then I must say that your decision to buy a vehicle equipped with the 3.7 PowerTech engine won’t sit right with everyone.

Well, fortunately for you, I have fully detailed all of the common Jeep Liberty 3.7 engine problems.

If you get a vehicle equipped with this engine, you can get all of these problems fixed before they cause an issue.

After that, you will not have to worry about a thing. I hope the included buying guide helped in clarifying some of your questions and confusion.

And I hope that this article may have helped you in deciding if the Magnum V6 is worth it or not.

Resources:
1. https://www.vehiclehistory.com/articles/jeep-3-7l-engine-problems-to-know-of-before-buying
2. https://tuningpro.co/dodge-jeep-37l-powertech-v6-engine-problems/
3. https://www.cashcarsbuyer.com/jeep-liberty-3-7-engine-problems/