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crodude

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hey FOlks,

Just picked up a trailer hitch from UHAUL for the Pat and they also sold me a wiring harness that has an electronic control module to power the trailer that hooks up directly to the battery. In order to hook it up I have to run a 14 awg wire to the battery terminal from the back.

My question is, should I just run this wire under the car or is there a simple, but better way to get that wire to the front of the car that is a little more protected? Heck, is it acceptable just to tap directly off the Pat's lights? If anyone has any experience with this, advice would be greatly appreciated.

A second question, should I get the engine oil cooler if I only tow occasionally, and only have to tow 2000 lbs about once a year for about a week (up to 2hours total per day).

Thanks for any help anyone can offer!

- Crodude
 
#2 ·
If you can get the vehicle on a hoist you may find a wiring conduit you can run wire in or fasten wire to. However if you cannot get wire in an existing conduit and want to run wire under the vehicle, while you are at NAPA or where ever get a small diameter wiring conduit to run the new wire in and some zip ties to fasten it to the underside. It is only marginally more costly and it will give you a cleaner more durable install. Oh and make sure you have more than you need because it is better to have and not need than to need and not have.
 
#3 ·
Dont forget to add a fuse at the battery end. A 20 amp is whats in my fuse box for the trailer.
As for the oil cooler. I think they all should come with one stock, but they dont. So I would get one if you can afford it.
Oops just remembered. Behind the wiring grommet on the drivers side tail light there is a hot wire you can probably hook the trailer wire to. It was a 20 amp fuse already in the fuse box. At least on my 08 there is.
 
#4 ·
crodude said:
Heck, is it acceptable just to tap directly off the Pat's lights?

A second question, should I get the engine oil cooler if I only tow occasionally, and only have to tow 2000 lbs about once a year for about a week (up to 2hours total per day).
Click to expand...
No it's not acceptable to tap directly off the Patriot's lights. The Patriot's lights are controlled by the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM). The light switch simply sends a signal to the TIPM to turn on the lights, or flashers or turn signals etc... The TIPM actually switches the lights on or off. Adding more bulbs to the circuit, messes up the current load on the TIPM, and makes it think something is wrong. (in simple terms) That's why the OEM harness has relays in it, and the aftermarket harness you got has that module in it and also needs a battery feed.

The Patriot is only rates at 1000 pounds without the oil cooler. From looking at the parts manual, it seems it would be pretty easy to install, and I don't think it costs all that much either. I'd put one on if it were mine and I planned to tow anything at all.

YMMV
 
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Discussion starter · #5 ·
Thanks for the advice!

I've never really been part of a forum before, but being a "do it myself" kind of guy, and the jeep being so new (which means there is little literature out there) I am finding this site absolutely awesome! Thanks all for you help and advice!

I'll definatley install the power module for towing and I'll be getting an engine oil cooler! Thanks for all the help folks! It is greatly appreciated!

Crodude
 
#6 ·
Simon said:
As for the oil cooler. I think they all should come with one stock, but they dont. So I would get one if you can afford it.
Click to expand...
I have an 07 FD II with Low gear. Does my Pat have an oil cooler? If so, I do not know what it looks like, or even where it is. Can anybody please help me by posting a picture of it? Thanks.
 
#7 ·
i just got the same thing installed at my jeep dealer. i cant even change a lightbulb without directions so i didnt even attempt to do the wiring. i put a class 2 hitch on my riot and will be hauling around 1200 pounds for about 600 miles. i know none of this helps you but i felt i should chime in
 
#8 ·
Yes DJ XS, you already have the engine oil cooler. (if you have the "Trail Rated" FDII.)

You can always look at it too if you check in front of your radiator and see a smaller radiator towards the bottom with 2 sets of lines. They have combined the A/C and transmission cooler into one.

DJ XS said:
I have an 07 FD II with Low gear. Does my Pat have an oil cooler? If so, I do not know what it looks like, or even where it is. Can anybody please help me by posting a picture of it? Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
#9 ·
Thanks Homac. I went to the dealership today to get the tires rotated and the oil changed. They showed it to me, but I thought it would be silver or something. Its actually like you said, in front and combined with the a/c. Thanks.
 
#10 ·
Sorry guys but what you're looking at is a typical TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER that has been standard equipment on all automatics at least since the early days of the cast iron Torqueflite. What you need to look for is the ENGINE OIL COOLER that is standard on the FD II and those ordered with the Trailer Tow pkg. It is an aux cooler that sits between the block and the oil filter and requires different hoses. If you use nearly.normals site you'll see in the Parts Book that all of the CVTs use the same radiator and A/C condenser, the real difference is the Fan Module. I have done a full photo install on this in another forum. Again, using jimmy's site go down to the second listing on the right side under Patriot Forums and you can go in to that link and browse many of the other installs that we have done. You don't need to sign up to look at the pictures, they are for all to see.

Here is what you need to look for on the Engine Oil Cooler.
 

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#11 ·
It may be that the the thing you are calling an "Aux Cooler" between the block and the oil filter is an adapter for taking oil going to or from the oil filter (don't know which) and sending it via a hose to a liquid to air radiator up front and then via a hose back to the adapter between the block and the filter. I doubt that the thing which takes heat out of the oil is in between the block and the filter. It is also possible that the cooler is an element in one of the radiator tanks.

BTW, my Chevy has an oil cooler plumbed as described above, with a liquid to air radiator independent of the engine coolant radiator. It is in addition to the transmission cooling, which has both an element in the right radiator tank and another cooler in front of the regular radiator. Heavy duty police package. :)
 
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#12 · (Edited)
That "thing" is the engine oil cooler.
http://www.bancroftaccessories.com/productdetail.asp?ProdId=2866&mcid=1&cid=257&scid=260

The part numbers are even given in this forum

http://www.jeeppatriot.com/forum/showthread.php?p=39612

also these sites:
http://www.autotrucktoys.com/jeep_p...ep_patriot/Mopar-OEM-Jeep-Patriot-Auxilliary-Engine-Oil-Cooler-P17661C5374.aspx

http://www.carmosaic.com/jeep-patriot/product_info.php?products_id=190

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=442330&page=2

It routes radiator coolant to the aux cooler for the engine oil. I installed it on mine. Please do a little more research before posting wrong information.

These are the kit numbers that contain the cooler, hoses and all parts necessary to install.

CVT Transmission 82210700

Manual Transmission 82210701

Check the parts books and shop on line.

It's not a shivie or police package, It's a Jeep.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Gramps said:
That "thing" is the engine oil cooler.
http://www.bancroftaccessories.com/productdetail.asp?ProdId=2866&mcid=1&cid=257&scid=260

<snip>
Click to expand...
I understand that a liquid to liquid heat exchanger at the filter is another way to do it. But I have a couple of questions.

It appears that some of the hotter coolant from the engine to radiator hose is tapped off to go to the "oil cooler" and then to the radiator return hose. Is the premise that the oil is hotter than the coolant going from the engine to the radiator?

This seems to put the "oil cooler" in parallel with the radiator. What would cause the coolant from the engine to go through the "oil cooler" rather than through the radiator?

Am I missing something? :)
 
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#14 · (Edited)
Sorry for being a bit snippy I'M TRYING TO QUIT SMOKING!!:BLAM:

When I got this kit, I looked at it and said "you've got to be kidding!" It does run in parallel with the engine cooling system and "I think" that there is some thermal convection involved that I hope the Jeep engineers know something about. It certainly isn't how I would have designed an engine oil cooler but it does cover the warranty if you tow more than 1000 lbs. All this cooler does is circulate water around the finned housing. It's truly an auxiliary cooler. I didn't do a flow test to see if any of the fins carried oil in them. To bad I didn't think of that at the time.

I only know what it is, I'm not sure on how efficiently it works.

We're about the same age. It's great to bench race with ya'!
 
#15 ·
How was the install for the engine oil cooler? I've been waiting on installing because of the parts/labor cost. I haven't looked at the service manual but I have the manual tranny, dont' know if that makes a difference in install difficulty or not.
 
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#16 ·
The best price that I found was at Wykoff Chrysler Don't let the Compass listing fool you, they are the same.

I think that mine took me half a day and that was with taking pictures and that type of "extras". The manual trans shouldn't be any more difficult. It looks like you need to take the top cover off of the engine, that's only a push on fit and is held in place by 4 rubber push pins. Just pull up firmly to remove it. I didn't quite follow the instructions that came with it. The big difference was that I took the battery completely out so that I would have lots of room to work. Complete install and tool list is over here. The only "specialty tool" was a 12mm Allen wrench that needed to be cut off and put into a socket to be able to torque the center bolt down. I just ground a "V" in mine until the short leg of the Allen wrench came off and then dressed it down on the bench grinder.

The kit even comes with the hose clamps attached to the hoses and once everything is on they are released by just twisting on the end of the clamp. I didn't change the oil filter or oil, it was all fresh. Finding the radiator petcock was a big waste of time. Mines an early production, I don't think I have one, and I wasted a lot of time trying to find it. I finally just pulled the lower hose off and let it drain. Make sure that you use the right kind of anti freeze it's Hybrid Organic Additive Technology, 5 year 100,000 mile. It will be yellow or orange depending on the manufacturer.

Need more info, feel free to ask!
 
#17 ·
Gramps said:
Sorry for being a bit snippy I'M TRYING TO QUIT SMOKING!!:BLAM:

When I got this kit, I looked at it and said "you've got to be kidding!" It does run in parallel with the engine cooling system and "I think" that there is some thermal convection involved that I hope the Jeep engineers know something about. It certainly isn't how I would have designed an engine oil cooler but it does cover the warranty if you tow more than 1000 lbs. All this cooler does is circulate water around the finned housing. It's truly an auxiliary cooler. I didn't do a flow test to see if any of the fins carried oil in them. To bad I didn't think of that at the time.

I only know what it is, I'm not sure on how efficiently it works.

We're about the same age. It's great to bench race with ya'!
Click to expand...
No problem.

I would speculate that the pressure drop across the "oil cooler" with zero flow is less than the drop across the radiator, so some flow starts from the relatively higher pressure engine coolant hose going to the radiator through the "oil cooler" to the relatively lower pressure coolant return hose from the radiator to the engine. As the flow through the "oil cooler" increases, the pressure drop across the "oil cooler" increases until the pressure drop across the "oil cooler" is the same as the pressure drop across the radiator. They could even be sophisticated enough to put a thermostatic valve in the "oil cooler" so that there would be no engine coolant flow until the oil got up to an appropriate temperature.

As you say, it puts the factory blessing on towing up to 2,000 lbs and protects the lifetime powertrain warranty.

I do plan to tow a light utility trailer when I need to haul stuff, that's why I got the trailer tow prep. Plus, in South Texas, any extra cooling is useful.
 
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#19 ·
Wow ~ that was a super informative post on jeepforum! I have changed my oil and am halfway-handy around the house so it looks doable. Plus, I have hubby and a mechanic buddy that I can call in if it gets too hairy :)

Thanks for letting me hijack this post :)
 
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