Wrapped up my first oil change and the Jet chip install tonight - figured I'd pass on a few details to help folks save a few minutes in the future. Also slipped a K&N panel filter in there to replace the stocker (very tight fit - you have to really press down on the filter box lid to get it to snap in place with the K&N but it does eventually clamp down)
Oil change is dead simple. The oil pan is well designed - the drain plug is rear facing on the pan which makes draining very efficient when ramped or jacked. I typically use a KwikLift with the other cars but I pulled out the Rhino Ramps for the SRT8 - no problem at all...plenty of room underneath to work.
4 10mm bolts hold the plastic undercarriage plate in place
Drain plug = 13mm
Oil filter was on there pretty tight, I must say. I use a oil filter socket that slips onto the bottom of the filter and allows a ratchet to be attached. Makes things very easy.
I always let things drain overnight so I'll fill up and test for leaks in the morning. I'm refilling with Mobile 1 0w40 and using a K&N oil filter - makes removal a lot easier as they come with a nut exension built into the bottom that you can slip a socket on to remove it.
Jet chip install - took about 20 minutes. Very simple process. The only bit that was somewhat tricky was the removal of the dust cover on the white plug. When you start the process, you will understand what this is when you're into it.
Negative battery clamp is held in place with a 13mm bolt.
Note that you don't need to preserve the plastic tabs on the dust cover - it has 4 plastic tabs that retain it, and they break if you so much as look at them sideways. It took me half the install time trying very carefully to pry that dust cover off without breaking those tabs (failed at that quite handily, breaking 2 of them). Turns out you don't need the dust cover once you get the piggyback unit in there at all...and when you go to slip the ECM back into it's bay, you'll understand why....it's a tight fit as the white, chipped plug now sticks out a bit further, pressing into the firewall padding. With the dust cover in place it would not have fit back down there.
The long and short of it - break the 4 tabs off of the dust cover when you are removing it and save yourself some time and Three Stooges type face slapping. If you like to preserve things you can always go to a local Dodge/Chrysler dealer and order another dust cover - leave it in the box for the future.
I'll report on any findings with the Jet chip. Honestly, I'm not all that interested in a minor bump in power and don't expect much (I'm used to 100~300% gains in power in the other cars so I'm not concerned with a dozen pony gain here or there, nor do I feel it honestly). I chip to get the lower fan temp kick in setting and improved transmission shift points. I'm not a fan of the trans in this car...slap stick isn't bad but in auto it simply does not hold gears long enough for my tastes under moderate to light throttle application. We'll see if the Jet chip makes the shift points any better/firmer. Worst case is that it was a pretty cheap experiement.
Oil change is dead simple. The oil pan is well designed - the drain plug is rear facing on the pan which makes draining very efficient when ramped or jacked. I typically use a KwikLift with the other cars but I pulled out the Rhino Ramps for the SRT8 - no problem at all...plenty of room underneath to work.
4 10mm bolts hold the plastic undercarriage plate in place
Drain plug = 13mm
Oil filter was on there pretty tight, I must say. I use a oil filter socket that slips onto the bottom of the filter and allows a ratchet to be attached. Makes things very easy.
I always let things drain overnight so I'll fill up and test for leaks in the morning. I'm refilling with Mobile 1 0w40 and using a K&N oil filter - makes removal a lot easier as they come with a nut exension built into the bottom that you can slip a socket on to remove it.
Jet chip install - took about 20 minutes. Very simple process. The only bit that was somewhat tricky was the removal of the dust cover on the white plug. When you start the process, you will understand what this is when you're into it.
Negative battery clamp is held in place with a 13mm bolt.
Note that you don't need to preserve the plastic tabs on the dust cover - it has 4 plastic tabs that retain it, and they break if you so much as look at them sideways. It took me half the install time trying very carefully to pry that dust cover off without breaking those tabs (failed at that quite handily, breaking 2 of them). Turns out you don't need the dust cover once you get the piggyback unit in there at all...and when you go to slip the ECM back into it's bay, you'll understand why....it's a tight fit as the white, chipped plug now sticks out a bit further, pressing into the firewall padding. With the dust cover in place it would not have fit back down there.
The long and short of it - break the 4 tabs off of the dust cover when you are removing it and save yourself some time and Three Stooges type face slapping. If you like to preserve things you can always go to a local Dodge/Chrysler dealer and order another dust cover - leave it in the box for the future.
I'll report on any findings with the Jet chip. Honestly, I'm not all that interested in a minor bump in power and don't expect much (I'm used to 100~300% gains in power in the other cars so I'm not concerned with a dozen pony gain here or there, nor do I feel it honestly). I chip to get the lower fan temp kick in setting and improved transmission shift points. I'm not a fan of the trans in this car...slap stick isn't bad but in auto it simply does not hold gears long enough for my tastes under moderate to light throttle application. We'll see if the Jet chip makes the shift points any better/firmer. Worst case is that it was a pretty cheap experiement.
