Most economical way to add some pep to my Wrangler?

[Pig-Pen]

Move to a 27” tire and no regear needed

see if bogart wheels makes jeep wheels. Go for 15s if theyll fit. 15x6 up front, 15x10 out back. Youll be golden ponyboy!

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[Tredsdert]

The 3.6L's are great engines! I get passed by them all the time on the highway. They've been on the Wranglers for 20 years, I've never seen anyone complain that they don't get you from point a to point b. I know for a fact they crawl great, otherwise people wouldn't have bought the JKs. I mean if you really want low end torque, by the now discontinued EcoDiesel. The 2.0s seem to have enough issues that I wouldn't chance it with them. At least the 3.0 EcoDiesels have been around for three generations, so they already worked out most of those bugs.

If I didn't buy an EcoDiesel, I would have hands down gone with the 3.6L. in fact I plan on some point in the future purchasing a two-door 6 cylinder gas Wrangler.

Maybe Wranglers aren't for you? They're flying bricks, they're not meant to go fast. The fact that some of them do is kind of cool, but it's not really why you buy a Wrangler.

If you were willing to re-gear which would be a couple thousand dollars I believe. Why not just get a couple parts to upgrade it. You could start by at minimum cat-back exhaust. If you're into it you could probably do a straight pipe, would definitely open up the engine a little bit. Cold air intake wouldn't hurt. I'm not really know too much about turbochargers, but they definitely provide a lot of torque. I'm not sure if you could add one to the 3.6 l, I feel like that would be a costly thing to do, but I feel like it would definitely get you that torque you're talking about.

I don't know, if I were you and you just didn't like the engine, personally I'd trade in for a EcoDiesel Wrangler. Lots of low end torque their get up and go is honestly pretty nuts. Only downside is they got a governor on it at 97 mph. But realistically you really don't need to go faster than that anyways unless you just like talking to cops.

 

[Jebiruph]

Borla type S catback exhaust. The concensus is it's a hoot with the 6 spd, regardless of whether it actually improves performance or not. It improves the perception of performance which is what you really want anyway.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

The consensus is to re gear. If you will never go more than 33", go with 4.30 or 4.56 gears. Might as ell throw in front and rear TruTracs while you're at it. All of that will cost les than the hit you'll take trading it, plus you'll like driving it again.

 

[azwjowner]

As a reminder, the manual Sport 2 door tested 0-60 in 6.1 seconds by Car and Driver. Not sure what more power it needs.

 

[Zandcwhite]

You can still find Rubicon take of axles in the $3500-4k range, gets you 4.10s and lockers for slightly more than the cost of a regear and you can probably sell the sport axles for $1k. Bolt in ease, better gearing, and lockers for the cost of a regear (stronger front axle doesn't hurt either). There's a set in the market place right now with upgraded ball joints, rpm steering, dif covers, and dif skids.

 

[Sparty]

Supercharge it. That's what I did.

 

[NoahVD]

Why you gotta be so mean to me

 

[ForgottenTaco]

Between the abysmal gearing on my sport/6-speed and the limp dick torque of the pentastar, my Jeep always feels sluggish unless you're pumping the eurobeat and shifting at redline constantly like a maniac.

My soul wants to add the center force clutch and a supercharger kit. But that's pushing $10k just in parts with obvious reliability concerns.

Regearing seems like a good idea. A few grand and would "unlock" 5th and 6th gear. As it stands I rarely use more than 4th gear. I have no desire for adding larger tires though, so a 4.88 or something sounds kinda stupid, and going to a 3.73 or 4.10 doesn't sound like it's enough change to be worth the cost when you're not actually gaining power, just cheesing the torque multiplication math.

Just sell my jeep and buy a 2.0L? I really don't like the 2.0L, but it definitely puts down more low-end torque and would definitely be cheaper than a supercharger. Transferring my mods is going to be a pain in the ass though, and it's tough to find lower trim jeeps with the tow/aux switch panel option that I consider necessary equipment.

I'd really consider swapping into an ecodiesel but I don't have drive patterns that jive well with modern diesel engines. Diesel is also ludicrously expensive here.

Those seem the only reasonable options that I can think of. With another clutch fire recall going out in a month and likely no proper fix maybe I just wait for the new 4Runner and enjoy my jeep as-is until then? If they dunk the hybridmax engine in there with 400lb-ft of torque and no faffing around with a plug like the 4xe it sounds like a winner.

Yous guys' thoughts?

Go test drive a Tacoma with the 6 speed auto and you’ll fall in love with the way your wrangler performs.

 

[Shibadog]

I’m not sure why you’d purchase a vehicle whose performance didn’t suit you in the first place. However, given that you have I’d either (1) regear as they guys have suggested or (2) trade it for a power train/vehicle YOU will be happy with. I drove the 3.6 and the 2.0, both, repeatedly. For ME the 2.0 won hands down. I find it pretty peppy in my 2 dr. Gears will certainly give the most perceived difference per $$ spent. As noted, the 6 Sp is a seriously overdriven trans. Get her where you can actually use all 6 and it will certainly perform better. Other mods (intake/exhaust) will not make much difference in “feel” or performance, esp per $$ spent. Good luck, While you’re at it consider a clutch upgrade as the stocker tends to be a tad weak.

 

[Heimkehr]

Between the abysmal gearing on my sport/6-speed and the limp dick torque of the pentastar, my Jeep always feels sluggish unless you're pumping the eurobeat and shifting at redline constantly like a maniac.

My soul wants to add the center force clutch and a supercharger kit. But that's pushing $10k just in parts with obvious reliability concerns.

The Aisin six-speed transmission is operating near the limit of its rated ability with respect to the torque output of the Pentastar. That's one reason why a third pedal isn't available with the 2.0T, which has an observably higher torque figure.

Replacing the OEM clutch in your Jeep with an aftermarket fitment will do nothing to up-armor the gearbox itself. Adding forced induction will likely damage the transmission and then the engine in short order, depending. That's why the diesel and the 392 have their own 8HP75 auto transmissions, where the V6 and the turbo 4 use the 850RE. Horses for courses.

 

[2nd 392]

It's only $29,560 for a 5.7 and $33,060 for a 6.4 now (Sauce)

And Damn well worth it ! ….. obligatory edit— If Tremec or equivalent possible.

 

[J.Ferreira]

I don't think economical and "add pep" work together in a wrangler.

 

[MandrewSD]

Yeh.. supposedly the pentastar was designed with "possible forced induction in the future" but they never went for it and I guess the hurricane engine replaced that notion. I'd hope it means the internals can handle some boost, but I know the engine would be reinforced from stock in a turbo variant.

I love a super low boost supercharger for just a bit more power and supercharger whine, but every kit is "ermahgerd 50% more power!!" like anybody is about to track a jeep.

Go watch some of the early Lite Brite videos...I'd avoid boost. Swap it...or sell it and buy a 392 while you still can.

 

[2nd 392]

. At least the 3.0 EcoDiesels have been around for three generations, so they already worked out most of those bugs.



I don't know, if I were you and you just didn't like the engine, personally I'd trade in for a EcoDiesel Wrangler. Lots of low end torque their get up and go is honestly pretty nuts. Only downside is they got a governor on it at 97 mph. But realistically you really don't need to go faster than that anyways unless you just like talking to cops.

This is the least problematic, non warranty issues, cost effective solution. Paid advisors- consultants couldn’t do better.

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