392 Sluggish vs Modded 2.0

[Kum4224]

Test drove a stock 392 today with the factory 4.56 gearing (2026 Moab). I'm coming from a full bolt on modded 2L turbo with a 2" lift and 35s (gears, intercooler tubing, CAI, ECU tune, exhaust you name it). The 392, keeping that heavenly exhaust note aside, felt sluggish in the limited city driving i did during the test drive. They didnt let me drive it in Offroad+, which Im guessing would've changed everything. Noticed a lot of throttle lag, lack of low end torque which is the turbo shines, and a very front end heavy planted feel.

Makes me realize how peppy and quick our little 4 bangers are off the line if you do it up right. Im sure the 392s at/near WOT unleash a whole other beast, and probably where they shine is the instant limitless pull you get at high speeds. But just want to make sure this is whats expected or did I test drive a lemon?

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[croppz]

You’re going from a basically FBO/tuned turbo which makes all of its torque basically instantly to a factory tuned V8 which shines in mid/upper range.

kinda hard to compare to two. It probably wasn’t a lemon. You’re just used to your setup.

 

[2nd 392]

0-60 mid 4’s, 1/4 mi high 12’s, yep sluggish. OR+ does increase throttle response and raise shift points. Just a NoLimitz disables torque management (along with MDS, speed limiters, others). And/or get a PM and set as wanted but by Sport level 6 it’s too touchy for street use without launching with front end lift. Spend what you did for T-4 performance upgrades on V8 upgrades. Do these things then compare. .. or compare both stock..

similarly boosting the V8 not mentioned due to expense, but 650hp (CARB) to 705hp available for an otherwise stock engine.

 

[rickinAZ]

0-60 mid 4’s, 1/4 mi high 12’s, yep sluggish. OR+ does increase throttle response and raise shift points. Just a NoLimitz disables torque management (along with MDS, speed limiters, others). And/or get a PM and set as wanted but by Sport level 6 it’s too touchy for street use without launching with front end lift. Spend what you did for T-4 performance upgrades on V8 upgrades. Do these things then compare. .. or compare both stock..

similarly boosting the V8 not mentioned due to expense, but 650hp (CARB) to 705hp available for an otherwise stock engine.

You're selling it short: When it was first introduced, Car & Driver pulled an instrumented 0-60 of 4.0. The last non-turbo 911 (2016 Carrera S) hit 4.1 with the PDK transmission. And...the Porsche benefited by slightly better aerodynamics and about one ton less weight.

Put your foot all the way to the floor and you'll think you've unleashed the Hounds of Hell.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a36561292/2021-jeep-wrangler-rubicon-392-drive/

 

[2nd 392]

You're selling it short: When it was first introduced, Car & Driver pulled an instrumented 0-60 of 4.0. The last non-turbo 911 (2016 Carrera S) hit 4.1 with the PDK transmission. The Porsche benefited by slightly better aerodynamics and about one ton less weight.

Put your foot all the way to the floor and you'll think you've unleashed the Hounds of Hell.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a36561292/2021-jeep-wrangler-rubicon-392-drive/

I know, but iirc the factory number is ~4.4/5 seconds and someone would accuse me of lying, it’s happened before. Anyway, heck, when first released a video showing a 3.73 geared - 33’s pre XR breaking into the high 12’s (by removing the spare). My (precision calibrated) butt dyno says it’s quicker with 4.56’s and 35’s even before the power reducing Torque Management disabled and PM for throttle mapping. (and other upgrades good for ~ 23hp without a tune) I tried the PM set “Race” just level 1 - hooo lee fook, just touched the throttle and an NHRA type launch with massive front end lift.

an over 5K lb brick that’s just ~ 1 second slower stock from the factory than my cousins 60’s trailered B/G 55 Chevy. While also a premier off road vehicle- What’s not to like ?

BTW, the Challenger R/T 1320 is the all time fastest NA muscle car at 11.7 seconds. The rest of the top 10 are 12.0 - 12.5 seconds. A few upgrades and put on a diet with proper tires the 392 could achieve ?

 

[Heimkehr]

Test drove a stock 392 today with the factory 4.56 gearing (2026 Moab). I'm coming from a full bolt on modded 2L turbo with a 2" lift and 35s (gears, intercooler tubing, CAI, ECU tune, exhaust you name it). The 392, keeping that heavenly exhaust note aside, felt sluggish in the limited city driving i did during the test drive. They didnt let me drive it in Offroad+, which Im guessing would've changed everything. Noticed a lot of throttle lag, lack of low end torque which is the turbo shines, and a very front end heavy planted feel.

Makes me realize how peppy and quick our little 4 bangers are off the line if you do it up right.

You've a well-massaged 2.0T that you've been able to drive as you've wanted, in a manner that would allow your investment to prove itself. Comparing its advantages to a stock 392 that was tightly leashed during a presumably brief test drive is unfair to the latter Jeep.

I say this as someone who enjoys the heck out of my very mildly modded 2.0T, and knows its strengths and weaknesses inside and out. Only when the 392 is given an equal and fair chance can proper comparisons be made. To be fair to you, most test drives probably won't allow the potential buyer to stretch a vehicle's legs as they'd like to do.

 

[azjl#3]

You're selling it short: When it was first introduced, Car & Driver pulled an instrumented 0-60 of 4.0. The last non-turbo 911 (2016 Carrera S) hit 4.1 with the PDK transmission. And...the Porsche benefited by slightly better aerodynamics and about one ton less weight.

Put your foot all the way to the floor and you'll think you've unleashed the Hounds of Hell.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a36561292/2021-jeep-wrangler-rubicon-392-drive/

This, no way any type of boosted 2L can outshine a foot on the floor 392, no way no how. It is specifically designed to give you soft response at low throttle positions. Elsewise, this:

 

[Tr4ckD4ys]

Let’s just call it “brisk”.

 

[Faded glory]

Test drove a stock 392 today with the factory 4.56 gearing (2026 Moab). I'm coming from a full bolt on modded 2L turbo with a 2" lift and 35s (gears, intercooler tubing, CAI, ECU tune, exhaust you name it). The 392, keeping that heavenly exhaust note aside, felt sluggish in the limited city driving i did during the test drive. They didnt let me drive it in Offroad+, which Im guessing would've changed everything. Noticed a lot of throttle lag, lack of low end torque which is the turbo shines, and a very front end heavy planted feel.

Makes me realize how peppy and quick our little 4 bangers are off the line if you do it up right. Im sure the 392s at/near WOT unleash a whole other beast, and probably where they shine is the instant limitless pull you get at high speeds. But just want to make sure this is whats expected or did I test drive a lemon?

That’s a first. Go for another test drive different dealer. I’m doubting you will drive that 2L home.

 

[liquids]

Just pushing the 392 to the same rpms as any 2L, modded or not, will blow it past the latter. OP did mention gears, though, and that's a different matter. What gears is he talking about?

 

[azjl#3]

392 comes with 4.88?

 

[ag4ever]

4.56

i can easily spin all 4 wheels from a dead stop. On asphalt or concrete.

 

[bmpcamry09]

I mean my tuned 3.6 feels “snappier” than my dads Corvette around town, but that means nothing

Kind of like how every 16 year old who has a pedal commander swears their car has more horsepower 🫣

A properly set up turbo 4 sounds like a blast though

 

[azjl#3]

4.56

i can easily spin all 4 wheels from a dead stop. On asphalt or concrete.

With a 5,000lb trailer. Into a wind. Uphill.

 

[rickinAZ]

I can definitely see why the OP noticed that initial sluggishness. I’m running a NoLimitz module set to "Sport," so my tip-in is a bit more aggressive now. However, back when I was still getting a feel for the 392 (and pre-NoLimitz), I had a moment pulling out from a stop sign into traffic. I cut it a little close and gave it more throttle than intended, pushing right past that soft spot. If it wasn't for the all-wheel drive, I probably would have just spun in a circle.

Coupling that beast engine with about the most ill-handling platform possible, can be a handful. There is a reason they didn't allow OR+ for the testdrive. And...the RWD-only feature on the Tazer should be banned.

The irony is that my auto insurance rate is within a few dollars of my previous EcoDiesel.

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