Getting more power out of the 3.6 (even a little)!

[kjl2020]

Does anyone have real world experience with getting more power out of the 3.6? Perhaps with a CAI, better flowing exhaust, or other cheaper mod? Without going forced induction due to the cost. Just looking to squeeze even a little more out of it!

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[The Last Cowboy]

Re-gear. What model do you have and what size tires? Re-gearing is the best way to get back lost power.

 

[kjl2020]

Re-gear. What model do you have and what size tires? Re-gearing is the best way to get back lost power.

Currently just a 3.6/6 speed on stock tires but I’m hoping to get just a bit more. Regear is still in the future.

 

[AZ Hella]

You’ll have to get the PCM unlocked and get a tune to gain any noticeable power improvements.
There are several 3.6 L Pentastar groups on Facebook.
check out this thread.
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/li...-claims-50hp-gains-on-e85-for-v6-jl-wrangler/

 

[jred321]

The usual intake/exhaust/tune will get you a little. At the very least you'll get more noise so it sounds like you have more power.

Personally I wouldn't bother and I would keep saving for the supercharger.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

Even a stock Sport with a 6 speed and 3.45s is disappointing. In my opinion, a Sport with a 6 speed needs 4.10s with 32" tires

 

[kjl2020]

Even a stock Sport with a 6 speed and 3.45s is disappointing. In my opinion, a Sport with a 6 speed needs 4.10s with 32" tires

I think the 3.45’s is probably a fuel economy move from Jeep, unfortunately. I wish it came with 3.73’s. Eventually will be on 35’s again with 4.56 or 4.88

 

[Steph1]

Even if it won't change the actual HP and torque numbers, a hikeit X9 throttle controller is amazing at giving the impression you got tons more power. It removes the ''lag'' in throttle response. It's one of those things you have to experience to know what I mean.

 

[Pig-Pen]

NAWS!

 

[DHW]

One way I've found to significantly increase torque is to remove two pistons and add metal to the cylinder walls until the displacement is right at 2.0, then put a turbo on it.

Haha just kidding, enjoy your lethargic, turtle-like 3.6 while I go tear up the town in my vicious, hell-flame snortin', Ferrari-like 2.0T!!!

 

[mgroeger]

Currently just a 3.6/6 speed on stock tires but I’m hoping to get just a bit more. Regear is still in the future.

You've got the 6 speed so you aren't going to get the response you are looking for. I had one as well and I always wanted more out of it and it just wouldn't give it to me. Even with 4.88 gears with my 37s, maybe 5.13s would have been better. I bought a HikeIt and it helped a little but the fact is the auto is way more responsive especially if you put a HikeIt on it.
I sold my 6 speed and went back to an auto and I am much happier.

 

[jessedacri]

Currently just a 3.6/6 speed on stock tires but I’m hoping to get just a bit more. Regear is still in the future.

I've heard that Livernois tune with premium fuel does pretty well, though you might want an intake and less restrictive axle back portion of the exhaust (Borla makes two good options that sound great, buddy has the louder version and it's only one I've heard that I would actually like to own) if you're really trying to squeeze some power out of it.

I went to 35s and regeared to 4.88 with my 3.6/8speed auto and it feels very quick. As good as or better than stock.

 

[Dilemma_Wrangler]

One way I've found to significantly increase torque is to remove two pistons and add metal to the cylinder walls until the displacement is right at 2.0, then put a turbo on it!

Haha just kidding, enjoy your lethargic, turtle-like 3.6 while I go tear up the town in my vicious, hell-flame snortin', Ferrari-like 2.0t!!!

-Said no one ever

 

[Traveller128]

Does anyone have real world experience with getting more power out of the 3.6? Perhaps with a CAI, better flowing exhaust, or other cheaper mod? Without going forced induction due to the cost. Just looking to squeeze even a little more out of it!

Change gearing. The 3.45 stock gearing is not great. It's basically a 5 speed, best fuel mileage at 60 is 4th gear, 5th gear is good 65 to upper 70's. 6th gear isn't even usable until nearly 80 if there's even a small hill (I live at 3000 ft).

I think that if you can loaf it along at 17-1800 rpm on the flat lands with low load at 65-68 mpg in 5th, you could achieve a little better economy, but we live where it's up and down hill in any direction. Loading it at 1800 in a higher gear on and off, hurts the economy. It does better a little over 2000 rpm. I have over 4000 miles of experimentation playing with this, and these are my observations on a 2 door, 6 speed Willys with 3.45 gears and 33" Falken AT3W's.

In my opinion, 3.73 would be an okay gear for stock tires, but 4.10 with 33" tires puts it in a very good sweet spot.

I've experimented and found the 3.6 likes 2000-2100 for lower speed cruise, and 2200-2300 for freeway speeds and some hills. I'm getting better fuel mileage in 5th at 76-78 mph (commute 30 miles each way to work) than 6th. 6th is only turning 2000 rpm at 80, which won't pull hills. I'm averaging 21 ish (20.5-21.5 on the freeway using 5th), where I lose 1 to 1.5 mpg using 6th (19.5-20).

At 60 on the back roads, 4th at around 2100 rpm does better than 5th at just over 1700. 22-24 mpg at those speeds (hill dependent). 70-72 is the sweet spot for 5th on the 2 lane back road (65-70 zone).

Going to 4.10 puts the rpm in the sweet spot for 4th around 50, 5th is 60-68, 6th is 69+. It's only turning 2400 at 80.

Also, that's a decent reduction in ratio in the lower gears, which will feel a lot peppier. As a bonus, 3rd gear becomes usable in the 25-35 range for offroad gravel road running (mountain gravel roads) which is a good place to be for mountain running. 4th gear becomes the fast gravel gear. Right now, 2nd is too short and 3rd is too tall for the winding mountain gravel roads we like.

I agree with the people that say 4.56 with the 6 speed manual and 35" tires. That puts it at very similar RPM vs. speed.

We'll be swapping out the 3.45's for 4.10 this weekend. Would like to get to where we have a usable 6 spd transmission, instead of a 5 speed, which is what we have now.

As for power, Livernois, depending on which ECM you have. Looks like the 6 speed guys are getting the GPEC2A that can be jail broken. Nothing for the '22 yet, but the older ones have a tune. Even the 87 octane tune is about 11 HP at the peak, but gets rid of the mid-range drop and ends up being 30 HP in the mid-range. The 91 octane tune delivers a lot more at the peak, and more power everywhere from 2000 up.

 

[bjm00se]

"Just a little!" "Even a LITTLE!"

Something to consider and reflect on - what I've noticed over time is that the more folks claim that what they want it just a "little" improvement - what that tends to correlate to is how much they perceive their vehicle to be drastically underpowered.

And if that's the case, the improvement that's needed is often substantial rather than minor.

In other words -

If my truck goes fast enough for me - I won't ask for improvement at all.

If I feel like it's a "little" slow, I probably don't care but improvement "might be nice."

If I feel like it's slow, then I might say "I'm interested in seeing what I can get for performance improvement."

But If I feel like this dog can't get out of its own way on a Sunday afternoon at chow time -- "I need *some* improvement, EVEN A LITTLE !!"

See what I'm saying? And so, if the perception gap between what you've got and what you really want is that big, a "little" won't actually tend to help; and the thing to look for is either a quantum step up - forced air induction or motor swap - or trade for a vehicle with fundamentally more power to start with.

Just something to think about.

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