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

[roaniecowpony]

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/s-b-air-intake-system-11-000-mile-review.92971/

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[lowmpg]

No Jeep is fast by modern standards, nor are any agile which makes speed fun. Even a 392 isn't moving much faster or even as fast as a bone stock Mustang GT, which can be had for far less, has a much higher top speed and is far more enjoyable on road. So if it is speed you really want, sell the brick.

Now if you want it to feel quicker, then as people have said intake and exhaust will greatly improve the sound which will most likely cause your right foot to move faster, by default increasing your personal throttle response. Those mods are relatively cheap and will make you feel more excited when pushing the skinny pedal. Remember in the end power is in the eye of the beholder. If you've had high end sports cars, no Jeep feels 'fast'. If you've been mostly middle of the road, maybe..but I doubt it

Enjoy it, make it yours. Start with an exhaust as there are plenty to choose from and they are simple to put on.

 

[BEACHED WHALE]

35s will sink any of the wranglers hp & torque. Its like running in sneakers 2 sizes too big filled with sand. Get a second mortgage on your home and buy a 392

 

[richwme90]

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.

Regear it, I regeared my Willys when it was stock to 4:56 and it really woke it up but putting the 35’s on it neutered it a little. If I were to do it again I would go to 4:88 with the 35’s. In my experience most cold air intakes cause you to loose not gain.

 

[Traveller128]

How do you figure out which ECM you have?

Physically look at it. The GPEC 2A has two connectors coming out of the side, and the other one, the GPEC5 has connectors along the upper edge. That was a stop-gap ECM due to shortage in 2021.

Here's a pic.

 

[InjectedCJ7]

My advice is keep your expectations real for what you bought. It’s a Jeep. With a few lever (& button) selections, you can go from a adequate daily driver to a hill/rock climber, to a relative beast in the snow. It’s never going to be a sports car. In order to have more road fun, I bought a 6-speed, 300 HP, 95 Corvette for the paltry sum of $5750. It’s an absolute blast to drive, and gets nearly 30 MPG on the highway. Best of all, it’s done depreciating, and actually getting worth a few more bucks every year. After a few years of fun, I could probably throw it away, and not lose too much sleep. Moral is, don’t try to get one vehicle to handle all of your desires. Just my $0.02.

John

 

[roaniecowpony]

My advice is keep your expectations real for what you bought. It’s a Jeep. With a few lever (& button) selections, you can go from a adequate daily driver to a hill/rock climber, to a relative beast in the snow. It’s never going to be a sports car. In order to have more road fun, I bought a 6-speed, 300 HP, 95 Corvette for the paltry sum of $5750. It’s an absolute blast to drive, and gets nearly 30 MPG on the highway. Best of all, it’s done depreciating, and actually getting worth a few more bucks every year. After a few years of fun, I could probably throw it away, and not lose too much sleep. Moral is, don’t try to get one vehicle to handle all of your desires. Just my $0.02.

John

John, I'll give double that money for that white one.

 

[InjectedCJ7]

John, I'll give double that money for that white one.

You mean this one?

Sorry, I‘ve had this since 1984. Doubt if I’ll ever part with it… BTW, I paid less for it than the 95…

Regards,
John

 

[roaniecowpony]

You mean this one?

Sorry, I‘ve had this since 1984. Doubt if I’ll ever part with it… BTW, I paid less for it than the 95…

Regards,
John

Yeah, that old car. I'm at the age where putting around in a car like that is fun. Great looking ride

 

[Zandcwhite]

No Jeep is fast by modern standards, nor are any agile which makes speed fun. Even a 392 isn't moving much faster or even as fast as a bone stock Mustang GT, which can be had for far less, has a much higher top speed and is far more enjoyable on road. So if it is speed you really want, sell the brick.

Now if you want it to feel quicker, then as people have said intake and exhaust will greatly improve the sound which will most likely cause your right foot to move faster, by default increasing your personal throttle response. Those mods are relatively cheap and will make you feel more excited when pushing the skinny pedal. Remember in the end power is in the eye of the beholder. If you've had high end sports cars, no Jeep feels 'fast'. If you've been mostly middle of the road, maybe..but I doubt it

Enjoy it, make it yours. Start with an exhaust as there are plenty to choose from and they are simple to put on.

Mustang gt 0-60 4.5s and 13.0 1/4 mile. 392xr 4.0s 0-60 and 12.9 1/4 mile, on the limiter in a brick on 35’s that is literally the most capable stock off road vehicle available? Obviously more expensive as you get so much more than a mustang gt. It’s pretty pathetic in my opinion when your sports car gets beat by a bone stock Jeep, but maybe that’s just me? Most of us buy Jeeps for off road use or inclement weather driving, but most of us still drive them on the street. Light to light, short freeway on ramps, embarrassing mustang owners, etc. There are a million reasons why more power is a good thing both on and off road. Loose hill climbs, deep mud, steep ledges you have to bump up all benefit from quick acceleration provided by horsepower. Hell even a base model v6 sport is quicker than a stock Mazda rx8. Every Jeep feels fast compared to just about anything stock from the 90’s and early 2000’s.

 

[LOBBS]

For an engine that's in as many FCA vehicles as it is, there is a real dearth of performance parts for the 3.6L. A tune can get you some power if you want to commit to running 91+ all the time. Cold air intakes and exhaust can get you a little but the claims are almost always a bit unrealistic and actual power added doesn't really "stack up" i.e. +10 for CAI, +20 for exhaust won't necessarily net you +30 horsepower.

To feel "quicker", re-gear 100%. It doesn't add power but it does restore that mechanical leverage that's lost when going to bigger tires. Also, lose mass, especially rotational or unsprung mass. Heavy ass wheels and tires plays as big as or bigger part in that "sluggish" feeling when sizing up as the increased diameter does.

When I bumped up to 315s and added custom wheels on my 2dr Rubicon I was obsessed with keeping added weight down. I found some wheels I liked with the bonus being they were only about a pound heavier than the factory ones. I stuck with KO2s strictly because for the weight you can't buy a better A/T tire. I lost 1 MPG and acceleration and braking took a slight hit but nothing like I've seen some complain about. I'm waiting on my rear 4.56 gears to come off backorder so I can re-gear to gain that back plus some. If I were a manual or 4dr auto I'd have gone 4.88s. 5.13s for a stick 4dr. If all else fails, I'll put on one of our superchargers from work. There's a kit sitting in the garage bay that came off our company owned Gladiator we sold a few months back that I can get my hands on dirt cheap.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Mustang gt 0-60 4.5s and 13.0 1/4 mile. 392xr 4.0s 0-60 and 12.9 1/4 mile, on the limiter in a brick on 35’s that is literally the most capable stock off road vehicle available? Obviously more expensive as you get so much more than a mustang gt. It’s pretty pathetic in my opinion when your sports car gets beat by a bone stock Jeep, but maybe that’s just me? Most of us buy Jeeps for off road use or inclement weather driving, but most of us still drive them on the street. Light to light, short freeway on ramps, embarrassing mustang owners, etc. There are a million reasons why more power is a good thing both on and off road. Loose hill climbs, deep mud, steep ledges you have to bump up all benefit from quick acceleration provided by horsepower. Hell even a base model v6 sport is quicker than a stock Mazda rx8. Every Jeep feels fast compared to just about anything stock from the 90’s and early 2000’s.

There's always something or someone faster. It's an endless chase.

I was at a church last week and saw a Tesla Plaid in the parking lot. I doubt any production car out and about that day, could touch the sub 10 second 1/4 mile of that thing. Yet is pulled away with family and baby seat quiet as a whisper. No drama.

 

[Zandcwhite]

There's always something or someone faster. It's an endless chase.

I was at a church last week and saw a Tesla Plaid in the parking lot. I doubt any production car out and about that day, could touch the sub 10 second 1/4 mile of that thing. Yet is pulled away with family and baby seat quiet as a whisper. No drama.

Absolutely, and of course the jeep loses to even the most basic mustang in a road race. The mustang should be quicker than any jeep, which makes the 392 all the more impressive in my opinion.

 

[1BadManVan]

A tune for these does a lot because they are severely detuned from the factory in order to run 87 on such a high compression motor. The extra cost then comes having to run a higher octane

 

[Hogdreamer]

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!!!

I'm constantly looking for a Jeep Wrangler 2.0 turbo to go up against my 3.6 eTorque but haven't come across one yet.

Guess I didn't realize they snorted flame so I'll begin looking for fire shooting out of the Rubicon hood vents to single out a 2.0 Wrangler.

Or I could look for the Wrangler driver wiping tears off their cheeks as they pump that required premium (cost) fuel at the gas pump.

Regarding trying to persuade a little more power out of the 3.6? I installed a Gibson performance exhaust system on my 5.9 liter Dodge Ram and I'm not sure if it gave me more power. But did that truck sound sweet! Had many who commented how great it sounded.

Even though I don't drive a 2.0 turbo 4 wheel smok'en Wrangler, I'm more than pleased with the acceleration of my 3.6. But I do have the auto so maybe that's the difference between fine or too slow?

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