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HEMI swap for the JL?

jedijeep

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I know I'm not the only person thinking about this... its been done many times over for the JK. My last car was a Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack with the 6.4L 392 HEMI engine... and boy do I miss it! (The engine, that is..)

Anyone thinking about doing this swap for the new JL?

Any insight on the ease of swapping that HEMI into the new JL? I can't imagine it would be much more different than a swap on the JK.
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TroyBoy

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ugh. I can bairly afford the JLU. lol. I was thinking about putting a Hemi in my JKU but it's not a Rubicon which is what I want next. It would be cool to have one in a JLU but if I really need the power I'll just wait for the diesel which is coming. I suspect the Pentastar will have a power increase as well.
 
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jedijeep

jedijeep

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ugh. I can bairly afford the JLU. lol.
I agree. Its gonna be over $50k for a JLU rubicon... And thats what I am hoping for. Then theres the lift to compensate for a HEMI, and then the cost of the HEMI. It'll be close to $100k. :(
 

The Great Grape Ape

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There are a few small issues with regards to this, and one big barrier which I'll cover below.

YES, Many of us have already been considering this and Supercharger / Turbo futures for our JL(U)s. Personally a diesel doesn't work for me due to cold weather requirements, so for some of us this is the route to more torque and a bit more HP for pushing against windy highways.

Probably the biggest issue is that it appears currently in the little that we know of configuations, that the capable 8HP75 transmission will only come with the EcoDiesel (next year/mid-2018), and the Pentastar and Hurricane will get the significantly weaker 8HP50 meaning that the max recommended/rated input torque will be 500NM , putting it below the current 5.7L's latest numbers (520-555+ NM), let alone well below the 392 Hemi's 640+NM of torque.

Which means in order to put even an old 5.7L Hemi in there you should have the upgraded 8HP75 transmission, requiring you to pay the exorbitant 'diesel tax' in order to get it as part of your initial Wrangler, or else include a donor transmission swap to your list of parts. Hopefully there is a Rubicon+ (ie HardRoc/Recon) with the transmission and a Pentastar making the upgrade easier.

Baring that transmission option then just a Supercharger/Turbo boost will be available for the 8HP50 Wranglers, and less so than available to the current NAG1 which is rated for 580NM. And if you are going to go forced air anyways, might just wanna get & tweak the tinyturbo4 instead, where you can at least pretend that there's warranty support for that.

I'm certain that AEV will update their Hemi swap program to include JL(U)s , but it may take a while for them to get the proper harnesses and programming for the swap. And then it will likely still cost as much as a new base JL sport to do the Hemi swap, making it tough to swallow that extra $20K+ for soemthing that seems like it should be a stock option like in the GC, and that's just the engine swap.

Of the two Hemi options I would prefer the Gen3 (aka Gen 2.1) 5.7L for weight considerations. The Gen2+ has added lots of HP and improved torque delivery (no longer such a dog vs the 6.4's early-on torque they are now both very good at quicker power delivery. The new (2016+) Mopar crate 5.7's 400+lbft/400+HP is more than enough torque for me to get up a mountain side and also more than enough HP boost per RPM over the Pentastar to overcome 100+KPH headwinds in the prairies when driving the Wrangler brick with the top open without requiring 4,000+ RPM to do so, plus MDS should make it about as efficient.

I still think the Hemi 5.7 is the perfect fit for a Wrangler for the trail and the highway, but with the external EPA pressures, and some of the diesel hype that plays to that and other considerations that create false narratives (like towing, only remembering the GC, forgetting the RAM of course), unfortunately the Wrangler will never get the stock Hemi that is likely it's best fit if utility/reliability/price was the primary determining factors, and not CAFE considerations and image.
 

Spank

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Any insight on the ease of swapping that HEMI into the new JL? I can't imagine it would be much more different than a swap on the JK.
It's amazing how well the 5.7L Hemi fits into the JK with little modification. It makes you wonder, early on, if they were seriously considering making it a factory option.
 

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It's amazing how well the 5.7L Hemi fits into the JK with little modification. It makes you wonder, early on, if they were seriously considering making it a factory option.
You KNOW somebody at the Jeep mothership wanted it!
 

MotorMan

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The demand for a hemi is huge. I think they will add it with a model refresh in a few years to boost sales when needed. They will sell like hot cakes.
 

Billy

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Nope. The hemi's going away. CAFE will make sure of that.
 

The Great Grape Ape

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The demand for a hemi is huge. I think they will add it with a model refresh in a few years to boost sales when needed. They will sell like hot cakes.
It would sell like hotcakes now, and would've for the past 5+ years, even at the same premium as the Ecodiesel (ie twice the Gc Hemi premium), BUT.... it may not be around in another 5 years if rumours/rumblings are to be believed, so time is running out.

I would like to think slow JL sales might put pressure on FCA, but I'm not optimistic, and first demand would need to cool significantly, which it hasn't even in the face of an imminent refresh.
 

nowandthen

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It would sell like hotcakes now, and would've for the past 5+ years, even at the same premium as the Ecodiesel (ie twice the Gc Hemi premium), BUT.... it may not be around in another 5 years if rumours/rumblings are to be believed, so time is running out.

I would like to think slow JL sales might put pressure on FCA, but I'm not optimistic, and first demand would need to cool significantly, which it hasn't even in the face of an imminent refresh.
From everything I've read the JK has sold very well. I don't recall ever reading sales have been slow. I'd love to have a Hemi option, but hoping sales will slow may be wishful thinking.
 

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nowandthen

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I agree. Its gonna be over $50k for a JLU rubicon... And thats what I am hoping for. Then theres the lift to compensate for a HEMI, and then the cost of the HEMI. It'll be close to $100k. :(
$50K, WOW! I can't imagine that. Maybe if you order every possible option. (Edit: A well equipped JLUR with the diesel engine will likely get you there).

Window sticker on my 2014 JKUR, manual transmission $39,110. And I paid less than that. Less than $40K out the door (tax, license, title) I ordered it. I am patient and get exactly what I want and nothing more. :)

Base price $34,995
Connectivity group $495
Tow package $395
Supplemental front seat-mounted side airbags $495
A/C with automatic temperature control $395
Freedom top black 3 piece hardtop $995

No automatic.
I put in an aftermarket radio so I didn't buy the upgraded factory NAV system.

Additions this time around:
Automatic ~$1200?
I would like to have blind spot detection. Don't know what that will cost.
Remote start (I think this is around $395 on the JK)
May go with the factory 8" entertainment system, due to all the "built ins" (e.g. rear camera). No interest in factory NAV but will take it if I have to. I will never pay the outrageous price to update it. I'll use my Garmin or my phone. That could add maybe $1200?

I think I am still well under $50K for a very well optioned JLUR. Admittedly not inexpensive, but I have to believe it is at or under $45K sticker.

I can't image going from $39,100 sticker to over $50,000 sticker in just 4 years even when I add in the extras listed above.
 
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Bradley

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I can't image going from $39,100 sticker to over $50,000 sticker in just 4 years even when I add in the extras listed above.[/QUOTE]

One thing to keep in mind... it's been reported that the base price for the JL is expected to be $2500 higher. Whether that is JUST for the base Sport model or for every model has yet to be determined.
 
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jedijeep

jedijeep

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$50K, WOW! I can't imagine that. Maybe if you order every possible option. (Edit: A well equipped JLUR with the diesel engine will likely get you there)
Yes, of course... I was referring to the top of the line Jeep Wrangler available out there right now which is the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Recon. At least for me here in California, a "loaded" one will see your MSRP go to about $54k.
 
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jedijeep

jedijeep

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I still think the Hemi 5.7 is the perfect fit for a Wrangler for the trail and the highway, but with the external EPA pressures, and some of the diesel hype that plays to that and other considerations that create false narratives (like towing, only remembering the GC, forgetting the RAM of course), unfortunately the Wrangler will never get the stock Hemi that is likely it's best fit if utility/reliability/price was the primary determining factors, and not CAFE considerations and image.
I have never actually considered the 5.7L HEMI up until your comment. I mean, afterall, you don't need the extra HP/TQ from the 6.4L, thats just "bragging rights". Like you, I need something with more power for highway and trail, specifically for a daily driver. The 5.7L sounds like it would do the job JUST FINE. I will have to look into that one...

And you're right: I did not add the need for a comparable and adequate transmission into the mix. But that is because most places out here that have quoted me $30k for the HEMI swap already include a transmission compatible with the 6.4L (or so I've been told). I imagine its the same setup from a GC SRT..? Dunno. Haven't thought through the logistics of that yet.

Finally, maybe a sprintex supercharger would do the trick... or maybe just suck it up and stay with the stock diesel option. However, I just cannot for the life of me see the benefit over the nuisance of the ESS engine. We might as well be driving Prius' at this point... because we all know the ESS engine is only for compliance issues and does next to nothing for fuel economy.
 

chuck h

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This conversation is very interesting and very baffling to me. I am having a hard time understanding, when there have been millions of wranglers on the road, who have been able to push through the wind, how someone could justify as sensible spending $20-$30k to swap out an engine because in part they are worried about their wrangler fighting through the wind, or towing.. People are always breaking Aventus's balls about how he is looking for the wrong car with his "high end" wants, but it sounds like the people who want to make this swap are trying to turn their wrangler's into sports cars, or pick up trucks, and that is not what they are designed to be. Feel free to try to enlighten me if you want, but this was more of a rhetorical question because I am baffled. Then again, I am willing to spend $5-6k to improve my stereo system in my jeep, so maybe I am just as nuts but in a different way.
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