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There is no perfect engine

five9dak

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Get a used 2020 with 3.6 ess 8spd and disable the auto/start stop and convert to a single standard battery.
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DevilDogJeeper

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I personally wish they had a 5.7 L v8 option that was a normal priced upgrade. I think i would choose that over the eco diesel. As for now, I'm loving the diesel. Its no 392 but the torque is nice. I still think the 5.7L hemi would be perfect for me, especially if it was rear wheel drive and not full time 4x4 like the 392.
 

Rodeoflyer

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My 3.6l with 5.13's and 37's works fine at altitude. My home is at 6,000 feet and everywhere I wheel locally is higher than that. We are frequently between 10,000-12,800' on the weekends. Could I use more power, sure? Do I need it for wheeling/commuting, no, it holds 8th fine at 65. It gets a bit harder to hold at 75 going up hill. I chose this because I did not like the ricer sound of the turbo and preferred the low end torque. In addition, I have had several Jeeps with the 3.6 and never had a single engine related issue.
Yeah agreed, mine's *immensely* better with the 5.13 gears but another 50lbs of torque would be PERFECT. Just a little bitty turbo forcing some air density would be dreamy lol.

However I wouldn't want to give up the instant torque, zero lag, and wide power curve of the 3.6.

I want this powerband, with a turbo... but then again that would probably require a beefier trans, engine internals, etc more $$$

Jeep Wrangler JL There is no perfect engine 1633393627464
 

JeepinJason33

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Yeah agreed, mine's *immensely* better with the 5.13 gears but another 50lbs of torque would be PERFECT. Just a little bitty turbo forcing some air density would be dreamy lol.

However I wouldn't want to give up the instant torque, zero lag, and wide power curve of the 3.6.

I want this powerband, with a turbo... but then again that would probably require a beefier trans, engine internals, etc more $$$

1633393627464.png
Originally Jeep stated that the eTorque provided 90lbs of increased torque from stop on their website in the engine choice section. Now it just states " The legendary PentastarĀ® V6 engine gets a boost with the addition of eTorque. The mild-hybrid system adds low-end torque for impressive starting power and exceptional rock crawling." The non eTorque does not mention the add on.
 

Killed by Death

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This is ironic. Iā€˜ve read through this entire thread and I got the impression you seem to be the one most concerned with justifying your decision.
Iā€™m ordering a 2022 and Iā€™m still on the fence in regards to which engine. Deep down I know itā€™s the 392, but unfortunately my wife doesnā€™t share that opinion.
Really? I like NAs and mostly reply to folks that quote me. But I do like to have fun and wire people up sometime. Personality flaw I guess? I did delete the post listed above. It was kinda inflammatory.

In a perfect world of cheap gas I'd pick the 392. However, I'm not spending that much lettuce on a Jeep. Does that come off as a justification? Just here to have fun and kill some boredom.

Drunk posting doesn't help either :beer: :CWL:

BTW, hope you get that 392 you want!!!!!
 

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masch57

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Wait until the bugs are out of the 4xe. I've got the plugin hybrid Pacifica. Bought it because of the deals and subsidies, but driving it easily cures my any nostalgia I have for the numerous 400 ci + V-8s I've owned over the years. ICE drivetrains, God love 'em, give this old farm mechanic constant anxiety with all their bits and pieces buzzing and clunking. Electric torque, smooth and continuous, is just like a big-block, but with no gear changes to ruin it. It's the same thing when slowing down with the smooth and even regen braking. The electrics fill in the rough spots even when the battery is dead.
 

Romans9

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How do you compare the 2.0 turbo with the 3.0 eco diesel both on road and off? I've driven the latter on both the sahara and the rubi (I preferred the ride of the sahara with that engine), but haven't driven the 2.0.
The 2.0 is very impressive for a 4 cylinder and I was very surprised by the power, however in regular traffic it was more of a chore to drive feeling like you needed to be ā€œon the pipeā€œ like a two stroke with no reserve left. The ecodiesel is very snappy, we have zero lag and the other one I have driven is the same way. I donā€™t believe anyone posting about turbo lag with the ecodiesel. The VGT turbo responds perfectly throughout the entire rpm range.

Having built performance Diesel engines for a living I was not expecting anything like this from a factory tuned engine.

I have been told, although I havenā€™t tried it yet myself, that some ecodiesels are actually closer to 500 ft lbs of torque from the factory. The way ours runs I believe it.
 

bruin1md

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The 2.0 is very impressive for a 4 cylinder and I was very surprised by the power, however in regular traffic it was more of a chore to drive feeling like you needed to be ā€œon the pipeā€œ like a two stroke with no reserve left. The ecodiesel is very snappy, we have zero lag and the other one I have driven is the same way. I donā€™t believe anyone posting about turbo lag with the ecodiesel. The VGT turbo responds perfectly throughout the entire rpm range.

Having built performance Diesel engines for a living I was not expecting anything like this from a factory tuned engine.

I have been told, although I havenā€™t tried it yet myself, that some ecodiesels are actually closer to 500 ft lbs of torque from the factory. The way ours runs I believe it.

At the risk of an unpopular take, I actually felt the Eco diesel did have turbo lag on the rubicon. Some of it was likely being at altitude plus the added weight........ I will say that that I didn't really notice it on the Sahara, which again, could be from the weight difference. Regardless, I definitely felt the lag on the Rubicon driving it at 7k feet.
 

jeepoch

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@Caveman044,

Order whatever you want. Don't second guess your initial instincts. If money is no object, the biggest bad-ass Rubicon with all the bells and whistles. Otherwise, don't worry about compromise. Any engine / transmission combo will get you into the most incredibly fun vehicle on the planet.

I had a budget of just $30K and I had to settle for nearly the lowest JL Sport package. Luckily, I found a deal two years ago on a 2019 Sport S 2 door 3.6L, auto for $27.5K. Yes it has the horrible mini motorcycle ESS battery but I'm having an absolute blast with it.

With the savings I installed the Mopar 2.5" lift, Fuel Ammo Anthracite wheels and 35" All-Terrain tires. Also splurged a couple hundred bucks for the Teraflex Sway-Bar Quick Disconnects.

I have tackled some pretty difficult trails in my home state of Colorado. Rubi drivers are amazed that there is a Sport on some of the really challenging trails on the high peaks and mountain passes right along side them.

The moral of the story is what you can do with your Jeep independent of the package.

On top of all that, it's the best daily driver I've ever owned (by far bar none). It's fun, I enjoy every minute I'm driving it. The 8 speed auto 3.6L is certainly great at taking me wherever I point it.

Whatever you chose, don't ever look back. Any JL package no matter the powerplant will be truly amazing. It's what you do with it that will matter. Skill more than anything is what will dictate what's needed.

My Sport with the software implemented Brake Lock Differential (BLD) functionality on open diffs take me everywhere I care to adventure to. Honestly, I'm not into rock climbing, boulder bouncing or any of the really severe crap, but I've yet not been stuck on any obstacle.

Go with your gut, compromise if need be, you'll still have a blast.

Jay

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99ls1tj

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We have a JLUR 4XE and a JTRD. I really like both powertrains. Iā€™ve owned 3.6ā€™s in the past and have had problems (heads and leaking oil coolers). Iā€™m not a fan of the 3.6. IMO, itā€™s boring and not reliable.

I use the JTRD mostly for commuting. I love the small diesel. Itā€™s fun to drive, has gobs of torque and gets good mpg. My wife doesnā€™t work and mostly uses the 4XE for daily errands.

IMO, the 3.6 would be my bottom choice of the current offerings. Not a fan of that engine, and if that was all FCA had to offer in a Jeep, Iā€™d most likely be driving a Bronco.
 

Carolina Jeeper

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Now here's a subjective topic if there ever has been. I am very happy to see that this thread's title doesn't have the word motor used for an engine! It's true there is no all around perfect engine. You will gain and give up something for any choice you can make.

My personal preferences are lower maintenance, enough power to pass someone on the highway, gas mileage is irrelevant, can use low octane fuel and no hybrids.
 

DanW

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^ ^ ^ this.

I ordered the 2.0T because I wanted the least complicated system with the A8, and at the time the 2.0T was the only non-eTorque version on the Rubicon.

After buying it, to my surprise, I found all these things about the 2.0T that make it much better than the 3.6 (that I had on my 2016 JKUR).

1 - No crossover exhaust to be smashed by rocks, to interfere with front drive shaft droop, to interfere with aftermarket skids. (never talked about here)

2 - Incredible amounts of torque where you drive the most - 1,500-4,000 RPM.

3 - Fuel economy, though not a priority was a good surprise.
1. In 2 Jeeps and 200k miles with LOTS of off roading including 3 trips to Moab, I've never scratched a crossover pipe. I've knocked the shit out of skid plates and cross members, but never the pipes.

2. Yes, it is a torque little powerhouse. But in low range and 1st gear with the 6 in a Rubicon, it will pull a house off it's foundation and idle up the steepest hills with my foot off the gas. Even my JK's anemic 3.8 does that. (Both Jeeps are manuals). So it's no issue

3. Yep, I've seen slightly but consistently better mileage from my friends' 2.0s, but configured the same way as mine, it is not by much. But it is there.

So what is the advantage of the 3.6? Lower warranty claims, by far. One of the best at that in the industry for a decade. Also, much better NVH. The 2.0 sounds and feels (in terms of vibration) like a 4 cylinder. The 6 is quieter and smoother. Easier maintenance is another.

So what makes an engine better is 100% dependent on the specific criteria, particularly that which the owner values.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the 2nd most important one for me that makes the 6 better for me. The availability of the manual transmission. My #1 priority is the rep for reliability and longevity of the Pentastar. 2.0 is great so far, but talk to me when we start seeing them pass 200k miles. MANY Jeep club friends have Pentastars well past 200k with no issues. So far, so good, though, from what I've seen with the 4. Especially since offering them without ETorque.

I would love to drive that 2.0 with a manual. It'd be a hoot. Too bad they didn't offer it.
 

Shadeslinger

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I test drove both the 2.0 and 3.6 back to back before I ordered. I really thought I would enjoy the 2.0 more, plus it would save me a few $$ vs the etorque auto. But, like most vehicles (with the exception of proper sport cars) I just can't get over the turbo lag. When I want to go, I want to GO and that 1 sec of lag irritates the hell out of me. It's not just Jeep, it's almost any single turbo really.

That said, I have no regrets with the 3.6. It's the right amount of engine for me!
 

Badfish

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Do all of the above and gain even more TQ/HP and better sound? I just put the AFE muffler delete on our 2019. Did it more for the ground clearance as there were several dents/scrapes in the muffler. Dropping 20-30lbs off the back of the Jeep, the muffler no longer turning the rear floor storage in to an oven, and the improved sound were just bonuses for $130. Superchips tune is likely the next mod up though.
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