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What's under the hood?

What's under the hood of your wrangler?


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aldo98229

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I'm willing to bet that there are 10x, maybe even 100x, the amount of people that lurk in the shadows, than the total member count on this forum. Reading and trying to get a bead of which engine to choose, but never joining. They read a bunch of posts that come across as informative, but are really written by people that really don't know what they're talking about but are either just regurgitating the same closed minded thoughts that they heard while bouncing on dad's knee or those of the guy who was that kid. The unfortunate domino effect. Add to that, the biased need to defend one's purchase as the only right one. I've read a number of posts written by a v6 owner that left me convinced that they probably would've been happier with the I4 turbo, but were initially swayed by the bouncing knee remarks.

But that's the reality of all forums. Never take anything at face value. I find these forums to be one of the best sources of research, but it first requires a considerable amount of time to be invested. And most of that time is finding out who's who around here. Who's worth listening to versus who didn't dig deep enough and is just regurgitating and/or is just defending the companies free decal that came in the box and is now on their jeeps window.
Putting on my market researcher hat for a moment:
  • The poll response categories are pretty clear cut. They’re mutually exclusive and easy to understand —with the exception of Other...but it has a low response, so it doesn’t really matter.
  • 100 responses should start to paint a clear picture, given than JL has been selling 200,000+ units/year.
  • It is true that some forum members prefer to lurk. However, 100 forum members have voted so far, but there are only 16 posts. This suggests that lurkers are voting even if they are not posting. Further, I cannot think of any reason why owners of 2.0T engines would be more likely to “lurk” than owners of V6 motors. If we assume that V6 and 2.0T are just as likely to be “lurkers”, then we have to assume that those poll results reflect the market.
Someone mentioned “enthusiasts”: we know that forum members are more likely to be enthusiasts; I don’t know for a fact, but if we were to assume that Jeep enthusiasts are more likely to opt for the V6 then, sure, I can see that biasing results in favor of V6.
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Headbarcode

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If you don’t mind me asking: how miles have you put on the Turbo 4 and have you seen any issues so far? This is more for my research in regards to my second Jeep. I always like hearing from experienced guys.
Not me you quoted but, like Limeade above, I decided to gather my own findings by doing multiple back to back comparisons of the 2.0 and 3.6. All were 4 doors with automatics. Most were similarly equipped Rubicons, but some were a combination of Sports and Saharas. I never mixed a Rubi with a non Rubi, because the difference in final drive gear ratios. I did a total of about 50 separate comparisons during the fall of 2018 at nearly every dealer from the east end of long Island to Western Nassau. That's right, about 100 different jeeps. All at just feet above sea-level, for those not familiar with Long Island new york.

Every result was the same. The v6 felt under powered until getting to higher rpms, whereas the 2.0 didn't require as much throttle input and rpm's to accelerate at the same pace. Also, a thing to note, is that a work accident caused me to be half deaf. Its hard for me to hear subtle noises, unless they are the only noise present. That means, I couldnt audibly tell the difference between motors when driven up to me by a salesman. The low to mid range torque isn't a monumental difference, but plenty enough to notice just seconds after pulling out of the dealers lot.

One last comment on these 2 gas motors. Don't buy into that whole 2.0 "complexity" notion. It's pure speculation, which never accomplished a thing. What's not speculation is inevitable mechanical failure. It's a process that starts as soon as an individual piece gets put into use. The more mechanical pieces there are in a given system, the higher the amount of potential failure points there are in that system. That technically makes the v6 the more complex motor assembly. Its not a coincidence that all phases of heavy industry are tending to fewer cylinders and inline blocks.

FYI, Southampton let's you take it out without having a salesman along to chew your ear off.
 

Headbarcode

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Putting on my market researcher hat for a moment:
  • The poll response categories are pretty clear cut. They’re mutually exclusive and easy to understand —with the exception of Other...but it has a low response, so it doesn’t really matter.
  • 100 responses should start to paint a clear picture, given than JL has been selling 200,000+ units/year.
  • It is true that some forum members prefer to lurk. However, 100 forum members have voted so far, but there are only 16 posts. This suggests that lurkers are voting even if they are not posting. Further, I cannot think of any reason why owners of 2.0T engines would be more likely to “lurk” than owners of V6 motors. If we assume that V6 and 2.0T are just as likely to be “lurkers”, then we have to assume that those poll results reflect the market.
Someone mentioned “enthusiasts”: we know that forum members are more likely to be enthusiasts; I don’t know for a fact, but if we were to assume that Jeep enthusiasts are more likely to opt for the V6 then, sure, I can see that biasing results in favor of V6.
Oh I wasn't referring to just this poll, but this whole forum over the last few years.

Unfortunately, most people just don't care to or aren't willing to dig. All the time, I see someone steered into a decision over the coarse of a thread that was filled with no valid points. Makes me feel bad when I see that same person in a situation that could've been avoided, had they just gotten something more than biased and speculative info back in the beginning.

My response was to your comment about how out numbered the 2.0's are. From my reading of every post in every motor comparison thread over the last few years, the v6 owners are very emotional and out going with their amount of borderline hatred of the 2.0. Most of the 2.0 owners only chime in to log their mileage without any issues, in order to counter the speculation.

Most people have zero mechanical know how, which brings them here to seek advice. Speculators outnumber those in the know, so these threads quickly turn useless to the next guy looking to make an informed decision. Because the pages bloat with nonsense and posturing, and most of those in the know opt to just move along rather than beat their head into a wall. Go back to the last recent engine comparison thread. The few pieces of knowledge were tossed to the side and overwhelmed by utter stupidity and the constant display of a clueless person willing to argue that waters not wet. And one poor guy that kept trying to salvage the thread, but he was just wasting his time.

These words are with the forum as a whole in mind. They just happen to have landed here.
 

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scottijohn63

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I have the 2.0 turbo with torque! I love this engine transmission combo! Traded my six speed manual Fj with a short shifter, and have never looked back!
 

entropy

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Why does every single post that mentions the 2.0 end up on arguments about which one is better blah blah. Weve been fighting each others on which power platform is better since 2018. There are 100 threads to post your opinion. Ive voiced mine before once and that was it.

People with the V6 think they have the most reliable engine,me included, and it gives us peace of mind even if it isnt true. People with the 2.0 love the engine, I have not seen one single comment from a 2.0 owner who hates it. So can we just be happy that we like different things?
 
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daveprice7

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...The more mechanical pieces there are in a given system, the higher the amount of potential failure points there are in that system. That technically makes the v6 the more complex motor assembly....
Wouldn't that be ignoring the turbo, plumbing, etc? Without having any empirical evidence, I would assume that a turbo is going to have a shorter service life than other components due to, you know, spinning fast and under pressure... I'd also assume that boosting the compression of an engine will shorten its life as well.. but, I don't know if that's exactly true or not...

That being said, I like turbos and would have been happy with one, but screw that damn automatic! Actually, the more I drive the 6 spd, the more I kinda think I would've been better off with the auto... I think I am only competent at shifts when I'm driving like a bat out of hell; I can't seem to get the hang of shifting at slow speeds.
 

DanW

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Curious to hear how the V6-Etorque combo feels. My understanding is that the generator adds 90 foot pounds of torque, which should really push that thing along with authority, combined with the engine's torque. We've got 4 who voted, so let's have the scoop!
 

DanW

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Why does every single post that mentions the 2.0 end up on arguments about which one is better blah blah. Weve been fighting each others on which power platform is better since 2018. There are 100 threads to post your opinion. Ive voiced mine before once and that was it.

People with the V6 think they have the most reliable engine,me included, and it gives us peace of mind even if it isnt true. People with the 2.0 love the engine, I have not seen one single comment of a 2.0 owners who hates it. So can we just be happy that we like different things?
Ehh, I dunno. I think that has lessened a bit as the 2.0 has become proven. It's off to a great start. I've certainly not seen any significant pattern of issues. Looks like a stout little powerhouse.
 

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The Last Cowboy

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Looks like there’s no bad choice, that’s a good thing. The 3.6 has been a great engine. If DaimlerChrysler had kept the old wheezing 3.8 the take rate for the 2.0 would be much higher.
 

JHTS

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Both of mine are v6 autos though I really wanted a 2.0 for the second one I couldn’t find a Bikini with it.
 

Headbarcode

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Wouldn't that be ignoring the turbo, plumbing, etc? Without having any empirical evidence, I would assume that a turbo is going to have a shorter service life than other components due to, you know, spinning fast and under pressure... I'd also assume that boosting the compression of an engine will shorten its life as well.. but, I don't know if that's exactly true or not...

That being said, I like turbos and would have been happy with one, but screw that damn automatic! Actually, the more I drive the 6 spd, the more I kinda think I would've been better off with the auto... I think I am only competent at shifts when I'm driving like a bat out of hell; I can't seem to get the hang of shifting at slow speeds.
It most certainly does include the turbo and its supporting components.

I respect the fact that not everyone is fluent in mechanics and fully aware of the varying degrees of controlled violence they are and aren't designed to endure. But I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man... by then it was nothing to me but blinding. Shadows betray you, because they belong to me. Lol! I couldn't help finishing that Baine speech.

But seriously, I was born into truck and heavy equipment repair. That evolved to include component redesign, tool and fixture prototyping, etc. I had the polar opposite of a normal childhood. I have zero inclination to lead anyone astray here. I only yearn to pay back for all the Jeep knowledge I've gleaned from specific minds here.

Boost is only dangerous to longevity if it wasn't in the plan for that motor from the very beginning. Or, when pushing the limits of one that was, through aggressive tuning and other modifications that surpass what the motor was meant to withstand.
 
 



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