Which engine is easiest to work on?

[OrneryBear]

If you do your own wrenching and you're a halfway decent home mechanic, you'll do fine with either of the gas motors. I have no experience with diesel engines, just not my game, so I can't talk to the 3.0. I would be hesitant though since they are discontinuing it in the wrangler. I believe 23 is the last year for the 3.0 diesel.

I've been rebuilding engines since before I could drive(legally), so I'm not worried about tearing into anything gasoline powered. I have some diesel experience, but it's something I HAVE to learn even if I don't get it in the jeep since our bus has a DT466. Luckily one of my best friends is a professional heavy equipment and diesel mechanic, so I have someone to call to help when I'm scratching my head. It does look like 23 will be the last year for the diesel in the JL though. I'm going to look at one today to really decide how much of a pain they look like to work on.

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[OrneryBear]

Well, since I’m the only peasant here that is buying a single Wrangler, I’m going with the diesel…?

hahaha I'm with you on that. You must CHOOSE

 

[OrneryBear]

The Rubicon interior stuff can likely be fixed to your liking down the road - the dash panels are swappable at least and the seat skins are cheaper than you'd think. I also find the e-disconnect great after 3 years now, it works very well even after years of wheeling the hell out of it and submerging it - now with 2.5" MC lift and 37s. I'm running the rock krawler "No Limits" swaybar links that allow a ton of misalignment for lifted and flexy setups. The rest of the Metalcloak lift is top notch but friends have broken multiple sets of MC sway links as there's just too much bushing resistance / not enough misalignment to allow free flexing of the axle to its limits like the RK ones.

I will also throw my hat in the ring for the 8 speed auto. As much as I wanted a manual, knowing what the specs of that transmission are and the issues Jeep has had (and their fix being an engine detune) I just don't consider it a durable option for something that's going to be in charge of four 120-pound wheels and tires under a loaded rig across extreme terrain in remote locations. The 8 speed really, really wakes up the 3.6 and the pairing is awesome. I was going for a manual in 2019 when I was shopping until I drove the 3.6/8AT combo. 392 aside, it's certainly the engine with the sportiest "feel" and sound albeit not the absolute fastest way to 60mph vs the 2.0/4xe/3.0.

I'm with you on the change interior bits part, and I bet I could find someone locally who'd want to trade interior piece too.

Doing even more digging on the manual trans, it does sound like there are some gear strength issue, people breaking gears/synchros. Plus that 8spd ?

 

[Iggy]

I'm getting the idea you are expecting major problems with the powertrain. My 2021 JLR 2.0T has been trouble free for 14,000 miles.

A couple of months ago, it made it over the Rubicon Trail during the Jeepers Jamboree with zero issues. Yes, I scraped over every single boulder over the full 11.5 miles, but no failures.

The diesel will require more regular maintenance which might be more of what you're looking for. Working on the powerplant seems of interest to you so that oil burner would be a good choice.

The 3.6 and 2.0T are very reliable. The auto trans is made by ZF (German) which seems more stout than others. The transfer case is solid and if you like powering your way up rocks, Dana 60 axles might be the ones to replace the Dana 44s already under there.

Oh, I hated the red dash panels so I swapped them for the 2020 Gladiator black leather with red stitching panels. Pretty easy; only an afternoon of effort.

 

[MountainRigged]

The pentastar has a fairly shitty EGR valve and multiple catalytic converters, and there is no deleting any of it. As of yet theres not a delete for the 3rd gen 3.0 either.

The ESS battery setup really isn't a big deal.

Of course there is a delete for it.

 

[mwilk012]

Of course there is a delete for it.

for the current generation 3.0? Haven’t seen one yet but it’s been a while since I looked. We haven’t had to work on any lately that we’re deleted but there really just aren’t many around.

 

[OrneryBear]

I'm getting the idea you are expecting major problems with the powertrain. My 2021 JLR 2.0T has been trouble free for 14,000 miles.

A couple of months ago, it made it over the Rubicon Trail during the Jeepers Jamboree with zero issues. Yes, I scraped over every single boulder over the full 11.5 miles, but no failures.

The diesel will require more regular maintenance which might be more of what you're looking for. Working on the powerplant seems of interest to you so that oil burner would be a good choice.

The 3.6 and 2.0T are very reliable. The auto trans is made by ZF (German) which seems more stout than others. The transfer case is solid and if you like powering your way up rocks, Dana 60 axles might be the ones to replace the Dana 44s already under there.

Oh, I hated the red dash panels so I swapped them for the 2020 Gladiator black leather with red stitching panels. Pretty easy; only an afternoon of effort.

Not expecting any major problems no, but I also don't plan on trading/selling it before it's paid off, or within the next 10 years for that matter. My wife tends to want to keep vehicles until they are no longer viable. I've worked on modern vehicles enough to know that some things are buried and you have to remove a bunch of unrelated stuff to get to them, or they are tight packed in engine bays and you can't reach stuff. THAT SAID, I looked at a diesel sport s this last weekend, and I'll say, it wasn't as bad as it looked in pictures, videos. Plus it drove so great.

 

[OrneryBear]

for the current generation 3.0? Haven’t seen one yet but it’s been a while since I looked. We haven’t had to work on any lately that we’re deleted but there really just aren’t many around.

From what I've read on the ecodiesel, you can obtain everything needed to delete it on the wrangler, I'm yet to find a all in one delete kit, but I've also not looked very hard.

 

[mwilk012]

From what I've read on the ecodiesel, you can obtain everything needed to delete it on the wrangler, I'm yet to find a all in one delete kit, but I've also not looked very hard.

the programming is the problem.

 

[OrneryBear]

the programming is the problem.

how so?

 

[mwilk012]

how so?

locked PCM’s

 

[OrneryBear]

locked PCM’s

AHH, got it. From what I'd read you can unlock the PCM, or get a spare PCM and marry it to the jeep, and then get in and do what you want with something like HPTuners. I'll dig more into it.

 

[JPThing2]

My understanding is that Jeep is on the fourth part # for the clutch and it is now a single mass design unlike the original dual mass where the issues were found. Clutch should be ok now, albeit perhaps not as beefed up as the CF aftermarket version.


68273845AA - Dual mass springless disc unit experiencing the most failures. The springs appear to be on the pressure plate assembly. Photographed in this thread.
68273845AB - Unknown
68273845AC - This is the revision currently sold by quadratec but is no longer the latest. Appears to be a sprung disc identical to AD.
68273845AD - Appears to be a single mass sprung disc based on the picture on the mopar website.
This started late '21 on 2022 models

*Part # Info from another thread by Imakeinterfaces
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/documenting-m-t-clutch-revisions.85688/#post-2051472

 

[OrneryBear]

My understanding is that Jeep is on the fourth part # for the clutch and it is now a single mass design unlike the original dual mass where the issues were found. Clutch should be ok now, albeit perhaps not as beefed up as the CF aftermarket version.


68273845AA - Dual mass springless disc unit experiencing the most failures. The springs appear to be on the pressure plate assembly. Photographed in this thread.
68273845AB - Unknown
68273845AC - This is the revision currently sold by quadratec but is no longer the latest. Appears to be a sprung disc identical to AD.
68273845AD - Appears to be a single mass sprung disc based on the picture on the mopar website.
This started late '21 on 2022 models

*Part # Info from another thread by Imakeinterfaces
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/documenting-m-t-clutch-revisions.85688/#post-2051472

WELP, Looks like we'll find out if that's true. I'm not trusting the mopar picture, but I just ordered a JLUR with the 6spd. Wife put her foot down and said it needed to be manual, who am I to argue. So after the shock of the down payment wears off, I'll order the centerforce clutch and confirm if they switched to the single mass flywheel when I get it on the lift.

What's funny is on my wife's vw diesel, it uses a dual mass, and it works really well, and if you use a single mass, it eats itself alive. When I swapped hers out for a new LUK (oem) clutch/flywheel, I was horrified to discover that the dealer we bought it from had put a cheapo single mass kit in at 39k. Whole clutch kit was like $300, that's flywheel/clutch/pressure plate/throw out bearing.

 

[JPThing2]

WELP, Looks like we'll find out if that's true. I'm not trusting the mopar picture, but I just ordered a JLUR with the 6spd. Wife put her foot down and said it needed to be manual, who am I to argue. So after the shock of the down payment wears off, I'll order the centerforce clutch and confirm if they switched to the single mass flywheel when I get it on the lift.

What's funny is on my wife's vw diesel, it uses a dual mass, and it works really well, and if you use a single mass, it eats itself alive. When I swapped hers out for a new LUK (oem) clutch/flywheel, I was horrified to discover that the dealer we bought it from had put a cheapo single mass kit in at 39k. Whole clutch kit was like $300, that's flywheel/clutch/pressure plate/throw out bearing.

What axle did you get? You should be fine, especially if you opted for the 4.88. But it will be interesting to see if/when you pull it off to put on a CF. Please report back - inquiring minds want to know. And congrats on the order! ?

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