Who else is happy with the Pentastar?

[ShadowsPapa]

I assume you’ve had it through a Montana winter? How’d it do? We don’t get quite as cold down here in NM, but get to single digits fairly often.

There's people who have owned these engines for years up in the neighborhood of Santa and Rudolph. Those same people that try to share the love by sending us their Alberta Clippers now and then.

We've had the 3.6 for years in Jeeps - through a number of winters, never a problem. My first JT even had to sit outside until I could make room for it inside - and it faced north out there. Did fine.
They start easy, warm up quickly, the automatics have a transmission heater, good winter engines, IMO.

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[Geoarch]

There's people who have owned these engines for years up in the neighborhood of Santa and Rudolph. Those same people that try to share the love by sending us their Alberta Clippers now and then.

We've had the 3.6 for years in Jeeps - through a number of winters, never a problem. My first JT even had to sit outside until I could make room for it inside - and it faced north out there. Did fine.
They start easy, warm up quickly, the automatics have a transmission heater, good winter engines, IMO.

Good to hear. It gets colder up your way too.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Good to hear. It gets colder up your way too.

Yeah, those darned Canadians love to share with us.
We get our share of cold. Not like parts of Canada, or Fairbanks, Alaska, but the jet stream and other factors cause us to unwillingly import Canadian air.
In the early days of my career, we used to sell engine heaters like crazy and farmers stocked up on ether to get their tractors started. I kept my 1086 plugged in and the ether injector maintained as I had a 3 point snow blower on it in the winter.

 

[Geoarch]

Yeah, those darned Canadians love to share with us.
We get our share of cold. Not like parts of Canada, or Fairbanks, Alaska, but the jet stream and other factors cause us to unwillingly import Canadian air.
In the early days of my career, we used to sell engine heaters like crazy and farmers stocked up on ether to get their tractors started. I kept my 1086 plugged in and the ether injector maintained as I had a 3 point snow blower on it in the winter.

Grew up in San Diego County -ha ha.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Grew up in San Diego County -ha ha.

So, you are asking what snow is? LOL
And you define cold as anything under 50?

I was wondering why so often Holy Moly staff and crew were wearing COATS - I mean, isn't that filmed in California? So I looked it up. I was not the only person with that question as the Google results filled more than a page and a lot of people were asking what's up with CA people wearing COATS in a non-winter season.
Apparently where that is taped, it gets really nasty cold and wet at times. CA is pretty diverse in climate and weather.

Back in about 2010 or so, I went to a friend's place in a suburb of Phoenix. It was either late January or early February. Back home here in Iowa my wife was texting me that it was 0 degrees with bad snow.
We were wearing shorts and t-shirts where I was. We're standing around in his driveway sharing a few drinks and his friends and neighbors started coming over and soon there was a group of 10 or so there. As the sun went down people started disappearing - and coming back with long pants and jackets on. This went on until I was the only one there with no jacket........... and doing fine. Finally one of them commented - look at the Iowa boy - he's loving this while we shiver.
Really? 55-60 and you guys are COLD? It was beautiful evening weather.

 

[Geoarch]

So, you are asking what snow is? LOL
And you define cold as anything under 50?

I was wondering why so often Holy Moly staff and crew were wearing COATS - I mean, isn't that filmed in California? So I looked it up. I was not the only person with that question as the Google results filled more than a page and a lot of people were asking what's up with CA people wearing COATS in a non-winter season.
Apparently where that is taped, it gets really nasty cold and wet at times. CA is pretty diverse in climate and weather.

Back in about 2010 or so, I went to a friend's place in a suburb of Phoenix. It was either late January or early February. Back home here in Iowa my wife was texting me that it was 0 degrees with bad snow.
We were wearing shorts and t-shirts where I was. We're standing around in his driveway sharing a few drinks and his friends and neighbors started coming over and soon there was a group of 10 or so there. As the sun went down people started disappearing - and coming back with long pants and jackets on. This went on until I was the only one there with no jacket........... and doing fine. Finally one of them commented - look at the Iowa boy - he's loving this while we shiver.
Really? 55-60 and you guys are COLD? It was beautiful evening weather.

Yeah. I always get that from you guys up near 40 degree lat. I grew up in far east San Diego County though, about 50 miles east of the coast. 90 to 100 in the summer, and freezing in the winter, meaning near 32 F. My house here north of Albuquerque is at 5460 ft in elevation, and single digits do happen, but the latitude is 35.193081, so you can even feel the sun in January where 40 degrees isn't rare that month. The issue is ice. It thaws in the day and turns to black ice at night. Probably in the spring for you. Sorry about the digression. I was a geology major and had to take a physical science outside the major and took meteorology - almost changed majors. I found atmospheric physics fascinating. My friends in the NWS are tearing their hair out nowdays, since their numeric models are based on the last 100 years, and the atmosphere is getting so warm that they aren't working well - thus the relatively poor forecasting. I have a Davis Instruments weather station 24/7 if you want to see what the Middle Rio Grande Valley is like when you're freezing your butts off: http://www.swxrflab.net/~shackley/wx.htm

 

[Brahmajoe]

I had it in my 2019 ram no issues. It’s been good in my jeep as well but I have been experiencing a vibration usually at start up a few other people have been saying the same, it’s a new generation engine compared to my ram

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I had it in my 2019 ram no issues. It’s been good in my jeep as well but I have been experiencing a vibration usually at start up a few other people have been saying the same, it’s a new generation engine compared to my ram

Not saying this is it - but do you have the AC on, or is the HVAC in "auto" mode when you start?
On my 2020 I noticed a very very slight "rumble" or vibration like a compressor or belt vibration when I started it when I had the HVAC in auto - which was 99.99999% of the time.
If I turned AC off, things were smooth as silk once it started.

My 2022 I notice that when I shut it down, it is an abrupt shut-off. That engine stops turning NOW and it's a rougher final 1 or 2 revolutions than the 2020 was - it stopped a bit more smoothly.

Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's because this engine is tighter with under 500 miles, I'll never know.

 

[Brahmajoe]

Not saying this is it - but do you have the AC on, or is the HVAC in "auto" mode when you start?
On my 2020 I noticed a very very slight "rumble" or vibration like a compressor or belt vibration when I started it when I had the HVAC in auto - which was 99.99999% of the time.
If I turned AC off, things were smooth as silk once it started.

My 2022 I notice that when I shut it down, it is an abrupt shut-off. That engine stops turning NOW and it's a rougher final 1 or 2 revolutions than the 2020 was - it stopped a bit more smoothly.

Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's because this engine is tighter with under 500 miles, I'll never know.

Thanks I’ll check if it’s in auto mode. I have all the same symptoms

 

[Willys2Gladiator]

I just have to say once again. I love the Pentastar! I love the look of the engine bay (without cover). Totally enough get up and go. Good fuel economy. Is there better and more power. Heck yeah but I also loved my F- head in my old Willy's pickup.

Pic is my JL. Have the same in my Gladiator.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I left my truck at the dealership for some final stuff to be done and the loaner was a 2020 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. Beautiful vehicle, BLACK with red front tow hooks and red stitching inside.
I high the highway with it and I looked down and holy cow, slow down dude before you see lights and hear sirens. That thing was crazy quick. I figured- I know this is a 3.6 - there were no emblems on it and the growl of the intake indicated a V6 but I had to look under the hood when I got home. Yup, enough room for my grandson to stand in front of the engine between engine and radiator, so it's a 3.6
On the way back I had to watch myself - I was so used to driving my JT and my wife's own 2021 Grand Cherokee this thing was like a rocket compared to our Jeeps. And other than the growl of the intake at certain times, it was really quiet.
When I took it back I told them I wish they hadn't been so quick getting my truck done. If I didn't need a truck and want my JT - I'd have asked for their price on that trailhawk GC.
I can't believe the zip that had. Push pedal - GO!

Does the Trailhawk GC have a lower gearset, maybe something akin to the 4.10:1 of the Gladiator Rubicon? I can't explain the total and I mean total difference in zip and how fast you hit 85 before you even thought you might be doing 65. Different tune? Something was very different about it as we've owned Grand Cherokees for decades, and more than one of the WK platform and this was night and day compared to anything my wife has owned. If she opts to trade in the future................

 

[bd100]

2021 GC Trailhawk has 3.73 like the base JT. The weight is a bit more than the JT Sport S. Same peak torque but slightly lower RPM for peak. Similar HP. At least on paper. Partial dual exhaust. Maybe the engine is just broken in better.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

2021 GC Trailhawk has 3.73 like the base JT. The weight is a bit more than the JT Sport S. Same peak torque but slightly lower RPM for peak. Similar HP. At least on paper. Partial dual exhaust. Maybe the engine is just broken in better.

My wife's Grand Cherokee weight isn't much less than my Gladiator.
Her Jeep has more payload and more towing capacity than my TRUCK!
The trailhawk I believe was similar, better than my truck's payload and towing. Crazy. If I didn't need the truck bed or enjoy my JT so much, I'd drop it for a Grand Cherokee Trail hawk and just use my trailers to haul things. I have a small utility trailer that will handle as much weight as my truck will, and my car hauler for bigger stuff.
Heck, in all seriousness, I could tow more and better with a Grand Cherokee. And after driving that crazy loaner, I had to try to figure out what the heck was different.
But it doesn't have the convenience of a truck.

Neither of our Jeeps could have beat that TH GC in the quarter mile. And I don't have to watch the speedometer on either of ours like I did that one. I found myself blasting down the road and not realizing it.
Must be that low end grunt.
One thing interesting - the tach on it indicated 2,000 rpm when driving the speed limits here - my wife's and mine are both under 2,000 rpm at speed limit - quite a bit under.

 

[bd100]

Perhaps the GC TH has different differential gears than published. And the JT still has the advantage in wheel base. When towing our 2000lb trailer with the GC the GC gets bucked up and down some on the bumps by the trailer, more so than the JT.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Perhaps the GC TH has different differential gears than published. And the JT still has the advantage in wheel base. When towing our 2000lb trailer with the GC the GC gets bucked up and down some on the bumps by the trailer, more so than the JT.

The traihawk actually has a curb weight greater than my JT! By over 200 pounds!
The base has 200 pounds more payload, crazy, and 200 pounds more towing.

With a WDH, I bet it wouldn't be as bouncy.

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