Anyone ever swap out the 3.6 gasser for the 3.0 diesel?

[Flyin6]

I haven't heard of this happening, but I wonder if anyone has.

Personally, I am totally underwhelmed with this 3.6 wheezer. By my reckoning, it has very little power.

Since I paid a lot for a new AEV JT370 that I have added a bunch of stuff to, I will be keeping the Jeep, however, it needs more power.

On the subject of the 3.6 gas engine, I think it is a poor example of what an engine of that size should be. My wife drives a Cadillac XT6 with a 3.6 gasser and a 10-speed transmission. All I can say is WOW! That car is almost quick. It offers 306HP and man does it move out. We get around 25 mpg out of it, and that car is AWD. So the weight is comparable to the Gladiator, and yet the Caddy feels great with that engine, and doesn't need anything more. By comparison, I have a darned hard time just cruising at 70mph with my lifted/37" tire/5.13 gear setup. The difference between the two is dramatic.

So, I am now planning on an engine swap. I am not all that impressed with the 6.4 hemi. It costs a lot and has about half the features of a GM LT/10-speed setup. I spoke with a gentleman who drove a 5.3 LT powered JL and he said it was quicker than his 6.4 hemi JL. So my default will be to swap up to an entire GM 6.2LT 10-speed setup and not look back...at a hefty mid $30's price tag, I'm guessing.

This brings up the question of the 3.0 eco diesel.

Surely a complete drivetrain could be had from a recently totaled unit, or it could be purchased new. The 3.0 can be tuned and would likely have all the torque that a GM 6.2 would have.

All that makes it an interesting option.

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[Wheelin98TJ]

I'd never do a motor swap to a motor that is available factory installed.

Too much work for something that is already available and installed better than most people can do it.

 

[Flyin6]

I'd never do a motor swap to a motor that is available factory installed.

Too much work for something that is already available and installed better than most people can do it.

Perhaps you wouldn't, but I would

Question stands...

Anyone heard of this happening?

 

[Tom C]

Wouldn’t you need to do a transmission swap as well?

 

[Flyin6]

Wouldn’t you need to do a transmission swap as well?

I would assume so.

I would think one would have to change out the engine/transmission along with the secondary wiring harness, cooling system, add the IC and fit all the normal diesel accessories.

 

[Flyin6]

My thoughts are

1. It may be easier
2. It may be more cost-effective
3. A diesel would move the weight much better.
4. Better serviceability

 

[Raven65]

You'd be money WAY ahead to sell your current rig and buy a diesel Gladiator if that's what you want. I'd read up on all the issues the EcoDiesel has before I went that route though.

 

[aFatBird]

I think the main issue swapping to a diesel would be all the emissions equipment. That's going to end up costing a good chunk. Other things would be brackets and other things like the fluid reservoirs. It's going to end up being a lot of custom fabrication to do as well as a significant amount of time.

 

[Flyin6]

You'd be money WAY ahead to sell your current rig and buy a diesel Gladiator if that's what you want. I'd read up on all the issues the EcoDiesel has before I went that route though.

I cannot agree at all
I paid a hefty price for an AEV
Then I have already invested in the Clayton suspension, 5.13's bumper, winch and on and on
Additional things do not bring a strong premium
and
I will not realize anywhere near what I paid for this AEV
Nossir, I am on the tipping point and since I like the vehicle, I want to build this one

Now, respectfully,

Has anyone heard of a 3.0 swap?????

 

[Flyin6]

I think the main issue swapping to a diesel would be all the emissions equipment. That's going to end up costing a good chunk. Other things would be brackets and other things like the fluid reservoirs. It's going to end up being a lot of custom fabrication to do as well as a significant amount of time.

Even if I just pulled everything from a wrecked unit?
Second thought, emissions
Here in Kentucky, we differ greatly from the California. No one cares about emissions stuff here at all. No checks, no inspections, no Gestapo, nada.
We all can that crap about as fast as we can
I think I would be more along the line of using some Canadian people to write the tune I want sans tree hugger garbage.
And the prospect of swapping to a Chevy LT drivetrain is quite a task in its own right. So the difficulty factor is somewhat of a wash...

 

[bleda2002]

No, no one has done that swap I'd imagine. The frames aren't the same, the knuckles aren't the same, tranny is different, springs, shocks, bump stops, emission equipment, fuel tank, def tank etc you're better off just going hemi since it would probably be pretty similar cost.

Also for emissions, the EPA cares. They are cracking down on all the coal rolling and deletes. It's not as easy as just chopping stuff out, you have to tune the engine to actually run with out them.

For the xt6, it weighs 4300 pounds, has significantly smaller and lighter tires, waaaay better aero, and the 0-60 is still only 1 - 1.5 second faster than a gladiator. The pentastar is not to shabby compared to other similar v6s, its just not a great engine for a heavy truck.

 

[aFatBird]

Even if I just pulled everything from a wrecked unit?
Second thought
Here in Kentucky no one cares about emissions stuff
We all can that crap about as fast as we can
I think I would be more along the line of using some Canadian people to write the tune I want sans tree hugger garbage.
And the prospect of swapping to a Chevy LT drivetrain is quite a task in its own right. So the difficulty factor is somewhat of a wash...

I feel like if you don't care for the emissions stuff you might as well get a Cummins r2.8 with an adapter to the stock transmission. Ditch the emissions stuff if you want to not deal with def fluid or the cost of the equipment. Send it to a custom shop to fab up all the new brackets you need and call it a day. This probably would cost around the ball park of finding a salvage title ecodiesel and getting the work done anyways.

 

[Flyin6]

No, no one has done that swap I'd imagine. The frames aren't the same, the knuckles aren't the same, tranny is different, springs, shocks, bump stops, emission equipment, fuel tank, def tank etc you're better off just going hemi since it would probably be pretty similar cost.

For the xt6, it weighs 4300 pounds, has significantly smaller and lighter tires, waaaay better aero, and the 0-60 is still only 1 - 1.5 second faster than a gladiator. The pentastar is not to shabby compared to other similar v6s, its just not a great engine for a heavy truck.

Well, that's that then

I did not know the frames were different

That is a show stopper, so assuming you are correct, and I thank you for that, the discussion is now null and void I suppose.

Oh and really looking at the Chevy LT over the Hemi...Much better option IMO.

 

[Raven65]

You're setting yourself up for a very expensive nightmare. Pretty much everyone who has responded so far is saying as much. I say again... sell your existing truck and buy what you want. Put it back to stock first and sell off your upgrades separately - or keep them to build your next one with.

 

[Flyin6]

I feel like if you don't care for the emissions stuff you might as well get a Cummins r2.8 with an adapter to the stock transmission. Ditch the emissions stuff if you want to not deal with def fluid or the cost of the equipment. Send it to a custom shop to fab up all the new brackets you need and call it a day. This probably would cost around the ball park of finding a salvage title ecodiesel and getting the work done anyways.

That is not a bad idea at all. I had considered that for a moment, but was thinking it is a pretty large departure from anything that looks stock. You know, total custom fab and all that

One of the benefits with using Motec, for example, for a Chevy LT swap, is that it is all sorted.

Before just learning about the diesel trucks having a different frame, swapping a 3.0 into my chassis would just be labor. Now that I know that is not possible at all, the 3.0 option will be off the table.

As for the 3.6, if find it wanting in a very big way

I am used to more powerful vehicles. I own a 620 HP/1200 ftlb Duramax, a 3500 Ram Cummins, and a supercharged 6.0 LS Suburban. All of those will make you sit up and take notice. The little 6 that can't is not only boring, but way underpowered and I find myself using great angular changes of the skinny pedal just to get it to keep up...

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