The 10 harsh truths Jeep didn't come out with a V8 Jeep gladiator.

[Sweetums]

As an expert in this industry, what can Jeep do to the jt to increase sales and keep die hard enthusiasts happy? More sticker packages?

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[Jrgunn5150]

Didn't they do that with with the 4xe? Slapped er right in there? Didn't they just do that with the durangos? Slapped a hemi in them? How did that work out for durango sales?

Sure did.

A guy just said, all you gotta do is...

And it all just happened, like magic!

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Gearing gives you the capability, power just gets you there faster. I'd bet a majority of you rarely use more than 80% of what's available.

My daily commuter is a 95 Miata with all of 115 hp that it holds it's own while returning respectable economy despite 175k miles.

Dont be a spec sheep.

Completely agree with you here if you bought the Gladiator, or any Jeep, for off-road use.

 

[Gizmo]

Id rather not have to wind the snot out of it to do what a V8 can at low RPMs and not blowing O rings out of the OFA again

 

[Zachanadandy]

Completely agree with you here if you bought the Gladiator, or any Jeep, for off-road use.

Not all off roading is rock crawling or meandering down forest roads. Deep mud requires wheel speed and so does deep snow, which is where hp wins. And then there are those of us that do freeway plus speeds in the desert. Not to mention, even living out west every wheeling destination is a roadtrip. Many of them are high in the mountains. Between the steep hills and the high altitude, I find that's where the v6 struggles the most. No you don't need a v8 to run the Rubicon, but it sure would make the drive up to Tahoe much more enjoyable.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

You’re not wrong there. It would be kinda nice to move faster up the inclines but I just let the Jeep do its thing. I have a decent climb any day I drive so I’m used to it. It’ll cruise along at a decent speed in 6th and the high oil pressure stuff kicked in. Hasn’t hurt it yet so I’m assuming that’s the way it was designed to work.

 

[Zachanadandy]

You’re not wrong there. It would be kinda nice to move faster up the inclines but I just let the Jeep do its thing. I have a decent climb any day I drive so I’m used to it. It’ll cruise along at a decent speed in 6th and the high oil pressure stuff kicked in. Hasn’t hurt it yet so I’m assuming that’s the way it was designed to work.

Mine gets spun up to 6k rpms regularly. I'd argue that they all should. If the engine makes peak power at ~6200rpms it sure seems designed for it to me. On the dyno runs I've seen, the thing doesn't hit 150hp to the wheels until ~3800rpm. If you meander around before that all the time, I'd bet you're one of those that still misses the underpowered 4.0L. I guess some are happy with half the rated hp, but I use all of them and feel like it could use 100 more minimum.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

I don’t miss the lack of power from the 4.0 but I do miss the reliability and the ease of working on it. Seems to me there was a lot less electrical shenanigans with them than there are with the Pentastar.

 

[RougeShot12er]

Mine gets spun up to 6k rpms regularly. I'd argue that they all should. If the engine makes peak power at ~6200rpms it sure seems designed for it to me. On the dyno runs I've seen, the thing doesn't hit 150hp to the wheels until ~3800rpm. If you meander around before that all the time, I'd bet you're one of those that still misses the underpowered 4.0L. I guess some are happy with half the rated hp, but I use all of them and feel like it could use 100 more minimum.

I am fine with the 3.6l power, but I miss the 4.0l reliability!
I think the 5.7l would provide much better reliability and just the right amount of power. Without having to run premium fuel.

 

[Zachanadandy]

I am fine with the 3.6l power, but I miss the 4.0l reliability!
I think the 5.7l would provide much better reliability and just the right amount of power. Without having to run premium fuel.

I think nostalgia may play a part, although I concede that too many JL/JT owners have had cam issues. Our modern Jeeps have been 100% reliable. Conversely the 4.0L had its fair share of issues. From cracked exhaust manifolds to cracked heads to the crank shaft position sensor failure. The biggest difference being they were a lot easier to work on and therefore far cheaper to fix. That said I wouldn't go back to the 4.0L if someone offered to swap in a brand new one for free. I see you're in Florida, one of the few places I'd call the 3.6L adequate in a truck this heavy. Dump run this weekend reminded me that the thing is a heavy weight. With just the tools and recovery gear I keep in it at all times, myself, the wife, and the dogs it's nearly 6100 pounds. Flat at sea level the 3.6L is OK. Pulling a grade at 8-10k feet it's spinning 6k rpms just to maintain speed. The 5.7L would be a lot better, but if/ when I'm spending AMW swap money I'll likely jump straight to the 392. $32k to add 100hp or $38k to add 200hp is a no brainer to me. Now if the 5.7L was a reasonably priced factory option I'd likely trade the truck in and start fresh.

 

[RougeShot12er]

I think nostalgia may play a part, although I concede that too many JL/JT owners have had cam issues. Our modern Jeeps have been 100% reliable. Conversely the 4.0L had its fair share of issues. From cracked exhaust manifolds to cracked heads to the crank shaft position sensor failure. The biggest difference being they were a lot easier to work on and therefore far cheaper to fix. That said I wouldn't go back to the 4.0L if someone offered to swap in a brand new one for free. I see you're in Florida, one of the few places I'd call the 3.6L adequate in a truck this heavy. Dump run this weekend reminded me that the thing is a heavy weight. With just the tools and recovery gear I keep in it at all times, myself, the wife, and the dogs it's nearly 6100 pounds. Flat at sea level the 3.6L is OK. Pulling a grade at 8-10k feet it's spinning 6k rpms just to maintain speed. The 5.7L would be a lot better, but if/ when I'm spending AMW swap money I'll likely jump straight to the 392. $32k to add 100hp or $38k to add 200hp is a no brainer to me. Now if the 5.7L was a reasonably priced factory option I'd likely trade the truck in and start fresh.

If I was paying for the AMW swap I would definitely go 6.4l. I paid my gladiator off last year, and I would probably trade it in tomorrow and start a fresh build if Jeep offered a semi reasonable factory 5.7l option.

 

[RubiNewbCB]

Wow. The air must be sweet up there where you live!! $5K for a V-8 ....

An edit here - your 5K wish proves my point. So ... Jeep builds the V-8 Gladiator - now with the upgraded engine itself $$$ and ALL of the other components (electrical, computer, hardware, ect. $$$) required for this - new to the platform engine - plus suspension and brake upgrades $$$ will make it far from a 5K option and all the "screamers" will not buy one because the price becomes a LUXURY purchase and not a mid-sized American truck purchase. No harm intended for the dreamer/screamers, but a dose of reality ...

You obviously haven't seen the pricing on the new V8 Durangos.

 

[Jteakus]

$80K for Hellcat Durango

 

[Gizmo]

50 some with a 392

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