Sponsored

Who else is happy with the Pentastar?

XJADDICTION

Banned
Banned
Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Threads
11
Messages
821
Reaction score
1,659
Location
TN
Vehicle(s)
2020 JT SS Max Tow, 2005 WK Hemi, 2013 Mustang GT
Occupation
Surgical CSFA
Almost 45,000 miles and love the Pentastar. Just finished a 2000 mile round trip loaded with canoe, fishing kayak , 3 bikes, trailer and dirt bike loaded with all kinds of gear backseat and bed no problem. The JT doesn’t even know the 1500lbs PF trailer fuel and dirt bike are even back there.

With the 8 speed auto, 245x75x17 tires and 4:10 gears there is plenty of power. I maneuvered through lots of traffic, merging and even one windshield saving and potential crash saving maneuver (dump truck full of gravel driver forgot to secure tailgate at 75mph interstate speed and stone was flying all over the place. So were the cars behind him. I was just beside another truck that started to take my lane and I sped up to get out of the way and past dumb ass dump truck). The JT was able to hit 98mph for a a few minutes to get past the mess. This proved how quick this set up is, though had to stop next exit to clean out my under ware and check the load and poor trailer. All was good!

JCR off-road should recognize this place my Jeep is pictured in.

5B51E949-8368-4341-8CC0-4E408F6A4FD4.jpeg


F50201D9-4059-4D73-8F97-5B8295415003.jpeg


4BD86CAF-DE16-4E92-96D3-2016FE83FF53.jpeg


62854753-BDA9-4DC0-B33D-119AC89459AE.jpeg
Sponsored

 

Choatecav

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Mar 18, 2021
Threads
14
Messages
325
Reaction score
573
Location
Dickson, TN
Vehicle(s)
2021 Gladiator Mojave
Occupation
Sales
So, what does the iDrive (I see the name is changed due to a merger or acquisition?) do for an AUTOMATIC when TOWING in hills. Not Colorado type hills, but the hills like, say, I80 in eastern Iowa?
I seem to have to push down on the throttle a lot to get it to kick down and take off.
What you described above is exactly where a throttle controller would help you most. When the weight starts to bog you down, every second of delay causes you to lose momentum and battle gravity harder. For economy reasons and others, I think manufacturers purposely set these throttle systems to where there is more of a lag. Granted, with an auto, you can stomp it to get a downshift but why deal with that? You would probably want input from an AT owner but from what I have read and found out, the benefits to the AT owner are equal to, if not greater than the MT owner. Even the most skeptical person gets juiced when they first experience, in the YouTube videos I have watched.
 

DanW

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dan
Joined
Mar 2, 2017
Threads
23
Messages
939
Reaction score
1,104
Location
Brownsburg, Indiana
Vehicle(s)
21 JT Rubi, 18 JLU Rubi, 2008 JKU Rubi, 07 Vette
My iDrive just delivered this afternoon and I have already installed it. Such a difference it makes. Especially with my 6 speed MT. Recommend it to every Gladiator owner!!
When stock, the throttle adjusts when in low range to a sensitivity level I like very much. When you set this thing to normal, will it behave like normal both in high and in low range? In other words, will it change like the factory setup when you go to low range? I think for me the big benefit of this thing would be in high range, so I don't want to mess with the factory settings for low.
 

foo.c

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
271
Reaction score
370
Location
127.0.0.1
Vehicle(s)
2021 JTR, 2021 Corvette
I have a highly trained right foot, don't need a gadget.
 

Choatecav

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Mar 18, 2021
Threads
14
Messages
325
Reaction score
573
Location
Dickson, TN
Vehicle(s)
2021 Gladiator Mojave
Occupation
Sales
When stock, the throttle adjusts when in low range to a sensitivity level I like very much. When you set this thing to normal, will it behave like normal both in high and in low range? In other words, will it change like the factory setup when you go to low range? I think for me the big benefit of this thing would be in high range, so I don't want to mess with the factory settings for low.
It doesn't mess with any of the settings in the vehicle. Plugs in at the top of the pedal between the pedal and the link going to the engine.
You have four settings: Factory, Eco, Ultimate and Auto. Both Eco and Ultimate have nine "fine-tune" settings based on your driving preference. So, you can dial in your preference as you wish or go to factory settings with a push of one button. Wonderful item.
 

Sponsored

Jonny A

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jon
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Threads
10
Messages
293
Reaction score
294
Location
Eliot, Maine
Vehicle(s)
2020 Rubicon Gladiator
Occupation
Bridge Construction and Maintenance
Almost 45,000 miles and love the Pentastar. Just finished a 2000 mile round trip loaded with canoe, fishing kayak , 3 bikes, trailer and dirt bike loaded with all kinds of gear backseat and bed no problem. The JT doesn’t even know the 1500lbs PF trailer fuel and dirt bike are even back there.

With the 8 speed auto, 245x75x17 tires and 4:10 gears there is plenty of power. I maneuvered through lots of traffic, merging and even one windshield saving and potential crash saving maneuver (dump truck full of gravel driver forgot to secure tailgate at 75mph interstate speed and stone was flying all over the place. So were the cars behind him. I was just beside another truck that started to take my lane and I sped up to get out of the way and past dumb ass dump truck). The JT was able to hit 98mph for a a few minutes to get past the mess. This proved how quick this set up is, though had to stop next exit to clean out my under ware and check the load and poor trailer. All was good!

JCR off-road should recognize this place my Jeep is pictured in.

5B51E949-8368-4341-8CC0-4E408F6A4FD4.jpeg


F50201D9-4059-4D73-8F97-5B8295415003.jpeg


4BD86CAF-DE16-4E92-96D3-2016FE83FF53.jpeg

Almost 45,000 miles and love the Pentastar. Just finished a 2000 mile round trip loaded with canoe, fishing kayak , 3 bikes, trailer and dirt bike loaded with all kinds of gear backseat and bed no problem. The JT doesn’t even know the 1500lbs PF trailer fuel and dirt bike are even back there.

With the 8 speed auto, 245x75x17 tires and 4:10 gears there is plenty of power. I maneuvered through lots of traffic, merging and even one windshield saving and potential crash saving maneuver (dump truck full of gravel driver forgot to secure tailgate at 75mph interstate speed and stone was flying all over the place. So were the cars behind him. I was just beside another truck that started to take my lane and I sped up to get out of the way and past dumb ass dump truck). The JT was able to hit 98mph for a a few minutes to get past the mess. This proved how quick this set up is, though had to stop next exit to clean out my under ware and check the load and poor trailer. All was good!

JCR off-road should recognize this place my Jeep is pictured in.

5B51E949-8368-4341-8CC0-4E408F6A4FD4.jpeg


F50201D9-4059-4D73-8F97-5B8295415003.jpeg


4BD86CAF-DE16-4E92-96D3-2016FE83FF53.jpeg


62854753-BDA9-4DC0-B33D-119AC89459AE.jpeg

62854753-BDA9-4DC0-B33D-119AC89459AE.jpeg
Up in da U.P. eh? St. Ignace side. Last photo.
 
Last edited:

Jt-wrx

Well-Known Member
First Name
Blake
Joined
Dec 24, 2019
Threads
18
Messages
671
Reaction score
459
Location
eh
Vehicle(s)
20 sport s 6spd
I have a highly trained right foot, don't need a gadget.
i did too, and resisted this gizmo for a long time, but having it for a few weeks, maybe a month now, i'd do it again in a heartbeat, even with a well trained right foot, it still doesn't ramp up the input even to the floor as quick as this thing does with minimal input on the higher settings, you'll find a number that works well empty and for towing and for when you need to drag race someone lol

easy install, i wish i knew about these when i ran gm products with their notoriously lazy/heavy gas pedal and stupid delayed response, a friend who runs gm now said it absolutely transforms his late gen half tons and i believe it, the pentastar isn't terrible but it's not what it should be for most of us enthusiasts

you should join the collective ;)
 

foo.c

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
271
Reaction score
370
Location
127.0.0.1
Vehicle(s)
2021 JTR, 2021 Corvette
So, 0-60, 1/4 mile times etc. are faster using the gadget than without it? (Not real applicable to the JT, I admit.)
 

Dan in Pasadena

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dan
Joined
May 22, 2021
Threads
11
Messages
509
Reaction score
920
Location
Glendora, CA
Vehicle(s)
2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
Occupation
Retired
Just curious if anyone knows if changing the throttle controller settings in California violates smog laws/would impact registration renewal when that comes up?
 

Choatecav

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Mar 18, 2021
Threads
14
Messages
325
Reaction score
573
Location
Dickson, TN
Vehicle(s)
2021 Gladiator Mojave
Occupation
Sales
So, 0-60, 1/4 mile times etc. are faster using the gadget than without it? (Not real applicable to the JT, I admit.)
Yes, absolutely faster..
Not gonna give you a faster top end, but in the short, quick accelerations like the 1/4 mile it will definitely help.
Like a NFL player cutting a half second in his 40 yard time.
It's huge.
 

Sponsored

foo.c

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
271
Reaction score
370
Location
127.0.0.1
Vehicle(s)
2021 JTR, 2021 Corvette
Yes, absolutely faster..
Not gonna give you a faster top end, but in the short, quick accelerations like the 1/4 mile it will definitely help.
Like a NFL player cutting a half second in his 40 yard time.
It's huge.
I'd have to see some data. My understanding is that essentially they just add a delta to what you are asking the throttle to do. So if you are asking for 50% they bump to say 75%. Once you are asking for 100% it can't add anything.

I can reach 100% throttle pretty quick. ;)
 

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
178
Messages
29,091
Reaction score
34,572
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
I'd have to see some data. My understanding is that essentially they just add a delta to what you are asking the throttle to do. So if you are asking for 50% they bump to say 75%. Once you are asking for 100% it can't add anything.

I can reach 100% throttle pretty quick. ;)
It's not how fast you push the throttle, it's how fast the throttle feeds the information to the ECU and mostly how fast the ECU reacts. If the throttle control gives the ECU different information, it's going to respond differently.
It's not just adding or padding the signal with "more", it's tweaking what it's sending.
 

foo.c

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
271
Reaction score
370
Location
127.0.0.1
Vehicle(s)
2021 JTR, 2021 Corvette
It's not how fast you push the throttle, it's how fast the throttle feeds the information to the ECU and mostly how fast the ECU reacts. If the throttle control gives the ECU different information, it's going to respond differently.
It's not just adding or padding the signal with "more", it's tweaking what it's sending.
The gadget doesn't change anything in the ECM. It's just changing the voltage the ECM sees. I can do that with my foot.

If it could really do something you can't it would be seen on time slips.
 

XraytecH

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bernie
Joined
Jan 14, 2021
Threads
170
Messages
1,523
Reaction score
2,102
Location
South San Francisco
Vehicle(s)
2021 Jeep Gladiator Sport
Occupation
Xraytech
Vehicle Showcase
1
Moving up from VW A4 Platform 4 banger, Pentastar is more than adequate for me.
 

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
178
Messages
29,091
Reaction score
34,572
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
The gadget doesn't change anything in the ECM. It's just changing the voltage the ECM sees. I can do that with my foot.

If it could really do something you can't it would be seen on time slips.

LOL - riiiiight.

In the 1/8 mile I bet it would make a difference. Your speed measured at the 1/8 mark is something watched and I bet these make a difference.

Doesn't matter how hard you mash that pedal - it still ramps or slows the signal to the ECU.

These controllers take the lag out.

You can smack it to 100% as fast as the best drag racer - but what the ECU sees will be 50.....60.....70....80.....90....up to 100% and that 100% is not there as quickly as you think it is.
These modify the signal so it's more like 50.60.70.80.90.100 %

The modern vehicle, like the JT, has lag built in to accommodate a wider variety of drivers, from kids to women to old men to the 25 year old rock climbing ninja.
They also have to temper the response for CAFE - instant throttle burns more fuel.
What the engineers do is akin to putting a shock absorber in the pedal's signal.
These make that adjustable all the way to instant response.
Doesn't matter how fast you think you mash that pedal, the ECU sees someone pushing their foot down not all at once.
Just because your foot is planted firmly doesn't mean the ECU got that all at once. In fact the faster you think you are - the more lag there will be.
I used to do autocross - and there's no way these modern vehicles respond like my cars did.

These controllers can even make it so that by the time you hit 70% pedal travel it's almost all in so the last little bit doesn't make much difference. So they can change the ratio of pedal travel to signal strength.
Sponsored

 
 



Top