Who else is happy with the Pentastar?

[NC_Overland]

Exact same reasoning and justified every week. I don’t tow and I’m not at 12,000ft, I DD and weekend warrior.
And I’m confident if I rent/buy a trailer and go to the mountains I’ll survive.
My gladiator is faster than the first 6 cars, way more useful than the M3, and reliable. That to me is perfect.
I was regretful I didn’t wait (a week!) to be able to order the diesel but I don’t drive long distances often and would be biting my nails waiting for it to break.

If you were at 12k’, you wouldn’t want the diesel. High altitude is where you see most of their major overheating issues. Serious design flaw.

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[JT-Mojave]

2013 would have been before the large round of changes in about 2014 or so - my wife has had Grand Cherokees for decades. Her first ones had the 4.0 and then when the V6 came out, went with those and we've have no engine issues in her vehicles except the 2021 with spark plug troubles at about 800 miles (yeah, not a typo, that's eight hundred)

Yeah I know there were some changes made between the generations (honestly I failed to look into them before purchasing). Bummer you had issues with spark plugs at 800 miles.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yeah I know there were some changes made between the generations (honestly I failed to look into them before purchasing). Bummer you had issues with spark plugs at 800 miles.

It was her new 2021 Grand Cherokee. She'd had it only about 3 months and was coming home and it started bucking and jumping. I got it to do the same for me in the driveway, so I grabbed some freeze-frames of the logging and found it was logging misfires, but not setting MIL (or check engine light)
By the time I drove it to the local dealer, it had stopped bucking and missing and was doing pretty well. Luckily I had printed the logs and showed them the details. They tried to get it to misbehave, it misfired one time for them. They searched all of their bulletins and found one relating to misfires on the WK2 3.6. They replaced spark plugs and it's been find since.

 

[Choatecav]

That's how most modern engines get their HP, though. My Silverado with LS engine needed to be wound up tight to get power for towing. I recall the first time I hit a big hill with it and it dropped a couple of gears and the RPM shot up to over 5,000. I about freaked as if I did that with my other vehicles I'd be doing some engine work. When I next spoke with the guys at the dealership they almost laughed and pointed out - I was safe for another couple thousand RPM on a stock LS - they wind them up a lot tighter when racing. Roller cams, light, small, roller rockers, etc. all make for a high revving V8.
Pentastar 3.6 is one of those modern engines that revs to get power. In short, like almost every other engine of the last decade or two.

Bill,
I have the 6 speed manual Tran which is my preference. However, it does have a very light clutch and the accelerator has to be feathered to not stall out on a hill. I considered changing out the clutch and using a heavier flywheel and then found out that doing so would void some of my warranties, so I am just living with it.

Your comment about most modern engines needing to be revved higher to deliver HP and torque would have an impact on using a manual tranny as well. Don't you agree??

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Bill,
I have the 6 speed manual Tran which is my preference. However, it does have a very light clutch and the accelerator has to be feathered to not stall out on a hill. I considered changing out the clutch and using a heavier flywheel and then found out that doing so would void some of my warranties, so I am just living with it.

Your comment about most modern engines needing to be revved higher to deliver HP and torque would have an impact on using a manual tranny as well. Don't you agree??

Makes sense. The torque on my SX4 with 4.0 is so good I can forget to drop clear down to 1st, take off in 2nd then go to shift to 2nd and realize I'm already there.
I'd only have a manual in the JT if I also had at least 4.10 gears.

 

[Choatecav]

Makes sense. The torque on my SX4 with 4.0 is so good I can forget to drop clear down to 1st, take off in 2nd then go to shift to 2nd and realize I'm already there.
I'd only have a manual in the JT if I also had at least 4.10 gears.

Yes, my Mojave has the 4.10. Not really a problem, but my F-350 has a manual and I can almost take off in 3rd with that thing, ha. I know that is not a fair comparison, but just saying. thanks.

 

[NachoRuby]

Yes, my Mojave has the 4.10. Not really a problem, but my F-350 has a manual and I can almost take off in 3rd with that thing, ha. I know that is not a fair comparison, but just saying. thanks.

Manual f-350 =. There are definitely no 3rd gear takeoffs in the JT, at least not without being in 4-Low. One thing I'd love to have would be a 2-low. I met someone in a YJ with 2 Low.

 

[NC_Overland]

Yes, my Mojave has the 4.10. Not really a problem, but my F-350 has a manual and I can almost take off in 3rd with that thing, ha. I know that is not a fair comparison, but just saying. thanks.

My JKU Rubicon was a six speed with 4.10s. I could barely start off in second. It didn’t like it at all. 3.8l sucked. Hah.

 

[Litfuse]

The 3.6 is a good motor, but not always the best application for specific vehicles. I think it’s capabilities as a motor are pretty stretched when placed in a Gladiator. Trucks aren’t suppose to be revved out to get power. It serves FCA well as a global platform motor.

 

[cotnballs2000]

I put 80k on my 2015 JKU and 76K on my wife 2016 JK with zero problems, we bought them brand new. We live in Colorado at 7K above sea level which you lose about 20% of your horsepower. I had 35s on mine with 4.88 gears and it was awesome. I was up in the mountains at 10K feet plus and had no issues with not enough power.

 

[Mac]

The 3.6 is a good motor, but not always the best application for specific vehicles. I think it’s capabilities as a motor are pretty stretched when placed in a Gladiator. Trucks aren’t suppose to be revved out to get power. It serves FCA well as a global platform motor.

Truck motors can be revved to get power without any issues, 30 years ago truck motors were low rpm and we’re not designed to rev, motors and technology have changed.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The 3.6 is a good motor, but not always the best application for specific vehicles. I think it’s capabilities as a motor are pretty stretched when placed in a Gladiator. Trucks aren’t suppose to be revved out to get power. It serves FCA well as a global platform motor.

Have you driven a Silverado with LS? Those things wind up tighter than the 3.6 when hauling my trailer. I've pulled my car around with both a Chevy V8 and this little 3.6
To say trucks aren't supposed to be "revved out" means no modern engines for them, old-school only.
Most engines today must find their power in RPM. Even Chevy.
To make something lighter and with less CID ( or liters if you prefer) you have to change something - Japanese and Koreans found out it meant RPM. Motorcycles have found power in high RPM for decades - cars finally caught up.
I don't see why a vehicle being a truck instead of a car matters as far as where the power is found, as long as it's there and the thing is geared for it.
We used to see gearing in the 2.7x and higher - how many vehicles today have those high ratios? The trend to deeper or lower gear ratios reflects where the HP and torque is coming from.
My prior truck had a 5.3

315 HP @ 5200 RPM
338 ft/lb torque @ 4000 RPM

and more than once it wound up to 5,000 rpm to get me up hills towing a load. Chevy people say this is normal for gas engines, where the power is made. I believe redline was 6 or better.

 

[Evilmunky]

I know everyone jumped all over the 3.0 Turbo announcement, but they also announced a Pentastar PHEV and an "upgraded" Pentastar. I'd be very curious to see how the PHEV Pentastar ends up spec'd out.

 

[Litfuse]

Have you driven a Silverado with LS? Those things wind up tighter than the 3.6 when hauling my trailer. I've pulled my car around with both a Chevy V8 and this little 3.6
To say trucks aren't supposed to be "revved out" means no modern engines for them, old-school only.
Most engines today must find their power in RPM. Even Chevy.
To make something lighter and with less CID ( or liters if you prefer) you have to change something - Japanese and Koreans found out it meant RPM. Motorcycles have found power in high RPM for decades - cars finally caught up.
I don't see why a vehicle being a truck instead of a car matters as far as where the power is found, as long as it's there and the thing is geared for it.
We used to see gearing in the 2.7x and higher - how many vehicles today have those high ratios? The trend to deeper or lower gear ratios reflects where the HP and torque is coming from.
My prior truck had a 5.3

315 HP @ 5200 RPM
338 ft/lb torque @ 4000 RPM

and more than once it wound up to 5,000 rpm to get me up hills towing a load. Chevy people say this is normal for gas engines, where the power is made. I believe redline was 6 or better.

Gas motors in a truck are a compromise. Trucks are meant to work. That’s why most work trucks have a diesel motor. A gas motor in a truck is strictly for a price point, and also an entry point into a truck becoming the main vehicle of a household. You want power off idle. You have to thrash your LS motor, not because you want to, but because you have to.

 

[Litfuse]

Truck motors can be revved to get power without any issues, 30 years ago truck motors were low rpm and we’re not designed to rev, motors and technology have changed.

Counterpoint: All new motors are forced induction. Smaller displacement, small turbos for instant torque and minimal lag. Claimed efficiency (I don’t believe so), but definitely a more useable torque band for a truck.

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