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3.6 upgrades

25K views 41 replies 12 participants last post by  JGCO_77 
#1 ·
Mapping out my course.

Have 2017 GC 3.6, don't want down time with mods but looking to do work myself. Buy used parts and complete prep then swap parts in. Will all years of the 3.6 GC upper and lower intakes match up?
 
#2 ·
None that I know of, google images will make this easy. Not sure what mods your planning, the manifold might benefit from porting but it's no fun with plastic and I can't think of any other mods that would be swappable after prepping. There's a few parts that'll be interchangeable, maybe engine mounts, sensors, exhausts but not likely anything "performance." An intake/exhaust to make noise and a tune if available will make the most/only gains, I haven't noticed any 2017 performance threads yet, but the usual questions and claims will follow.
 
#4 ·
I wasn't clear in original post, buy used parts as in upper & lower intakes and possibly a brake system.

All other items need to be from suppliers.

Tentative list thus far for this year;
-ported upper & lower intakes.
-ported TB,in process of researching different companies.
-cold / ram air, undecided company or if I'll manufacture it myself.
-exhaust, undecided company but want bone stock quite, larger diameter and mandrel bends in prep for future power adder.
-front brakes, no research completed on my part but will explore fitting another Jeep/Chrysler system if feasible. SRT???

-tuner would be nice to truly bring all of it together but not certain it can be budgeted this year.

I expect to take a few months to gather all but goal is dyno pure stock then re-dyno immed after mods which I want to install over a weekend. I do not expect significant power gains. With this list I'll be satisfied with a consistent rise over the entire rpm range.
 
#7 · (Edited)
you wont get much out of the 3.6L with anything other than a tune. .


Go see what all the challenger, charger and 300S forums have to say.


Tentative list thus far for this year;
-ported upper & lower intakes. - No point the Pentastar is already maximized for air flow.
-ported TB,in process of researching different companies. As above.
-cold / ram air, undecided company or if I'll manufacture it myself. As above.. Several people (challenger crowd) have lost power from intakes and slowed their 0-60 times.
-exhaust, undecided company but want bone stock quite, larger diameter and mandrel bends in prep for future power adder. Will only add noise.

Your best bet is going tune only... (check out hemi fever custom tunes, or overkill racing). Or get the sprint booster. Even the tune will only add 5-8hp or so.. they mainly just remap the throttle and rework some of the fuel spark tables.

Not much left on the table with the pentastar.
 
#8 · (Edited)
It's built for more it's just not friendly. Moderate boost and good tuning it's capable of 3-350rwhp pretty reliable.

HemiFever is a known and the results are searchable. The results are noticeable and there are people using the pedal commander with a tune.

If your going to donate to the hot air fund Im sure there's more offerings coming, an actual box would help. K&N is all I see but the Pstar makes some decent sounds uncorked.

sadly more JK's are blown these days than anything.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Tune is definitely way to go, agree. Waiting on Diablosport for that as I've reached out already.

Sport mode, I like that button:)

Porting and so on is a feel good, I seen the factory castings and find them pathetic. Before this jeep I was a turbo AWD car guy and still have an itch for them but needed a more practical vehicle when I cart around my American Akita and Shiba Inu. They enjoy and get a lot of seat time on weekends and vacations. So porting everything that has casting overlap, ridges, etc... Is just natural for me, I don't expect much from it on a naturally aspirated stock motor.

Ive been debating and reading extensively on ported throttle bodies, ya are definitely correct on lose of power and that particular item is appearing as though it will get scrubbed from the list.

And the intakes, I've yet to dive into that underworld but appreciate the forum info and will dig into it.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Not sure if the 17's are much different than the wk2 14's but the SRT brakes are a direct bolt on to pretty much any wk2 ...I had 14' SRT brakes installed onto my jeep and they work perfectly.

as for the upgrades...well....I've tried most everything on your list ..sprint booster/Exhausts/ Ported Throttle bodies(2 Diff ones) ..2 Diff Cold Air Intakes...and none of that stuff really does anything except make more noise ...nothing really as far as HP gains...at least nothing you'd feel..

SO ..I ended up Supercharging my 3.6 about 18 Months ago ...started with a Stage 1 RIPP Kit and ran it with 8 lbs of boost...increased AWD WHP from 184 Stock to ~320AWD HP with some tuning


With a Stage 2 RIPP kit (bigger intercooler/Injectors/Fuels System upgrades) and 10-11LBS of Boost I was able to net ~420AWD HP for a short amount of time...before popping the motor....this was due to me increasing boost to 15lbs on the stock motor..and the tune wasn't stable

I'd say if you're really looking for hp then accept that nothing comes cheap on these 3.6's ...spending money on these bolt on's really won't get you any noticeable HP...I never tried a custom tune on the stock setup but I can't imagine it really adding all that much HP

I've probably gone deeper down the rabbit hole with the 3.6 than any other member here on this forum...I had a custom 3.6L engine built and it's about 1-2 weeks from completion..it was on the dyno for 10 hours last week alone...shooting for a 450+ AWD HP # out of the new block...so far its looking good ...we're getting pretty close to that number and still have room to go ...

I think the SRT brakes are one of the best cosmetic things you can do for your jeep


Oh yeah...and as for tuning...the diablo didn't seem to work all that great with my supercharged setup as it's pretty limited as to what you can tune/change in comparison to the HP tuning ...so My new setup is being tuned with HP tuning and it runs/shifts and drives better than ever.

I'm in the boston area and have a local tuner here that can do your Jeep on the AWD dyno if interested...
 

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#11 · (Edited)
Ajag, tnx for info. ironically your part of the reason I found this forum. Was searching modded WK2 and came across your ride. Your ride by far is the most detailed I've run across which surprised and concerned me. I know there's others out there I just haven't found them, yet...

Good luck with the build, keep updates posting.

So would you have just saved longer and purchased an SRT?
 
#13 ·
My build

I've invested more into my v6 Jeep than the cost of a new hellcat Jeep :)

In hindsight I wish I had just bought an srt but I was really hoping to just do enough to my Jeep to make me happy until the hellcat is released

Hindsight is 20/20


Too late now :)
 
#15 ·
Nah...I don't regret it ...i'll be happier when I actually get it back on the road though...it's been over 9 months since I blew my motor and started the rebuild project...it took ~7 Months to get the new motor built (all custom stuff that's why) and then about 2-3 weeks for the install...now it's been at the tuning shop for almost 8 weeks now ...good thing is that they are working out every single bug....something that never happened when I had the first supercharger setup installed...Just bolting on the supercharger is only half the battle....there's still a long road after that to work out the tuning and issues..

HOPEFULLY ....when I get it back in a week or 2 it will be putting down good reliable power...the motor I had built has all forged internals so it should last a while...the stock motor has the ability to make almost the same power...but it doesn't hold up for long
 
#17 · (Edited)
The good thing is that the forged internals are much stronger and will add longevity...but the fact that there are no real "performance" upgrades for these motors means that this expensive block I had built really isn't going to produce much more power if any ..than a stock block.

the factory heads are actually pretty decent...so a full porting job on my motor only netted ~18% increase in air flow....the cams are pretty limited in what you can do as well ...so that's all we were able to do was add a little more duration...to allow the boost to get into the cylinders a little better ...as for the pistons...the custom pistons I had made are ~ 1/2 ratio lower compression than the stock pistons...I did this to allow the motor to reliably support 15+ Lbs of boost ...

I'm so deep into this new motor that I'm really shooting for a decent HP number but focusing more on RELIABLE power ...meaning we are keeping the A/F in a VERY safe range as well as ZERO misfires or knocking ...My tuner is still working on the high end range of power now ...we'll probably do a hero Pull or 2 ...just to see what we can get ...and then dial it back from there ...right now they are @ ~420AWD HP/420 TQ at 14Lbs of boost at 5700RPMS...and it still has a ways to go...

I had a custom Torque Convertor built for this new motor and from what the tuner is telling me...it's producing lower HP #'s than a stock one...but is a MUCH better setup for the street...~3000+ RPMS this TC grabs WAY harder than a stock TC...my 1-2 Shifts are pretty ridiculous fast on the dyno
 

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#18 ·
420 HP & TQ and still have further tuning, oh yeahhhhhh.
Hopefully the powerband suits ya?

Those Pistons, I think I got a woody!

What about the V3, did you stick with stock unit or????

The tranny, I would assume all that is available,e would be to work the converter, maybe the valve body depending on who it was sent to.

The never ending quest to find the next weak link. Oh how I miss speed....

Need to get you a sponsor, being V6 and all!!!
 
#19 · (Edited)
Yeah..hoping to see a safe number around 450/450 but not sure if "safe" will be in that range ..I think 600hp at the crank is totally realistic..but with drive train loss not sure 450 to the wheels is realistic ..but probably is..we'll see..my belt was slipping on the dyno pulls last week so they've replaced the belt along with fixing a couple other issues ..so with any luck the final tune will be done this weekend or next week and I'll be driving it :)


You're right..nothing available as far as an upgrade to the tranny (re845) I looked into cryo dipping but no one wants to touch it ..I have a spare tranny so when my original one fails I'll have a swap ..and then I'll really pursue a stronger option

The torque converter in my Jeep has been completely overhauled and is supposed to be much better over the 2600-3000rpm mark..not exactly sure what was done but it was pretty pricey so I'm hoping it's worth it


My stage 2 kit is the same v3 compressor but due to larger injectors (900cc) , larger piping,srt intercooler and custom fuel rails with full return system ..this setup has the ability to make a LOT more power than the stage 1 kit .

The same pulley that creates 8lbs on the stage 1 creates 10-11lbs on my stage 2 due to the larger piping/intercooler (volumetric increase)
With the "altitude" pulley ripp sells for the wrangler it allows me to make a solid 15lbs of boost ..while keeping intake air temps to an acceptable level

Theoretically this setup should be capable of some serious hp

I've considered having a custom pulley made to increase the boost even more but I'm pretty sure the compressor is at the upper limits of it's abilities right now ..the "next" upgrade I'm considering is a methanol injection system that could potentially add another 50-75hp

But in need to drive it for a while to see if I need more power :)
 
#20 ·
Well, after going thru the forum discussions and reading and speaking with several people I thought another option may be worth at least an inquiry. I emailed my sales agent and requested a quote on the same vehicle package I bought but with a Hemi. There are numerous aftermarket power adding options.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Wrong platform for going fast my friend. You can get your hemi and do bolt ons all day but it will still be a 14 second slouch. My mother in law just bought a 16 Maxima. Gold/Beige in colour. Can do high 13's :lol: Traded her 14' Camry V6... that's a low 14 second car. You'd have to mod to keep up with granny


Jump to an SRT
 
#24 · (Edited)
I found one Anniversay Hemi w all options I wanted, set it up to drive out that evening and sold sold sold. I contemplated SRT but the price of new is sticking point and then mods on top... Considering gently used but for now I'm calling it a day and will re evaluate later, maybe it's just not my time yet.

Btw, 14 sec for an SUV is respectable. If I wanted fast I'd buy a BMW S1000RR.

Yes the Maxima's move but it's a Maxima!!! Nice car and all but it's a Maxima!!! Tons of features but it's a Maxima!!! Oh well, guess Granny runs circles around your Laredo so I don't feel bad ��
 
#25 ·
Yep granny can run circles!! The Grand Cherokee is my winter beater!! (Can you imagine!!) I have the Corvette for the nice weather and just off loaded my SRT10 Viper to make way for something a little newer. Go figure. Goodluck with your shopping. If you want a fast SUV you might want to check out the X5 M ;)
 
#26 · (Edited)
The only thing less original than an X5M down here are tattoos and beards, every soccer mom has an M or a 6.3 that will never be used as more than a Dodge Caravan. A supercharged Grand with a nice exhaust turns my head faster than any 120k tramptroop carrier that gets trashed by a plastic Barbie and car washes with no regard for its purpose, which is nothing. It's easy to get 400whp out of the hemi and a great sound and still use it for some light off-road or towing. I say go for it. And I am an almost three decade BMW owner/lover, well older ones and non douchey ones.
 
#28 · (Edited)
The only thing less original than an X5M down here are tattoos and beards, every soccer mom has an M or a 6.3 that will never be used as more than a Dodge Caravan. A supercharged Grand with a nice exhaust turns my head faster than any 120k tramptroop carrier that gets trashed by a plastic Barbie and car washes with no regard for its purpose, which is nothing. It's easy to get 400whp out of the hemi and a great sound and still use it for some light off-road or towing. I say go for it. And I am an almost three decade BMW owner/lover, well older ones and non douchey ones.
LOL. Have you ever driven an X5? Tune only 12 seconds.. probably an eye opener from the "older, less douchy" BMW's you used to own. I mean OP does want a racecar SUV, so biases and judgements aside.. if you want a correct platform SUV to mod and make 400hp you obviously want to haul ass more than wheel. How about an SQ5 ... and don't forget almost every Grand Cherokee is owned by a soccer mom also... its the revolution of vehicle ownership these days. Also to note a Used X5 or or SQ5 can be picked up for a pretty reasonable price. You could check out the X5 forums too and realize that's a pretty strong community of SUV performance enthusiasts just like the SRT crowd here. :slapfight:
 
#29 · (Edited)
It's not that the X5 or any M is anything less than a stellar performer and an amazing vehicle. I've been well over reasonable speeds in one, my cousin has the goofy football x6m. It's that the astound is gone because every corner is another bottle blonde with fake bumpers in an identical $250k car that is wasting its existence as a grocery getter or with a giant watch wearing tool in it .

Just for humor, I wouldn't wheel this overbuilt minivan anymore than I would tow with the 70k pretty boy lifted diesel "trucks" by me with stretched "mud" tires on 24's

Ironically I give more props to the cambered out Civic SI with a fart can than the ghost next to it. Built not bought
Just an opinion and it's south Florida where veyrons can be like corollas
 
#36 · (Edited)
I ran that tune on my 300S V6 also.. its not 40hp. Its very aggressive throttle mapping. There are a few youtube video's comparing the overkill tune to the Hemi Fever tune. They gain a couple horsepower and torque, and shave a few tenths. I believe our GC's have a lot more torque management in place and none of the ZF's shift logic can be tuned, whether a Charger, GC, 300 etc as far as I know. (I.e you can make it shift firmer, faster, later etc).

On the 2015+ you have to send your whole ECU in to him and the price climbs pretty high. I took the Overkill tune off my 300S after a year and didn't miss it much.
 
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