A New Option for Engine Swaps?

[sab]

I just read a Motortrend article about the Hurricrate engines. This engine is the crate version of the new 3L I6 twin-turbo engine that is replacing the hemi V8s in Ram trucks and the Wagoneers. I've long been against turbo-charged engines for their complexity, but I seem to be in the minority more and more. I argue that the only reason we are seeing so many turbo-charged engines these days is the EPA fuel economy requirements and the general push for "reduced carbon footprints."

I ask you this. Which of these looks simple and which looks like a Rube Goldberg cartoon?

The new-fangled twin-turbo Hurricane engine:

The good ol' red-blooded 'Murcan V8:

Long live the normally-aspirated V8!

 

[YonderNorthwest]

I say let them keep pushing out fuel-efficient motors. They can pick up the slack for my 12-15 mpg gas guzzler.

 

[sab]

Oh, yeah. I forgot to discuss cost and performance:

Cat 3 Hurricrate Engine, MSRP = $13,745, Power = 550hp, Torque = 531ft-lb
392 Hemi Crate Engine, MSRP = $9,600, Power = 485hp, Torque = 475ft-lb

 

[macleanflood]

I'd just assume mount up a couple of Netgain 120 HP electric motors with splined output shafts mated to 1310 yokes, a battery management system and a pile of junkyard hybrid batteries balanced out in the engine compartment and fuel tank areas for optimal range and weight balance.

Pretty sure I can get 200-300 miles of range for less than $10k.

-Mac

 

[sab]

I'd just assume mount up a couple of Netgain 120 HP electric motors with splined output shafts mated to 1310 yokes, a battery management system and a pile of junkyard hybrid batteries balanced out in the engine compartment and fuel tank areas for optimal range and weight balance.

Pretty sure I can get 200-300 miles of range for less than $10k.

That sounds good on paper, but it's not worth much more than the piece of paper to me. Electric vehicles may one day make sense to me. However, I don't think I'll still be walking this earth when they finally do.

 

[AndyG]

The engine in the original post looks like something out of a spaceship- Honestly it looks more sophisticated than some of our Saturn rocketry.

I can open the hood on my 6.7 L diesel F250 and I don’t even know where to start to do anything.


Amazingly on most of these power plants the durability is there.

 

[ChadH]

Politics and the EPA are pushing the auto makers to meet increasingly strict emissions regulations, so they turn to turbos to try and meet regs while also appeasing to the public.

A good question to ponder is how long until the gov decides it will force people to outlaw vehicles older than 10 years. Ie you will no longer be legally allowed to drive your TJ/LJ on public roads. I bet it happens in another 15-20 years or sooner.

 

[Chris]

I bet it happens in another 15-20 years or sooner.

Considering Commie-la says she plans to confiscate your guns once she's President, I don't think you're far off.

 

[Longwhitejeep]

Credit where is due though, even meeting the epa regs, these engineers are hitting impressive power figures with better mpg than most anything from our tj era vehicles.

I wonder if the next gen wrangler will have this?

 

[AndyG]

Credit where is due though, even meeting the epa regs, these engineers are hitting impressive power figures with better mpg than most anything from our tj era vehicles.

I wonder if the next gen wrangler will have this?

You’re exactly right-

The first thing that came to my mind is the rest of the powertrain probably couldn’t handle the power.

Can you imagine that engine mated to an 8 speed transmission?

It would lay it down.

The four-door needs a better engine than it has and it doesn’t have to be the 392...
It’s really amazing the success his head given the engine. It more or less created a cult... And people will do things like shave their heads and wear a robe in order to be in a cult.

In other words the consumers have been more than willing to overlook the dismal power in order to be in the group.

Really what happens is the vehicles look aggressive and capable and people don’t even realize what is under the hood.

On a similar note I have a good friend who was the president of a four-wheel-drive club in Texas and he got a bunch of boys off on a trail and there was a new guy in his Jeep having a really hard time.....It turned out the poor fella couldn’t get it in four-wheel-drive because it didn’t have four-wheel-drive.

He was all tore up.

 

[ColoJeep]

A good question to ponder is how long until the gov decides it will force people to outlaw vehicles older than 10 years. Ie you will no longer be legally allowed to drive your TJ/LJ on public roads. I bet it happens in another 15-20 years or sooner.

That's a way too optimistic view , these commie bastards will try to outlaw all private motor vehicles . That way you'll get to sit next to some tranny weirdo
on the bus or "high" speed rail , all in the name saving the planet , " For the children " .

 

[ChadH]

That's a way too optimistic view , these commie bastards will try to outlaw all private motor vehicles . That way you'll get to sit next to some tranny weirdo
on the bus or "high" speed rail , all in the name saving the planet , " For the children " .

Yeah maybe in cities, I can see it happening sooner. I dont live in a city. Zero public transportation where I live. Closest buss option is in town 60 miles away. So many of these laws and policies are made revolving around cities when the vast majority of the US is very rural and urban. Areas where such policies just dont work, nor do the people want them. I dont doubt they will try to force it sooner and they probably will succeed in places like Seattle, LA, Portland, etc. But it wont happen in my area for a long time, or other similar places. People need to be willing to throw another tea party to stop it. The gov is of course already starting to do it to themselves. Several agencies using fleet vehicles are essentially being forced to use hybrid/electric vehicles by the vehicle order options being limited and restricted. Funny - I can't wait to see the forests burn down because of a mandate for electric vehicles, then the battery gets punctured by a Joe Poke, or a fire start up and the local crew unable to get out to dig line because their engine is charging still. The whole FS was forced to install telematics into every vehicle - at a very high cost...all to save money and better assess usage. They track things like mileage, hours, etc....of course location and speed and even have a hidden microphone. Yeah...because that's about usage. Oh and they still require manual signing of miles used per usage day. Ha..to assess and save...right... Said equipment has already caused dozens of batteries to fail in mere months and requiring districts to invest into battery tenders. So much for reduced cost. It is such a joke, and 100% politically motivated but no leadership is willing to admit it or challenge it. What a wonderful way to use tax money. Everyone hates it and is pissed off. Except leaders in DC, they're all giggidy about it of course.

 

[ColoJeep]

where such policies just dont work, nor do the people want them.

Unfortunately for Colorado and Montana , Commie wingnuts continue to flood into our states and elect idiots driven to collapse our country and replace our way of life with a communist utopia. It will get worse before it gets better.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I will say the hurricane I6 is a badass motor. I rented a Wagoneer with one and that thing would get up and go. The peak numbers vs the 392 may not be as stark but I bet if you look at the curve the Hurricane has more meat down low.

In crate motor format the swap might not be THAT bad...powertrain controls already mostly sorted out is a big deal.

That said, would I want the hurricane in my engine compartment 40 miles from pavement? I'd rather have the 4.0, which is why I'm driving a TJ.