When I first got my 2.5L it drove pretty decent with the 31s. Power went away once I switched to 33s. worse with 35s but I got some life back with 4.88s in the diffs. I think you're only problem, like you mentioned before, is you didn't buy a 4.0L
Opinions on underpowered 2.5 TJ
- Thread starter Bbrayden85
- Start date
Oh, I never pick a fight with a hybrid. I may have a turbo and 100 extra hp but the hybrid will win every time. I can almost keep up with a Civic though.So you're saying he can do a bunch of work and customizing to have the same RWHP as a modern hybrid
I have thought a lot about this. I see a lot of people saying oh this is just the normal gutless 2.5. And other people saying the 2.5 is great and cruises down the highway at 75 no problem. I tried driving at high rpm’s like these guys were mentioning but didn’t feel much of a difference. So yea im kind of baffled by these such drastic differences in opinions and experiences with the 2.5.
I'm close enough to you that I could come ride or drive your Jeep and tell you what I think. Now I'll be the first to tell you that I haven't driven a 4 cyl Jeep since 2005 so I won't remember exactly what mine was like but I could at least give you another opinion.
I've seen many similar comments on both sides - it also doesn't make any sense to me...
I think it's all about perception. There are many, many people who say they're running 33" or 35"s on factory gearing their Jeep "works just fine". A local Jeep guy had regeared his YJ from 3.07's to 3.73's (4.0L/5-speed) after he had been driving around for a year or so on 33" tires. When he and I first met and I told him I was running 4.88's (on my 33"s) - he about laid an egg. I offered him to take it for a drive and about 15 seconds into it, I could literally see his regret come through his face (I think he spent ~$1600 for a shop to do the regear). What was just 10 minutes ago "about perfect" was replaced by a different perspective.
I think engines are the same. The general public generally drives, well, "general" vehicles; few own class-leading vehicles (in any aspect). So when someone hops in a somewhat noisey 2.5L/2.4L Jeep, which has a fairly light curb weight, and they hear the squirrels screaming at the top of their lungs - they get the perception of performance. I think this perception is exacerbated by having the top off, similar to new motorcycle drivers who think they're doing 85 mph when they're only doing 45 mph.
This even happens to drivers that have plenty of experience with performance oriented rigs. We drive the Mrs. Jeep GC Limited for family-stuff. It's a great rig - bigger on the inside than you'd think, decent gas mileage, comfy seats, good A/C and heat, etc. It feels relatively quick with the 3.6L VVT and ZF 8-speed trans. A few on-ramp merges with a heavy right foot gives the impression of performance... then I drive my RamCharger after not doing so for a week or so.
I'm quickly reminded - as the 46RH grabs 2nd gear at near full-throttle and barks the 37" Patagonias on hot asphalt - that performance is all about perception
Okay guys. I am now re-assured of whats going on here. my results are sad but its okay. I started my motor took off the oil cap and bursts of air just pooring out. It felt like a fan blowing on you. I put the cap on and suddenly a slight jump in rpm’s. I took it for a drive and let it get up to temp and same thing. Looks like ill be doing a rebuild here soon! Good thing theres lots of room to work around that tiny motor
All I can state is that I took my 2.5 cross country towing a single MC trailer/Harley with the Jeep somewhat loaded on Rt 80 from NJ to Nevada then thru the high desert of eastern OR to the coast and except for Wyoming and the Cascade mountains see ran at 70 all day on 31's
So, for a rookie like me, what does it mean that you have air coming out when you remove the oil cap?
It usually means theres a loss of compression in either 1 or more cylinders. And it’s blowing past the rings into the crankcase. This will normally make your engine run much less efficient, have less power, and just overall not great stuff. But as long as its running, theres no real reason you cant just run her till she gives up
Haha. Thats quite the story to make me jealous! The 2.5’s seem like really good engines.. they dont get the credit they deserve when theyre running at full capacity
I just like to think all 2.5 owners have the real traditional 4 cylinder Jeep and not that big nose heavy 6 cylinder abortion
The 2.5 in my opinion is a good little engine and when running correctly. Bummer to hear yours might be in need of a overhaul but as you said there is a lot of room. The only reason I swapped mine out was becasue I was going to tow a trailer and wanted more power.
I never had any real complaints with mine.
Good luck.
Thats what i have my xj for. Doesn’t it feel like too much power in a tiny light little suv?
Fughuert
TJ Enthusiast
The different experiences is not perceived performance based on lighter weight (that is a nice bonus though) or a loud engine, my intake is louder than my exhaust.
It’s slow to accelerate but it does 70-80 (gps speedo)down the highway without issue, you really can’t chalk that up to perception, it just does.
Of course more gears will accelerate better but I out pace most traffic as is, I don’t like the idea of my gears putting my ~75mph range over 3k.
But like I said I’m only in New England we have steep grades but not mountains like out west. There is no right or wrong just what you’re happy with what you’re trying to get out of the thing.
It’s slow to accelerate but it does 70-80 (gps speedo)down the highway without issue, you really can’t chalk that up to perception, it just does.
Of course more gears will accelerate better but I out pace most traffic as is, I don’t like the idea of my gears putting my ~75mph range over 3k.
But like I said I’m only in New England we have steep grades but not mountains like out west. There is no right or wrong just what you’re happy with what you’re trying to get out of the thing.
Just to clarify, I used "perception" purposefully, not as a replacement for "ability" - one is subjective and the other is objective. My comments were very much aimed at the subjectivity that @SSTJ was referring to in his comment about the drastic differences in opinions and experiences of people. Perception is a huge factor and effects why some people don't like to rev their engines past 3000 RPM or why some people think that 3000 RPM is too high of a cruise RPM. Our perceptions and opinions are shaped by our experiences. Someone who has only spent time driving around Florida would have different experiences, and as a result, likely very different perceptions of performance, than someone who spends their days driving around the Rockies. Perception takes nothing away from the ability of something
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