The New Jeep 6 cylinder

[Plechtan]

The 4.0 was pretty much a dinosaur by the time it went out of prodution in 2005, Chrysler has been working on a new engine that is state of the art. It is not a Inline, but a V6.

The plans are to use it it first in the Grand Cherokee as the standard engine. It is 3.6L, 280HP It is suspose to get 23mpg on the highway in a Grand.

More details here. http://www.allpar.com/mopar/phoenix-engines.html

Might be a good swap in to a Cherokee. If you want to stay with an inline 6 and have a state of the art engine look at the chevy LL8 motor 4.2L and 291HP More info here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Atlas_engine The engine is no longer in production, but the 5 cylinder LLR version used in the colorodo and still is in production. It is rated at 242hp and displaces 3.7L

Both engines are DOHC and 4 valves per cylinder and a cross flow head. Maybe you can stroke them, who knows?

[YJason]

From what my friend tells me his LLR in the Colorado is pretty thirsty.

I'd like to build a Inline 6 chevy 292 bore it out to use SBC pistons and use a jeep FI setup on it. I had a friend that use to drag race one with a 750 cfm 4 barrel in a chevelle and would pull the front tires about 25-30 ft of the line.

[SilverXJ]

Meh.. might as well go with a V8.. and if you want to keep it in the family the 4.7L is a decent engine.

[IH 392]

I've heard nothing but horror story's about them new inline six engines from the local GMC dealer!, they said the had warrantied two truck loads of them, it's no wonder they ceased production of them!?
I've only seen one of them five holers in a Craplaroodo, I put a front wheel bearing in it.

[Plechtan]

Meh.. might as well go with a V8.. and if you want to keep it in the family the 4.7L is a decent engine.

They have a new generation 4.7 they started using in 2008 the "semi-hemi" version it is rated around 300hp. This would keep you in the family. They are avalable in bone yards for about $1,700. Probably have to swap the trans, wiring harness and ECu as well. Stroker is eaiser, but probably not 300hp either.

More details on the new 4.7 here http://www.allpar.com/mopar/47.html

[Plechtan]

I've heard nothing but horror story's about them new inline six engines from the local GMC dealer!, they said the had warrantied two truck loads of them, it's no wonder they ceased production of them!?
I've only seen one of them five holers in a Craplaroodo, I put a front wheel bearing in it.

My wife has a 2002 trailblazer with the LL8 motor. She has 120,000 miles on it ans never had a bit of trouble except for the water pump and 3 powersteering pumps. It gets 18 mpg around town, and has an almost flat torque curve.

Here are some pic of a LL8 in a TJhttp://picasaweb.google.com/scott.elenb ... TjProject#

Here is a hread talking about adapting it into a XJ http://colorado4x4.org/vbb/showthread.php?p=1525898

Again, looks like way more work then a stroker. I guess if you got a wrecked trailbalzer for cheap it might be worth while.

[5-90]

I always wondered why the inline platform was considered "antiquated" when it was making a comeback in GM, and BMW (I think) has never stopped using it.

Even my wife's Suzuki Verona has an inline six (granted, it's all of about 150cid and jammed in sidewise, but it's still got six holes and a roller timing chain! Those were the two key selling points to get me to sign off on it, particularly the chain.)

Come to ruminate on it, I think the inline six is even still extant in some models of Mercedes-Benz. And, I know Cummins has kept the inline idea alive in Diesel trim (for both stationary and vehicular applications.)

The inline six is probably about the best engine design for light truck use, so why stop using it? Particularly if it still works well in passenger cars? I never did get that...

I can see discontinuing a "straight-eight" tho - those things are longer than a Smart Fortwo! (I'd worked on a couple in marine applications, as well as an old Caddy V16.)

Just another oddball thought - isn't Ferrari still using a "flat-twelve" - two inline sixes joined at the oil sump rails?

Maybe Big Business just doesn't make any sense to me. I'm just cranky enough to think the AMC "Modern Era" six should have been updated, not discontinued - but I also think the Cleveland Six is probably the best engine Ford /ever/ made, the Chevvy Stovebolt Six was a damned solid engine, and the Chrysler Slant Six is always going to be nostalgic for me (the very first engine I built on my own - thirty or so years ago - was a Slant Six. Still runs fine to-day, without an overhaul since I did it.)

A lot of noise about the "inline being less crashworthy" - easy enough to handle. Don't get in a crash. Most MVAs are /not/ accidents, they're caused by negligence on someone's part. Same way we trainers stopped calling those little incidents "Accidental Discharges" in favour of "Negligent Discharges" - you screwed up, your gun went off when you didn't want it to, and you damn sure hope you didn't hurt anyone. Besides, in "Crash Test Ratings" my crumple zone is /your/ car. That's why I still drive a twenty-year-old truck.

Inlines and fuel economy? Easy enough to handle these days - why can't one of the various MDS systems be adapted to inline six use? Problem solved - cruise efficiency happens, but you have pull when you need it.

The torque curve is agreeably high and flat - which is what you want with a light truck engine (or any truck engine, to be perfectly honest.)

Nice that they're working on making the V6 become actually useful - but, dammit, I want my inlines to come back!

[SilverXJ]

They have a new generation 4.7 they started using in 2008 the "semi-hemi" version it is rated around 300hp. This would keep you in the family. They are avalable in bone yards for about $1,700. Probably have to swap the trans, wiring harness and ECu as well. Stroker is eaiser, but probably not 300hp either.

More details on the new 4.7 here http://www.allpar.com/mopar/47.html

Probably need to do something about gauges in 97+ jeeps... although if you use a 1999 to 2004 (or when ever they went with CAN) 4.7L it might mate up with the stock gauges.

I always wondered why the inline platform was considered "antiquated" when it was making a comeback in GM, and BMW (I think) has never stopped using it.

Yes, BMW still used the inline six and are constantly tweaking it. They even have a variable timing setup that doesn't have a throttle body. Jaguar had their inline 6 until 1998, which was every bit as good as our 4.0L, but they replaced with a V8 instead of an anemic V6.

Even my wife's Suzuki Verona has an inline six (granted, it's all of about 150cid and jammed in sidewise, but it's still got six holes and a roller timing chain! Those were the two key selling points to get me to sign off on it, particularly the chain.)

what? you don't enjoy replacing timing belts?

The inline six is probably about the best engine design for light truck use, so why stop using it? Particularly if it still works well in passenger cars? I never did get that...

I can see in some instances with packaging issues... like in the liberty, where the engine bay isn't that long. But not in the JK. There is like a foot of room in front of that V6. Also, its how the general public interprets an inline, as antiquated... they are all about Vs.

As you say, I too wish they wouldn't have killed off the I6 all together. The definitely could have revised it and updated it to meet its short comings.

[Plechtan]

I always wondered why the inline platform was considered "antiquated" when it was making a comeback in GM, and BMW (I think) has never stopped using it.

[/i]

The straight 6 6 is cheaper to produce than a V type engine, 1 cylinder head, 1 exhaust manifold, ect.