Jeep 3.8 Engine Performance Upgrades for Better Horsepower & Riding
Performance upgrading is a common fact for every JK Jeep Owner. Once you have successfully completed 100k miles, you will get less horsepower. Some reasons are there for getting less horsepower or less engine performance.
Some of your engine parts, including the air intake, throttle body, and fuel injectors, will be partially damaged. These engine parts need urgent replacement with new ones. And the new ones will eventually increase horsepower & give you a better driving experience on any terrain. That’s what the Jeep engine performance upgrading means.
Therefore, you must know how & why you should replace the engine parts for better jeep 3.8 engine performance upgrades.
Today, we will walk through 5 steps to upgrade your 3.8 engine performance. I’ve used them personally and boosted my Jeep engine performance overnight.
What is a Performance Upgrade for A 3.8L Engine?
Performance upgrade for a 3.8L engine refers to changing some old and damaged engine parts. Once you drive your jeep for years, some of the engine parts will be damaged, reducing the performance (Basically, they reduce horsepower & increase rough driving experience).
The snorkel, cold air intake, and throttle body spacer are the required parts that you will change or replace. Either your jeep engine doesn’t have them, or the existing ones are already decayed. When you replace the damaged parts with a brand new ones, it will increase horsepower by enhancing the engine power.
So, the performance upgrade is about changing old engine parts to increase horsepower and overall engine efficiency.
How to Upgrade Your Jeep 3.8 Engine Performance?
You can upgrade your Jeep 3.8L engine performance in 5 simple replacement processes. I will show what to replace and how it affects your engine performance at every step. Before upgrading 3.8L engine, you should know some major problems to sort them out first. You will find the 3.8L engine problems and solutions here.
Things you need to upgrade your engine performance:
- A Cold Air-Intake
- Snorkel System
- Throttle Body Spacer
- Fuel Injectors
- Exhaust Manifold
You don’t need ’em all. Just get things according to your engine. Maybe your exhaust manifold is in good condition, but the throttle body spacer is a must.
Step 1: Install A Cold Air Intake
A cold air intake can boost your engine performance in three ways. They are:
- Increasing Horsepower (Ultimate Performance Upgrading Purpose)
- Better & Smooth Acceleration
- Increasing Fuel Economy
A cold air intake ensures a good flow of cold & dense air. This air comes with oxygen and gets through the combustion chamber. As a result, the 3.8 engine gets more fuel to increase the ultimate horsepower.
The air filter will be removed when you install the cold air intake. It provides densely cold air that allows your engine to perform better. In some cases, changing cold air intake may not increase that much horsepower or performance.
Step 2: Get A New Snorkel System
Your Jeep 3.8L engine needs to breathe clean air. Unfortunately, it starts getting dirty, and microparticles once the air filter and other engine parts get the bad air. In that case, a new snorkel system could be an excellent relief for any off-roading vehicles, including your jeep.
You may install a snorkel in a water crossing. It protects the airbox and your engine from flooded water.
However, the new snorkel system will help to upgrade the engine performance in different ways.
- Snorkel Ensures Clean & Cool Air
- It Upgrades Fuel Efficiency
- Keep The air – filters neat & clean
Speaking Honest, the snorkel system can boost your engine performance by providing clean air. When the Jeep engine gets fresh & clean air, it can ensure the optimum use of fuel to increase the highest possible power.
Step 3: Replace Your Throttle Body Spacer
The above modification may be done, or you can leave them if you have a good air filter. But, the throttle body spacer is a game changer for any Jeep 3.8 engine.
The throttle body spacer is a metal part that must be installed at the back of the body. The spacer is responsible for better airflow to the manifold and is supposed to increase the air volume. As a result, the engine gets more air to increase its power because the combustion chamber will get more than enough air once you press the accelerator.
Therefore, the throttle body spacer can help you upgrade your 3.8L engine performance in three ways.
- Boost-Up Horsepower
- Better Combustion
- Enhance The Torque Response
Since the ultimate purpose of performance upgrading is to boost horsepower, you must recognize the throttle body spacer. You should install a quality spacer, whatever you choose to add or avoid.
Step 4: Change Your Fuel Injectors
Fuel injectors are small, but their effects on engines are significant. They have the direct power to increase engine performance or decrease it dramatically. You must check your fuel injectors if you find any dramatic engine performance degradation. Maybe they are worn out and need some immediate replacement.
So, changing your fuel injectors is another crucial part of performance upgrades. It will boost the engine performance in three ways.
- Gear-Up Uptime of Your Jeep
- Decrease Diesel Emission
- Smooth off-road driving
Step 5: Go for A New Exhaust-Manifold
You have a new exhaust manifold when you get your 2007 or any model JK Jeep Wrangler or any other off-road vehicle. It works fine for 6-8 years. Sometimes, it might cause serious engine problems, including weird noise, poor fuel economy, decreased acceleration power, and more.
If you ever find these multiple issues with your Jeep 3.8 engine, you must go for a new exhaust manifold. Otherwise, the above modification and upgrading will fail to yield the expected result.
A new exhaust manifold will ensure the following engine performance upgrades.
- Better Fuel Economy
- Remove Dirty Air
- 10% more Horsepower
Frequently Asked Questions
You should change the fuel injectors, exhaust manifolds, and air intake for performance upgrading. Besides, you must install a snorkel & a throttle body spacer to boost the engine performance.
Yes, performance upgrade increases horsepower by up to 25%. After upgrading, you will get an extra 5-10% HP for every replacement.
The throttle body spacer allows more air to get to your engine combustion chambers. Eventually, the 3.8 engine will get enough air to produce more power. Thus, the throttle body spacer increases engine performance.
You will get the desired engine power by replacing the exhaust manifold and adding a new snorkel system. Still, if you are not happy with the performance, you may go through the above steps and change everything accordingly.
Closing Words
The Jeep 3.8 engine performance upgrades are not a big deal once you get through the 5 steps. You will change 5 different engine parts at the respective steps and end up upgrading your jeep engine performance.
You can expect to get 5-25% extra horsepower & smooth off-road driving after following my process. I followed them and got the optimum engine performance. Hopefully, you will get the same.
