Jeep 3.8 Engine Problems – What Do We Know For Now?

The 3.8 V6 engine is thought to be ideal for off-roading. It was used in Jeep Wrangler for a long time and it's actually a good engine. But, like any other thing in the world, this engine also has a lot of disadvantages and problems. It's not obvious whether you should buy it used or not. While some people recommend it and say that it can go a million miles, some other specialists are careful with longevity predictions.

Where's the truth? Today, we are going to have a look at the 3.8-liter Jeep Wrangler engine. We'll speak about its good and bad sides, and look at its specs. We'll also discuss the most common problems and give advice on how to maintain this engine to make it go much more miles. Well, let's discover if this engine is as good as it's said to be.

Key features and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:1990-2011
• Average lifespan of EGH:250,000-280,000 miles
• Fuel supply type:port injection
• Power range:150-215 hp
• Fuel efficiency:awful
• Engine block material:cast-iron
• Engine reliability score:high
• The most common problems:plastic intake manifold loves cracking, coolant leaks are common, chain can require replacement at 150K miles.

Jeep 3.8 - specs and main features of the Wrangler engines

First of all, we want to say that in 2007, when this engine was first introduced for a Wrangler, it wasn't met by Jeep fans with pleasure. It was engineered to replace the old 4-liter inline 6-cylinder engine that was non-eco-friendly but very reliable. The newer V6 was aimed to solve the problem with ecology, so it wasn't very powerful, but the longevity was promised to be even better.

It wasn't the most popular choice, many buyers preferred some other engines. But we should say that after some years, this engine appeared to be really popular and gained a lot of supporters. It appeared to be relatively problem-free, fuel-efficient, and also durable. Specialists named this engine one of the best Jeep V6 options.

Here are some facts you should know:

• this engine wasn't powerful at all - it offered 202 horsepower which is hard to call a good result for a 3.8-liter engine;
• the torque wasn't brilliant, too - just 237 lb-ft which is still not bad at all but not for this displacement;
• actually, this V6 was designed from the Chrysler minivan engines and it was a ridiculous fact for the Jeep Wrangler;
• this engine wasn't as durable as the previous 6-cylinder inline engine offered for Jeep Wrangler before 2007;
• the simple construction was a good thing, but you still had to fix this engine quite often;
• high-mileage engines are actually not problem-free, you can see a lot of bad reviews that are written by people who buy used Wranglers.

So, why do so many people think that the 3.8-liter V6 by Chrysler is a bad engine? Because it's the Wrangler. Someone uses this vehicle for going to supermarkets and driving kids to school while some other drivers use their Wrangler for off-roading. As you may predict, off-roading kills any engine much faster than ordinary driving.

So, the first emotions from getting acquainted with this engine are not very positive. It's just because you keep comparing this engine with its predecessor which is the wrong way to estimate any technologies. We can say that this engine is more economical, it's relatively eco-friendly, and it has better sound than the inline 6-cylinder unit.

What are the main problems of the Jeep 3.8 V6?

And still, we want to talk about the problems of this engine first. Knowing everything about the problems will allow us to understand if this engine is good or bad and if it's worth your money or not. Also, when you know the problems and the mileage when they appear, you understand whether you should buy a used Wrangler powered by this engine or not.

Yes, the 3.8 V6 by Chrysler has a lot of problems. But we need to say that 2 out of 3 engines reach 200,000 miles with no problems at all. Even the minor ones. So, it's not correct to say that this engine is absolutely bad and isn't worth your money. Chrysler did a great job to convert a minivan engine into an off-road unit.

Here are some problems you will likely have:

1. Strange sounds during startup. This engine is known to know when you start it. It's not a big problem, but if it starts knocking like crazy, you should visit a repair shop and see what's wrong.
2. Oil consumption. Unfortunately, after 100,000 miles, this engine starts burning some oil. If the consumption is extremely high, you should check the valve seals. But most likely, it's all about the piston rings that should be replaced.
3. Leaking problems. This is one of the Crysler engines that will leak all liquids and make you clean your garage all the time. These leaks can also lead to low levels of antifreeze and oil which is dangerous for the engine.
4. Recall issues. We don't know for sure and we can't check it now, but specialists say that there were nine recalls in total with this engine. If the owner wasn't reacting to these recalls, now you will have to invest a lot of money to check the parts that were the reasons for recalls.
5. Bad idling. This problem occurs with any old V6 3.8L engine in Jeep cars. You will see that the tachometer arrow jumps around 800 RPM all the time and the engine doesn't idle smoothly. It means you have to check all the sensors and wiring to find the problem.

Please pay attention to the fact that not all 3.8L engines in Jeep Wranglers will have these problems. Even if you have already hit the 200,000-mile mark in your Wrangler, it doesn't mean that it will get on your nerves. Sometimes, owners manage to drive their Wranglers for years without any problems.

And this makes us think that most of the problems are not caused by the manufacturer's mistakes when engineering this engine. Most of the problems are caused by drivers who use their cars at the top of their abilities and then write bad reviews about the engine. You should be careful and follow the rules that will allow you to drive the vehicle for a long time.

What about longevity?

We would say that the average longevity you can expect from the Jeep 3.8L V6 is about 200,000 miles. But people who use their Wranglers purely for off-roading should expect around 120,000 miles. While people who drive their Jeeps on asphalt roads may expect up to 250,000 miles from these engines.

You can see that engine's longevity depends much on the conditions under which your vehicle works. Don't kill the engine much when you go off-roading and you will not need to repair it so often.

Maintaining and prolonging the lifespan of your engine

The Jeep 3.8-liter V6 engine is not bad compared to many other units with similar specs. If you maintain it even better than the manufacturer requires, you can drive your Wrangler for a long time. And sometimes the tips for maintaining this engine aren't as simple and obvious as they may seem. For example, you should order diagnostics every single year and check if all parts and units of your engine work properly.

Here are some other important tips:

• never use any other oil than the original or recommended oil by Jeep - you will just kill this engine with any other oil;
• change the filters more often than the manufacturer says - you should be sure that all filters are super clean;
• don't use bad fuel - it will clog the injection system and lead to big problems with your engine and combustion chambers;
• check the oil level often because different leaks may lead to problems with the oil level and this will kill the engine very fast;
• don't rev up the engine for a long time - this is especially important during off-roading when you go on high RPM;
• don't overheat this engine - its heads and head gaskets may get broken if overheated and you will have to pay a lot for repair;
• always keep up with the required service activities - for example, don't forget about timing system servicing.

This will help you prolong the life of the engine and enjoy your Jeep Wrangler for more years and miles. We warn you that off-roading is a dangerous thing for this engine even though it was made for this. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't go off-roading on your Wrangler. You just should be careful with revving up, choosing optimal RPM, and also a fast acceleration in harsh conditions.

Final words

Do you still think that the 3.8 V6 Jeep Wrangler engine is not good? It depends much on how you use it. If the engine is maintained properly and isn't killed much, it can go over 250,000 miles. Well, it's not that much for such a displacement, but still, it's not bad for a Jeep. We know some better V6 engines for off-road vehicles, but let's say that this one is not worse than average.