It’s only been a year since Jeep released its first V8 engine in a span of forty years. The Wrangler Rubicon 392 with a 6.4-liter Hemi engine delivering 450 horsepower and 610 NM of torque was put on sale in the first quarter of 2021. The last V8 engine Jeep launched prior to the 2021 Rubicon 392 was the 1981 Jeep CJ. Its 5-liter engine produced 125 horsepower and 300 NM of torque.
Within those 4 decades, offroad enthusiasts were limited to the V6 at best in all Jeep models. This is until Jeep finally heeded its customers’ calls in 2021. During those 40 years, off-roaders needed to get a little creative and did the upgrade to a much bigger and more powerful engine by themselves. These are some of the popular V8 engine swaps for the Jeep Wrangler.
GM 5.3 LS
The first pick for Wrangler owners who want to swap out their V6 is the GM 5.3 LS. The reason for this is the engine’s wide availability.
GM offered the 5.3 LS from the late 90s until around 2013 so these engines are widely available. It also helped that GM’s aftermarket support is known to be reliable. Because of its popularity, deciding to swap out your Wrangler’s V6 for a GM 5.3 LS is relatively easy considering the number of swap kits available in the market.
You can also do the entire swapping by yourself because there is just tons of information on the swapping process without a kit on the internet.
5.3 LS engines can deliver around 255 to 435 horsepower.
6.4-liter Hemi
You can find the 6.4 Liter Hemi on Ram trucks from 2014 and onwards, delivering 410 horsepower. On the other hand, 2011 Chrysler Dodger cars and SUVs with the 6.4 Liter Hemi produced around 470 to 485 horsepower.
It’s a lot more powerful than the LS, but expect to be paying more for the impressive difference. It’s also harder to get find a 6.4 Liter Hemi than a GM 5.3 LS. Mopar is one of the new companies that offer a crate package option for Hemi.
350 Chevy 4 Bolt Main
The 350 Chevy 4 Bolt Main is one of the best picks for engine swaps because it’s easy on the pocket. This is the engine that enthusiasts swear by when it comes to tough power, reliability, availability, and affordability–the 4-item criteria in engine swapping.
It’s not complicated to work on, too, because there aren’t many computer-powered systems used in this 350 Chevy.
Do note that your choice of engine will depend on the skills, time, and money you can spend on this whole swapping project. The more technical and mechanical skills you have, the easier this will be on the pocket. You will need new mounts, adapter plates, and other parts that can add up to a few thousand dollars if fabricating them is not part of your skillset.
