3.8L Engine Swap $$$

Hack12

Hack12

New member
I'm just thinking out loud here and wondering if anyone could entertain my queries.

I have an '08 JKU with 70k (runs fine/burns a bit of oil) and was wondering what it would cost me to do a straight swap for another 3.8L with low miles sometime in the future when my baby shits the bed?

I am aware that I may want to upgrade to something totally new at that point but, incase I don't, how easy would a straight swap be to have done and how much would I be looking at paying for parts & labor?
 
Red Knight15

Red Knight15

Caught the Bug
I was thinking same thing, just added a quart and a half of oil to mine. I have 87k on my 08.


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Hack12

Hack12

New member
HB1501 said:
I was thinking same thing, just added a quart and a half of oil to mine. I have 87k on my 08.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
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Yep, I love my rig, inside and out, and know that I will probably just want to do a swap to give her a new lease on life when her engine dies.

If it's financially feasible, I'd rather keep her and all her mods before I spend another 40k on something new.
 
JK12

JK12

New member
You could contact Motech and see if they have any low mileage 3.8 I'm sure they do and probably for cheap for a motor
I also thought of doing this to mine
 
Hack12

Hack12

New member
JK12 said:
You could contact Motech and see if they have any low mileage 3.8 I'm sure they do and probably for cheap for a motor
I also thought of doing this to mine
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I figure it shouldn't be too difficult to find an engine considering the JKU has become insanely popular and the new middle class soccer mom vehicle.

I've always just guessed that the swap wouldn't be too difficult either considering all mounts, hoses, connectors, etc. would require no fabrication.

That's just a guess though, hence the thread.
 
JK12

JK12

New member
Hack12 said:
I've always just guessed that the swap wouldn't be too difficult either considering all mounts, hoses, connectors, etc. would require no fabrication.
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To be honest I'm not completely sure either but I would think it's just a straight forward swap other the important stuff from the old one like the accessory drive and sensors swap to the new and bolt it up
 
txjeeplover

txjeeplover

Member
Hack12 said:
I'm just thinking out loud here and wondering if anyone could entertain my queries.

I have an '08 JKU with 70k (runs fine/burns a bit of oil) and was wondering what it would cost me to do a straight swap for another 3.8L with low miles sometime in the future when my baby shits the bed?

I am aware that I may want to upgrade to something totally new at that point but, incase I don't, how easy would a straight swap be to have done and how much would I be looking at paying for parts & labor?
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Assuming that you're not the original owner of your 2008 with a Chrysler lifetime warranty, you should consider buying a remanufactured long block when the day comes that you need to need a new motor. You would re-use your intake, exhaust, drive accessories, and oil pan. The long block should be under $2000 with a warranty and upgraded internals and installation should be around $1000 or less.
 
Hack12

Hack12

New member
txjeeplover said:
Assuming that you're not the original owner of your 2008 with a Chrysler lifetime warranty, you should consider buying a remanufactured long block when the day comes that you need to need a new motor. You would re-use your intake, exhaust, drive accessories, and oil pan. The long block should be under $2000 with a warranty and upgraded internals and installation should be around $1000 or less.
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Wow, that doesn't sound like a bad option at all. I am the second owner and bought it in November 2011 with about 45k.
 
JKbrick

JKbrick

Active Member
txjeeplover said:
Assuming that you're not the original owner of your 2008 with a Chrysler lifetime warranty, you should consider buying a remanufactured long block when the day comes that you need to need a new motor. You would re-use your intake, exhaust, drive accessories, and oil pan. The long block should be under $2000 with a warranty and upgraded internals and installation should be around $1000 or less.
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What kind of upgraded internals?
 
JKbrick

JKbrick

Active Member
Hack12 said:
Only things I've done engine-wise are a K&N CAI to go along with my Dynomax cat-back exhaust.

Other than that, bone stock 3.8L.
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Txjeeplover said a new long block has upgraded internals and I just wondered what they were, as far as maybe a fix for engines using oil
 
txjeeplover

txjeeplover

Member
JKbrick said:
What kind of upgraded internals?
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Depends entirely on the rebuilder and store from which you purchase the long block, but the typical stock replacement long block will have high quality aftermarket bearings, rods, seals, pistons, valves, guides, and gaskets. Some builders will even correct factory defects such as improper oiling or cooling flow. They want to produce a great product that doesn't burn oil, doesn't wear prematurely, and won't have to be warrantied out.

Keep in mind that the typical long block is not a high performance rebuild. We're talking a basic remanufacturing job that fixes the problems of the engine core and meets or exceeds OEM specification. There are high performance engine builders that can do amazing work with head porting and polishing, larger cams, stroker kits, etc, but you pay quite a bit extra for those high performance parts and services.

Another option is to have a local engine builder rebuild your engine when it fails. You pull it or have it pulled, drop it off, pick it up, and it's reinstalled. That would allow you to have some options into what is done and choice of parts used, but it probably would cost the same if not a wee bit more than just buying a long block from a national supplier.
 
dahreno

dahreno

Banned
I bought my 08 new with the factory lifetime warrantee .If the time comes where I need to replace the motor and I have to pay for it for what ever reason , I'm dumping it . I'll never buy a new one again . I'm just going to keep my old one and do what ever it takes to keep it going . Hell , it's already been around for over 50 years . There is no way a jk will last that long !
 
R

Raceplayhavefun

New member
Hey Hack12 or anyone else in the northeast: I'll be pulling a 3.8 out of my 08 very soon. I'd have to check for sure, but it should be under 35k miles. There will be a 6 speed to go with it if wanted. I will sell very reasonably as a motor is one of those things that is stupid expensive when you need one, but if you have one you can't give them away!
 
Hack12

Hack12

New member
Raceplayhavefun said:
Hey Hack12 or anyone else in the northeast: I'll be pulling a 3.8 out of my 08 very soon. I'd have to check for sure, but it should be under 35k miles. There will be a 6 speed to go with it if wanted. I will sell very reasonably as a motor is one of those things that is stupid expensive when you need one, but if you have one you can't give them away!
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Thanks for the offer but I have an automatic unfortunately. Would've totally considered it though.
 
liljohn850

liljohn850

New member
Just swapping a 3.8 for a 3.8 when these thing die (which...happens) should be relatively easy. Depening on your current mechanical skills. Grab/borrow/rent a cherry picker and take a few detail pictures of where things go, be easy, undo the sensors, pull the motor. It could probably be done over a weekend with a few hang ups. Hell, they make DIY hemi swaps now, so a 3.8 for a 3.8 should actually be easy. ....:blush: I NEED a big ass hemi in my JK....IF only my wife agreed. :gaah:
 
Hack12

Hack12

New member
liljohn850 said:
Just swapping a 3.8 for a 3.8 when these thing die (which...happens) should be relatively easy. Depening on your current mechanical skills. Grab/borrow/rent a cherry picker and take a few detail pictures of where things go, be easy, undo the sensors, pull the motor. It could probably be done over a weekend with a few hang ups. Hell, they make DIY hemi swaps now, so a 3.8 for a 3.8 should actually be easy. ....:blush: I NEED a big ass hemi in my JK....IF only my wife agreed. :gaah:
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Thanks for the info. I wish I could get my wife on-board for a lot of my Jeep spending. Luckily, she is pretty cool, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her...like that FedEx shows up while she works and our shed is like a JK parts graveyard!
 
liljohn850

liljohn850

New member
Oh tell me about it. My wife is all about "future spending" for the jeep. But she only asks questions on the rare occasion she drives the jeep and notices things like sub woofers and head units and a couple of new switches that do cool things...
 
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