3.73 gears ration with, 35s, 3.8 and automatic transmission: Anyone have this build?

I do also plan on doing performance mods I forgot to mention. Plan on putting a throttle body spacer, high end performance cold air intake, a axle back muffler delete, and a spare tire delete to reduce weight. Wont these help?

Cold air intakes are less than worthless. They use very porous air filters that will let more dirt into your engine and destroy cylinder/ring integrity. I also tell people to stay away from K&N for the very same reasons. Seen first hand the destruction they cause. They’ve given me some nice big work hour checks in the power-sports industry for engine rebuilds.

You need to carry a spare and tire repair kit if you plan on trail use. The rest of your plans aren’t performance enhancements either.
 
I do also plan on doing performance mods I forgot to mention. Plan on putting a throttle body spacer, high end performance cold air intake, a axle back muffler delete, and a spare tire delete to reduce weight. Wont these help?

The throttle body spacer won't do anything along with the cold air intake, the intake is already at the front of the Jeep so it gets cold air. Your not gaining anything by deleting the spare tire either other than a tow bill when you have a flat tire.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07 and SteveF
I do also plan on doing performance mods I forgot to mention. Plan on putting a throttle body spacer, high end performance cold air intake, a axle back muffler delete, and a spare tire delete to reduce weight. Wont these help?
The cost associated with doing those "performance mods" would go a long way toward a re-gear.
As mentioned by other savvy Jeep owners here, none of those will really enhance your performance.

I had Toyo Open Country MTs on my JKU and couldn't wait to wear them down so I could replace them with the BFG TA KO2. The noise and ride on asphalt was unbearable and only got worse as the tires wore. So yeah, not a fan of mud tires on a DD.

Performance mods I would consider for a 3.8 auto would be limited to fuel injection, gearing, headers.
 
Cold air intakes are less than worthless. They use very porous air filters that will let more dirt into your engine and destroy cylinder/ring integrity. I also tell people to stay away from K&N for the very same reasons. Seen first hand the destruction they cause. They’ve given me some nice big work hour checks in the power-sports industry for engine rebuilds.

You need to carry a spare and tire repair kit if you plan on trail use. The rest of your plans aren’t performance enhancements either.
I think you’re forgetting about the backed science behind cold air intakes. Most of my buddies all work on track and performance cars and know about performance enhancement. When fuel burns it undergoes a process called combustion and when you add a volume of cold air to it, it makes the reaction more efficient. Colder air has a different oxygen density than normal air. I have had cold air intakes on other cars and they have all worked properly. It’s a scientifically backed method.
 
I think you’re forgetting about the backed science behind cold air intakes. Most of my buddies all work on track and performance cars and know about performance enhancement. When fuel burns it undergoes a process called combustion and when you add a volume of cold air to it, it makes the reaction more efficient. Colder air has a different oxygen density than normal air. I have had cold air intakes on other cars and they have all worked properly. It’s a scientifically backed method.


But the factory air filter is at the front where it's going to get cold air so how is a aftermarket going to be different? It picks up the cold air in the same place, only difference with the aftermarket CA's is the filter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07
But the factory air filter is at the front where it's going to get cold air so how is a aftermarket going to be different? It picks up the cold air in the same place, only difference with the aftermarket CA's is the filter.
Yeah I understand. I’m definetly not trying to correct anyone, I just don’t know a whole lot about Jeeps and have got much mixed advice
 
  • Like
Reactions: BLACKJKU
Yeah I understand. I’m definetly not trying to correct anyone, I just don’t know a whole lot about Jeeps and have got much mixed advice

Just trying to help you spend your money on other things for the Jeep, you should know there are a million different items you can get for them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07
Just trying to help you spend your money on other things for the Jeep, you should know there are a million different items you can get for them.
I’m definitely not worried about losing speed or power. I’m more towards the idea of staying away from it at this point. I originally wanted to get a faster car like a mustang or a corvette, but I settled for a Jeep so I would be safer. A kid in my high school class died this morning in his 600hp corvette on the highway, so I’m totally fine to have a bit of a slower and less powerful car if it means I can be protected from ignorant choices involving speeding since I’m still young.
 
I’m definitely not worried about losing speed or power. I’m more towards the idea of staying away from it at this point. I originally wanted to get a faster car like a mustang or a corvette, but I settled for a Jeep so I would be safer. A kid in my high school class died this morning in his 600hp corvette on the highway, so I’m totally fine to have a bit of a slower and less powerful car if it means I can be protected from ignorant choices involving speeding since I’m still young.

If you want what feels like more power get a throttle pedal enhancer, it just helps make the Jeep get away from it's shadow a little faster.
 
I think you’re forgetting about the backed science behind cold air intakes. Most of my buddies all work on track and performance cars and know about performance enhancement. When fuel burns it undergoes a process called combustion and when you add a volume of cold air to it, it makes the reaction more efficient. Colder air has a different oxygen density than normal air. I have had cold air intakes on other cars and they have all worked properly. It’s a scientifically backed method.

More and denser air flow works best at high rpm in high compression engines hence track cars having them, not down low on trails in dirt oriented vehicles. We're not looking for high horsepower, but low end torque. I've probably forgotten more about performance... ;) Honestly, I never street raced on Woodward back in the day in a fully built '72 Chevelle. Or played hard with a '66 Chevelle SS396 4 speed. Or a '71 Camaro with a SB 327 and a Weiand tunnel ram. THEY needed air flow. I won't mention the liter sport bikes I've had to 140+ in my advanced age.

You're in with a bunch of experienced gear heads here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07
But the factory air filter is at the front where it's going to get cold air so how is a aftermarket going to be different? It picks up the cold air in the same place, only difference with the aftermarket CA's is the filter.
The factory inlet system is insanely restrictive. It doesn't matter how cold the air is if it has to get past a few choke points to even reach the engine.
 
  • Dislike
Reactions: BigAL07
The factory inlet system is insanely restrictive. It doesn't matter how cold the air is if it has to get past a few choke points to even reach the engine.


But when the stock throttle body moves at snails pace it probably gets more than enough air flow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAL07
The factory inlet system is insanely restrictive. It doesn't matter how cold the air is if it has to get past a few choke points to even reach the engine.
The big restriction he is dealing with is the gearing of the auto transmission and the power of the 3.8 engine. I have the same engine, but I have a rubicon with 4.10 and a manual. The gearing curve for the 4 speed auto they paired with the 3.8 is totally set for fuel efficiency. You pretty much have to re-gear just to go bigger than stock tire size, which some of the early JKs came with 29 inch tires.. and he may have a 3.21.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dirty Dog
The big restriction he is dealing with is the gearing of the auto transmission and the power of the 3.8 engine. I have the same engine, but I have a rubicon with 4.10 and a manual. The gearing curve for the 4 speed auto they paired with the 3.8 is totally set for fuel efficiency. You pretty much have to re-gear just to go bigger than stock tire size, which some of the early JKs came with 29 inch tires.. and he may have a 3.21.
I understand. I do not think that a CAI will fix the underlying problem. That doesn't mean they aren't worth installing.
 
  • Dislike
Reactions: BigAL07
I do also plan on doing performance mods I forgot to mention. Plan on putting a throttle body spacer, high end performance cold air intake, a axle back muffler delete, and a spare tire delete to reduce weight. Wont these help?

Throttle body spacers are a scam and do not work on fuel injected engines.

A cold air intake is a misnomer and will yield you little to no gains whatsoever. A axle-back exhaust will yield you 5 HP tops if you're lucky.

The only mod you mentioned that will make a meaningful difference is weight reduction. The other mods you listed are a big waste of money.
 
I also have another question. I plan on getting a shop to install my lift kit, but they want to do an inspection for worn out parts before they install it. Should I do this? I feel like they could be playing me to get me to spend money on more unnecessary parts but I don’t know.