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This Week In Jeep

Your Welcome Jeep – Now Where’s Our Cut?

Back in the middle of August of 2021, the Jeep Talk Show broke a story about an all-new, soon-to-be debuted special Pink color for Jeeps. It was definitely not neon or Avon-like in color. In fact, it was named after a character from the 70’s hit TV show Happy Days. Tuscadero Pink is what it was called, and we talked about it twice on this show, back on Episode 506 and 512. Because the Jeep Talk Show is the number one most downloaded Jeep Podcast in the world, the story got out, and since then the popularity of this pink is nearly unprecedented. Jeep announced today, as we record this episode, that it has extended the order window for its Tuscadero Pink exterior color for the 2022 Wrangler through the end of December, citing customer demand for the limited-run exterior finish that was introduced for 2021. The color has proved to be exceedingly popular, surpassing 30,000 orders to become Jeep’s most popular special paint code of the entire 2021 production run. And to that, I have just four words…

“JEEP, WHERE’S OUR CHECK?” Tuscadero was originally supposed to be canceled after 2021 model year production wrapped up, but continuing demand prompted Jeep’s product planners to keep it on the books for 2022. The color, which Jeep describes (in my opinion inaccurately) as “a deep and intense chromatic magenta” and is offered alongside other limited-production colors, including Gecko (a lime green).

Jim Morrison, vice president and head of Jeep brand for North America, said in the announcement today that Jeep had foreseen Tuscadero to be popular, and the customer response has been in-line with their expectations. (uh-huh)

So if you’re buying a Jeep anytime between now, and the end of this year, and you want it in the hottest color of 2021, Tuscadero will cost you just $395 extra.

Overreact Much?

A man was arrested in Pottstown Pennsylvania for shooting and killing a man who sped past him in a jeep. It happened on Sunday around 9:30 p.m. Police said 43 yr old Gerald Scott Ramos, shot Darrius Waller to death while he was sitting in his Jeep outside of his home. Waller was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. During the investigation, police found through witness interviews and surveillance video that the victim was sitting in his Jeep with the headlights on when Ramos approached from the rear of the vehicle and then fired eight times into the window of the driver’s side door. Ramos then walked back to his residence just a few doors away from the shooting. Police said Ramos and Waller did not know each other. He told officers that he was walking home from his brother’s house when a Jeep allegedly sped past him and nearly struck him. Ramos said that made him ((QUOTE)) “so angry” that he went to his apartment to try to “cool down” before he decided to get his 9mm Taurus handgun and go back outside. Unfortunately, that decision led to a Jeeper’s needless death, and man giving up his constitutional rights to spend the rest of his life behind bars over a road rage incident. He was arrested at 5:15 a.m. Monday without incident. He is charged with First-Degree Murder, Third-Degree Murder, and Possessing an Instrument of Crime. Ramos is awaiting arraignment Monday.

Jeep’s Parent Company Investing In Software

The Chief Executive of Jeep’s parent company Stellantis NV is Carlos Tavares, and he is looking to give the global auto manufacturer a major tech upgrade. How is he planning on doing it? Well, in a public presentation Tuesday, Mr. Tavares outlined plans to hire thousands of software engineers and collaborate with Foxconn Technology Group on developing special semiconductors for its vehicles. The goal is to deliver a new generation of technology-packed models that can be updated throughout their life cycle using downloadable software and with customizable features unique to each of the company’s 14 brands. Stellantis and its shareholders are looking to the future prediction of a target of around $22.5 billion, in annual revenue by the end of the decade. That’s a boatload of new money coming in, but where would it all come from? Stellantis is planning on turning this new proprietary technology venture into a long-term revenue stream by selling software-led offerings and subscriptions related to the vehicles it makes. Mr. Tavares believes that software is at the very core of the future of Jeep and the other Stellantis brands and that outsourcing of this would restrict the company’s abilities moving forward. To reach this revenue target, Stellantis also plans to leverage various partnerships for autonomous driving offerings, and so-called smart cockpits, a revamp of a Jeep’s dashboard, for instance, designed for an ultra-connected personal vehicle experience. For instance, for Jeep owners specifically, Stellantis plans to sell an off-grid trail navigation feature that will allow drivers to connect with each other individually or in convoys, even if there is no network coverage. This all sounds pretty cutting edge, fancy and futuristic. But let me read between the lines here and give you my takeaway from all this… Jeep is basically planning on making you pay a monthly fee to use a built-in CB radio of sorts.

Tech Talk with Jeep Talk

TOPIC/QUESTION: Jeep Fuel Systems (multi-part series)

In Episode 540, in the last Tech Talk, we continued a multi-part series on the different types of fuel systems found in Jeeps. If you didn’t catch either of the last two tech talks, be sure to go back and start with Episode 535, and then 540 to get caught up. We started things off with the first-generation Wrangler, and the carburetors you find in them. We then transitioned to the first generation of fuel injection and left off with how the TJ’s 4.0L was fed its gasoline diet. In this Tech Talk we move into the year 2007, and the introduction of the all-new JK Wrangler, along with new engine options over those found in the YJ and the TJ. The Wrangler was now available with two all-new gasoline-powered engines: a 3.6-liter V6 and a 3.8-liter V6. Aside from changing the engine options, the fuel systems would receive some big changes as well. The same “type” of fuel system would return meaning it was an MPI type of EFI. It still had things like injectors, fuel pump, fuel rail, throttle body, all that. Obviously many changes would be made to the system’s various components in order to keep up with the modern age of ridiculous efficiency demands from the EPA, but they were all still there, just different. The biggest change to the fuel-delivery system would be the new cylinder deactivation feature though. This brought a completely new type of solution to get better MPGs.

More power means more fuel, and cruising down the highway firing on all cylinders doesn’t exactly keep the fuel tank happy. The JK’s engine doesn’t need to burn as much fuel if it’s keeping a consistent speed as it does to accelerate. So if you’re keeping a steady speed this feature basically shuts down two cylinders in your engine, turning that V6, into a 4-banger, providing better fuel economy. The power of the V6 returns however when you push that skinny pedal down, but still offers the fuel economy of a four-cylinder for highway driving. It’s truly like getting the best of both worlds. It’s interesting to note, that 2007 wasn’t the first year for this technology, in fact, Jeep spent at least two years testing the market with this tech in the Grand Cherokees.

Chrysler, who was Jeep’s parent company at the time, released their (MDS) Multi-Displacement System, which was the first cylinder deactivation system sold in North America on large-volume vehicles. This first generation of cylinder deactivation was only on the Hemi V8’s and was far more aggressive, cutting off HALF of the V8’s cylinders after reaching cruising speed. Now it’s not as simple as I make it sound. There is ALOT of science and engineering that goes into this very carefully choreographed sequence of events, and I could explain how it all works, but you’ll get lost with the level of complexity that just goes into the lifters alone, which are a critical part of how cylinder deactivation works. Needless to say, the MDS system for the JK line of Wranglers was a first of its kind, and as with many firsts, it wasn’t without its bugs and failures.

Now I was asked if I would go into things like vapor recovery, purge valves, and charcoal canisters, and I figured I should at least touch on them a little.

Vapor canisters have been used on Jeeps since the days of the CJ’s.

Gasoline vapors from the gas tank are stored in charcoal that is contained in the vapor canister to reduce vehicle emissions. Of course, the canister can only hold so much fuel vapor. Once the vehicle is running and conditions are correct, the vapors are drawn into the engine to be burned. This has been done in different ways over the years, at first, mechanically with vacuum, and later electronically, by the purge solenoid getting a signal from the computer telling it to open. The fumes are then pulled from the canister and sent to the engine. This whole system and its components are often referred to as the EVAP system. Gasoline does evaporate, so this makes more sense and is easier to say than Vapor System I suppose.

In the next Tech Talk, we’re going to wrap up all this fuel talk with the last or should I say the latest line of Jeep Wrangler, the JL. After that, we return to the old days of “Electrical and Audio Tips” as we start a new series in speaker selection.

Jeep Talk Show Interview

Luke Conner – Steinjager

Coming up on the next Jeep Talk Show Interview… Greg Henderson of Official Use Only. If you don’t know the name you know the beautiful Jeeps Greg has built, most recently the Quadratec YJL at SEMA.

Must-Have Stuff Pick-of-the-Week for your Jeep!

Pedal Commander – PC31 for Jeep Grand Cherokee Throttle Response Controller (2007 and up 3.0L – 6.4L) $275 https://amzn.to/3pDtpBY

FASTER ACCELERATION: The Pedal Commander system eliminates the delay from your electronic gas pedal, allowing your 2007 and newer Jeep Grand Cherokee to accelerate faster, giving your vehicle a night/day difference in performance.

36 ADJUSTABLE SETTINGS: Equipped with 4 different modes: Eco, City, Sport, and Sport +. Each mode has an additional 9 adjustable settings to fine-tune to your liking, making this the best Jeep Grand Cherokee accessory.

GAS SAVINGS: The Pedal Commander’s significantly slow response can increase your Jeep Grand Cherokee MPG and save you up to 20% in fuel economy.

QUICK & EASY INSTALLATION: Pedal Commander is a simple plug-and-play device that takes only about 5 minutes to install. Now Bluetooth compatible so you can control the unit using our free Pedal Commander app.

WILL NOT VOID YOUR WARRANTY: Pedal Commander will not void the warranty on your Jeep Grand Cherokee or leave any trace behind on your ECU.

Links Mentioned in this Episode

NEXEN Tires USA https://www.nexentireusa.com/

Trails 411- POWERING Your Adventure https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver

Steinjager https://steinjager.com/shop/

The 4×4 Radio Network http://4x4radionetwork.com/

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