LoafOfBread

Trying to figure out what headers I should get and chip, my warranty is almost up on my 2011 Jeep Wrangler and if you guys have any other solid ideas on how to ramp up the horses on this bitch that would be great!

jtphoto JK

Supercharger is the only way.

UselessPickles

RIPP makes long tube headers: 2007-2011 JEEP Wrangler RIPP Headers Stainless Long-Tube with Cats ? RIPP Superchargers - Superchargers for Jeep, Dodge, RAM and Chrysler

They are expensive and require a custom tune from RIPP to really get good gains (via a Diablosport inTune, even more $$$).

I bet they would be pretty sweet combined with a supercharger and a custom tune

There's superchargers from RIPP, Sprintex, and Magnuson, maybe others. Turbo kit from Prodigy Performance (not compatible with long tube headers).

Grant09

+1. Either supercharge it, upgrade to a V8, or trade it for a 2012+ model with the Pentastar engine. Headers might add a few horsepower at the top end (if they're done right with a tune) but you're going to lose torque at the low end (where it's more useful in a Jeep). There's a reason you don't see very many people here using them. We'd all like to increase horsepower, especially on the 3.8, but it's just not that easy. Get new gears instead.

TOTL Innovations

Stay away from Borla. They lose power.

As others have mentioned, a supercharger of v8 swap is going to give you the most increase.

jedg

What headers do to torque is dependent on the primary tube diameter and the length of the header. Larger diameter moves the peak torque higher up the rpm range. Longer tubes change the shape of the torque curve. Longer primaries provide more torque below the peak and reduce it past the peak. Shorter primaries provide more torque above the peak at the expense of below-peak torque.

BUT, like you said. Supercharge it, V8 conversion, or buy a 2012+ if you really want to increase your performance. Headers on a normally aspirated 3.8L will do very little.

SoK66

One of our club members did the RIPP headers after one of her manifolds cracked. She says they are attractive, expensive, but no noticeable performance gains, pretty much the same as her dates.

UselessPickles

Long-tube headers generally increase low rpm torque.

Rather than guess at the gains, you could look at RIPP's claims:



Is it worth the money for those gains? Only you can decide.

If you want the biggest gains per dollar, and are considering supercharging, check out the Prodigy Performance turbo kit

jmill012

+1 Supercharger

SAJK

OBX Racing Stainless Long tubes on my 2011. Picking it up in the morning.

Am already supercharged and have only the first pass header tune mods from diablotoona installed so will need to datalog to get it dialed in.

I know the performance of this jeep very well having been an early sprintex supercharger adopter and have worked through a gazillion tunes to get to where I am which is a good place. Am hoping that the header tune mods will be a shorter journey.

All this is a way of saying that I will give you proper feedback on the diff these headers make on a FI motor. At USD$400 they are way cheaper than the competition. I spent some extra loot getting them ceramic coated.

My objective was more torque for highway hills. At my altitude (6800 ft down about 20% on power) the JKU's 0-60mph time without the headers is within .5 second and 50 feet of my Hemi Commander that runs a canned Diablo performance tune.

So its not doing so bad. If I can make up that .5 second and get a better highway hill capability then I will be good.

OBX Racing Sports Long Tube SS Exhaust Headers 07 11 Jeep Wrangler 3 8L V6 New | eBay

Will try to let you guys know. OBX has good take up on other platforms and like all things mixed reviews. The quality of the welds and the construction on the JK ones looks fine to me. Time will tell !