Chrysler K engine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2.2 L straight-4 engine developed by Chrysler for the K-cars is sometimes referred to as the K-car engine. After its debut in 1981, it became the basis for all Chrysler-developed 4-cylinder engines until the Chrysler Neon engine was released in 1995.

The 2.2 was a homegrown replacement for the 1.7 L Volkswagen engine Chrysler had initially used in its Omni and Horizon models. Many of the features of the 2.2 are based on the company's experience with the Volkswagen engine, including the aluminum head/iron block design, the SOHC design with in-line valves, the offset water pump, and the location of both the intake and exhaust manifolds on the rear of the engine.

To reduce overall length, it is a "siamesed" engine: there are no coolant passages between cylinders. The bore spacing is a tight 87.5 mm, limiting the potential for increased bore diameter.

All 2.2 blocks were made of cast iron and used a timing belt rather than a chain, but they are non-interference engines. The earliest used a two-barrel carburetor, but fuel injection was phased in starting in 1984 on turbocharged models, and 1987 on normally-aspirated models.

The 2.2 was made at Chrysler's Trenton Engine plant in Trenton, Michigan. In 1988, Chrysler sold much of the machining equipment, as well as a license to the design, to First Auto Works of China. The Trenton plant largely switched to the new Chrysler 3.3 engine production, while FAW continues to build the 2.2 to this day.

Contents

The first K-car engine was the normally-aspirated 2.2 L. It was introduced in the 1981 Dodge Aries, Plymouth Horizon and Plymouth Reliant, and was produced until 1994. It was a carbureted SOHC engine with an undersquare 87.5 mm bore and 92 mm stroke. The first versions produced 84 hp (63 kW), but quickly rose to 96 hp (72 kW) and 119 ft·lbf (161 N·m). Later versions were fuel-injected for 99 hp (74 kW) and 121 ft·lbf (164 N·m), and a High-Output version for the Dodge Charger produced 110 hp (82 kW) and 129 ft·lbf (175 N·m). Some were even turbocharged and are referred to as the Turbo I, Turbo II, Turbo III], and [#2.2 Turbo IV|Turbo IV. The plain fuel injected 2.2 L competed with Ford Motor Company's HSC engine in the Tempo and Topaz. Using very similar bore and stroke. Ford Motor Company's HSO competed with the 2.2 Turbo versions.

Late fuel injected 2.2L in a Dodge Shadow
Late fuel injected 2.2L in a Dodge Shadow

Cars that used the 2.2 L engine included:

The 1983 and 1984 Dodge Shelby Charger was more of a handling package, but the regular 2.2 L engine was modified somewhat. This High-Output 2.2 used a revised camshaft to boost output to 110 hp (82 kW) and 129 ft·lbf (175 N·m) and a decking of the block to increase the compression ratio. But these modest numbers allowed the Shelby Charger to hit 50 mph (80 km/h) in 5.5 seconds and cover the quarter mile (.4 km) in under 16 seconds. The 1985 Dodge Charger Shelby used the 2.2 Turbo I engine instead, so this high output 2.2 was made an option on regular Dodge Chargers that year.

Applications:

Chrysler's first turbocharged engine was the 1984 Turbo I. It used a Garrett T03 turbocharger with a mechanical wastegate to limit boost to 7 psi (48 kPa). For 1985, a computer-controlled wastegate was substituted which allowed 9 psi (62 kPa) of temporary overboost. Output was rated at 146 hp (109 kW) and 168 ft·lbf (228 N·m). A Mitsubishi TE04H turbo and new intake manifold were used for 1988. The engine was updated with the 2.5 L engine the next year.

The Turbo II name signified a Carroll Shelby-designed intercooled turbo engine. The engine was first used in the 1986 Shelby GLH-S and was produced by the factory the following year. Shelby packed it into his later Shelby GLHS in 1987, as well has his Shelby Lancer and Shelby CSX. Chrysler produced a strengthened version of this engine, with a forged crankshaft and connecting rods, and used it in the Shelby Z package of the 1987–1989 Dodge Daytona . Output was 175 hp (130 kW) and 175 ft·lbf (237 N·m) with 12 psi of boost. (200 ft·lbf in the actual Chrysler-built cars with the stronger transaxle)

The same intake manifold used on the Turbo II minus an air charge temperature sensor was added to the Turbo I for 1988. The next year, the new 2.5 L block was adapted for the still-2.2 L Turbo II, and the engine continued unchanged through 1990. The same block casting used for all further iterations of the Chrysler K engine, and came to be called the 'Common Block'.

Applications:

The Turbo III used Lotus-made, Shelby-designed DOHC 16-valve heads. Output was 224 hp (167 kW) and 217 ft·lbf (294 N·m). This rare engine was used in just 1,399 Spirit R/T and a handful of Daytona IROC R/T models.

Cars using the Turbo III include:

The Turbo IV was a turbocharged SOHC version with variable nozzle turbo (VNT) technology. This allowed the turbo to spool up rapidly but still produce high top-end power.

Vehicles using the Turbo IV include:

The Chrysler TC (developed with Maserati) used a special turbo K-car engine. This version was related to the Turbo II but used a special 16-valve head, pistons, connecting rods, intake manifold, crankshaft and other components. No parts are interchangeable with other versions of the engine.

The 2.2 TC engine was truly international: The cylinder head was cast in England by Cosworth and finished in Italy by Maserati. The pistons came from Mahle in Germany, and a Japanese turbocharger was sourced from IHI. The camshafts were designed by Florida-based Crane but were constructed by Maserati in Modena. Most of the rest of the engine was made in the United States and was similar to the Turbo II. Only 500 Chrysler TCs were produced with the DOHC 16-valve head.

Chrysler upsized the K-car engine in 1986, increasing the displacement to 2.5 L and adding counterrotating balance shafts to smooth out the vibrations and harsh harmonics normally produced by long-stroke 4-cylinder engines. The increased displacement came from a raised deck and longer 104 mm stroke, making the 2.5 engine very undersquare and tuned for low-end torque rather than high-RPM power. This engine replaced the 2.6 L Mitsubishi G54B engine that Chrysler had been using. In normally-aspirated form, it produced 100 hp (75 kW) and 136 ft·lb (184 N·m) of torque. In 1989 there was a redesign of the 2.5 to permit both it and the 2.2 to use a common cylinder block. The block, crankshaft, rods and pistons are completely different from the previous 2.5. The 2.5 was retired in 1995.

This version was used in the following vehicles:

The 2.5 engine was offered in a Turbo I form starting in 1989. This engine had multipoint fuel injection and was rated at 150 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. In the Mexican market, a 2.5 Turbo II engine with intercooler and intake charge temperature sensing was available, rated at 168 horsepower and 175 to 188 lb-ft of torque.


The 2.5 turbo was found in the following vehicles:

Carbureted 2.5 L engine installed in 1990 Mexican Chrysler Spirit
Carbureted 2.5 L engine installed in 1990 Mexican Chrysler Spirit

In the Mexican market, 1986 through 1990 vehicles used versions of the 2.2 and 2.5 engines operating on leaded gasoline, equipped with a carburetor, a tubular exhaust header, and electronic control of ignition timing. This induction and ignition system used technology and components very similar to those employed in Chrysler's US-market Lean Burn emission control systems of the late 1970s. This configuration was discontinued in favour of electronic fuel injection for the 1991 model year, when exhaust emission regulations took force in Mexico.

From 1991 to 1995 in the Mexican market, multipoint fuel injected, nonturbo version of the 2.2 and 2.5 were installed in many Chrysler Corporation vehicles. This version of the 2.5 was rated at 113 horsepower, and in most cases lacked the balance shafts used in all other versions of the 2.5. The MPFI system gave better driveability, performance and fuel economy, and cleaner emissions, but was nevertheless not used elsewhere than the Mexican domestic market and Chrysler de Mexico's export markets.

MPFI 2.5 L engine installed in 1994 Mexican Chrysler Spirit
MPFI 2.5 L engine installed in 1994 Mexican Chrysler Spirit

From 1993 to 1995, a 107 horsepower multipoint fuel injected non-turbo version of the 2.5 engine was installed in flexible-fuel Dodge Spirits and Plymouth Acclaims. This engine and its fuel supply and computerized management system were specially modified to run on fuel containing up to 85% methanol. Most of the MPFI system was common with the Mexican-market 2.5 MPFI engine. Modifications included upgraded seal and gasket materials, chrome piston rings, stainless-steel fuel system components, anticorrosion fuel injectors internally plated with nickel, and fuel composition sensors.


  • 1984-1987 The ECU was divided into the Logic Module, which was inside the passenger cabin, and the Power Module was located near the left front fender.
  • 1988-1989 The SMEC (Single Module Engine Controller) was introduced. This was basically the combination of the earlier Logic and Power modules into one unit.
  • 1990-end The SBEC (Single Board Engine Controller) was a new unit, which integrated the earlier two board computer into a single board.

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