Chrysler K engine
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The 2.2 liter straight-4 engine developed by Chrysler for the K-cars is known as the K-car engine, K-engine, or Trans Four. It has become the basis for all Chrysler-developed 4-cylinder engines since its debut in 1981. The Chrysler Neon engine and new Tritec engine trace their lineage back to this engine.
The 2.2 was a homegrown replacement for the 1.7 L Volkswagen engine Chrysler had previously used in its L-body cars. Many of the features of the 2.2 are based on the company's experience with the VW 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 future bore diameter.
All 2.2s were cast iron and used a timing belt rather than a chain, but are non-interference engines. The earliest used a two-barrel caburetor, but later versions used fuel injection.
The 2.2 was made at Chrysler's Trenton, Michigan plant and remains in production (under license) in China by First Auto Works.
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2.2
The first K-car engine was the normally-aspirated 2.2 liter. It debuted with the 1981 Dodge Aries 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 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 and Turbo II.
Cars that used the 2.2 liter engine included:
- Chrysler E-Class (fuel-injected after 1985)
- Chrysler Executive
- Chrysler Laser (not the later Plymouth Laser)
- Chrysler LeBaron (fuel-injected after 1986)
- Chrysler Limousine
- Chrysler New Yorker (fuel-injected after 1985)
- Dodge 024
- Dodge 400
- Dodge 600 (fuel-injected after 1985)
- Dodge Aries (fuel-injected after 1986)
- Dodge Caravan
- Dodge Charger
- Dodge Dakota (1986-1988)
- Dodge Daytona
- Dodge Omni
- Dodge Lancer
- Dodge Rampage (1982-1984)
- Dodge Shadow
- Plymouth Caravelle (fuel-injected after 1985)
- Plymouth Horizon
- Plymouth Reliant (fuel-injected after 1986)
- Plymouth Sundance
- Plymouth TC3
- Plymouth Turismo
- Plymouth Voyager
High-Output 2.2
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). But these modest numbers allowed the Shelby Charger to hit 60 mph (97 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 II engine instead, so this high output 2.2 was made an option on regular Dodge Chargers that year.
Applications:
- 1983–1984 Dodge Shelby Charger
- 1985–1987 Dodge Charger
2.2 Turbo I
Chrysler's first turbocharged engine was the 1984 Turbo I. It used a Garrett T03 turbo 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 was used for 1988. The engine was updated with the 2.5 the next year.
- Chrysler Laser
- Chrysler Limousine
- Chrysler New Yorker
- Chrysler TC (by Maserati)
- Dodge 600
- Dodge Lancer
- Dodge Omni
- Dodge Shelby
- Plymouth Caravelle
- Chrysler E-Class
- Plymouth Sundance
- 1985–1987 Dodge Charger Shelby
2.2 Turbo II
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 both of his later Shelby GLHS in 1987, as did Dodge with their Shelby Charger Turbo of that year. Output was 175 hp (130 kW) and 175 ft·lbf (237 N·m) with 12 psi of boost.
The same intake manifold used on the Turbo I was added to the Turbo II 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.
Applications:
- 1986 Shelby GLH-S (Omni)
- 1987 Shelby Charger Turbo
- 1987 Shelby GLHS (Charger)
- 1985–1993 Consulier GTP
2.2 Turbo IV
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:
- 1989 Shelby CSX
- 1990 Plymouth Shadow ES (141 built)
- 1990 Plymouth Shadow Competition (27 built)
- 1990 Dodge Daytona Shelby (536 built)
- 1990 Dodge Daytona C/S Competition (21 built)
- 1990 Chrysler LeBaron GTC (25 built)
2.2 Turbo III
The Turbo III used heads Lotus-made, Shelby-designed DOHC 16-valve heads.
Cars using the Turbo III include:
- 1991-1992 Dodge Spirit R/T
- 1992-1993 Dodge Daytona IROC R/T
2.2 TC
The odd Chrysler TC (developed with Maserati) used a special turbo K-car engine. This version was related to the Turbo II but used a different head, pistons, connecting rods, and crankshaft. No parts are interchangeable with the other K-car engines.
The 2.2 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 is sourced from IHI. The cams were designed by Florida-based Crane but are constructed by Maserati in Modena. Most of the rest of the engine is made in the United States and is similar to the Turbo II. Only 500 Chrysler TCs were produced with the DOHC 16-valve head.
2.5
Chrysler tweaked the K-car engine in 1986, upping the displacement to 2.5 liters and adding balance shafts to smooth it out. The increased displacement came from a raised deck and even longer stroke (104 mm), making this engine very undersquare and tuned for low-end torque rather than high power. This engine replaced the Mitsubishi-designed 2.6 liter that Chrysler had been using. It produced 100 hp (75 kW) and 136 ft·lbf (184 N·m) of torque. The 2.5 was retired in 1995.
This version was used in the following vehicles:
- Chrysler LeBaron
- Dodge 600
- Dodge Aries
- 1988 Dodge Caravan
- Dodge Dakota (1989-2002)
- Dodge Daytona
- Dodge Dynasty
- Dodge Lancer
- Dodge Shadow
- Dodge Spirit
- Plymouth Acclaim
- Plymouth Caravelle
- Plymouth Duster
- Plymouth Reliant
- Plymouth Sundance
- 1988 Plymouth Voyager
2.5 Turbo
A final version of the K-car engine was the turbocharged 2.5 liter. These engines had multipoint fuel injection.
The 2.5 turbo was found in the following vehicles:
- Chrysler LeBaron
- Dodge Caravan
- Dodge Daytona
- Dodge Spirit
- Plymouth Acclaim
- Plymouth Shadow
- Plymouth Sundance
- Plymouth Voyager