10 Chrysler Engines that Belong in a Junkyard (5 that Were Beasts)
Chrysler Corporation has its glorious past as one of the American car titans. In its time, it produced some iconic muscle cars and delivered ground breaking, indeed, insane innovations over the years. Yet, the company has its fair share of challenges and changes.
Today, as a product of Fiat’s stewardship, Chrysler is but a shadow of its former self, with a lineup that’s shrinking as small cars and sedans give way to crossovers and trucks that match the market’s current druthers, but have little appeal to enthusiasts.
For the entire journey of Chrysler, it built engines destined to become legends and ones best forgotten. Below, is the rundown of 10 of Chrysler’s worst engines and 5 absolute beasts that put Chrysler in the muscle car hall of fame.
10 Chrysler Engines That Missed the Mark
10) 2.7L V6 – Chrysler Sebring/Dodge Stratus
Chrysler’s 2.7L V6 is widely known as one of the company’s worst engines. These engines were notorious for severe sludge buildup, and are more commonly referred to as sludge monsters, the result of leaky water pump gaskets allowing oil to mix with coolant. But the 2.7L was infamous for being absolutely without redeeming qualities, remaining a catastrophic powerplant.
9) 2.2L Inline-4 – K Cars
The K platform had saved Chrysler from bankruptcy in the 1980s, but the 2.2L inline4 was a tiny weak point. Despite an oil burning, starter failures, and even throttle drivability issues, it never came near the power of its import rivals.
8) 225 Cubic-Inch Slant-6 – Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volaré
The 225 B Slant-6 could move some of the largest displacement engines ever produced from Chrysler to see service in front–wheel drive Chryslers, despite being the largest such displacement, namely 100 horsepower with restrictive 1970s emissions standards and an inefficient reverseflow cylinder head design. While very economical even at idle, it could never be persuaded to push larger sedans like the Dodge Aspen or Plymouth Volaré.
7) 3.7L “PowerTech” V6 – Dodge Nitro/Jeep Liberty
This was a bridge V6 through the doomed 2.7L and the Pentastar 3.6L that would go on to greatly improve from here. It was underwhelming with just 200 horsepower and had reliability problems before it was phased out for better engines.
6) Early 3.0L V6 EcoDiesel – Ram 1500/Jeep Grand Cherokee
Dodge received much notice with the Ram 1500 offering a diesel alternative, but the earlier 3.0L EcoDiesel had reliability issues ranging from fuel rail failures to cam gear problems. Also confronting allegations of emissions cheating, FCA had to fork out $800 million for recalls.
5) 2.8L Inline-4 Diesel – Jeep Liberty CRD
Diesel Vehicles like the diesel powered Jeep Liberty CRD gained a bad rep for it’s EGR system allowing carbon buildup eventually culminating in engine failure. One nightmare for owners was head gasket leaks and fuel system problems that happened before 100,000 miles.
4) 2.0L Inline-4 “World” Engine – Dodge Caliber
Along with an unreliable CVT and propensity for belt failure including fires, the 2.0L “World” engine offered an uninspiring powertrain and lousy fuel mileage, doing nothing to help the already unpopular Dodge Caliber.
3) 4.7L “PowerTech” V8 – Jeep Commander
With only 235 horsepower its 4.7L PowerTech V8 could not live up to the engine’s size. Add to the fact that the Commander was fairly heavy for a SUV, and the engine made the SUV sluggish and hungry for fuel.
2) 2.4L “Tigershark” Inline-4 – Dodge Dart
The 2.4L Tigershark was found in so called sporty Dodge Dart, where it lacked torque and offered poor fuel economy. It was paired with a clunky 9 speed automatic, and offered a frustrating driving experience not befitting its competition.
1) 5.7L V8 Hybrid – Dodge Durango/Chrysler Aspen
Chrysler's brief foray into hybrids SUVs was short. With decent power, though poorly timed and the 2008 financial crisis quickly cutting the production line short, the 5.7L V8 hybrid drivetrain was short lived. Less than 1,000 units were sold.
5 beastly Chrysler engines that stole the show
5) 2.4L Turbo Inline-4 – Dodge Neon SRT-4/Chrysler PT Cruiser GT
The 2.4L turbocharged engine brought surprising performance to two unlikely contenders: Included on this list of '06 products were the Neon SRT 4 and PT Cruiser GT. This engine came with 230 horsepower and was affordably priced, blistering speed, and a tuner favorite.
4) 8.4L V10 – Viper SRT-10/Ram SRT-10
Originally developed for trucks under the monstrous hood of the Dodge Viper and the Ram SRT 10. This engine would produce around 500 horsepower, turning the Viper into the kind of raw performance machine no one could fault for also being ferocious.
3) 2.2L Turbo II Inline-4 – Dodge Omni GLH/GLHS
The humble Dodge Omni was made into a protohot hatch…developed with Carroll Shelby, the '"Goes Like Hell" (GLH) Turbo II engine.' The ‘Goes Like Hell Some More’ variant gave you 175 horsepower.
2) 5.9L Cummins Diesel Inline-6 – Dodge Ram 2500/3500 HD
The heavy duty diesel 5.9L Cummins L6 is infamous for being the smoothest and most durable engine in work trucks. This engine was built to be reliable and commercial was built to be used until it wore out the truck itself, making this one of the most reliable powerplants ever.
1) 6.2L Supercharged HEMI V8 – Dodge Challenger Hellcat/Demon
Top of the list is a 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8, a symbol of modern muscle car supremacy. This engine made insane performance at an insanely low price: with 707 horsepower in the Hellcat, all the way up to 840 in the Demon. Optionally, the Demon's full 100 octane fuel allowed this to become the ultimate muscle car for the drag strip.
A Legacy of Highs and Lows
There may be no bigger tale of extremes in U.S. automotive history than Chrysler's, of remarkable engineering achievements by no means matched with several ill advised missteps. The brand might be past its prime as a muscle car renaissance, but the engines that it built are still leaving an impression on those that appreciate the automotive world, and the car enthusiasts.
