Chrysler 2.7L V-6 -- Rodney Dangerfield Engine?

[ekpolk]

Well, I'm far from home for the next week, tooling about the Pacific Northwest, on USMC business, driving a Dodge Charger, base model, with the aforesaid 2.7L V-6. I've heard a lot here (and a few other places) about this being a fragile and sludge-prone engine. I have to say, I'm very favorably surprised by it. It is by no means an over-powered dynamo (especially in a chunky Charger), but it's 190/190 hp/tq combo moves the car respectably and very smoothly. I have to admit, it's a much nicer engine, at least from a subjective impression point of view, than I expected it would be. IIRC, a car magazine writer once described a very early version as sounding like paperclips in a blender, but not so with this one. It's very mellow and smooth, even at WOT, which ahem, I've tried a couple times. In this car, I'd give it a B for acceleration, and an A otherwise. This engine deserves some respect.

I will strongly consider not banning other members who may disagree with my opinion of this engine.

Oh yeah, it's pretty under the hood too. While it does have a slightly cheezy looking plastic intake, other than that, it shows lots of nice, neatly machined, clean looking aluminum. Looks a lot bigger than a 2.7, but hey, you can't really tell what's in there from the exterior, I guess.

 

[Black_Thunder]

is the 2.7 a euro model engine?

 

[WishIhadatruck]

My only experience with one was in a rental Intrepid a few years ago. With 3 adults in the car and some luggage it seemed really taxed in normal driving. It had poor acceleration unless you ran it close to redline before each shift. Because of the lack of torque lower in the rev range I didn't really enjoy it that much. It would move quickly enough when revved however and seemed smooth enough for me. I just personally don't want to run to redline everytime I need to merge into traffic.

 

[01rangerxl]

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is the 2.7 a euro model engine?

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It is a fleet only engine.

 

[ekpolk]

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is the 2.7 a euro model engine?

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It is a fleet only engine.

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Is there more than one 2.7 lurking out there? The Dodge.com website clearly shows a 2.7L V-6 as the standard engine in the base model car.

Or is it that the base model car is offered only in fleet sales?

 

[LouDawg]

I had one in an '03 Stratus ES...I too was very impressed with its performance. It was *very* quick in that particular car and ran very smoothly. The sludge problems were fixed after the '02 model year...something about increased valve clearance, I think.

But I never really had it under much of a load, so my opinion of it was based on usually a single-occupancy experience.

Actually, that whole car was impressive, very tight, handled well, and accelerated very quickly. Not quite as quick as my Accord, but not bad at all...MUCH, MUCH faster than the 3.0L Vulcan I had in the '99 Taurus.

 

[2006_Charger_R/T]

2.7L is primarily their fleet engine. You can buy the charger at the dealer with a 2.7L, but I recommend the v6 or v8. If you wait until the 2008 chargers come out, they are suppose to mate their MDS technology with the v6 engines. MDS is multi-displayment technology. It effectively turns off half the cylinders during driving on flat or downhill terrains. It's done mechanically, not computer controlled. I own a 2006 Charger RT. I can honestly say, this car makes me smile every time I drive it. I have to hand it to the engineers at DC, the MDS works well and it's seemless. I get 23-25 mpg in my RT on the highway.

Sorry for posting something slightly off topic.

 

[LouDawg]

The 2.7L *is* a V6 engine.

 

[CBDFrontier06]

I think he meant the 3.5 V6, which is a real sweetheart in my mom's Charger SE.

 

[2006_Charger_R/T]

yeah... i should have said 3.5L v6 and 5.7L v8. I mistyped.

 

[01rangerxl]

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is the 2.7 a euro model engine?

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It is a fleet only engine.

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Is there more than one 2.7 lurking out there? The Dodge.com website clearly shows a 2.7L V-6 as the standard engine in the base model car.

Or is it that the base model car is offered only in fleet sales?

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Maybe you can get them at a dealer then. I was under the impression that the 2.7L was pretty much reserved to rental cars these days.

 

[unDummy]

MDS is computer controlled.

 

[BOBISTHEOILGUY]

I have a 2.7 on my intrepid and I like it. it only gets 400 miles on a tank but I have had very few problems with that motor. I have a 157,000 on that motor and it still goes strong.

I just recently got a 96 ford ranger xlt truck. so far no problems on it.

 

[2006_Charger_R/T]

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MDS is computer controlled.

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It's mechanically controlled. Read the "Displacement on Demand" section in the link I provided. The computer system might be utilized to control the injectors, sensors... but it's primarily a mechanically driven feature. Sorry for the off topic reply. Link ---> Allpar article on the new HEMI

 

[va3ux]

I've been a frequent poster here on the 2.7 for obvious reasons (see signature).

The 2.7 runs beautifully. Nice quiet, smooth engine. Excellent gas mileage. When mine was newer and had fewer miles, you often couldn't tell that the engine was running if you were just a few feet from the car. In the car, I often had to look at the tach to see if the thing was actually "on". Incredible. With nearly 181K miles on it, it's not nearly quite as smooth and quiet as it was, but it's not bad either.

The complaints on this engine do not come from people with smooth running 2.7s; they come from people whose 2.7 just self-destructed, but was running smoothly just minutes before (and often at a relatively low mileage). A number of improvements have been made to the engine so they're not as unreliable as they were in the early days (late 90's). However they still have 3 timing chains and an internal water pump that will all need to be tended to (in an expensive way) as preventative maintenance. And failure to maintain those could result in total loss of the engine. This is an interference engine. (I'm on borrowed time with mine as far as I'm concerned. Timing chains)/tensioners/water pump replacement scheduled for next month).

In my Intrepid, I would say that the 2.7 is just satisfactory - just enough - in terms of power for the vehicle size and weight. Anything less would definitely be under powered. But the Intrepids use the inefficient 42LE transmission and front wheel drive, whereas the newer vehicles use a different and more efficient transmission and rear-wheel drive. So the the 2.7 probably seems more powerful in the newer cars.

Phil

 

[unDummy]

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MDS is computer controlled.

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It's mechanically controlled. Read the "Displacement on Demand" section in the link I provided. The computer system might be utilized to control the injectors, sensors... but it's primarily a mechanically driven feature. Sorry for the off topic reply. Link ---> Allpar article on the new HEMI

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I don't care for allpar. They have about as much bad info as good info!

It is controlled by the ECU. Look in the factory service manuals. See the solenoids that are triggered by the ECU that send the oil to the lifters..... See the 4 OBDII error codes, one for each cylinder if ECU detects error or issues.

In the age of modern computing, there isn't anything simply mechanical anymore.

 

[ekpolk]

Guys:

How 'bout this: the MDS is controlled by the ECU, and is hydromechanically actuated. IMO, that covers it -- you're really both right. . .

 

[ekpolk]

Phil:

Your comments seem right on the mark (obviously, the one I have for now is a rental, w/ only 8k miles, so I don't know how an older one will do). It's just enough for the Charger. Some will want more, others would be totally happy.

I just drove it up from Portland to the Seattle area (actually short of it at Ft Lewis), about 2 1/2 hrs on I-5 and connecting roads. Nice highway cruiser. Though small, the engine does not sound coarse, even at WOT on a pass. Trans shifts well and with composure. All around pleasant car (though I find the styling somewhere between overdone and goofy...). Applying sound 5th Amendment reasoning and analysis, I should probably remain silent and not admit this, but I actually once, a long time ago, owned a K-car (there now, I feel better), the Dodge version, two-door. As unfair and unrealistic as it may be, my experience with that car (an 86 model) still colors my view of Chrysler products. To be fair, this Charger is, of course, many light-years advanced beyond my old Aries. Nicely done DC (or whoever you are/are about to be...).

 

[G-MAN]

I think the current 2.7s have had a lot of the bugs worked out. Nevertheless, I still prefer the SOHC 3.2/3.5 V6s. The 2.7 and 3.2/3.5 were designed simultaneously by two different teams. I think the 3.2/3.5 team created the better engine.

 

[va3ux]

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I think the current 2.7s have had a lot of the bugs worked out. Nevertheless, I still prefer the SOHC 3.2/3.5 V6s. The 2.7 and 3.2/3.5 were designed simultaneously by two different teams. I think the 3.2/3.5 team created the better engine.

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Yea there's no question that the SOHC 3.2 & 3.5 have a lot going for them. Somewhat mechanically simpler, more reliable than the 2.7 and more power. And moving up from a 2.7 to the 3.5 in an Intrepid or Charger makes quite a difference. It goes from being "just satisfactory" power, to plenty of power.