There are three major variants of this basic design: the 3.5 L, 3.2 L, and 4.0 L. Additionally, a 2.7 L DOHC version was developed.
History
1993–97 3.5 L engines are a non-interference design, in which the valves will not collide with the pistons in the event of a timing belt failure. The 1998–2001 3.2 L, the 1998–2010 3.5 L, and the 2007–2011 4.0 L engines are interference designs.
3.5
The 3.5 L; 214.7 cu in (3,518 cc) engine was a version of the 3.3 with a larger bore of 96 mm (3.78 in) and featured overhead cams. The 3.5L version has an intake arrangement with two separate manifolds and throttle bodies connected with a crossover valve. This provides better low and midrange torque. Another difference with the 3.5 as opposed to the 3.3 is that it has a timing belt, not a timing chain. The water pump is driven by the timing belt on the 3.5, whereas on the 3.3, the accessory belt drives it.
At its debut in 1993, this engine produced 214 hp (160 kW) and 221 lb⋅ft (300 N⋅m) with an iron block and aluminium cylinder heads. The 3.5 L engine was redone entirely of aluminum in 1999 as the EGG high output, producing 247–253 hp (184–189 kW) at 6500 rpm with 250 lb⋅ft (339 N⋅m) of torque at 4000 rpm. Output from 2002 to 2004 for the standard output EGJ is 234 hp (174 kW) at 6000 rpm with 241 lb⋅ft (327 N⋅m) of torque at 4400 rpm. Also, for 2002–2004, the EGK 3.5 L Special was built exclusively for the 300M Special, producing 255 hp (190 kW) and 258 lb⋅ft (350 N⋅m). The EGK was discontinued in 2004.[1]
The 3.5 L variant was discontinued in 2010, and was replaced by the newer Pentastar 3.6 V6.
The 3.2 L version debuted with the updated LH platform in 1998. It was an SOHC 4-valve design displacing 3.2 L; 197.2 cu in (3,231 cc) with a smaller 92 mm (3.62 in) bore but the same 81 mm (3.19 in) stroke as the 3.5. It produced 225 hp (168 kW) and 225 lb⋅ft (305 N⋅m) and met the TLEV emissions standard. It was discontinued at the end of the 2001 model year.[1]
The 3.5 L engine was expanded to 4.0 L; 241.2 cu in (3,952 cc) for the 2007 Dodge Nitro and Chrysler Pacifica. Like its family members, this is a SOHC engine and was built in Trenton, Michigan. DaimlerChrysler reportedly spent $155 million to expand the Trenton plant to manufacture this engine.[2]
Output of 4.0 engine:
251 hp (187 kW) and 259 lb⋅ft (351 N⋅m) in Town & Country, Grand Caravan and VW Routan.
253 hp (189 kW) and 262 lb⋅ft (355 N⋅m) in Pacifica