Chrysler SOHC V6 engine

The single overhead cam V6 introduced in 1993 was a major advancement for Chrysler. It was derived from Chrysler's first homegrown front-wheel drive V6, the Chrysler 3.3 engine, and remains in production today. The SOHC V6 is likely to be replaced by the Chrysler Pentastar engine by 2013.

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 derived. The line was expanded further for 2006 with the addition of the 4.0 L engine debuting in the Dodge Nitro.

History

A single overhead camshaft was a major addition to the lineup for 1993. Introduced with the 3.5 L engine, this basic design spawned the DOHC 2.7 L Chrysler LH engine as well as the 3.2 L and new 4.0 L variants. All but the 2.7 and high-output 3.5 are produced at Trenton Engine in Trenton, Michigan.

The SOHC engine uses an engine block that is very similar to its pushrod ancestors. But the front of the block was modified for the camshaft drive, and the heads are entirely different. One major change was that the SOHC engine was originally designed for the longitudinal placement of the Chrysler LH platform, rather than the transverse engine design of the K-cars and minivans. Since the bottom end was the same, the engine could be produced on the same assembly line in Trenton as the pushrod engine.

1993–97 3.5 L engines are a non-interference engine meaning...
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