Chrysler engines
This article covers engines that were used in vehicles made by the US automaker Chrysler and other Chrysler brands such as Dodge and Plymouth .
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Flathead
The first model of the newly formed Chrysler Motor Corporation was the Chrysler B-70 . This was powered by a 3.3 liter inline engine with six cylinders. This engine laid the basis for an engine family of four, six and eight-cylinder engines with a displacement of up to 6.3 liters. The name Flathead comes from the SV valve control used , which ensured a flat cylinder head. This performance-inhibiting valve control and the long overall length of the in-line engines ensured that successor models were developed soon after the Second World War . Nevertheless, the Flathead was still used in various models until 1960.
Slant-Six
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The name Slant-Six (oblique six) is made up of the number of cylinders (six) and the installation shape of the engine. In order to find enough space under the small, flat bonnet of the Plymouth Valiant , the engine was installed inclined at 30 ° to the side with the water pump flanged to the side instead of the front. A positive side effect of this measure was that the manifolds could be better dimensioned due to the larger space available.
Since this is a counter-current cylinder head engine , the intake and exhaust manifold are on the same side of the engine. Although this design is not suitable for particularly high performance, the Slant-Six proved to be extremely reliable and earned a reputation for indestructibility. Some engines were cast in aluminum , but this episode was short-lived, with most of them made of gray cast iron .
The engine was installed in Chrysler cars from 1959 to 1978, and in commercial vehicles such as the Dodge Ram even until 1987.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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6 cylinder in- line engine |
170 cubic inches (CID) (2790 cm³) | 3.40 × 3.125 in (86.4 × 79.4 mm) | 1960-1969 |
198 CID (3249 cm³) | 3.40 × 3.64 in (86.4 × 92.5 mm) | 1970-1974 | |
225 CID (3682 cm³) | 3.40 × 4.125 in (86.4 × 104.8 mm) | 1960-1988 |
Four-cylinder
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K series
As a result of the 1973 and 1979 oil crises, American customers became less interested in cars with large-volume V8 engines. This development benefited the Japanese automakers in particular , who imported large quantities of compact cars into the USA. In order to be able to counteract its own products, Chrysler developed new automobiles of the K platform and associated four-cylinder engines of the same name.
While the new engines shared some features with the Slant Six engines , they did not share any common parts. With the K series, Chrysler first built engines using the metric system . The initially used carburetor was installed as far back as possible on the engine to increase safety in the event of an accident. From 1984 petrol injection was offered as an option, from 1987 it was standard.
Originally a 2-liter engine was planned, but in the course of development it became clear that more power was necessary to motorize the K-platform cars with sufficient power for American tastes. For a variant with an even larger displacement, the 2.5 liter, the same cylinder head was used, but the engine block had to be built higher. From 1989 both drive options switched to a new "common block". Both displacement variants were also built with turbocharging . 1994 was the last year of the K series, which was replaced by newer four-cylinder engines.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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Line engine 4-cylinder |
2.2 (2213 cm³) | 87.5 x 92 mm | 1981-1994 |
2.5 (2501 cm³) | 87.5 × 104 mm | 1986-1994 |
neon
With the successor of the K platform by the Chrysler Neon , the engines of the K series were also replaced. The new neon series shares design features such as the gray cast iron cylinder block or the bore diameter with its predecessors, but many elements have been significantly changed. The Neon has four valves per cylinder, which are controlled by one or two camshafts depending on the version . The neon engine also served as the basis for the Tritec engine cooperation with BMW Mini . It was replaced by the World Gasoline Engine .
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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Line engine 4-cylinder |
1.8 (1796 cm³) | 83 × 83 mm | 1997-1999 |
2.0 (1996 cm³) | 87.5 × 83 mm | 1995-2005 | |
2.4 (2429 cm³) | 87.5 x 101 mm | 1995-2010 |
World gasoline engine
The current Chrysler four-cylinder.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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Line engine 4-cylinder |
1.8 (1798 cm³) | 86 x 77.4 mm | 2007-2009 |
2.0 (1998 cm³) | 86 × 86 mm | since 2007 | |
2.4 (2360 cm³) | 88 × 97 mm | since 2007 |
V6 engines
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Chrysler had already built its first V6 engine in 1987 by modifying the small-block V8 of the LA series . Based on the same model, other V6s from the Magnum and PowerTech series were created . Independent engine families were also designed.
3.3 & 3.8
Between 1990 and 2011, Chrysler built two different V6 engines for transverse installation. It was the first V6 engine developed by Chrysler itself. These engines still had a central camshaft with two valves per cylinder. The cylinder head was made of aluminum, while the engine block was made of gray cast iron. With a 60 ° cylinder bank angle , these engines were narrow enough to find space in Chrysler's minivans with front-wheel drive , where they were used throughout the entire construction period.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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V6 engine | 3.3 (3301 cm³) | 93 × 81 mm | 1990-2010 |
3.8 (3778 cm³) | 96 × 87 mm | 1991-2011 |
LH series
Starting in 1993, new V6 engines with overhead camshafts were developed based on the 3.3 & 3.8 . This engine family is also called the LH series. In order to save costs, the engines only had a single camshaft per cylinder bank, despite four valves per cylinder. As before, a cast iron engine block with a 96 mm bore was used, but due to the extensive changes, the only common part with the 3.3 & 3.8 engines is the oil pan. From 1999 all engines were built with an aluminum engine block.
The 3.5 liter basic model was followed by a 3.2 liter with a smaller bore, a 4.0 liter with a larger stroke and a 2.7 liter. The 2.7 liter engine occupies a special position. The dimensions of the engine have been reduced and it has two camshafts per cylinder head instead of just one.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time | |
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V6 engine | 2.7 (2736 cm³) | 86 x 78.5 mm | 1998-2010 | DOHC |
3.2 (3231 cm³) | 92 × 81 mm | 1998-2001 | ||
3.5 (3518 cm³) | 96 × 81 mm | 1993-2010 | ||
4.0 (3952 cm³) | 96 × 91 mm | 2007-2011 |
Pentastar
In March 2010, Chrysler introduced a new family of engines that went on sale in 2011. This engine family should replace all previous V6 engines, which enables significant savings. According to Chrysler, this step will reduce the number of main engine components from 189 to just 32. Originally , the name Phoenix was planned, but this name was already trademarked.
As with its predecessors, the Pentastar has six cylinders in a V arrangement with a 60 ° cylinder bank angle and a cylinder diameter of 96 mm. But that's where the similarities end: the new engine is significantly more compact, lighter and more economical. The high-pressure cast aluminum engine block alone should be 20 pounds (9 kg) lighter. With a length of 503 mm, the Pentastar is 34 mm shorter than the LH 3.5 V6 and 94 mm shorter than the PowerTech V6. It has four overhead camshafts , four valves per cylinder and a narrow valve angle. The exhaust manifold is integrated into the cylinder head.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Jeep_Wrangler_Unlimited_Sport_engine.jpg/220px-Jeep_Wrangler_Unlimited_Sport_engine.jpg)
The engines were revised for 2016 and equipped with variable valve timing . In the next few years the Pentastar will also be equipped with a turbocharger .
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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V6 engine | 3.2 (3239 cm³) | 91 × 83 mm | since 2014 |
3.6 (3604 cm³) | 96 × 83 mm | since 2011 |
V8 engines
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First generation Hemi- and Poly-V8
Chrysler's first V8 engine was the so-called Hemi , an engine with hemispherical combustion chambers . This shape of the combustion chamber allows more efficient combustion and large valve diameters. The engine debuted in 1951 in the Chrysler Saratoga with 180 bhp (134 kW), 20 bhp (15 kW) more than the competition from General Motors had to offer. Chrysler sold its Hemi at 4.5625 in (115.9 mm) as FirePower for the Chrysler and Imperial brands .
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time | comment |
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V8 engine | 331 CID (5432 cm³) | 3.8125 × 3.625 in (96.8 × 92.1 mm) | 1951-1955 | |
354 CID (5787 cm³) | 3.9375 × 3.625 in (100 × 92.1 mm) | 1956-1959 | ||
392 CID (6435 cm³) | 4 × 3,906 in (101.6 × 99.2 mm) | 1957-1958 |
The DeSoto brand built its own Hemi motors under the FireDome name . These had a smaller cylinder spacing of 4.3125 in (109.5 mm).
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time | comment |
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V8 engine | 276 CID (4524 cm³) | 3,625 × 3,344 in (92.1 × 84.9 mm) | 1952-1954 | |
291 CID (4765 cm³) | 3.72 × 3.344 in (94.5 × 84.9 mm) | 1955 | ||
330 CID (5414 cm³) | 3.72 × 3.8 in (94.5 × 96.5 mm) | 1956 | ||
341 CID (5590 cm³) | 3.78 × 3.8 in (96 × 96.5 mm) | 1956-1957 | ||
345 CID (5650 cm³) | 3.8 × 3.8 in (96.5 × 96.5 mm) | 1957 |
The Red Ram for Dodge was the smallest engine in the first Hemi generation. It only had a cylinder spacing of 4.1875 in (106.4 mm). Although technically very similar, the Dodge Hemi did not share a major component with the Chrysler and DeSoto Hemis, or the A-Series V8s.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time | comment |
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V8 engine | 241 CID (3954 cm³) | 3.4375 × 3.25 in (87.3 × 82.6 mm) | 1953-1954 | |
268 CID (4397 cm³) | 3,625 × 3.25 in (92.1 × 82.6 mm) | 1955-1956 | Marketed as 270 | |
314 CID (5141 cm³) | 3,625 × 3.8 in (92.1 × 96.5 mm) | 1956 | Marketed as 315 | |
325 CID (5320 cm³) | 3.6875 × 3.8 in (93.7 × 96.5 mm) | 1957 |
Based on this first generation of Hemi engines, there were still engines with a simpler, polyspherical combustion chamber. The Hemi motors were powerful and popular with customers, but they were complex to manufacture. At the beginning, when V8 engines were reserved for luxury vehicles from Chrysler or Imperial, this was not a major problem. But when smaller vehicles were also equipped with V8s and especially for the masses of vehicles that Plymouth produced, the construction effort was not too much justify. The engines called poly therefore rely on a simpler combustion chamber, more like a gable roof, and a simplified valve train. But this design was still too complex, so that the poly motors were replaced after only a short construction period. 1958 was the last year for both series, they were replaced by the engines of the A and B series.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time | Basic engine | comment |
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V8 engine | 241 CID (3954 cm³) | 3.4375 × 3.25 in (87.3 × 82.6 mm) | 1955 | Dodge Red Ram |
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259 CID (4247 cm³) | 3.5625 × 3.25 in (90.5 × 82.6 mm) | 1955 | Marketed as 260 | ||
268 CID (4397 cm³) | 3,625 × 3.25 in (92.1 × 82.6 mm) | 1956 | Marketed as 270 | ||
314 CID (5141 cm³) | 3,625 × 3.8 in (92.1 × 96.5 mm) | 1956 | Marketed as 315 | ||
325 CID (5320 cm³) | 3.6875 × 3.8 in (93.7 × 96.5 mm) | ||||
299 CID (4905 cm³) | 3,625 × 3,625 in (92.1 × 92.1 mm) | 1955-1958 | Chrysler | Marketed as 301 | |
331 CID (5432 cm³) | 3.8125 × 3.625 in (96.8 × 92.1 mm) | 1955-1958 | |||
354 CID (5787 cm³) | 3.9375 × 3.625 in (100 × 92.1 mm) | 1955-1958 |
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A series
The small-block V8 engines from Chrysler in 1956 as A-Series introduced. A (polyspherical) combustion chamber composed of several surfaces was used, which is closer to the hemispherical shape than the wedge-shaped combustion chamber often used in V8 engines. Unlike the predecessors named Poly (see above), the A series is not based on the Hemi motors, it is a completely new design.
The first engine was the 4.5 liter, which, however, was soon supplemented and replaced by larger displacement variants. In 1957 there was a high-performance package for the 5.2-liter that contained a quadruple carburetor and brought the engine to 290 bhp (213 kW), making it the most powerful engine in the A-series. For owners of Hot Rods , the old A-series was not the first choice, as there were hardly any performance-enhancing parts - such as camshafts, intake manifolds and cylinder heads - that were readily available for subsequent "LA" machines (1967-1991) .
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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V8 engine | 277 CID (4532 cm³) | 3.75 × 3.13 in (95.3 × 79.5 mm) | 1956-1957 |
301 CID (4927 cm³) | 3.91 × 3.13 in (99.3 × 79.5 mm) | 1957 | |
303 CID (4947 cm³) | 3.81 × 3.31 in (96.8 × 84.1 mm) | 1956-1957 | |
318 CID (5210 cm³) | 3.91 × 3.31 in (99.3 × 84.1 mm) | 1957-1966 | |
326 CID (5317 cm³) | 3.88 × 3.31 in (100.3 × 84.1 mm) | 1959 |
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LA series
However, the A-series engines were too tall for use in the Plymouth Valiant . The engines were also still relatively expensive and complex to produce, which is why they were gradually replaced by the LA series . The designation caused confusion, however, as the LA motors were also sometimes referred to as A motors. The smaller design is reflected in the name, LA stands for "Lightweight A-Series". The combustion chambers were now wedge-shaped like the competition, the spark plugs moved further up and were now placed above the exhaust manifold. The changes made the cylinder heads much smaller and easier to manufacture.
The LA series was introduced in 1964, again first with a 4.5 liter first engine. The LA series had the same cylinder spacing of 4.46 in (113.3 mm), but the 4.5 liter relied on the longer -stroke crankshaft of the larger A-series engines. This was followed by the 5.2 liter in 1967 and the 5.6 liter in 1968, which developed into one of the most popular engines for power-hungry customers thanks to its mix of large displacement with a relatively small stroke.
In 1970, the 5.6-liter reached its highest output with six-fold carburetors, a block with thicker cylinder walls, specially machined cylinder heads, adjustable rocker arms and special intake manifolds. However, due to the new emission protection guidelines in 1972, the compression had to be reduced from 10.4: 1 to 8.5: 1 and the 1973 oil crisis then brought the 5.6 liter to an end. Even the B-series big blocks did not have a long production time ahead of them, the smaller versions had already left a gap in the mid-1960s that a new, cheaper LA engine was supposed to fill. More stroke ensured the desired increase in displacement and torque in the 5.9 liter , which also made it popular in police operations.
- Magnum
Another revision led to the Magnum series in 1993 , which remained in the range until 2003. Although the basic concept of the LA series has been adopted, the cylinder head has been significantly revised to meet new emissions standards. A petrol injection was also installed instead of a carburetor. A V10 was new for the second generation of the Dodge Ram pickup , but this engine differs from the one installed in the Dodge Viper .
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | LA series | Magnum |
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V8 engine | 273 CID (4788 cm³) | 3,625 × 3.31 in (92.1 × 84.1 mm) | 1964-1969 | |
318 CID (5210 cm³) | 3.91 × 3.31 in (99.3 × 84.1 mm) | 1967-1991 | 1992-2003 | |
340 CID (5563 cm³) | 4.04 × 3.31 in (102.6 × 84.1 mm) | 1968-1973 | ||
360 CID (5898 cm³) | 4.00 × 3.58 in (101.6 × 90.9 mm) | 1971-1992 | 1993-2003 | |
V6 engine | 239 CID (3908 cm³) | 3.91 × 3.31 in (99.3 × 84.1 mm) | 1987-1991 | 1992-2003 |
V10 engine | 488 CID (7990 cm³) | 4.00 × 3.88 in (101.6 × 98.6 mm) | 1994-2003 |
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Second generation Bigblock and Hemi
Chrysler's big blocks were assigned to the B series. As with the LA series, wedge-shaped combustion chambers were used as the superior hemi shape was deemed too complex. The simpler poly cylinder heads, on the other hand, had hardly any advantages over even simpler engines with wedge-shaped combustion chambers. In order to still be able to manufacture powerful engines, a particularly large cylinder spacing of 4.8 in (121.9 mm) was chosen. The 383 CID engine was the most important sports engine for Chrysler Corporation in the dawning muscle car era.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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V8 engine | 350 CID (5737 cm³) | 4.06 × 3.38 in (103.1 × 85.9 mm) | 1959 |
361 CID (5922 cm³) | 4,125 × 3.38 in (104.8 × 85.9 mm) | 1958-1966 | |
383 CID (6286 cm³) | 4.25 × 3.38 in (108 × 85.9 mm) | 1959-1971 | |
400 CID (7206 cm³) | 4.34 × 3.38 in (110.2 × 85.9 mm) | 1972-1988 |
In order to be able to increase the stroke further, the "Raised Deck B-Series" (higher engine block ), or RB-Series for short, soon added to the range. At that time, NASCAR racing engines were allowed to displace up to 7 liters (corresponds to about 427 CID). At that time the big block did not allow a larger bore than 4.25 in, which is why a larger stroke than with the B-series was necessary. With the RB series, the necessary conditions for racing have been created. Only the development of better casting processes for thin cylinder walls made even larger bore diameters possible. This made the 440 CID motor an alternative to the second generation Hemi for customers.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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V8 engine | 383 CID (6271 cm³) | 4.03 × 3.75 in (102.4 × 95.3 mm) | 1959-1960 |
413 CID (6771 cm³) | 4.19 × 3.75 in (106.4 × 95.3 mm) | 1959-1965 | |
426 CID (6974 cm³) | 4.25 × 3.75 in (108 × 95.3 mm) | 1959-1965 | |
440 CID (7206 cm³) | 4.32 × 3.75 in (109.7 × 95.3 mm) | 1965-1978 |
In 1964 the Hemi returned, now also as an official sales name. It was intended as a pure racing version for NASCAR races, it was only when the use of street versions was required that Chrysler brought the Street Hemi to the market. The engine was also called the "elephant engine" due to its high performance, size and weight. It was based largely on the big block of the RB series, from which Chrysler took over the basic dimensions.
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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V8 engine | 426 CID (6974 cm³) | 4.25 × 3.75 in (108 × 95.3 mm) | 1964-1971 |
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PowerTech
In 1999, the PowerTech engine family, also known as the Next Generation Magnum , came onto the market for the first time. It was Chrysler's first completely new engine family since the introduction of the B-Series 41 years earlier. Almost nothing was taken over from the predecessor, the PowerTech was significantly smaller. The cylinder spacing decreased to 103.9 mm (LA series 113.3 mm). The engine had an aluminum engine block , plastic intake manifolds and cracked connecting rods. Instead of valve control via bumpers, the PowerTech relies on an overhead camshaft per cylinder bank. A V6 followed later, but both engines were reserved for off-road vehicles and pickups .
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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V8 engine | 4.7 (4698 cm³) | 93 × 86.5 mm | 1999-2013 |
V6 engine | 3.7 (3701 cm³) | 93 × 91 mm | 2002-2013 |
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Third generation hemi
When Chrysler realized that the previous V8s of the PowerTech and LA series would be left behind by products of the competition in the near future, the development of a successor model began. Various alternatives were explored until the return of the name Hemi was decided. The first Hemi of the third generation was the 5.7 liter, which is not only supposed to be smaller and stronger, but also cheaper to manufacture than its predecessor.
The previous construction principle of perfectly hemispherical combustion chambers was abandoned in favor of a more complex shape. The camshaft moved far up in the cast iron engine block in order to keep the necessary bumpers as short as possible. Since the spark plug cannot sit optimally in the center of the combustion chamber with two large valves per cylinder , the third generation Hemi has two spark plugs per cylinder.
The more powerful 6.1 liter and 6.4 liter engines followed the 5.7 liters. The 6.4 liter is also known as Apache or 392 , this number indicates the displacement in cubic inches . In 2009 the Hemi was revised and received variable valve timing , variable intake manifolds and cylinder deactivation .
Another Hemi variant appeared on the market in 2015, Chrysler's first supercharged V8 engine. With 520 kW, it is also Chrysler's most powerful engine to date. It was developed for use in the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat muscle cars . Compared to the 6.4 liter, the stroke has been reduced to strengthen the crankshaft . According to Dodge, the compressor rotates at up to 14,600 revolutions per minute, in order to drive it the engine needs 60 kW. An even more powerful variant of this engine followed in 2017 under the name Demon .
design type | Displacement | Bore × stroke | construction time |
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V8 engine | 5.7 (5654 cm³) | 99.5 x 90.9 mm | since 2003 |
6.1 (6058 cm³) | 103 x 90.9 mm | 2005-2010 | |
6.2 (6166 cm³) | 103.9 x 90.9 mm | since 2015 | |
6.4 (6407 cm³) | 103.9 x 94.6 mm | since 2005 |
Individual evidence
- ↑ Aluminum Slant Six Engine Overview slantsix.org Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ↑ Chrysler - Dodge 3.5 liter V-6 Engines allpar.com. Retrieved on March 7, 2017.
- ↑ All-new Pentastar V-6 Engine from Chrysler Group LLC media.fcanorthamerica.com. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
- ↑ One millionth Pentastar V6 engine produced by fiatpress.de.Retrieved on March 7, 2017.
Web links
- Mopar (Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, Jeep, etc.) Engines. All Mopar engines. Retrieved March 6, 2017 (English).
- How HEMI Engines Work. Hemi Motors explained. Retrieved March 6, 2017 (English).
- Great Wedge in History. The Chrysler LA series. Retrieved March 6, 2017 (English).
- Pentastar Engines: Overview and Technical Details. Overview of the Pentastar engines. Retrieved March 7, 2017 .
- The 2003 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The new hemi. Retrieved March 6, 2017 (English).