6.1L Engine- Service Information: Overview Dodge Charger V

Scheme 524

The 6.1L engine (370 CID) eight-cylinder engine is a 90° V-Type lightweight, deep skirt cast iron block, aluminum heads, single cam, overhead valve engine with hydraulic roller tappets. (Scheme 524) The heads incorporate splayed valves with a hemispherical style combustion chamber and dual spark plugs. The cylinders are numbered from front to rear; 1, 3, 5, 7 on the left bank and 2, 4, 6, 8 on the right bank. The firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - ENGINE DIAGNOSIS - INTRODUCTION

Engine diagnosis is helpful in determining the causes of malfunctions not detected and remedied by routine maintenance.

These malfunctions may be classified as either performance (e.g, engine idles rough and stalls) or mechanical (e.g, a strange noise).

Refer to DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - ENGINE DIAGNOSIS - PERFORMANCE and DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - ENGINE DIAGNOSIS - MECHANICAL for possible causes and corrections of malfunctions. (Refer to FUEL SYSTEM/FUEL DELIVERY - DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING) for the fuel system diagnosis.

Additional tests and diagnostic procedures may be necessary for specific engine malfunctions that can not be isolated with the Service Diagnosis charts. Information concerning additional tests and diagnosis is provided within the following diagnosis

1. Cylinder Compression Pressure Test: Refer to «DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - CYLINDER COMPRESSION PRESSURE»(ref-255941-S12568810202007060500000) .
2. Cylinder Combustion Pressure Leakage Test: Refer to «DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - CYLINDER COMBUSTION PRESSURE LEAKAGE»(ref-255941-S03923736612007060500000) .
3. Engine Cylinder Head Gasket Failure Diagnosis: Refer to «(Refer to ENGINE/CYLINDER HEAD - DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING)»(ref-255941-S07626739122007060500000) .
4. Intake Manifold Leakage Diagnosis: Refer to «DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKAGE»(ref-255941-S14661432292007072700000) .

OPERATION-CYLINDER HEAD

The cylinder head closes the combustion chamber allowing the pistons to compress the air fuel mixture to the correct ratio for ignition. The valves located in the cylinder head open and close to either allow clean air into the combustion chamber or to allow the exhaust gases out, depending on the stroke of the engine.

DESCRIPTION - VALVE GUIDES

The valve guides are made of powdered metal and are pressed into the cylinder head. The guides are not replaceable or serviceable, and valve guide reaming is not recommended. If the guides are worn beyond acceptable limits, replace the cylinder heads.

DESCRIPTION - VALVE

Both the intake and exhaust valves are made of steel. The intake valve is 50.93 mm (2.00 inches) in diameter and the exhaust valve is 39.53 mm (1.55 inches) in diameter. All valves use three bead lock keepers to retain the springs and promote valve rotation.

DESCRIPTION

The valve guide seals are made of rubber and incorporate an integral steel valve spring seat. The integral garter spring maintains consistent lubrication control to the valve stems. The intake valve stem seal has a smaller valve spring seat compared to the exhaust valve stem seal. The intake and exhaust valve stem seals are identified by different colors.

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1. Disconnect negative battery cable.
2. Remove air cleaner assembly.
3. Remove air intake resonator.
4. Remove the spark plug cables.
5. Remove ignition coil connectors (1).
6. Remove ignition coils (2).
7. Remove one spark plug. 1 - CYLINDER HEAD COVER 2 - GASKET 3 - FASTENERS 4 - CYLINDER HEAD 5 - HEAD GASKET
8. Remove cylinder head cover (1) using the sequence shown. «(Refer to ENGINE/CYLINDER HEAD/CYLINDER HEAD COVER(S) - REMOVAL)»(ref-255941-S02218910662007072700000) . 1 - PUSHROD RETAINING PLATE FASTENER 2 - PUSHROD HOLDER CAUTION: The piston must be at TDC, and both valves closed on the cylinder to be serviced. NOTE: If removing intake valve spring, install special tool# 9070, pushrod retaining plate (1), to retain the intake pushrods (2).
9. Remove exhaust/intake rocker arm shafts using the sequence shown. 1 - ROCKER ARM SHAFT 9065
10. Install rocker arm shaft (1) special tool# 9065. 1 - VALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR TOOL # 9065 1 - VALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR TOOL# 9065 1 - EXHAUST ADAPTER 9065 2 - ADAPTER PIN 3 - VALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR 9065
11. Install spring compressor (1, 3), special tool# 9065, and exhaust adapter arm (1) tool # 9065 if needed. NOTE: All valve springs and seals are removed in the same manner. 1 - AIR HOSE 2 - DUMMY SHAFT 3 - VALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR 9065
12. Insert air hose (1) into spark plug hole and charge cylinder with air. NOTE: Tap the top of the valve spring retainer to loosen the spring retainers locks.
13. Compress valve spring with valve spring compressor (3) tool # 9065 and remove valve retainer locks.
14. Release spring compressor (3) and remove valve spring. NOTE: The valve springs are interchangeable between intake and exhaust.
15. Remove valve seal.

The pistons are made of a high strength aluminum alloy. Piston skirts are coated with a solid lubricant (Molykote) to reduce friction and provide scuff resistance. The piston top ring groove and land is anodized. The connecting rods are made of forged powdered metal, with a "fractured cap" design. A pressed fit piston pin is used to attach the piston and connecting rod.

The structural dust cover is made of die cast aluminum and joins the lower half of the transmission bell housing to the engine. The LX uses an integral one piece aluminum oil pan/structural cover.

OPERATION

The structural cover provides additional powertrain stiffness and reduces noise and vibration. The LX uses an integral structural cover/oil pan.

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1. Disconnect negative battery cable.
2. Raise vehicle.
3. Remove the generator support bracket (1). 1 - Studs 2 - Nut 3 - Hydromount 4 - Studs
4. Remove hydromount to frame studs (3, 4) and nuts.
5. Raise engine using suitable jack.
6. Remove hydromount to bracket fasteners (1, 2).
7. Remove hydromount from engine. 1 - Engine Mount Bracket 2 - Bolt 1 - Engine Mount Bracket 2 - Bolt
8. Remove engine mount brackets (1), if needed.

The intake manifold is made of aluminum and features runners to maximize power. The intake manifold uses single plane sealing which consist of two edge molded gaskets to prevent leaks.

The exhaust manifolds are tube in shell air gap design to maximize durability and performance. The exhaust manifolds are made of stainless steel stamped shells and stainless steel tubes with a powdered metal outlet. A layered graphite over perforated steel manifold gasket is used to provide sealing to the cylinder head.

The exhaust manifolds collect the engine exhaust exiting the combustion chambers, then channels the exhaust gases to the exhaust pipes attached to the manifolds.

The timing chain tensioner is a stamped steel constant tension mechanical design. It is mounted to the front of the engine, behind the timing chain drive.

The timing chain tension is maintained by routing the timing chain through the tensioner assembly. A nylon covered spring steel arm presses on the timing chain maintaining the correct chain tension.