Difference between revisions of "GM 2300 engine"

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The '''2300''' was a 2.3 L/140 cu in (2287 cc) [[straight-4]] automobile engine produced by [[General Motors Corporation|General Motors]] from 1971 through 1977. The [[Chevrolet Vega|Vega]] engine, as it became known, was unusual for the time with an aluminum block and [[cast iron]] [[SOHC]] head.
The '''20SE''' is a [[fuel injection|fuel injected]], four cylinder engine developed by [[General Motors]].
An advanced feature of the engine was the fact that it did not have traditional cast iron [[cylinder liner]]s as a cost-saving measure.<ref>[http://www.athomemechanic.com/archives/2005/11/weird_gm_engine.html (2005) Weird GM Engines], retrieved on [[2008-12-18]].</ref> Instead it used silicon impregnated into the aluminum cylinder bore using the [[Nikasil]] coating process, a design that has now become very common. At the time this approach was not generally successful, and excessive cylinder wear allowed hot combustion gases to bypass the piston seals, leading to hot operation and oil consumption, which when coupled with the initial inadequate coolant flow and problems with the cooling jackets sometimes resulted in warping of the aluminum engine block and premature engine failure.  


The block itself was designed in partnership with Lotus, who planned to use it as the basis for a inexpensive racing engine. However, Lotus never used the Vega block or anything similar. The high tech aluminum block had cast iron main caps, a cast iron crank, and an enormous cast iron cylinder head that weighed almost as much as the whole short block. The tall, top heavy, long-stroke Vega motor had major vibration problems, "cured" with huge rubber motor mounts. With the hood open and the engine idling, "it would be rocking and bouncing around like it was trying to escape." <ref>[http://yarchive.net/car/vega.html Vega, Dave Williams, August 1994] retrieved on [[2008-12-18]].</ref> 
This engine was only available in the [[Opel Omega]] made in 1987, basically the same as the [[20SEH]] only with a milder [[camshaft]].


Early models overheated due to poor cooling passage design. Overheating was a serious concern for Vega engines, since the lightweight engine block was of an open-deck design, and severe overheating would cause the cylinder barrels to warp and pull away from the head gasket, causing coolant leaks into the cylinders. The 2300 engine typically burned oil due to both heavy cylinder wear<ref>[http://www.nationalpost.com/scripts/story.html?id=0eb248bb-a743-403c-93a0-5806ea434b9b&k=63763 National Post, Bill Vance, Canwest News Service, Friday, March 07, 2008], retrieved on [[2008-12-18]].</ref> <ref>[http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0408phr_worst_automobile_engines/index.html Randy Fish, Popular Hot Rodding, Worst Engines Of All Time] retrieved [[2008-12-18]]</ref>, and poorly designed valve stem seals, and was both rough and noisy in operation.
{| class="wikitable"
''[[Road & Track]]'' reported at the time that this highly-anticipated engine was "a letdown" and "extremely rough and noisy". These engines only lasted a few years, with a horrible service record, while Chevrolet claimed the service problems (scored cylinders, scored walls) were mostly due to improper maintenance.
! '''Engine'''
 
| '''20SEH'''
It was available with a 1 or 2 barrel [[carburetor]] and was used in the [[Chevrolet Vega]] and similar [[Pontiac Astre]], and the later [[Chevrolet Monza]] and its [[H-body]] siblings: the [[Oldsmobile Starfire]], [[Buick Skyhawk]], and [[Pontiac Sunbird]].
|-
The 2-barrel version, known as the ''L11'' option, also included a hotter [[camshaft]] for a power increase of 20&nbsp;hp (15&nbsp;kW). The engine used a 3.501&nbsp;in (89&nbsp;mm) bore and 3.625&nbsp;in (92.2&nbsp;mm) stroke and 8:1 compression.
!Configuration
 
|Inline, SOHC, Transverse 4 Cylender
The 1976-77 2300 engine received a new cylinder head design incorporating hydraulic lifters to replace the unusual  taper-screw valve adjusters, factory iron cylinder liners, improved coolant pathways, and better valve stem seals along with a new five-year, {{convert|60000|mi|km|sing=on}} engine warranty. The engine's name was changed to '''Dura-Bilt''' in 1976 to declare that its problems had been resolved.
|-
 
!Displacement
{| class=wikitable
|1998cc (121.88 cu in)
!rowspan=2|Year
!colspan=2|1 barrel
!colspan=2|2 barrel
|-
|-
!hp (kW)!!&nbsp;ft·lbf (Nm)!!hp (kW)!!&nbsp;ft·lbf (Nm)
!Bore 
|86.0mm (3.4in)
|-
|-
!1971
!Stroke 
|90 (67) gross
|86.0mm (3.4in)
|136 (184)
|110 (82) gross
|138 (187)
|-
|-
!1972
!Power 
|80 (60) gross
|122 BHP
|121 (164)
|90 (67) gross
|121 (164)
|-
|-
!1973
!Torque
|75 (56)
|175 NM
|115 (156)
|85 (63)
|122 (165)
|-
|-
!1974
!Compression ratio
|75 (56)
|9.5:1
|115 (156)
|85 (63)
|122 (165)
|-
|-
!1975
!Valve-Train
|78 (58)
|Belt Driven, 2 Valves per Cylender
|120 (163)
|87 (65)
|122 (165)
|-
|-
!1976
!Engine Management
|70 (52)
|Bosch, Motronic ML 4.1 
|107 (145)
|84 (63)
|113 (153)
|-
|-
!1977
!Firing order
|
|1-3-4-2
|
|84 (63)
|117 (159)
|}
 
==Cosworth==
A [[Cosworth]] version of this engine was produced in 1975 and 1976. It was a version of the 2300 de-stroked to 3.16 in (80&nbsp;mm) with special [[DOHC]] 16-valve heads and solid [[lifter]]s. It produced 120&nbsp;hp (89&nbsp;kW) and 107&nbsp;ft·lbf (145&nbsp;N·m).
 
==See also==
* [[GM engines]]
* [[GM H platform]]


[[Category:GM engines|2.3L]]
[[Category:GM engines|2.0L]]

Revision as of 00:47, 3 February 2009

The 20SE is a fuel injected, four cylinder engine developed by General Motors.

This engine was only available in the Opel Omega made in 1987, basically the same as the 20SEH only with a milder camshaft.

Engine 20SEH
Configuration Inline, SOHC, Transverse 4 Cylender
Displacement 1998cc (121.88 cu in)
Bore 86.0mm (3.4in)
Stroke 86.0mm (3.4in)
Power 122 BHP
Torque 175 NM
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Valve-Train Belt Driven, 2 Valves per Cylender
Engine Management Bosch, Motronic ML 4.1
Firing order 1-3-4-2
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