Wednesday, May 14, 2014
1977 Dodge Engine Specifications
Several models of Dodge cars, from near compact to full-size models, were available in 1977. The company used three engines to power them: a slant six-cylinder engine and two V8 engines.
Engine Types
The inline six-cylinder engine had a displacement of 225 cubic inches and could produce 90 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque, or pulling power. One of the V8 engines was a 318-cubic-inch motor that produced 135 horsepower and 235 pound-feet torque. The 359-cubic-inch, V8 engine was the performance engine, with 155 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque.
Features
The larger V8 and the six-cylinder engine had the same 8.4:1 compression ratio, which measures how much a cylinder compresses the air and fuel before igniting. Compression ratio has an impact on power. The smaller V8 had a compression ratio of 8.5:1. Bore and stroke were different in all three engines, going from 4.0 inches by 3.8 inches in the performance V8 to 3.4 inches by 4.125 inches in the six-cylinder engine. Bore is the width of the cylinder head, and stroke is the distance the piston travels.
Options
One-barrel or two-barrel carburetors were available as standard equipment on Dodge engines. Usually the one-barrel carburetor was paired with the six-cylinder, but all combinations were available. Carter carburetors were standard, but Holley carburetors, which are performance equipment, could be added. A four-barrel also was an option. A three-speed automatic transmission came standard in some Dodge cars, and three-speed or four-speed manual transmissions were available in all cars.
