Ecotec 2.2L L4 (L61) (2005)
2005 Model Year Summary
- Standard engine in the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
- Improved Block Structure
- Improved main and rod bearing material and shape
- Added polymer coating to piston and changed piston profile for noise reduction
- Added boss on oil pan for powertrain stiffening
- Acoustic cover for Chevrolet Cobalt
- Electronic throttle on Saturn ION and Chevrolet Cobalt
- New fuel rail supplier on Chevrolet Cobalt.
- Modified timing chain tensioner for noise improvement.
- New evap valve and tube.
- E16A controller for Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn ION
FULL DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW OR CHANGED FEATURES
STANDARD ENGINE IN 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
The Ecotec 2.2-liter (L61) gets one new application for model year 2005, starting with the all-new, Chevrolet Cobalt . The Cobalt Ecotec 2.2 is essentially the same as the variant used in the Saturn VUE sport utility vehicle, and it features electronic throttle control (ETC) and an electric power steering pump. As in the VUE and Saturn ION, the Cobalt Ecotec 2.2 also has a low-evaporation ``returnless'' fuel injection system.
The Cobalt Ecotec 2.2-also features an electrically operated power steering pump, rather than a hydraulic pump driven by a camshaft gear. A cam-driven pump is the most efficient hydraulic system available, but the electric pump goes one better. Because the pump is operated by electricity from the vehicle's charging system, there is no parasitic power loss running the power steering system. Fuel economy and performance are improved.
The Ecotec 2.2 will be the base engine in the 2005 Cobalt; GM Powertrain's new Ecotec 2.4L I-4 and Ecotec 2.0L Supercharged I-4 engines will be offered as options. The Ecotec 2.2 will be the only engine offered in the Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire, which continue in 2005. They have mechanical throttle control, hydraulic power steering and fuel injection with return lines.
MORE EFFICIENT CATALYTIC CONVERTERS IN UNDER-FLOOR APPLICATIONS
The Ecotec 2.2s in the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn ION have a new catalytic converter. The converter's size and volume do not change. The difference lies in the mix of precious metals used in the catalyst's "brick.''
A combination of metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium in the converter's catalytic substrate create the chemical reaction the turns exhaust emissions into oxygen and water vapor. For 2005, the Ecotec 2.2s in the Cobalt and ION, the combination has been reformulated for improved catalytic converter performance
OVERVIEW
Demand from GM's vehicle divisions for the Ecotec 2.2L inline four-cylinder engine continues to increase, as evidenced by one new vehicle applications for 2005. Often referred to as the Global Four Cylinder, the Ecotec 2.2 (RPO L61) has leveraged GM Powertrain's worldwide design and engineering capability by drawing on the best practices of technical centers in North America and Europe. The Ecotec 2.2 created a template for subsequent global powertrain development that laid the groundwork for engines such as Powertrain's new Global 3.6L V6. Most important, the Ecotec 2.2 is a world-class gasoline engine with obvious benefits for the customer. At 305 pounds fully dressed, the L61 is the lightest engine GM has produced in its displacement class, and one of the most compact four-cylinders in the world.
By 2003, all three Ecotec 2.2.assembly plants-Tonawanda, N.Y, Spring Hill, Tenn., and Kaiserlautern, Germany-were on line. The same year, in its continued commitment to environmental concerns and alternative fuels, GM Powertrain introduced an Ecotec 2.2 capable of operating on compressed natural gas (RPO L42). Available in the Chevrolet Cavalier, this bi-fuel engine runs on either gasoline or CNG and switches seamlessly for one fuel to the other. CNG is the L42's primary fuel, and it uses CNG as long as there is sufficient pressure in the storage tank. If pressure drops below a prescribed level, the L42 automatically switches to gasoline operation without driver intervention.
With a planned displacement range of 1.8 to 2.2 liters, single or dual overhead cams, turbocharger capability and a broad range of peak power outputs, the L61 can be used in virtually all front-drive passenger cars, from the lower end of the price spectrum to premium, upmarket applications. A version of the basic production Ecotec currently used by professional drag racers remarkably produces nearly 800 horsepower. Twin balance shafts, all-aluminum construction and outstanding structural rigidity mean first-rate noise, vibration and harshness control. This inline four delivers excellent performance without sacrificing smooth, unobtrusive operation, and it was designed for minimal maintenance. The Ecotec 2.2 features an innovative paper oil-filter cartridge in a thin plastic frame for easy replacement and disposal. A hydraulic tensioner keeps the timing chain adjusted for life, and extended-life spark plugs deliver 100,000 miles of service. The Ecotec 2.2 gives GM a stronger presence in one of the industry's largest volume, most competitive displacement classes.
For the customer, the Ecotec 2.2 delivers performance, efficiency, low maintenance and smooth operation with technology familiar in premium V engines, including hydraulic roller finger valve operation and electronic "drive-by-wire"' throttle. For General Motors, this engine delivers manufacturing economies, maximum flexibility and broad application.
