Concorde 2.7L Engines

:banghead:Hello.,
I have a 99 Concorde, I bought it used, at 90,000 miles, the engine blew. The cause::: SLUDGE:::This is an ongoing issue so I'm seeing. There is no help for those of us who own or are trying to own these beautiful, spacey, high classy cars. I've looked all over for new and used engines, and have had prices that range from 7,000.00 for new to 3500.00 used...Mind you, I owe 9000.00 on this lovely car. Haven't even had it a year yet, and it's sitting in my yard, with a cover over it, waiting for it's new engine to arrive. I found them reasonably cheap, and if your also needing an engine, and advice on how to keep this next engine sludge free, pls contact me. All info is FREE , I just want to share what I've learned with fellow Concorde owners...azrider12@yahoo.com

Welcome to the Club of Angry Concorde 2.7L Engine Owners!
Early december last year I bought a 98' Concorde that ran w/ a 2.7L engine at 100,000 miles. One month later my engine died on me. The Head Gasket blew up, the bearings were worn out and there was water in the block. I should have listened to my mechanic advice: American cars with 90,000-100,000 miles on them are not worth buying. They've reached the end of their life. He also told me that even after getting a new engine, weeks after that your transmission will go, then the suspension and then everything litlle thing that can go wrong will go wrong. In essence, having your engine dying at 100,000 miles signals the end of the car. However, the 2.7L is notoriously known to be defective, in point of fact, some Condorde equipped w/ the 2.7L have died relatively early at 20,000 miles.
For those of you who unlike us are still enjoying your 2.7L engine, one advice that you might already be aware of, flush out your oil and replace it w/ synthetic oil, it prevents slugde and is smoother on your valves.

DO YOUR MAINTENANCE PEOPLE! why do you think the dealers want to see your service records when something happens? When the cars come in because the engine is noisy or has siezed and the car has 40,000+ km with "factory installed" printed on the oil filter I have no sympathy. The people I feel bad for are the ones who buy the cars used from these abusive past owners. (beware the rentals and used leased cars)

The chystler 2.7l engine failure is an epidemic I am shocked at the number of failures I personally have seen and also heard about. Its an outrage that chysler would dare to but out such as poor quality product. This coupled with their increadably failure prone 604 auto transmission I'd run away from these cars as fast as possible. As for all american cars being worn out after 100k I'm afraid I don't agree i worked on many gm fwd with 200k + on them and still run very well. The rwd cars even are more durable again such as fords crown vic and so forth.

The timing chains on these engines are tensioned with engine oil pressure, so when the screens on the pickup in the oil pan clogs up from the gunk and sediment collecting in the oil pan then the chain tension lessens and then its knock knock bang time for the engine. I have changed ford, Chrysler and GM V8 engines with the same gunk from the same lack of maintenance.
Yes the early 604 Trans was garbage, but led the way for the evolution of electronic shifting trans now used by every automaker.
RG

PS: It's DaimlerChrysler now. The Germans have their fingers in the design teams pie now too, so they may share in some of the blame.

I had a 94' Concorde with the 3.3L. I bought it with 82,000 miles on it. The tranny fell apart on me whrn it hit 98,000. But I changed the oil(synthetic) every 2700 miles, and I kept the car until 179,000 miles. It ate 2 transmissions in that time tho. That tranny was a piece of crap. I've seen many 2.7L chryslers with well over 150k on them. Just need to give those engines a little more TLC than usual. EARLY OIL CHANGES SAVE ENGINES!!

As an owner of several Chrysler products past and present...I find it the reponsibility of the owner to keep the automobile serviced on a REGULAR basis and not when the urge hits you....being a good steward pays off with thousands of miles of dependable, high end quality from our cars, anyone who thinks they can purchase a vehicle and let the oil turn to sludge...then believe they have a right to complain needs to re-examine their priorities as an owner....my Chrysler products are treated with knit gloves and serviced with pride because I am a proud owner....no matter the make or model.....it's just as simple as that....

In the four years I've seen the 2.7 come into the shop. I've only seen one bad engine, original oil and 70,000 miles. Doh!?

Ok so following the manufacturer's recommended servicing schedule is our fault that these engines are running hot enough to cook the oil into sludge, block the oil pick up screen and fail the engine? Hmmmm
Using recommended 5W30 dino oil (note the manual does not say to use synthetic) on a recommended schedule is being a bad owner?
Hmmmm
I would counter that if there are that many failures of the 2.7L due to incorrect servicing, Chrsyler should..No it is incumbent on Chrysler as a service organization to put out a bulletin to all owners recommending a different schedule. They also need to change the owners manual.
My wife's car is in the shop right now because the oil light keeps coming on. I only hope that it can still be salvaged and the engine isn't trashed. The car will be gone very soon and I for one will not own another Chrysler product! This one has been a disaster from day one and yes I follow a regimented service schedule even if I don't maintain certified, notarized records for the service techs to verfiy so they can deny me any replacement of a lousy engine!

Ok rant is over!

I bought my first brand new 4.5 years ago. How happy!! The price of the concorde was very appealing. Now I realize you get that you get what you pay for. I know this is a post about engines, but I will get there. The doors don't fit correctly and have worn through the paint even though they don't contact the body when closed??? Does the body flex when moving?? What's that musty smell in the trunk? Two and a half inches of water in the wheel well thats what. Now the engine. The engine started miss-firing while driving (just enough where you wondered if it happened or not) and then it wouldn't start. The on board diag code pointed to the cam sensor. $50 fix, I thought I was in the clear. Next I noticed a slight "fluttering" sound when removing my foot from the gas. I thought it might have been something at the top end and flushed the oil thinking an oil line might be clogged. No good, the fluttering turned to tapping and rapidly to clunking. My mechanic says the bottom end is shot. He diagnosed this after talking to chrysler mechanics. Not an uncommmon problem he said.

How sad!
$5400 fix I own $3500 Is it worth it? I don't know, I was looking forward to a replacement for my other car. 93 taurus with 157K miles. I change the oil in these cars every 4-5K miles. I put 100K on the taurus since I bought it. Never again will I buy a chrysler.

According to my son who works at the local Dodge garage, the 2.7's main problems is indeed the Timing Chain Tensioner, apparantly the slider the chain runs on wears quite rapidly causing the chain to fail or the engine to jump time.

IMO, Synthetic Oil is the only to go for any modern Engine, it handles the heat better, it keeps the Engine clean, it flows better when cold, and if you do happen to go a little long on the next oil change the effects will be less detrimental on the Engine as Synthetic Oil doesn't break down as rapidly as standard Oil does.

For those of you who think the 2.7 Liter is a piece of garbage, I really feel for you. I have a 2002 Dodge Intrepid (the sister car to the Concorde) all I use is Mobil 1 Synthetic 5W-30 and I have 50,000 miles on it. Runs like a top, I have had no problems with it since I first bought a little over a year and a half ago. YOU MUST REGULARLY MAINTAIN THESE ENGINES!!!!! I know because I am an ASE certified Chrysler Technician and that's all we tell our customers. The owners manual says that you can go 7,500 miles before your next oil change. All I have to say to that is: GARBAGE!!! No matter where you live, how hard you drive or how less you drive your car, you must stick closely to the 3 month, 3,000 mile service schedule. Also, don't add any additives to the oil, thinking it will prolong engine life b/c it won't; it only adds up to the sludging, which can happen on any engine, whether it is a Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Chevy, it happens, maintain your vehicles, closely or else you will pay dearly people. I admit, the 2.7 has had its issues, but the 2.7s that they use in the new LX platform (Dodge Magnum and Chrysler 300) use the same 2.7 and I have not heard of any issues so far to this point. Making a long story short ladies and gentleman, MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLES AND SERVICE THEM ON TIME, DON'T WAIT ANOTHER 2000 OR SO MILES, WHEN IT'S TIME TO CHANGE THE OIL, CHANGE IT!!!!!!

[QUOTE= The owners manual says that you can go 7,500 miles before your next oil change. All I have to say to that is: GARBAGE!!! [/QUOTE]
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I maintained my engine on a regular basis. I changed the oil every 4-5K. My old Taurus is still going strong (thank god, I am down to one vehicle) with 158K miles. If it says it in the manual it must be right, or at least they should stand behind their recommendations. Chrysler has a problem with these engines that they are going to have to address. I recommend everyone with a problematic 2.7L Chrysler/Dodge engine file a complaint with the Center For Auto Safety (CAS) www.autosafety.org They are currently handling this with letters to Chrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche. This is NOT an uncommon problem.

Chrysler should extend warranty to 10 year/150k as was done by Mercedes, or follow VW and Toyota in similar extensions of warranty.

File a complaint with CAS and additionally with www.nhtsa.dot.gov

CAS is currently working with a NYC lawyer (Brian Hufford) in pursuit of a class action lawsuit, join up and force Chrysler to do something to get us out of this problem.

Currently the Concorde has the become the ideal Christmas present storage container. It's not doing anything else!

Not only is the 2.7 junk, but try a 3.5. I owned a 96 intrepid w/ 3.5 and was nothing but problems. You would'nt think a timing belt and water pump would have to be changed @ 29000, but mine did. I had the oil changed every 3000 and the bottom went out on this peice of junk @ 47000. Not only engine problems, but 4 evaporaters, three total front ends, 4 sets of brakes, front and back,1 trans. { covered by warranty, but had to fight} headlight covers twice, door locks and various other minor problems. I was the original owner and never drove the car hard. Never again will I own a Chrysler product. :screwy:

eeb4u, honestly, don't lie or hold back, did you regularly at 3,000 mile intervals, changed your oil? The owner's manual is wrong, I agree, Chrysler, (rather DaimlerChrysler) should re-word their maintanance schedule; that, I'll fight. But to say that they are a bad manufacturer, is just absurd. I'm sure you've been told by numerous mechanics both that you have to stick close by a 3 month/3,000 mile schedule or you'll trash ANY motor! Plus, your Taurus has 185,000 miles on it; I'm a tranny tech and your transmission, the Ford AXOD-E or AX4-S, known by Ford now, has not been the smoothest transmission. I used to work for Ford and everytime a tranny would go, I would eat it up. Working on those cars was so much fun b/c I made more money in one week fixing Taurus' than I would make in 2 months combined! Just FYI, no manufacturer is perfect, they all have their flaws; you've been lucky, so far.

Not only is the 2.7 junk, but try a 3.5. I owned a 96 intrepid w/ 3.5 and was nothing but problems. You would'nt think a timing belt and water pump would have to be changed @ 29000, but mine did. I had the oil changed every 3000 and the bottom went out on this peice of junk @ 47000. Not only engine problems, but 4 evaporaters, three total front ends, 4 sets of brakes, front and back,1 trans. { covered by warranty, but had to fight} headlight covers twice, door locks and various other minor problems. I was the original owner and never drove the car hard. Never again will I own a Chrysler product. :screwy:

Sorry you had troubles with the 3.5 engine, having the water pump go that early is very rare as they usually go 100K or more before you have to worry about them. My parents have a 94 New Yorker with 170K on the clock, Water Pump went at 110K and it had to have the intake gaskets replaced at 60K, and just recently it got it's first halfshaft replacement. Other than that it still has it's factory transmission, and still runs as good as the first day they bought it new. Put 6 qts of oil in it and get 6 qts back out on the oil change. I have owned a 95 Concorde with the 3.5 and it had 143K on the clock when it got wrecked by a Civic last May and all I ever did to it's engine was intake gaskets. I got a 94 LHS now and and it's 3.5 runs like a top and it has 104K on the odometer, I did it's intake gaskets just because that is one of the few known problems with that engine. Both vehicles I had/have never smoked, or leaked oil, and the oil doesn't even look dirty when drained (I use it in my old Case lawn tractor) and both also have their factory tranny in them. I havn't run into too many people that were unhappy with the 3.5 and IMO is one of Chryslers best V6 engines for power and economy.

eeb4u, you've been lucky, so far.

Hardly lucky! I didn't change it every 3k miles. As I said in the previous two posts, I changed the oil every 4-5k miles. I drive around 20 miles each way to work and this fell well within the recommendations. Irrespective of the miles I drove, there are plenty drivers out there who change there oil much much less frequently than I and there engines are running fine. They probably don't drive Chryslers. I didn't thrash the car like I used to thrash my old Mini's, I am in my late thirties, now a "sensible driver". My engine, along with many other things (see original post) failed. New cars shouldn't be failing with this regularity. This was a pretty big good looking car for the price, and now I know why. DaimlerChrysler are putting these on the road with sub-standard, quality control criteria. It boils down to, "you get what you pay for".

I hope to god the Taurus hold out. Touch wood, the tranny has been ok. 158k not 185k. It was leaking at the point where the fluid coolent lines entered, but I corrected this.

I know not all manufacturers are perfect, but if they have a problem, or as many problems as I have had, they should be held accountable. This was my first new car and I have been left with a sour taste (of lemons) in my mouth. Had I had a wonderful experience with Chrysler, I would have continued to buy Chryslers. I am looking for a new car in May when this piece of c&@p is paid off, all I can say is:

"DaimlerChrysler, I won't be back!"

piece of advice for the 2.7L owners.. change regularly your oil anf filter... I own a 2.7L intrepid 2000 SE and it has 250 000km on it.. still a charm..

Do a 2.7 to 3.2 conversion.I have done one,a Chrysler Concorde,It had a blown up 2.7.My father bought a wrecked Dodge Intrepid with a 3.2 out an auto salvage auction.My father and I put the 3.2 in it's place.Only things that had to changed were front of the exhaust,computer,a/c lines,radatior and a/ condenser,heater hoses and throttle cable and bracket.My father took it for a test drive ran a whole lot better and would out run one with a 2.7.The 3.2 does fit in place with no problems at all.

I dont know if anyone is still following this post, but hopefully we can find a solution:

My wife's 1999 Chry.Concorde (2.7L) has just under 80,000mi on it. She's getting a sputtering/stalling every now and again and over the last few days, it's gotten worse. I do NOT have a Code Scanner, but I did the "Key Trick" (like the old Chrysler Cars) and the codes on the Odometer read P1684 and P1391.

It's "missing" every now and again...and stalling on her completely. I was going to change the Cam sensor (since its easy enough to get to) but after reading this, i'm not sure where or how to proceed.

Let me know either here or please email me.

Thanks...

-- RayQix --

qix_68@yahoo.com

I just bought a 2000 concorde with the 2.7 engine, and im petrified, only had it a month, the body has 97k on it the new motor has 67k on it, besides regular maintenance, what can I do to make this car last?

I guess Changing the Oil...religiously...and just keeping up on maintainance.

We ended up replacing two sensors - Crankshaft Position Sensor and the Cam Position Sensor.

Now it doesn't stall, but due to time-constraints, I had to have a Goodyear service shop do the work -- totalling about $300.00.

It's got the Check Engine light still on, and it's got an "intermittent" miss...but very random.

ALSO: I'm going to post about the drivers door Window in the car...a fix for anyone else that's had that problem. (Separate post).

Any suggestions on the "miss" short of changing out the wiring harness and computer ($3000 worth of work from what i've heard).

If the 2.7 blows up,convert it to a 3.2.The 3.2 does fit in with no problems.The 3.2L engine is a whole lot better and lasts longer than the 2.7.My father just got a 1998 concorde with a bad 2.7 for free from another used car dealer after making a deal.It is going to be converted to a 3.2 instead of putting another 2.7 in it.If you want to know,some 1998 and up Chrysler Concordes do have a 3.2 from factory also.My Aunt Jean has one with a 3.2 from the factory.To convert a Concorde or Intrepid with a 2.7 to a 3.2,you need a donor car that is wrecked.These are the parts that are needed: the A/C lines,front of the exhaust,power steering pump,Radatoir and A/C condensor is they are in good shape,heater hoses,throttle cable and computer,just in case the 2.7 computer does not work with the 3.2 engine.The alternator and A/C compressor do need to be relocatedI am doing the 2.7 to 3.2 conversion and this is the second one I am going to do.I did another one before and it did run a whole lot better and it was a Concorde that had a blown up 2.7

My wife and I bought a 1998 Concorde brand new with the 2.7L. Except for a sensor failure, the engine has been fine. I have used either Amsoil 10W-30 or Red Line 10W-30 in that engine since it was about 2500 miles old. Both are outstanding synthetic olis. Have run a fiber optic scope in through the oil filler hole at 40K miles. Everything that I can see is spotless and there is not even a hint of sludge or dirt anywhere. Change the oil twice a year or about evey 4000 miles.

Change transmission fluid with flush every 15K and the antifreeze every 20K.

Transmission is very smooth and responsive. Gives great fuel economy when driven conservatively, about 30 - 32 mpg on the highway.

Just changed the sparkplugs at 43K. Using NGK Iridium plugs. Turn out to be much better than the Champion junk DC put in at the factory. Also have a K&N air filter in place. Has helped performance too.

For those of you with the sludging issue, if you do not take of the car, it will not take care of you. For those of you who purchased used 2.7L it is a shame you are having such a bad experience. Says something about the previous owner.

Remember, oil and filters are cheap in comparison to a new engine.

Here is a question: Can the 2.7 engine be swapped for a 3.2 engine in a 99 Intrepid?

If the 2.7 is such a good motor then why was there a class action forcing the good old doctor to replace the engines well after the waranty was up. I have perfect maintance, at the delar everytime, and i have still manged to go thru two of those motors at about 75,000 each. Hmm, plus the thousands chrysler has been ordered to replace by the courts.

:banghead::banghead::banghead:

:2cents::2cents::2cents:

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Don't own a car with a 2.7 but both of my sons have Concorde's a 1994 and a 1995 (I believe they both have the 3.3L or maybe the 3.5L, never can remember that until I look). The '94 has 157,000 on it and the '95 has 161,000 miles on it. We have had a few minor things, the recall with the shifter, the climate control units, and the '95 had to have the head gaskets replaced right after we bought it in 1999 becasue the previous owner ran it hot, but other than that, both cars have worked out well for our family. We have found them to be very reliable. I think this says something for them as both of these cars were our sons first cars when they started to drive and are still going with no major problems and teenagers that think all they have to do is get in them, turn the key and drive them. Both cars do get their oil changed every 2500-3000 miles and when we hear a noise or notice something's isn't quite right we get it checked out right away, thanks to their dad. As with almost any car, regular maintenance and not letting any problems go too long help to keep it going. :wink: