Chrysler 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 Engine (Specs, Reliability & Issues)
Updated: May 3
The 3.0 EcoDiesel is a 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine manufactured by VM Motori in Cento, Italy (an FCA subsidiary). The engine first appeared in 2011 when Fiat and Chrysler began offering it in their European vehicles (codenamed as A630 DOHC).
In North America, the L630 DOHC variation, called the EcoDiesel by Chrysler, was introduced in 2014 for the Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The L630 model complies with NAFTA (the emission norms of the North American market).
This engine is capable of great fuel economy and impressive torque. Availability has expanded into additional Jeep and Ram products. The 3.0 EcoDiesel is clean, smooth, and runs quiet.
Design
The engine is powered by a compacted graphite iron (CGI) engine block with a 60-degree angle between cylinder banks. CGI bricks are thicker, heavier, and less compact than cast iron blocks.
For further strength, a bedplate was installed on the engine block, with four 14 mm bolts per main and an additional eight 12 mm bolts holding the bedplate in place.
The engine has a forged 4140 steel crankshaft, cast iron connecting rods, and cast aluminium pistons.
Each cylinder has an oil squirter that sprays oil into the piston to keep it cool. The engine has aluminium DOHC heads with four valves per cylinder (24 valves total). There are two intake and two exhaust valves on each cylinder.
A lobe on the camshaft runs a roller-finger follower that controls each valve. A roller timing chain in the engine drives the exhaust camshafts. Each exhaust camshaft then drives the intake camshaft through a gear to gear mesh.
For quick starts and lower emissions, low voltage ceramic glow plugs are employed in the heads (one per cylinder).
The 3.0L EcoDiesel engine has MultiJet II, a high-pressure direct injection fuel system. This Fiat's fuel injection technology can accommodate up to eight fuel injection events per cycle since servovalve injectors are employed instead of piezo injectors.
Greater power, less pollutants, and more efficient and silent burning are all benefits of this potential.
The fuel injection system includes a Bosch high-pressure fuel pump. It maintains the fuel pressure in both fuel rails at about 29,000 pounds per square inch (2,000 bars). This pump is driven by the exhaust camshaft via a gear and is placed on the right side (passenger side) of the front engine cover.
The 3.0 V6 EcoDiesel engine, like most modern diesel engines, is turbocharged. It has a water-cooled Garrett variable geometry turbocharger (VGT). The only section that is cooled by water is in the centre.
This is adequate to prevent oil coking and extend the life of the unit. The turbocharger is placed near the back of the engine, in the engine valley. The charged air is cooled using an air-to-air intercooler.
The modern diesel is highly packed with pollution-control equipment, as listed below.
DOC (Diesel Oxidation Catalyst)
DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter)
EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) with water cooling
SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction)
DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid)
The 3.0-liter EcoDiesel was listed in Ward's "10 Best Engines" list for 2014, 2015, and 2016.
This Chrysler engine choice prompted Ford's 3.0L V6 Power Stroke engine and GM's 3.0L I-6 Duramax engine, two of the 1/2-ton market's main competitors, to introduce their own variants.
Current Engine
The Jeep Grand Cherokee's 3.0 EcoDiesel engine has been discontinued since 2019. For the fifth-generation, 2020 Ram 1500, the engine was refurbished and modified, resulting in more power and torque, higher fuel efficiency, and lower emissions.
The upgraded EcoDiesel has new pistons with improved piston bowl form, coated skirts, and reduced friction piston rings. Also fitted were new cylinder heads with enhanced intake port design. The fuel injector nozzles have been adjusted. The compression ratio was lowered from 16.5:1 to 16.0:1.
The engine comes with a new "low slung" intercooler and a revised water-cooled variable geometry turbocharger. To meet with current emission rules and reduce carbon build-up in the EGR and intake systems, the low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system has been modified.
The 3.0L EcoDiesel engine has been improved to generate 20 more horsepower and 60 more pound-feet of torque.
Specs
Manufacturer: VM Motori
Production years: 2011-present
Cylinder block material: Compacted graphite iron
Cylinder head material: Aluminium
Fuel type: Diesel
Fuel system: Direct Injection
Configuration: V
Number of cylinders: 6
Valves per cylinder: 4
Valvetrain layout: DOHC
Bore: 83.0 mm (3.27 in)
Stroke: 92.0 mm (3.62 in)
Displacement: 2,987 cc (182.3 cu in)
Type: Four-stroke, turbocharged
Compression Ratio: 16.5:1 - 2014-2019, 16.0:1 - 2020+
Power: 240-260 hp (179-193 kW) at 3,600 rpm
Torque: 420-480 ft-lb (570-651 Nm) at 1,600-2,000 rpm
Engine weight: 220 kg (485 lbs)
Firing order: 1-4-2-5-3-6
Engine oil weight: SAE 5W-40
Engine oil capacity: 10.0 litres (10.5 qt) - 2014 - 2019 Ram 1500, 7.6 litres (8.0 qt) - 2014 - 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 8.0 litres (8.5 qt) - 2020+ Ram 1500
Oil change interval: 10,000 miles (15,000 km) / 12 months
Applications: Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler 300 /Lancia Thema, Maserati Ghibli, Maserati Quattroporte, Maserati Levante
Reliability & Issues
The reliability of VM Motori engines has been a source of controversy in the past. Despite the fact that the Italian manufacturer has made significant progress in recent years, the 3.0 EcoDiesel engine still has problems and design flaws.
Oil cooler failure is the most common problem, which bothers and frustrates many EcoDiesel drivers.
This engine's oil cooler is water-cooled. It uses an engine coolant to keep the engine oil cold. The oil cooler frequently fails during towing or heavy hauling when motor oil reaches high temperatures and penetrates into engine cooling systems.
Oil coats everything in a radiator, including cooling channels, and may reduce the efficacy of the cooling system. The presence of oil in the coolant expansion tank indicates a serious issue.
With an adapter housing that contains an oil check valve, the engine oil cooler and oil filter are bundled together. The springs on this check valve are small and fragile, and the check valve is made of plastic.
With high oil temperatures, these springs may deteriorate over time, and the check valve may fail. This is typically followed by the dashboard's low oil pressure indicator blinking briefly.
During these blinking moments, the engine runs without oil, inflicting significant damage to all internal components in a short amount of time.
Some of the less common issues are as follows.
EGR cooler failure
Camshaft gear slippage
Connecting rod/main bearing failure
Recall campaign due to usage of illegal emissions defeat devices
These can occur on low mileage engines owing to quality control concerns on the production line.
It's also worth noting that pollution devices were identified in 3.0 EcoDiesel engines on vehicles from the 2014 to 2016 model years.
FCA agreed to a $300 million settlement with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resource Board (CARB) in 2019 and recalled over 100,000 non-compliant vehicles for a software update that reduces emissions to within legal limits.
Versions
A630 (EU)
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee: 238 hp (177 kW) at 4,000 rpm, 406 ft-lb (550 Nm) at 1,800-2,800 rpm.
2012 Chrysler 300: 187/236 hp (140/176 kW) at 4,000 rpm, 325/406 ft-lb (440/550 Nm) at 1,800-2,800 rpm.
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee: 247 hp (184 kW) at 4,000 rpm, 420 ft-lb (570 Nm) at 2,800 rpm.
A630 HP (EU): 271 hp (202 kW) at 4,000 rpm, 443 ft-lb (600 Nm) at 2,000-2,600 rpm. This engine is used in the Maserati Ghibli III, Maserati Quattroporte VI, and Maserati Levante.
L630 (US 2014-2019): 240 hp (179 kW) at 3,600 rpm, 420 ft-lb (570 Nm) at 2,000 rpm. This is the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 engine.
L630 (US 2020+): 260 hp (193 kW) at 3,600 rpm, 480 ft-lb (651 Nm) at 2,000 rpm. This engine is used in the Ram 1500.
Tuning
The standard intake, exhaust, and remap is again the best way to gain the most horsepower and torque.
However, you can also remove emissions equipment (called deleting) such as the DPF, EGR, and catalytic converters for maximum power gains. However, this will cause the vehicle to fail emissions tests and may be illegal.
You can tune the vehicle without removing any emissions equipment also, the gains in power will be smaller but still noticeable.
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