Dissecting the Dodge Charger’s Hellcat Engine
The brand-new Dodge Charger changes the way that we perceive the sedan vehicle class. While the stigma for sedans is that they’re slow, bulky, and built primarily as commuter vehicles or for taking the kids to school, the Dodge Charger shatters those expectations and gives drivers the thrill of 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. But how can one sedan produce so much power?
ATC prepares its students for a world of hi-performance engine repair, so any aspiring automotive technician or mechanic needs to know how the Dodge Charger’s Hellcat engine works, since it’s the most powerful configuration in the sedan class. Read on as we dissect the engine.
Engine Build
While other sedans on the market boast a 2.5-liter or a 3.5-liter V6 engine, the Hellcat is equipped with a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 engine. This larger engine has significant advantages over the generic sedan engines. With a HEMI, the Charger has larger valves for increased airflow, which boosts the vehicle’s efficiency and acceleration.
HEMIs also have a larger combustion surface, which allows for a more even distribution of heat. This creates more space for fuel and air in the engine, which, in turn, leads to more power.
Improved Crankshaft
The crankshaft in any sedan is what takes the energy from your car’s pistons moving up and down and turns it into energy for your engine. When your pistons move up and down, the crankshaft turns, so the more pressure from the pistons that your crankshaft can withstand, the more energy that will be converted to your engine.
The Hellcat’s engine features a forged-steel crankshaft with new induction-bearing surfaces, which provide a strong, sturdy base. This configuration also allows the crankshaft to withstand a firing pressure from your pistons of up to 1,595 psi and is designed to crank deeper and fuller, up to 13,000 RPM. This distribution of energy in the Hellcat is one of the driving forces that gives the Dodge Charger an insane amount of power.
The Results
Along with 707 horsepower, the most horsepower of any sedan on the market, and 650 lb-ft of torque, the Hellcat engine gives the Dodge Charger one of the quickest quarter miles of any sedan, with a time of just 11 seconds. The crankshaft and HEMI configurations help the Hellcat to reach a top speed of 204 mph, making it one of the fastest sedans ever.
This type of engine is a dream for automotive enthusiasts and aspiring automotive technicians. The configuration and reinforced crankshaft are things of beauty on their own but even more so when you find them installed in a four-door sedan. Working with these types of powerful engines is the basis of the hi-performance program here at ATC.
For more information about powerful engines, you can download ATC’s free ebook 7 Maintenance Tips for Preserving Speed and Power in a High-Performance Vehicle.
