Possibly looking for an additional car for some cheap basic transporation....What year(s) should I definitely avoid for the 2.7L engine?

Thanks.

All of them

Even the newer ones are sludging up

I have a 01 sebring that the rod bearings failed at 110K we had it sence 50k and it got oil changes every 3k with full sinthetc. I have tore it down and the cause best I can tell is just the engine gets to hot and breaks down the oil and then the rod bearings are the first to go and start to wear little by little untill it starts knocking. I think the only way to make one of these motors survive is to increase oil pressure and run a oil cooler. I am going to rebuild the engine cus I have to much in it to scrap it but it will be traded in soon after.

Mopar started making improvements to the 2.7 in 2001. They made quite a few changes for 2002. I believe it was 2006 (perhaps) when some more improvements were made.

That said, NONE of them are great engines! If you must get one, I'd get an 2002 or newer. They need to have the waterpump and timing chain changed every 100,000 miles. That job is a pain and the parts are expensive.

Overall, the 2.7 is an expensive engine to maintain, it can be difficult to repair, it's underpowered in the Intrepids and Chargers, and it has earned it's lackluster reputation. I'd pick one of the better Mopar engines.

My daughter had an 07(?) Sebring with a 2.5 motor. While it wasn't a treat to work on, I was pretty impressed with its performance. From my limited experience with that combo, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

I've got an '06 Charger with the 2.7L - just turned 100K a few weeks ago. My car has the limited lifetime drivetrain warranty, but does the timing belt need to be changed around now? What if the belt fails & the motor craps? Would Chrysler still cover the engine, or is it considered routine maintenance & neglect if I don't have the belt changed?

So far, I've had NO engine problems at all & it's been a great car, except for some front suspension issues & the faulty shifter that got stuck in park. Got all this stuff fixed yesterday & today though. The shifter was a recall.

2.7L has a timing chain not a belt. Not sure if they are recommended at a certain mileage or not.