The 2.2 and 2.5, also known as the Trenton Engine due to their manufacturing location, are a family of overhead cam inline-4 engines developed by Chrysler Corporation originally for the Chrysler K- and L-platforms cars and subsequently used in many other Chrysler vehicles. After its launch in 1981, it became the basis for all Chrysler-developed 4-cylinder engines until the Chrysler 1.8, 2.0 & 2.4 engine family was released in 1994. It was the first Chrysler-engineered four-cylinder engine since the Chrysler flathead four-cylinder was discontinued in 1933. The engine block and valvetrain were not derived from the overhead valve Chrysler LA series V8 that was in production then.

2.2

The first version of this engine family was a normally aspirated unit. Developed under the leadership of Chief Engineer – Engine Design and Development Willem Weertman and head of performance tuning Charles "Pete" Hagenbuch, who had worked on most of Chrysler's V-8 engines and the Chrysler Slant-6 engine, it was introduced in the 1981 Dodge Aries, Dodge Omni, Plymouth Horizon and Plymouth Reliant, and was produced until 2000.

The 2.2 has an undersquare bore and stroke, which gives it a displacement of . It is a siamesed engine: there are no coolant passages between cylinders. The bore spacing is , limiting the potential for increased bore diameter. All 2.2 engines have cast iron blocks, use a timing belt, and are non-interference engines. The earliest version used a two-barrel carburetor, but fuel injection was introduced in 1984 on both turbocharged and normally aspirated models (it is used on all 2.5 liter engines).

The 2.2 was made at Chrysler's Trenton Engine plant in Trenton, Michigan. In 1995 Chrysler sold much of the machining equipment as well as the license to the design, to First Auto Works of China, after negotiations which had begun in the mid-eighties. The Trenton plant largely switched to the new Chrysler 3.3 engine production, while FAW continues to build the 2.2, which they used in their version of the Audi 100. Design work on the six had started in 1975, with the 2.2 added to the program in 1980, but due to labor unrest in Canadian automobile manufacture and the collapse of the diesel market in North America, Lee Iacocca suddenly and unilaterally cancelled these plans in 1983.

  • 1983–1984 Chrysler E-Class
  • 1983–1986 Chrysler Executive
  • 1984–1986 Chrysler Laser
  • 1982–1990 Chrysler LeBaron (fuel-injected after 1985)
  • 1985–1988 Chrysler LeBaron GTS
  • 1981–1982 Dodge 024
  • 1982–1983 Dodge 400
  • 1983–1988 Dodge 600 (fuel-injected after 1984)
  • 1981–1989 Dodge Aries (fuel-injected after 1985)
  • 1984–1987 Dodge Caravan
  • 1983–1987 Dodge Charger
  • 1987–1988 Dodge Dakota
  • 1984–1990 Dodge Daytona
  • 1981–1990 Dodge Omni (fuel-injected after 1987)
  • 1985–1989 Dodge Lancer
  • 1982–1984 Dodge Rampage
  • 1987–1994 Dodge Shadow
  • Hongqi CA 1021U3, CA5020XJB police car, CA7202, CA7220A9E, CA7220A9E parade car, CA7220A9EL1/L2 cabrio-coach/L2 parade car, CA7220A9EL2A2 parade car, CA7220EL1, CA7226L
  • 1985–1988 Plymouth Caravelle
  • 1981–1990 Plymouth Horizon (fuel-injected after 1987)
  • 1981–1989 Plymouth Reliant (fuel-injected after 1985)
  • 1983 Plymouth Scamp (Dodge Rampage twin)
  • 1987–1994 Plymouth Sundance
  • 1981–1982 Plymouth TC3
  • 1983–1987 Plymouth Turismo
  • 1984–1987 Plymouth Voyager

High Output

The 1983 and 1984 Dodge Shelby Charger was more of a handling package, but the regular 2.2 L engine was modified somewhat. This High Output 2.2 used a revised camshaft to boost output to and , and the block was decked to increase the compression ratio. These modifications allowed the Shelby Charger to hit in 5.5 seconds and cover the quarter mile (402 m) in under 16 seconds. The 1985 Dodge Charger Shelby used the 2.2 Turbo I engine instead, so this high output 2.2 was made an option on regular Dodge Chargers that year.

Applications of the High Output 2.2L included the 1983–1984 Dodge Shelby Charger, the 1985 Plymouth Turismo (L-body), the 1984-1985 Dodge Omni GLH and the 1985–1987 Dodge Charger. This High Output version of the 2.2L could be easily recognized by its chrome valve cover and tighter timing cover.

Turbo I

Chrysler's first turbocharged engine was the 1984 Turbo I. It used a Garrett T03 turbocharger with a mechanical wastegate to limit boost to , and was rated at and , a substantial increase in power over the standard 2.2 engines. Changes included a lower compression ratio, special pistons, high-strength valves, higher-pressure springs (to avoid float), better-sealing rings, a special cam, select-fit bearings, a special exhaust manifold, and a diecast aluminum cylinder head cover.