The best gasoline engines made in the USA. Fault-free contemporary constructions

Due to the multiplicity of designs, choosing the best gasoline engine from the USA is difficult, it is the modern American automobile that boasts several units that are distinguished by above-average durability.

Why do Americans prefer large gasoline engines?

Before proceeding to our review, it is worth looking at why Americans prefer gasoline engines with a large capacity. From the very beginning of the American automobile, manufacturers have focused on capacity, durability and torque. This is due to the fact that the USA is a huge country with large distances between cities and towns. Large capacities make the engines unstrained. Small powertrains must achieve high speeds to ensure proper acceleration. Petrol engines from the USA provide full power in the low rev range. True, large capacity means correspondingly high fuel consumption, but apart from fuel crises, gasoline prices there are low and stable.

Capacity alone, of course, is not enough to talk about failure-free. The second point is the simplicity of construction, which is the key to success. That is why engineers adhere to the philosophy “The fewer parts, the less problems”, which is why they design units with a simple design that in Europe we would consider obsolete, but this one pays off thanks to its fault-free and easy maintenance.

Finally, we come to the point of why gasoline engines, not diesel. First of all, Americans bet on driving comfort, and the first diesel engines are considered loud, heavy and slow. In addition, low gasoline prices won with the low fuel consumption of diesel units. One of the nails in the coffin for the use of Diesel in passenger cars was the 5.7 V8 engine of the 1980s, which broke down into power, which eventually caused Americans to lose confidence in the use of Diesel in passenger cars. Currently, they are used only in trucks, buses and pick-ups intended for work.

The least emergency gasoline engines from the USA

Since you already know the history of the rough friendship of Americans with a diesel engine, it's time to get acquainted with the best gasoline engines of recent years, which were designed and are manufactured in the USA. If you are looking for a car where durability is important, then you should look for a model with one of the following power units.

Chrysler 3.6 Pentastar V6

Although for some the V6 engine is not very exciting, given the fact that the Americans have quite a few V8 engines in their arsenal with volumes exceeding 5 and even 6 liters, this 3.6 V6 from Chrysler is just the perfect marriage of reason. It debuted in 2010 and was Chrysler's first modern engine. The block and head were made of aluminum. Variable timing phases are also used here, which translates into low combustion. The variable-length intake manifold system allows for dynamic driving at full speed range. The timing chain is not afraid of intensive operation, although remember that it also requires attention. In 2016, the engine was updated. It has independent variable timing systems for each camshaft and a new intake manifold and lighter pistons. This reduced fuel consumption by up to 8%. Although it is a low-failure unit, it is worth avoiding pre-2012 units that have noisy timing.

Cars with a 3.6 Pentastar V6 engine

The 3.6 Pentastar V6 engine is installed, among others, in the following car models:

• Dodge Charger/Challenger (2011-2023) - although it is a less exciting option here than a V8, it is certainly cheaper to maintain and less painful when visiting a gas station, the engine reaches a power of about 300 hp;
• Jeep Grand Cherokee (2011-2022) - the engine is combined with AWD drive and an 8-speed automatic, thanks to which the car demonstrates low combustion at the level of 10-11 l/100 km and decent performance, because acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes about 7.5 s;
• Dodge RAM 1500 (2013-2022) - comes with a 4x2 or 4x4 drive and an 8-speed automatic, the power is 305 hp, can drive more than 400 thousand km without overhaul;
• Chrysler Pacifica (2017-present) - the engine here provides good performance and low maintenance costs, which is important for a family car, the power is 287 hp, and as a curiosity it is worth mentioning that it is also available in the plug-in hybrid version.

Ford 5.0 Coyote V8

In 2010, Ford was designing a new Mustang and needed a modern, powerful, economical and durable engine. This is how the completely new 5-liter Coyote naturally aspirated engine was created. It replaced the outdated 4.6 Modular V8 unit, since in the long term its further development was unprofitable. The Coyote engine was created by the Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT). The design idea was to combine the character of the V8 with modern design and high durability to make it suitable for tuning.

This is a V8 engine with a 90 degree opening angle. The heads and block were made of aluminum. Each cylinder has two intake and exhaust valves, and the whole is controlled by a variable timing system, which is separate for the intake and exhaust systems. The design makes the Coyote economical with a quiet ride and a high work culture. However, if you need acceleration, you will find it in a higher speed range. The units of the beginning of production have indirect fuel injection, and since 2018 a dual system with direct injection and indirect injection has been introduced.

The unit comes in different power variants, and the most powerful version generates 500 hp. It is also an extra class when it comes to indestructible gasoline engines, because despite its high power, it can cover up to 400 thousand km without repair. A prerequisite is regular oil change.

Cars with 5.0 Coyote V8 engine

The Coyote V8 engine was installed in, among others, the following car models:

• Ford Mustang GT (2011-2025) - depending on the version, the power is from 412 to 486 hp, it is combined with a manual (Mustang Bullit) or automatic transmission;
• Ford F150 (2011-2024) - The Coyote V8 also got under the hood of the iconic pickup and immediately gained the reputation of the least emergency engine that went to this car, clocking up to 500 thousand km without repair, it is available here with a 4x4 drive.

General Motors LS V8

If you ask someone what gasoline engines are best for swaps, then the LS series from General Motors will certainly be on the list. This is a family of V8 engines, which was created back in the 90s of the last century. They replaced worn-out and obsolete Chevrolet units, which had been produced and refined since 1955. The LS family debuted on the Chevrolet Corvette C5 as an engine with the LS1 designation.

These are the so-called small block engines. Initially, Small Block was the designation of Chevrolet units, but over time all power units began to be so designated, which have a low weight, compact build, small block dimensions and can easily be used in various car models. Small size, large capacity, the opinion of trouble-free operation, high power and low weight meant that even after the LS series was withdrawn from serial production, to the delight of tuners, General Motors continues to offer this engine as a so-called crate engine as part of the Chevrolet Performance range.

The design assumptions for all units are common. So, we have V8 gasoline engines with an opening angle of 90 degrees, for this an aluminum or cast iron block, aluminum heads, sequential, electronic fuel injection and a timing chain. A single camshaft and hydraulic pushers are used here. Thanks to this, the engines are not only durable and offer great dynamics, but also have a low weight and ease of operation. They can travel more than 500 thousand km without repair.

In the LS family were the following engines:

• LS1 (1997-2004) - capacity 5665 cm3, power 345-350 hp, torque 470 Nm;
• LS2 (2005-2007) - capacity 5967 cm3, power 400 hp, torque 542 Nm;
• LS3 (2008-2017) - capacity 6162 cm3, power 430-436 hp, torque 575 Nm;
• LS6 (2001-2005) - capacity 5665 cm3, power 385 hp (2001) /405 hp (2002-2005), torque 540 Nm;
• LS7 (2006-2015) - volume 7008 cm3, power 505 hp, torque 637 Nm;
• LS9 (2009-2013) - capacity 6162 cm3, power 638 hp, torque 819 Nm;
• LSA (2009-2015) - capacity 6162 cm3, supercharged with a compressor, power 556-580 hp, torque 747-754 Nm;
• LSX (2007-present) - racing block, tuning, volume 6.2-7.4 l, modular design allows you to combine elements from different engines of the LS family.

Cars with LS V8 engine

Petrol engines of the LS family can be found in the following car models:

• Chevrolet Corvette - with the distinction of the C6 generation, where there are 3 units in different power variants, in the weakest version it has 400 hp, and in the most powerful Z06 - 505 hp;
• Chevrolet Camaro SS (2010-2015) - here we have an interesting combination of the LS3 engine with 426 hp, manual transmission and rear-axle drive, which means a lot of good and trouble-free fun.

summary

Large capacities, high power and simple design are the American way to succeed, which is unthinkable for European engineers. You already know the best gasoline engines from the USA, although they can certainly be listed even more. If you are looking for a trouble-free car from the USA, with which you will travel many thousands of kilometers, instead of spending many thousands of dollars on repairs, then it is worth betting on one of the above models. The offer on the American secondary market is quite large, therefore, if you are interested in a specific model, then in Bryki from America we can arrange the purchase and import of a car from the USA. Using the services of a professional broker gives you a guarantee that the transaction will go smoothly, and the car will safely go to your garage and you will enjoy it for many years.

‍