The 4 Most Common Chrysler 2.4L Tigershark Engine Problems

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Since coming into the limelight in 2007, the Chrysler 2.4 Tigershark World Gasoline Engine has not had much difference in design. Known as 2.4 Tigershark today, it is designed to provide users with maximum comfort and high-quality performance.

Despite its design and reliability, the engine has a few problems, as you will commonly find in other car engines. The Chrysler Tigershark 2.4L engine can come down with a wide range of problems.

A few most common issues associated with 2.4 Tigershark are:

  1. Excessive Oil Use
  2. Oil Leaks
  3. Piston-Cylinder Incompatibility
  4. Typical Engine-Related Issues

Chrysler 2.4 is one of the few guys from Chrysler that car owners least complain about. I’ll be expounding on the above problems common to this engine. It is, however, essential to understand that these problems are seen in every Tigershark engine, but I have seen these problems in many Tigershark engines.

What Are The Most Common Chrysler 2.4 Engine Issues?

1. Excessive Oil Use

Every car owner or driver should be concerned about why their car consumes excessive oil. Generally, oil loss or high oil consumption can be due to the engine design and operating conditions of the engine. Additionally, the oil consumption problem can be triggered by an advanced issue of greater imports.

Oil consumption usually occurs through the valves or past through piston rings. While the piston ring-pack is located underneath the combustion chamber, the valves are upward the chamber. essentially, oil consumption takes place in the engine through or near the combustion.

When high oil consumption occurs, high oil consumption is a problem mainly associated with the latest version of the 2.4 Chrysler engine.

When it comes to excessive oil use, I’ve not seen much negative review about the older models of this engine. An online check on the problems of excessive oil use with the 2.4 inline provides you with too many search results.

Because of this, lots of users have filed a lawsuit relating to this common problem. For many users, the Chrysler 2.4 MultiAir II engine excessively uses around a quart of oil; some lamented the engine uses more, after traveling every 1,000 miles.

Piston and/or piston rings can cause your engine to use excessive oil even if you travel a few miles. When excess oil travels through the ring, it gets into the combustion chambers, leading to the burning away of oil that the engine is supposed to use.

Generally, oil consumption causes harmful emissions after the engine has released unburned oil through the exhaust pipe. If you add motor oil anti-wear additives, there’s a high chance that the performance of the engine’s catalytic converter will be impaired.

What To Watch Out For

Before taking things too far, I must remind you that engines can excessively consume oil at a point in time. Here are some of the symptoms I often observe when my new Chrysler 2.4 engine uses excess fuel:

  • Engine Stops: When your engine stops suddenly after ignition, it signifies that your engine has low oil pressure. The stopping of the engine can also be due to other factors.
  • Excessive Burning: If after traveling about 1000 miles that you discover you’ve burned nearly 1 quart of oil, it signals excessive oil use.
  • Low Oil Pressure: This indicates that your engine is running low on oil and could mean heavy damage to the engine.

What To Do

If the excessive oil use in your 2.4 is related to pistons and or rings, it may be a bit challenging to correct the fault. A better way to prevent excessive oil use is to stick to thicker oils (according to the FCA specifications), as this will help in reducing the level of excessive use.

You can primarily solve this Chrysler 2.4 engine problem by regularly checking your oil and adding more if the level is low when the need arises. Fortunately, it would help if you don’t worry about excessive oil use.

I, however, recommend you have adequate oil quantity in your engine, and if possible, keep and extra oil to top up any moment there is a need for it.

2. Oil Leaks

It’d be unfair to associate oil leaks with the common problems of the Chrysler Tigershark engine. Oil leaks can occur in any engine because there are several reasons responsible for it. When your car engines begin to age, leakage is one of the most noticeable signs, not only in this engine but also with others.

Typically, engines consist of gaskets and other parts, and as these parts age due to high-temperature cycles and mileage, they become easily cracked or broken. There’s nothing more complicated that’s connected to oil leakage in the 2.4 Chrysler engine.

Some engine parts, such as main seals, cover gaskets, and oil pan gaskets, can be responsible for oil leaks. Among these problems, I will concentrate on the valve cover gasket most because it is commonly leakage cause in this engine.

The valve cover gasket is located on the upper part of the engine and can be abused for a more extended period due to its rubber-like body and degrades quickly due to mileage and age. These two factors can be tough on the valve cover gasket.

An oil leak is mostly common with early model 2.4 Chrysler engines- at least, not in the long run. With that being said, the chances of newer engines leaking oil are small. However, it does not indicate newer 2 4 Chrysler Tigershark engines are free of this problem.

What To Watch Out For

Several reasons may be responsible for oil leaks, and here are some symptoms I notice which indicates the step to take:

  • Light Smoke: Watch out for light smoke in your engine. While other factors may be responsible for light smoke popping out, it can, however, indicate an oil leak. Burning oil can also result in light smoke.
  • Visible Leak: A few droplets of oil on the ground below your engine indicate your valve cover gasket may have cracked due to heat from the engine.
    Taking note of leaked oils on the ground can sometimes not be easy, especially if it comes from the valve cover gasket due to where it is located on the engine top.
  • Low Engine Oil: Once there is a drop in the engine oil level, it is likely to point to a potential oil leak. Although it is sometimes normal for engines to consume oil excessively, it is, however, important to know that oil leaks in smaller amounts may not cause heavy damage to the engine.
  • Burning Oil Smells: It is easier to perceive a burning oil smell, being one of the things to watch out for when the Chrysler 2.4 Tigershark begins to leak oil.
    The valve cover gasket sits on top of the engine, and whenever there are a few droplets on a hot part, the droplets are likely to burn off, which results in a burning oil smell.

What To Do

Valve cover gaskets are primarily responsible for an oil leak, and fortunately, replacing them comes cheaper. It is best to replace the valve cover gasket if there are persistent oil leaks.

However, repair shops can charge more than this amount. I advise you to avoid letting your gasket blow because changing a damaged gasket can be tedious at times.

Most oil leaks also begin with an affordable gasket, but labor costs can intensify if no attention is given. I advise you not to wait until your gasket is blown as a replacement and labor can sometimes be expensive. It would be best if you did the needful once you notice any of these symptoms.

3. Piston-Cylinder Incompatibility

Apart from the high oil consumption that is more pronounced with the Chrysler 2.4L, some users and technicians have also identified the incompatibility of piston rings with cylinders. The allegation is that the cylinders don’t work properly and correctly with the piston rings.

By design, the Chrysler 2.4L engine does not have its chrome-plated rings installed in chrome-plated liners.

To avoid a potential catastrophe, the manufacturer used plain manganese and phosphate-coated, cast-iron rings in its new models. The cylinder-piston incompatibility problem seems to be associated with first-generation and older models of the Chrysler 2.4L engine.

What To Watch Out For

There are signs you should be wary of when your car engine cylinders and piston rings don’t align. If the problem lingers, it may gradually paralyze your engine. The first things to look out for are symptoms of worn piston rings and defective cylinders. I’ll discuss the pronounced signs of these defects.

Worn piston of rings and defective cylinders give off the following signs:

  • Excessive Oil Consumption: Piston rings provide an operating condition for the oil, but when worn, this common Chrysler 2.4L engine issue will cause the engine to lose oil excessively.
  • Drop In Coolant Level: When the cylinder head or piston ring starts to malfunction, the coolant level drops, causing loss of coolant.
  • Gray Or White Exhaust Smoke: Once these hoop-shaped metals or the cylinder starts to fail, the seal between the piston and cylinder wall becomes loose, leading to the inability of the piston to arrest the expanding gases the engine generates. This causes white smoke to come from the exhaust tailpipe.
  • Loss Of Acceleration And Power: Another obvious sign of a lack of defective piston rings or cylinder head is poor acceleration and visible loss of power. this causes a reduction in the overall performance of the engine.

What To Do

When it comes to the piston-cylinder issue, the thing to know as a car owner and technician is, as I noted above, never to set up chrome-plated liners in chrome-plated rings. If you avoid the mistake of using phosphate-coated rings instead, the cylinders should work perfectly with piston rings.

Once you’re sure the liner-ring issue has been resolved or prevented, the other thing to look at is the replacement of the piston rings. What must you do if you’re changing the piston? Make sure the cylinder is bored, honed, or replaced during the process of replacing the piston rings.

Many technicians don’t count this as an important step to take when fixing the piston rings. But again, you have to consider the mileage of your engine, the age of the cylinder, and the hand and condition of the piston you’ll be installing.

If you’re installing a new piston kit, you may need to hone the cylinder. However, if the age of the cylinder is relatively young, you may not bother honing it even if you order new piston rings.

4. Typical Engine-Related Issues

Apart from the above, there are general issues with Chrysler 2.4 engines. Although these may vary, they are worth paying attention to, to avert further problems. There are different general Chrysler 2.4 engine problems you shouldn’t overlook if you want an extended lifespan of your engine.

The Chrysler 2.4 Tigershark engines are reliable and don’t have many issues and errors in design, and this is why I will briefly talk about general issues before this article ends.

All engines have varying problems, as said earlier indicated, including the Chevy 2.4 Tigershark. Fortunately, there are not many serious problems with these engines but, the engine can develop lesser faults at times.

What To Watch Out For

With my experience with the Chrysler 2.4 engine, I always try to watch out for any strange performance. I’d advise you always observe your engine’s performance whenever you figure out potential problems that may lead to damage.

  • Poor Engine Performance: Any serious damage to any part of the engine will cause the performance level of the engine and car to drop significantly.
  • Engine Misfire: As I’ve always emphasized, it’s recommended to be faithful to regular and scheduled maintenance to avoid engine misfires. There are several reasons the engine can misfire, including lack of fluid, piston damage, and oil leaks.
  • Drop In Fluid Level: Keeping tabs on the levels of coolant, oil, and gas in your car is an essential aspect of maintenance.
    You don’t have to wait until the level drops before you top or replace any of the fluids. However, gaskets, cylinder heads, and other sealants can break or wear, causing the fluid to leak.

What To Do

Scheduling regular maintenance on your engine cannot be overemphasized. This will help extend its lifespan and functionality. Attend to any strange symptoms.

Check regularly the oil level and use high-quality and thick oil. When there is a need to change fluids, do it quickly and fix all other issues that may affect the engine entirely.

If you adopt a good maintenance culture, your chances of enjoying the Chrysler 2.4 engine for an extended time are high. You will likely find an engine with 150k to 200k miles without having a few issues.

Proper maintenance of the engine will not result in more significant problems. I carry out a routine inspection of my engine every time before driving off.

FAQs

1. Is The Chrysler 2.4 Tigershark A Good Engine?

The simple answer to the engine is yes; the Chrysler 2.4L engine is amazingly great. As I said earlier, some of the issues identified are general problems you’ll have to face as a Chrysler 2.4L user.

Designed with very few flaws, the old and latest models of the 2.4L engine boast amazing horsepower (148-285 hp) and torque (138-160) range that endears it to car enthusiasts.

2. What’s The Average Lifespan Of The Chrysler 2.4 Tigershark Engine?

There is no preset answer to determining the lifespan of a vehicle engine. A lot of factors go into it. Top of the list is proper maintenance.

On average, a properly maintained Chrysler 2.4 Tigershark engine will last up to 500,000 miles before wear and tear begins to set in. this is relatively massive mileage compared to other guys from Chrysler.

3. What Are The Specs Of Chrysler 2.4 Tigershark Engines?

Metrics: Specs:
Valvetrain Double Overhead Camshafts With VVT2 MultiAir II
Cooling System Water-Cooled
Displacement 2,360 cc
Torque 138-160
Compression Ratio 10.0:1, 10.2:1, 10.5:1
Configuration Straight-4
Power Output 148-285 hp (110-213)
Fuel Type Gasoline

Final Thoughts

Replacing your damaged Chrysler 2.4 engine gaskets, pistons, and or piston rings with after-market parts can cause a lot more harm than good and may lead to more Chrysler 2.4 engine problems.

It is only advisable if you are confident of the effectiveness of these engine parts. It is always best to fix all Chrysler 2.4 engine damaged parts with OEM.

Want to know the essential thing? Do not ignore every strange signal indicating the state of wellness of your engine. No one is worth having my experience along Hollywood Boulevard, FL.

Now, I have always learned to inspect before driving off anytime. In all, regular servicing cannot be overemphasized. Treat your engine as you would your body system. Pay attention to any advancing signs.