The GM High Feature engine (also known as the HFV6, and including the 3600 LY7 and derivative LP1) is a family of modern

DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine in which the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combus ...

V6 engine A V6 engine is a six- cylinder piston engine where the cylinders and cylinder blocks share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, ...

s produced by

General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...

. The series was introduced in 2004 with the

Cadillac CTS The Cadillac CTS is a luxury car, manufactured and marketed by General Motors from 2003 until 2019 across three generations. Initially available as a 4-door sedan using the GM Sigma platform, GM offered the second generation CTS in 4-door ...

and the Holden Commodore (VZ). It is a 60° 24-valve design with aluminum block and heads and sequential multi-port fuel injection. Most versions feature continuously variable cam phasing on both intake and exhaust valves and

electronic throttle control Electronic throttle control (ETC) is an Automotive engineering, automotive technology that uses electronics to replace the traditional mechanical linkages between the driver's input such as a Car controls#Throttle control, foot pedal to the vehi ...

. Other features include piston oil-jet capability, forged and fillet rolled

crankshaft A crankshaft is a mechanical component used in a reciprocating engine, piston engine to convert the reciprocating motion into rotational motion. The crankshaft is a rotating Shaft (mechanical engineering), shaft containing one or more crankpins, ...

, sinter forged

connecting rod A connecting rod, also called a 'con rod', is the part of a reciprocating engine, piston engine which connects the piston to the crankshaft. Together with the crank (mechanism), crank, the connecting rod converts the reciprocating motion of the p ...

s, a variable-length intake manifold, twin knock control sensors and coil-on-plug ignition. It was developed by the same international team responsible for the

Ecotec Ecotec (capitalized ECOTEC, from "Emissions Control Optimization TEChnology") is a General Motors (GM) and Opel Automobile GmbH (Opel) trademark that refers to a series of emissions technologies that were implemented throughout a range of GM engines ...

, including the

Opel Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Gr ...

engineers responsible for the 54° V6, with involvement with design and development engineering from Ricardo plc. GM's Australian auto division

Holden Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors. Founded in Adelaide, it was an automobile manufacturer, importer, and exporter that sold cars under its own marque in Australia. It was ...

produced a HFV6 engine under the name " Alloytec."

History

The HFV6 was designed, tested, and produced in a joint program by

and

Cadillac Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...

. A majority of designs into the new alloy construction, transmission pairing, and first use in production were all undertaken in Detroit (and manufactured in

St. Catharines, Ontario St. Catharines is the most populous city in Canada's Niagara Region, the eighth largest urban area in the province of Ontario. As of 2021, St. Catharines has an area of and 136,803 residents. It lies in Southern Ontario, south of Toronto ac ...

). Holden was charged with developing smaller engines (Holden 3.2 LP1 and Saab 2.8 Turbo LP9) as well as their own Holden 3.6 and 3.0 HFV6 (called the Alloytec V6) for local models. Cadillac and Holden both tested variations of these engines in the United States and Australia.

2.8

LP1

A ''LP1'' variant was introduced in the 2005

. It was also used on the Chinese 2008 CTS. It has a bore and stroke, sequential multi-port fuel injection and a 10.0:1 compression ratio. The ''LP1'' was built in St. Catharines, Ontario. Applications:

LP9

''This engine is also known as a A28NET, Z28NET, Z28NEL or B284.'' The ''LP9'' is a 2.8L

turbocharged In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...

version used for the Saab 9-3,

Saab 9-5 The Saab 9-5 is an executive car, manufactured and marketed by Saab from 1997 to 2012, across two generations. The first generation 9-5 was introduced in 1997 for the 1998 model year, as the replacement of the Saab 9000. At the time, the car ...

, and other GM vehicles. It has the same bore and stroke as the

naturally aspirated A naturally aspirated engine, also known as a normally aspirated engine, and abbreviated to N/A or NA, is an internal combustion engine in which air intake depends solely on atmospheric pressure and does not have forced induction through a turboc ...

LP1, however the compression ratio is reduced to 9.5:1. The engine is manufactured at Holden's Fishermans Bend engine factory in Port Melbourne, Australia, while GM Powertrain Sweden (formerly Saab Automobile Powertrain) is responsible for turbocharging the engine. Global versions of this engine use the same horsepower rating for both metric and imperial markets – mechanical horsepower – while the Europe-only versions are rated in metric horsepower. Applications:

LAU

The ''LAU'' is GM's new code for the LP9 Turbo engine, its usage starting with the 2010 Cadillac SRX. In 2011, production of the Cadillac SRX with the LAU engine ceased, but the engine remained in use in the

Saab 9-4X The Saab 9-4X is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV that was introduced at the 2010 LA Auto Show. It is based on the all-wheel-drive GM Theta Premium platform, which also forms the basis for the Cadillac SRX. Production of the 9-4X began in ...

until 2012, when production of that model came to an end. Applications:

3.0

LF1

The ''LF1'' is a version with a bore and stroke of produced between 2010 and 2014, equipped with spark ignition direct injection (SIDI) and a 11.7:1 compression ratio. Applications:

LFW

The ''LFW'' is a flexible fuel version of the ''LF1'', capable of running on E85, gasoline, or any mixture of the two. Output is identical to the LF1. Applications:

3.2

Holden has built its own version of the High Feature engine in Australia produced between 2005 and 2010 with a bore and stroke of . Branded with the ''Alloytec'' name like the 3.6L version, this version produces at 6600 rpm and at 3200 rpm. It has a 10.3:1 compression ratio. Its fuel economy is in city, and on highway.. Holden also produced the 3.2L engines that were used by

Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. () is an Italian carmaker known for its sports-oriented vehicles, strong auto racing heritage, and iconic design. Headquartered in Turin, Italy, it is a subsidiary of Stellantis Europe and one of 14 brands of mu ...

as the basis of its JTS V6 engine. Applications: * 2006-2010 Daewoo Winstorm / Chevrolet Captiva / Holden Captiva * 2006-2010 Opel Antara / Daewoo Winstorm MaXX / Holden Captiva MaXX * 2008-2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara

3.6

LY7

The ''LY7'' engine was developed primarily by

and introduced in the 2004 Holden VZ Commodore and 2004

sedan. It has a 10.2:1 compression ratio, Sequential multi-port fuel injection, and a bore and stroke of . Lower-powered versions only have variable cam phasing on the inlet cam (LE0). Selected models also include variable exhaust. The engine weighs as installed. This engine is produced in several locations: St. Catharines (Ontario), Flint Engine South (Michigan), Melbourne (Australia), Ramos Arizpe (Mexico), and Sagara (Japan) by Suzuki. Suzuki's engine designation is ''N36A''. The dual-fuel ''LW2'' version was able to run on petrol and

autogas Autogas is liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used as a fuel in internal combustion engines of vehicles as well as in stationary applications such as generators. It is a mixture of propane and butane. Autogas is widely used as a "green" fuel, ...

. The LW2 engine was based on the low-output LE0 V6. It featured a factory-fitted dual-fuel system developed by IMPCO, different valves, and hardened titanium valve seats. This motor was available exclusively in Holden vehicles from 2005–2012. Applications:

LLT

The ''LLT'' is a direct injected version based on the earlier LY7 engine. It was first unveiled in May 2006, and the DI version was claimed to have 15% greater power, 8% greater torque, and 3% better fuel economy than its port-injected counterpart. The ''LLT'' engine has a

compression ratio The compression ratio is the ratio between the maximum and minimum volume during the compression stage of the power cycle in a piston or Wankel engine. A fundamental specification for such engines, it can be measured in two different ways. Th ...

of 11.3:1, and has been certified by the SAE to produce at 6300 rpm and of torque at 5200 rpm on regular unleaded (87 octane) gasoline. This engine debuted on the 2008 Cadillac STS and CTS. GM used an LLT in all 2009–2017

Lambda Lambda (; uppercase , lowercase ; , ''lám(b)da'') is the eleventh letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiced alveolar lateral approximant . In the system of Greek numerals, lambda has a value of 30. Lambda is derived from the Phoen ...

-derived

crossover SUV A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...

s to allow class-leading fuel economy in light of the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. In these crossovers, the LLT engine produced up to and of torque. Applications:

LFX

The ''LFX'' is an enhanced version of the LLT engine developed jointly by

and

. Introduced in the MY2012

Holden Commodore The Holden Commodore is a series of automobiles that were sold by now-defunct Australian manufacturer Holden from 1978 until 2020. They were manufactured from 1978 to 2017 in Australia and from 1979 to 1990 in New Zealand, with production of ...

SV6 and the MY2012 Chevrolet Camaro LS/LT, it is lighter than the LLT, thanks to a redesigned cylinder head, integrated exhaust manifold, and composite

intake manifold An inlet manifold or intake manifold (in American English) is the part of an internal combustion engine that supplies the fuel/air mixture to the cylinder (engine), cylinders. The word ''manifold (engineering), manifold'' comes from the Old Eng ...

. Other components like the

timing chain In a piston engine, either a timing belt (also called a ''cambelt'') or timing chain or set of timing gears is a perishable component used to synchronize the rotation of the crankshaft and the camshaft. This synchronisation ensures that the engin ...

s, fuel injectors, intake valves, and fuel pump have also been updated. They also updated the cam phasing and

variable valve timing Variable valve timing (VVT) is the process of altering the timing of a Poppet valve, valve lift event in an internal combustion engine, and is often used to improve performance, fuel economy or emissions. It is increasingly being used in combina ...

system compared to the LLT. Power and torque are up slightly from the LLT. The compression ratio is 11.5:1. The LFX also features E85 flex-fuel capability. Applications:

LWR

The ''LWR'' is dedicated LPG 3.6-liter engine. Introduced in the MY2012

, Based on the 3.6-litre LY7 engine, the LWR had a vapour injection system. The vapour injection system injected gas directly into the

air intake An intake (also inlet) is an opening, structure or system through which a fluid is admitted to a space or machine as a consequence of a pressure differential between the outside and the inside. The pressure difference may be generated on the ins ...

runner, thereby preventing excess gas from circulating through the air intake system. Although liquid LPG injection generally produces more power,

justified vapour injection on the grounds of lower fuel consumption, lower emissions, reduced pumping and parasitic losses, and start-up reliability in hot weather. The dedicated LPG LWR engine produced peak power and torque of at 6000 rpm and at 2000 rpm. The LWR engine was mated to GM's six-speed 6L45

automatic transmission An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions. The 1904 ...

and, over the combined ADR 81/02 test cycle, the Commodore Omega achieved fuel consumption of – an improvement of 1.6 L/100 km compared to its dual-fuel LW2 predecessor. Furthermore, the LWR engine exceeded Euro 6 emissions standards. * Specially hardened valves and valve seats. * A redesigned cylinder head and manifold for improved air flow. * Variable exhaust valve timing (the LW2 engine only had variable intake valve timing) * Specially-developed fuel injectors. * New pistons with pentroof-style centre-domes and valve eyelets for a higher compression ratio of 12.2:1 (compared to 10.2:1 for the dual fuel engine). * A new fuel rail and a new LPG fuel filter. Applications:

LCS

The ''LCS'' was derived from the direct-injected LLT for use in hybrids, using the two-mode system. Differences from the LLT included a slightly lower compression ratio, 11.3:1, and lower power and torque peaks. It was to debut in the 2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid, where it would have made at 6100 rpm and of torque at 4800 rpm. Fuel economy ratings would have been in city, and on highway. However, GM cancelled its plans for the Saturn Vue Hybrid.

LF3

The 3.6L twin-turbocharged version for the 2014 Cadillac CTS and XTS was announced at the 2013 NYAS. The engine is rated at of power at 5750 rpm and of torque at 3500–4500 rpm (with 90% of torque being available at 2500–5500 rpm) and helps the CTS achieve time of 4.6 seconds with an 8-speed automatic transmission. In essence, the twin-turbo 3.6L V6 is the forced-induction variant of the popular LFX V6 found in the Cadillac ATS, XTS, and SRX, among many other GM models, with several important upgrades, including: * All-new cylinder block casting * All-new cylinder head castings * Strengthened connecting rods * Forged steel crankshaft * Continuously variable valve timing * Large intake valves and sodium-filled exhaust valves * Machined, domed aluminum pistons with top steel ring carrier for greater strength * 10.2:1 compression ratio * Patented, integrated charge air cooler system with low-volume air ducts * Twin turbochargers produce more than * Vacuum-actuated wastegates with electronic control valves * All-new direct injection fuel system * Tuned air inlet and outlet resonators, aluminum cam covers, and other features that contribute to exceptional quietness and smoothness Applications:

LF4

The ''LF4'' is a higher-performance variant of the LF3 for use in the Cadillac ATS-V and Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing. Changes to the LF3 include: * Turbochargers with low-inertia titanium-aluminide turbines and vacuum-actuated wastegates for more responsive torque production * Compressors matched for peak efficiency at peak power levels, for optimal track performance * Patent-pending low-volume charge-cooling system that optimizes packaging efficiency and maximizes boost pressure * To compliment the quick spooling turbochargers, lightweight titanium connecting rods that reduce inertia of the rotating assembly were used on all ATS-V models, while only manual transmission CT4-V Blackwing models featured titanium connecting rods. 10-speed automatic CT4-V Blackwing models featured steel connecting rods. * Peak boost increased to , from * Higher-flow fuel injectors * Oil pan baffling for better oil flow at high cornering speeds Applications:

LFR

The ''LFR'' is a bi-fuel variant of the LFX, although multi-point fuel injection is used for both the gasoline and CNG instead of direct-injection. Applications:

LFY

The ''LFY'' is similar to the LFX, but adds stop-start technology and has improved airflow. Applications:

Fourth generation

Starting with the 2016 Cadillac models, a new generation of High Feature V6s were developed. These new engines have redesigned block architectures with bore centers increased from on prior HFV6 engines to and a redesigned cooling system to target the hottest areas while also facilitating faster warm-up. They also incorporate engine start-stop technology, cylinder-deactivation, 2-stage oil pumps, and updated variable valve timing featuring intermediate park technology for late-intake valve closure. Both engines debuted in the 2016 Cadillac CT6.

3.0 L

LGW

Bore and stroke of are used, along with a 9.8:1 compression ratio and twin turbos with titanium-aluminide turbine wheels. Maximum engine speed is 6500 RPM. Premium unleaded fuel is required. Applications:

LGY

3.6 L

LGX

Along with the increased bore spacing, the new 3.6 L DI V6 has larger bores than before, growing from to with the same stroke as the 3.0L LGW, for a displacement of . Intake and exhaust valves are also increased in size along with other changes to the cylinder head. The only part shared with the prior generation is the hydraulic lash adjusters in the valvetrain. The LGX was benchmarked against the 3.7L VQ37VHR of the 2015 Infiniti Q40. Compression ratio is 11.5:1 and maximum engine speed is 7200 RPM. Compared to GM's LFX/LFY 3.6 L engine, the LGX features active fuel management, NVH enhancements and slightly more torque. The LGX was on Ward's 10 Best Engines for 2016. Applications:

LGZ

The LGZ is a variant of the LGX designed for use in the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. Applications:

7.2L V12

On March 21, 2007, '' AutoWeek'' reported that GM was planning to develop a 60-degree V12 based on this engine family to power the top version of Cadillac's upcoming flagship sedan. This Cadillac would essentially have had two 3.6L High Feature V6s attached crankshaft-to-crankshaft and would have featured high-end technologies including direct injection and cylinder deactivation. If this engine were developed, it would have displaced 7.2 liters, and produced approximately and of torque. Development of the engine was reportedly being conducted in Australia by Holden, with a potential HSV or Statesman application. In August 2008, GM announced that development of the V12 had been cancelled.

Timing chain issues

Earlier production 2.8L, 3.0L, 3.2L, and 3.6L engines with the three chain design suffered from premature timing chain failures because of a faulty PCV system and extended oil change intervals. Most of the problems occurred on pre-LFX engines.

Holden High Feature engine

sold a HFV6 engine under the name Alloytec. The High Feature moniker on the Holden produced engine is reserved for the twin cam phasing high output version. The block was designed to be expandable from 2.8 L to 4.0 L. High Feature V6 engines were previously produced in Fishermans Bend,

Port Melbourne Port Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of the Melbourne central business district, located within the Cities of City of Melbourne, Melbourne and City of Port Phillip, Port Phillip Local government ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, and remain in production at the following four manufacturing locations: St. Catharines Engine Plant,

St. Catharines St. Catharines is the most populous city in Canada's Niagara Region, the eighth largest urban area in the province of Ontario. As of 2021, St. Catharines has an area of and 136,803 residents. It lies in Southern Ontario, south of Toronto ac ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

; Flint Engine South in

Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city in Genesee County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Flint River (Michigan), Flint River northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the Central Michigan, Mid Michigan region. Flin ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

; Romulus Engine Plant in

Romulus, Michigan Romulus is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 23,989 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Romulus is a western suburb of Metro Detroit and is also considered part of the Dow ...

; and Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, Mexico. The assembly lines for the St. Catharines and Flint facilities were manufactured by Hirata Corporation at its powertrain facility in Kumamoto, Japan. Most of the designs of this motor happened in Flint. They were first produced for the Cadillac range. The engine block and cylinder heads are cast at Defiance Foundry in Defiance, Ohio.

References

External links

Technical article from ''AutoSpeed''

GM Unveils New Direct Injection V-6
- Ward's Auto World

* http://www.gminsidenews.com/index.php?page=Engine_Guide * http://www.chevrolet.com/impala-4-door-sedan.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20140109174626/http://www.chevrolet.com/2013-traverse-crossover-suv.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Gm High Feature Engine High Feature V6 engines Gasoline engines by model