Willys Lightning engine

Last updated

The Lightning engine is a Willys straight-6 produced in the 1940s and 1950s. [1] The flathead engine featured four main bearings and solid valve lifters. [2]

Contents

The engines were used in the Willys Jeep Station Wagon, other Jeep-based vehicles, and Willys sedans.

L148

The L148 version displaced 148.5 cubic inches (2.43 L) and was rated at 70 horsepower (52 kW; 71 PS). [3] This was the smallest displacement six-cylinder engine when introduced in 1947 in the Willys Station Wagon. [3] The bore was 3 inches (76 mm) and its short 3.5-inch (89 mm) stoke enabled the engine to achieve high revolutions given its flathead design. [3]

Applications:

L161

The L161 version displaced 161 cubic inches (2.64 L) and was rated at 75 horsepower (56 kW; 76 PS). [5] Introduced in April 1950, the engine featured a higher compression ratio of 6.9 to 1, and a larger 3.125-inch (79 mm) bore. [3] [5]

Applications:

Replacement

The F-head Hurricane engine was introduced in 1950, a significant upgrade to the Lightning. The valve configuration was changed for better power and efficiency. In 1954, the 6-226 "Super" Hurricane was introduced.

References

  1. ↑ "Car Willys MB: car specifications and history of creation". en.autoclassics.us. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  2. ↑ "1949 Willys Models Described In Detail". autohistorypreservationsociety.org. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Allen, Jim (2004). Jeep Collector's Library. MotorBooks. p. 227. ISBN   9780760319796 . Retrieved 17 September 2025– via Google Books.
  4. ↑ "About Willys Vehicles - Jeepster (VJ)". kaiserwillys.com. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  5. 1 2 "1953 Willys Aero (brochure)". lov2xlr8.no. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  6. ↑ "A World-Famous Family: each a leader in its field (advertisement)". Life. Vol. 33, no. 13. 29 September 1952. p. 40. Retrieved 17 September 2025– via Google Books.
  7. ↑ "Two things Willys is known for (advertisement)". Life. Vol. 34, no. 17. 27 April 1953. pp. 143–143. Retrieved 17 September 2025– via Google Books.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.