Plymouth Laser engines

The Plymouth Laser is an American compact class car in the body of a Plymouth sports coupe from the Chrysler Corporation. Produced in the USA from 1989 to 1994. The name of the car was borrowed from the previously manufactured Chrysler Laser model. Each production year brought the car some changes in the exterior, chassis, drivetrain, or interior. For 5 years of production, only 115,980 copies of the Laser model rolled off the assembly line. Plymouth Laser, 1989–1994 The Laser design was based on the Chrysler D proprietary platform. The car body was a 3-door 4-seater liftback with dimensions of 4389/1694/1306 mm with a wheelbase of 2469 mm and a track of 1465/1450 mm. The standard volume of the luggage compartment is 290 liters, the maximum with the rear seat backs folded forward is 730 liters. The curb weight of the Laser was 1148 kg. The minimum ground clearance is 160 mm.

Interior equipment included a CD player. The top-of-the-line RS could be purchased with a limited-selling “gold” package that included gold-painted alloy wheels and moldings.

The engines were located transversely in front. Three types of 4-cylinder gasoline engines were offered, all of them were from Mitsubishi: the base 8-valve 4G37 I4 with a volume of 1.8 liters (92 hp, 102 Nm), 2-liter DOHC 4G63 I4 (135 hp, 125 Nm), the top version RS used a turbocharged 195-horsepower 4G63T I4 engine with a maximum torque of 271 Nm. In 1993, the power of the turbocharged engine was reduced to 180 hp.

The maximum speed of the Laser with the base motor was 175 km/h. The RS version could accelerate to 230 km/h.

The engines were aggregated with a standard 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. Automatic transmission was offered as an option, with the exception of cars with supercharged engines (since 1991), where it was standard. It should be noted that the gearboxes were also produced by Mitsubishi.

The drive of the base model is front, but since 1992, buyers have the opportunity to order a full one for an additional fee. Coil springs were used in the suspension of the front and rear wheels. The steering was of the rack and pinion type with hydraulic booster.

In 1991, Laser began to be equipped with ABS, by 1993, all modifications except the basic one had this security system. In addition, standard equipment included Brake Assist. The front brakes were installed disc ventilated, rear – disc. The standard tire size is 185/70 R14.

The Plymouth Laser was offered with 3 engines between 1989 and 1994 (3 petrol). Displacement ranges from 1.8 to 2.0 liters, power output from 86 to 291 hp. All of them use a timing belt. 1 is turbocharged. The longest rated lifespan belongs to the Mitsubishi 4G63 (about 400,000 km).

Plymouth Laser engines by generation

EngineYearsVolumePowerFuelTimingOilLifespan
Plymouth Laser 1 1989–1994
Mitsubishi 4G371989–19941.8 L R486–97 hppetrolbelt3.9 L~350,000 km
Other Plymouth Laser engines generation not specified
Mitsubishi 4G631981–present2.0 L R487–144 hppetrolbelt4 L~400,000 km
Mitsubishi 4G63T1987–20072.0 L R4195–291 hppetrol, turbobelt5 L~300,000 km

Plymouth Laser engine FAQ

What engines were used in the Plymouth Laser?

Plymouth Laser 1 (1989–1994): Mitsubishi 4G37.

Which Plymouth Laser engine is the most durable?

By rated service life the most durable Plymouth Laser engines are: Mitsubishi 4G63 — about 400,000 km; Mitsubishi 4G37 — about 350,000 km; Mitsubishi 4G63T — about 300,000 km. Actual lifespan depends heavily on maintenance and oil change intervals.

How much oil does the Plymouth Laser engine take?

Engine oil capacity with filter: Mitsubishi 4G37 — 3.9 L (5W-40); Mitsubishi 4G63 — 4 L (5W-30); Mitsubishi 4G63T — 5 L (5W-30).

Does the Plymouth Laser have a timing belt or chain?

Timing belt: Mitsubishi 4G37, Mitsubishi 4G63 and Mitsubishi 4G63T. Belts must be replaced on schedule: on many engines a broken belt bends the valves.

Was the Plymouth Laser available with a diesel engine?

No, all Plymouth Laser engines in our database run on petrol.

Engine details

Mitsubishi 4G63

Mitsubishi 4G63

1981–present · 2.0 L R4 · petrol · 87–144 hp · belt

Most of the problems with this motor are due to the use of low-quality oil.

Mitsubishi 4G37

Mitsubishi 4G37

1983–1994 · 1.8 L R4 · petrol · 86–97 hp · belt

Short-lived belts cause the most problems: timing belt and balancer shaft belt.

Mitsubishi 4G63T

Mitsubishi 4G63T

1987–2007 · 2.0 L R4 · petrol · 195–291 hp · belt

The use of low-quality oil quickly affects the condition of the balance shafts.

Models with the same engines

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