The biggest car news and reviews, no BS
Our free daily newsletter sends the stories that really matter directly to you, every weekday.
A gearhead’s favorite pastimes include imagining engine swaps for their project cars. Naturally, though, there are limitations. Engine size is perhaps the greatest factor, as it’s hard to stuff a V12 into a Miata, while you also have to consider cylinder configuration, electronics compatibility, and more. But there is an application for horsepower and torque that’s practically unlimited—a true blank slate—and that’s gensets. That’s what makes this person’s choice of a 225-cubic-inch Chrysler slant-six all the more interesting.
You can say a lot about this unit, but first and foremost, we have to talk about how pretty it is. The unorthodox generator engine, which powered all types of workhorse vehicles between 1959 and 1991, sits neatly inside its wheeled cart. SmallEngineMechanic on YouTube built the whole-home backup power device, painting it blue to match the rest of the equipment while wiring it meticulously. Seriously, just look inside that cabinet.
SmallEngineMechanic via YouTube
And then there’s the hardware. Standing on one side of the genset, you see the engine’s character trait on full display: The block tilted 30 degrees off-center. Walk to the other side, and you find it’s been converted to run throttle-body injection with Holley Sniper EFI. Whereas lots of generators run propane or natural gas, this one is fueled by gasoline, seemingly for convenience’s sake.
The cylinders were bored .060 over to go along with new pistons, rings, bearings, and a rebuilt head. It also enjoys a fresh oil pump and water pump—key components for a stationary power plant.
It’s unclear how much oomph this particular slant-six makes, but factory stock examples made anywhere between 145 and 180 horsepower. Either way, it’s able to support up to 30 kilowatts of backup power here—way more than a Ford F-150 Lightning’s 9.6 kilowatts—all while running pretty darn quietly. You can hardly hear the exhaust, as the radiator fan is really the loudest component of all. That might be the opposite of what you want in a hot rod, but if the engine is powering your air conditioner while you sleep, quieter is better.
In the video below, you can watch the SmallEngineMechanic make a house call to learn why the genset isn’t running right. Turns out, a faulty ignition coil was causing it to spit and sputter after 20 minutes or so of run time. Replacing that coil and adjusting the governor gain was all it took to get the unit in shape, as they tested it with a mobile military load bank.
Slant 6 Chrysler Generator with Holly Sniper Revisit
I won’t pretend to know everything about gensets—this has a single-phase Stamford alternator and a Basler DGC 2020 digital controller, for those who care—but I’m just chuffed to see the Chrysler slant-six still in service. Sure, engines like these deserve a break every once in a while, but they were made to work.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
From running point on new car launch coverage to editing long-form features and reviews, Caleb does some of everything at The Drive. And he really, really loves trucks.
