GM 122 Engine

GM 122 Engine

This engine family, produced by General Motors globally, was originally designed by Opel in Germany. In OHV form, it was available in the US beginning in 1982 for the GM J platform compact cars and S-series trucks, although originally in use from the 1970s globally. It is different than the engine used in the Chevrolet Chevette which was also an Opel design. For the J cars it evolved through 2002 when it was replaced by GMs Ecotec line of DOHC 4-cylinder engines. In the S-10 related models it evolved through 2003 when it was known as the Vortec 2200. Production ceased consistent with the replacement of the S-series trucks with the GMT 355 sub-platform.

On a separate development track, this engine family was also available in a SOHC form. The SOHC version featured a belt-timed valvetrain. The water pump was also driven by the timing belt. For the US market, this version was used primarily from 1983 for the J-body compact cars through 1994 although the turbocharged version did make a brief appearance in the N-body Pontiac Grand Am. The SOHC version also appeared in the Opel Kadett E-based, Daewoo produced, Pontiac LeMans for the US market. Globally the engine then evolved along three paths. One path leading to the C20NE and then the C20XE when it obtained a Lotus-developed DOHC cylinder head and in 2000 was renamed Ecotec. Another smaller variant retained its SOHC design and was known as D-TEC having been licensed and produced by Daewoo. For the Brazilian market the SOHC-equipped engine is currently a member of both GM Family I and II - the larger model being known as Flexpower and the smaller Econoflex which is available in the 2010 Chevrolet Agile.