Renault Energy engine
| Company type | Internal combustion engine |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | late 1980s |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Gasoline inline four-cylinder engines |
The Renault Energy engine—also referred to as the "E engine" or "E-Type"—is a gasoline-powered inline four-cylinder internal combustion engine that features a water-cooled cast iron block with cylinder sleeves, five main crankshaft bearings, and an overhead camshaft operated by a toothed timing belt. The cylinder head is made of aluminum and contains eight overhead valves. This engine was engineered by Renault in the late 1980s and made its first appearance in the Renault 19.
History
By the end of the 1980s, Renault's Cléon-Fonte engine, which had been employed in vehicles such as the R4, Super 5, R9, R11, and Express, was considered outdated due to its lateral camshaft configuration. Meanwhile, competing manufacturers had adopted more advanced overhead camshaft designs. Introduced initially in 1962 on the Renault 8 and Floride models, the Cléon-Fonte required modernization to remain competitive.
To equip the Renault 19, Renault created the Energy engine featuring a hemispherical combustion chamber and an overhead camshaft driven by a timing belt. Released in 1988, this powerplant was also utilized in the Clio 1, Mégane 1, Express, and found application in the Renault 9 across markets such as Argentina, Colombia, and Turkey.
Despite this advancement, when launching the Twingo in 1993, Renault chose to continue manufacturing the Cléon-Fonte engine because the Energy engine’s dimensions—attributed to its hemispherical head and front-mounted exhaust—did not fit within the Twingo’s architecture. Starting in 1996, the Energy (E7F) was phased out on the Clio in favor of the D7F engine to comply with increasingly stringent emissions regulations and improve fuel economy; this transition affected both the 1.2 Energy and 1.2 Cléon-Fonte engines.
The E7J variant was eventually replaced by the K7J engine.
Cylinder dimensions and displacement
| Engine types | E5F — E7F | E6J — E7J |
|---|---|---|
| Bore | 75.8 mm (2.98 in) | |
| Stroke | 64.9 mm (2.56 in) | 77 mm (3.03 in) |
| Displacement | 1.2 L (1,171 cc) | 1.4 L (1,390 cc) |
Evolution Engine
The Energy engine served as a foundation for the K engine used in the Megane 1 series, primarily distinguished by its removable cylinder liners. The versions with eight valves retained the original Energy engine’s cylinder head design. The K engine family expanded to include sixteen-valve variants as well as a diesel model (K9K — 1.5 dCi), broadening Renault’s engine portfolio.
ExF
The ExF series has a displacement of . The E5F model employs a carburetor system whereas the E7F utilizes an electronically managed single-point fuel injection combined with a catalytic converter. Output power varies according to production year and vehicle application.
Applications:
- E5F
- 1991–1997 Renault Clio
- E7F
- 1988–1990 Renault R19
- 1991–1997 Renault Clio
ExJ
The ExJ series features a displacement of .
Applications:
- E6J (carbureted)
- 1988–1995 Renault R19
- 1991–1997 Renault Clio
- E7J (fuel injected)
- From 1989 Renault Extra
- 1988–2000 Renault R19
- 1991–1997 Renault Clio
- 1996–1999 Renault Mégane
- Up to 1988 Renault 9
- 1998–2001 Renault Kangoo
- 1997–2001 Renault Clio
- 2000–2003 Dacia SupeRNova
- 2003–2005 Dacia Solenza