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Chevrolet 173ci (1988) · 130 hp specs: 173 ci (2.8L) 6-cylinder, 3.50 x 3.00 in (88.9 x 76.2 mm) bore and stroke, 11.21:1 compression. Rated 130 hp, 1988.
The Chevrolet 173ci (1988) · 130 hp is oversquare — the 3.5" bore exceeds the 3" stroke by 16.7% — a layout that favors airflow and RPM over leverage at the crank. The 3" stroke does not reach 4,000 ft/min of mean piston speed until about 8,000 RPM, so piston speed is not what limits this engine's revs — valvetrain and breathing are. A rod ratio of 1.9 is long by production standards — less side-load on the cylinder wall and gentler piston acceleration around TDC, the geometry that tolerates high RPM. Each of the 6 cylinders displaces 28.8 ci (472 cc).
11.21:1 on iron heads is high enough that pump premium or better is normally required, and iron holds heat, so it is the less forgiving side of that line.
It is one of 10 engines in the Chevrolet 173ci family, all of them 173 ci — the differences between them are in compression, heads and rating, not displacement.
| Displacement | 173 ci / 2.8 L |
|---|---|
| Bore | 3.5" |
| Stroke | 3" |
| Cylinders | 6 |
| Configuration | I6 |
| Compression ratio | 11.21:1 |
| Rod length | 5.7" |
| Rod ratio | 1.9 |
| Bore/stroke ratio | 1.167 |
| Block material | cast iron |
|---|---|
| Head material | cast iron |
| Valvetrain | OHV |
| Fuel type | gas |
| Advertised HP | 130 hp |
| Years | 1988 |
| Bore/stroke character | 1.167 — oversquare — bore exceeds stroke, which favours higher RPM and larger valves |
|---|---|
| Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM | 3,000 ft/min — conservative for a street engine |
| Rod ratio | 1.9 — long — less side loading on the cylinder wall, favours high RPM |
| Displacement per cylinder | 28.8 ci |
| Static compression | 11.21:1 — high enough that pump premium or better is normally required |
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