The High Feature V6 RPO LY7 is a 3.6L engine incorporating two intake and two exhaust valves per cylinder. Individual intake and exhaust camshafts with camshaft position actuators are mounted on each cylinder head. The cylinder bore is 94 mm (3.7008 in) and the piston stroke is 85.6 mm (3.3701 in). The cylinders are arranged in two banks of three with a 60 degree included angle. The right bank of cylinders are number 1-3-5 and the left bank of cylinders are 2-4-6. The engine firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

The cylinder block is constructed of aluminium alloy by precision sand-casting with cast in place iron cylinder liners. Each copper-infiltrated sintered steel main bearing cap incorporates six bolts bolting the cap into the cylinder block. Along with two outer and two inner bolts, two side bolts are used in the deep skirt block. To prevent aeration, oil return from the valvetrain and cylinder heads is channelled away from the rotating and reciprocating components through oil drain back passages incorporated into the cylinder heads and cylinder block. Pressure-actuated piston oil cooling jets are mounted between opposing cylinders. A knock sensor is located on the each side of the exterior of the cylinder block. The crankshaft position sensor is located on the left side of the exterior of the cylinder block.

The crankshaft is a forged steel design with four main bearings. Crankshaft thrust is controlled by the number three main bearing. The crankshaft position reluctor wheel is pressed onto the rear of the crankshaft in front of the rear main journal. The crankshaft is internally balanced with an integral oil pump drive machined into the nose in front of the front main journal.

The connecting rods are sinterforged steel and have full floating piston pins. The piston pins are a slip fit in the bronze bushed connecting rod. Round wire retainers are used to retain the piston pin into the piston. The cast aluminium pistons incorporate a polymer-coated skirt to reduce friction. The piston uses two low tension compression rings and one multi-piece oil control ring. The top compression ring is plasma sprayed. The second compression ring is cast iron napier. The oil control ring incorporates a steel expander and two chrome plated steel rails.

The camshaft drive system uses Inverted Tooth (IT) timing drive chains and consists of one primary timing drive chain driven by the crankshaft sprocket. The primary timing drive chain drives two intermediate drive shaft sprockets. Each oil pressure fed intermediate drive shaft sprocket drives separate secondary timing drive chains. Each secondary timing drive chain drives the respective cylinder head's intake and exhaust camshaft position actuators.

The primary timing drive chain uses two stationary timing drive chain guides and an oil pressure hydraulically actuated tensioner with built-in shoe. The tensioners minimize timing drive chain noise and provides accurate valve action by keeping slack out of the timing drive chains and continuously adjusting for timing drive chain wear. The tensioners incorporate a plunger that adjusts out with wear allowing only a minimal amount of backlash. The tensioners are equipped with oiling jets to spray oil onto the timing components during engine operation. The secondary timing drive chains use a stationary timing drive chain guide and movable timing drive chain shoe. The secondary timing drive chain shoe is under tension from an oil pressure hydraulically actuated tensioner. All tensioners are sealed to the head or block using a rubber coated steel gasket. The gasket traps an adequate oil reserve to ensure quiet start-up.

The primary timing drive system also uses an IT timing drive chain. The primary timing drive chain connects the crankshaft sprocket with the left and right side intermediate drive shaft sprockets.

The engine incorporates a camshaft position actuator for each intake and exhaust camshaft. Camshaft phasing changes the inlet and exhaust valve timing within a range of 25 camshaft degrees as engine operating conditions vary. Dual camshaft phasing allows the further optimization of performance, fuel economy and emissions without compromising overall engine response and driveability. Variable valve timing also contributes to a reduction in exhaust emissions. It optimizes exhaust and inlet valve overlap and addresss the need for an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system.

The camshaft position actuator is a hydraulic vane-type actuator that changes the camshaft lobe timing relative to the camshaft drive sprocket. Engine oil is directed by a camshaft position actuator oil control valve to the appropriate passages in the camshaft position actuator. Oil acting on the vane in the camshaft position actuator, rotates the camshaft relative to the sprocket. At idle, both camshafts are at the default or "home" position. At this position, the exhaust camshaft is fully advanced and the intake is fully retarded to minimize valve overlap for smooth idle. An internal lock pin locks the inner rotor to the outer camshaft position actuator housing at idle and maintains this position during start-up conditions. Under other engine operating conditions, the camshaft position actuator is controlled by the Engine Control Module (ECM) to deliver optimal intake and exhaust valve timing for performance, driveability and fuel economy. The camshaft position actuator incorporates an integral trigger wheel, which is sensed by the camshaft position sensor mounted in the front cover to accurately determine the position of each camshaft. Each camshaft position actuator has a specific timing drive mark for right or left bank application, as the camshaft position actuators are common bank to bank. The exhaust camshaft position actuator has a different internal configuration than the intake camshaft position actuator since the exhaust camshaft position actuator phases in the opposite direction relative to the inlet camshaft position actuator.

The camshaft position actuator oil control valve (OCV) directs oil from the oil feed in the head to the appropriate camshaft position actuator oil passages. There is one OCV for each camshaft position actuator. The OCV is sealed and mounted to the front cover. The ported end of the OCV is inserted into the cylinder head with a sliding fit. A filter screen protects each OCV oil port from any contamination in the oil supply.

The camshaft front journal has several drilled oil holes to allow camshaft position actuator control oil to transfer from the cylinder head to the camshaft position actuator. The center camshaft bolt hole is counterbored to allow oil to flow around the camshaft bolt and to the camshaft position actuator. Oil in this oil passage is used to move the camshaft position actuator to the default or home position. Radially outward from the center of the journal is a set of four drilled camshaft position actuator oil holes. Oil in this group of oil holes is used to move the camshaft from the default position to a specific set position as determined by the ECM. Seal rings are used at the front and rear of the front camshaft journal to prevent oil leakage from the camshaft position actuator hydraulic system. The seal is made from a plastic compound that resists wear and has a diagonal end gap to enhance sealing. The camshaft position actuator is mounted to the front end of the camshaft and the timing notch in the nose of the camshaft aligns with the dowel pin in the camshaft position actuator to ensure correct cam timing and camshaft position actuator oil hole alignment.

The cylinder heads are semi permanent mould cast aluminium with powdered metal valve seat inserts and valve guides. Two 36.96 mm (1.4551 in) intake valves and two 30.60 mm (1.2047 in) exhaust valves are actuated by roller finger valve rocker arms pivoting on a Stationary Hydraulic Lash Adjuster (SHLA). Separate exhaust and intake camshafts are supported by four bearings machined into the cylinder head. The front camshaft bearing cap is used as a thrust control surface for each camshaft. Each spark plug is shielded by a tube that is pressed into the cylinder head. Each spark plug ignition coil is also mounted through the spark plug tube. The Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) sensor is threaded into the left cylinder head.

A dual-stage variable intake manifold is achieved through the use of a Intake Manifold Runner Control (IMRC) flap. The Engine Control Module (ECM) controlled valve changes the plenum volume available for resonance tuning of the inlet flow path. With the IMRC flap shut, the intake manifold is using dual plane flow with the cylinders feeding from two separate plenums. In this mode the system boosts cylinder charging in the low to mid speed range. At higher engine speeds the IMRC flap opens creating a single plane flow with the cylinders all feeding from a common large plenum. In this mode the system boosts charging in the high speed range. An electronically controlled throttle (ETC), through the ECM, coordinates the input from the driver with various control components.

Right side and left side designation through the engine mechanical section are viewed from the rear of the engine or from inside the vehicle.