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Re: The good and BAD things the Ma MoPar engineers did ....
[Re: dOrk !]
#1012591
06/13/11 05:48 PM
06/13/11 05:48 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,003
Salem
Grizzly
Moparts Proctologist
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Moparts Proctologist
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,003
Salem
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In the last few years some Genius came up with the idea that when the cruise is set and you go DOWN a hill your fresh new Mopar will downshift to slow it down. Revving the pee out of the engine, killing fuel mileage, and surprising the crap out of everyone, this most fun feature is very usefull for when a loaded 18-wheeler is behind you.  The Engineer that thought of this was the Kid you went tobogganing/bicycling with and dragged his feet down the hill while bawling for his Mommy.  Reward offered to the tuning company that can bypass this counter-productive "safety feature".
Mo' Farts
Moderated by "tbagger".
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Re: The good and BAD things the Ma MoPar engineers did ....
[Re: dOrk !]
#1012593
06/14/11 12:12 AM
06/14/11 12:12 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,232
Chicago, IL
PLUM_72
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,232
Chicago, IL
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Great vehicle design! BUT its poorly executed...
My last recent Mopar was a 2000 Grand Cherokee Ltd. with 4.7 V8. Loved the truck! Great design, good engine, very torquey especially with the 3.73 rear end. The HVAC system just sucked. I think I replaced just about every component in that system. Finally got rid of it in 08.
In general what I've noticed about Chrysler from back in the day to the present; at lot of the trim tabs and features that hold things together, inside and out, never last. Initial quality might be good, but the damn thing falls apart just after the warranty is up.
It is that which holds me back from buying a new Challenger...
1972 Dodge Challenger
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Re: The good and BAD things the Ma MoPar engineers did ....
[Re: Grizzly]
#1012594
06/14/11 12:20 AM
06/14/11 12:20 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,664
IN
ahy
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,664
IN
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Quote:
In the last few years some Genius came up with the idea that when the cruise is set and you go DOWN a hill your fresh new Mopar will downshift to slow it down. Revving the pee out of the engine, killing fuel mileage, and surprising the crap out of everyone, this most fun feature is very usefull for when a loaded 18-wheeler is behind you.
The Engineer that thought of this was the Kid you went tobogganing/bicycling with and dragged his feet down the hill while bawling for his Mommy.
Reward offered to the tuning company that can bypass this counter-productive "safety feature".
Smokies often set up on downhill slopes - that feature has saved me a ticket or two...
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Re: The good and BAD things the Ma MoPar engineers did ....
[Re: dOrk !]
#1012598
06/14/11 01:26 AM
06/14/11 01:26 AM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,399
Aurora, Colorado
451Mopar
master
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master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,399
Aurora, Colorado
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Compared to many other car brands, I'd say Mopar stuff was better designed and easier to work on.
I don't know about the 2003 caravan, but the water pump on my 1999 Carvan was very easy to replace. I did install the Gates belt/idler/tensioner kit that replaces the tensioner and idler with groved pulleys, and the belt is groved on both sides so it can't slip off.
Replacing the waterpump on a Pontiac Grand-Am with the quad4 is a real pain. It's chain driven, I think off of the timing chain, mounted next to the firewall, bolts to the block, timing cover and thermostat.
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Re: The good and BAD things the Ma MoPar engineers did ....
[Re: 446acuda]
#1012601
06/14/11 02:18 PM
06/14/11 02:18 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,643
S.E.Ohio
Magnumguy
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,643
S.E.Ohio
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Re: The good and BAD things the Ma MoPar engineers did ....
[Re: Magnumguy]
#1012602
06/14/11 02:51 PM
06/14/11 02:51 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
70Cuda383
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
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good -- stuck with the tried and true 318 and 360 for what...40 years?! sure it got upgrades like EFI, but in whole, it's the same motor.
bad -- amp meters in the dash, taking the full load of the alternator through the wire harness, bulk head connectors, to the gauge, back to the wire harness, bulk head connectors and out to the battery.
**Photobucket sucks**
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Re: The good and BAD things the Ma MoPar engineers did ....
[Re: 70Cuda383]
#1012603
06/14/11 05:04 PM
06/14/11 05:04 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 15,995
RI Deep in the rust belt
chargervert
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 15,995
RI Deep in the rust belt
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good: The Mopar big block,with the external mounted oil pump,front mounted distributor,and 4 bolt water pump. A very easy engine to work on and maintain.
bad: The exhaust mainfold bolts going into the water jacket on the cylinder heads. With stock manifolds,the studs almost always come out with the nuts when removing them to change gaskets. With Headders the studs need to be removed to install them. This always causes a big coolant mess every time that the bolts are removed.
70 Charger R/T SE 472 Hemi
70 Charger R/T convertible
70 Charger R/T V Code Sixpack
69 Charger R/T SE Sunroofcar
68 Charger 383
68 Charger 318
71 Charger R/T
70 Challenger convertible
71 Challenger convertible
71 Cuda 340
09 Challenger R/T Classic
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Re: The good and BAD things the Ma MoPar engineers did ....
[Re: 70Cuda383]
#1012604
06/14/11 06:19 PM
06/14/11 06:19 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,421
Balt. Md
383man
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,421
Balt. Md
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Quote:
good -- stuck with the tried and true 318 and 360 for what...40 years?! sure it got upgrades like EFI, but in whole, it's the same motor.
bad -- amp meters in the dash, taking the full load of the alternator through the wire harness, bulk head connectors, to the gauge, back to the wire harness, bulk head connectors and out to the battery.
They did correct the amp gauge problem around 1971 as they went to a shunt type amp gauge so the amp gauge only carried a small amount of the current. But probably not as accurate. Ron
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Re: The good and BAD things the Ma MoPar engineers did ....
[Re: PLUM_72]
#1012605
06/14/11 07:05 PM
06/14/11 07:05 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,323
NY NY
340duster340
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,323
NY NY
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Quote:
Great vehicle design! BUT its poorly executed...
My last recent Mopar was a 2000 Grand Cherokee Ltd. with 4.7 V8. Loved the truck! Great design, good engine, very torquey especially with the 3.73 rear end. The HVAC system just sucked. I think I replaced just about every component in that system. Finally got rid of it in 08.
In general what I've noticed about Chrysler from back in the day to the present; at lot of the trim tabs and features that hold things together, inside and out, never last. Initial quality might be good, but the damn thing falls apart just after the warranty is up.
It is that which holds me back from buying a new Challenger...
 .. also good call on the chally..my dad bought an 09 srt8 new and it looks like it was painted outside. my brothers jeep liberty .. the interior pretty much self destructed, and my moms jeep grand cherokee ac box had and still has all kinds of problems.
MY favorite blunder were the mini vans that had the fan controller on the frame rail...eventually they would go bad from being exposed to the elements and the elec fan would stop, then it was a matter of time before a tank on the radiator blew. when i was working in a shop a changed a bunch all had the same issue.
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If it's set at 70 it will still be going 70 so what's the big deal?
But parts books say they won't 
