Do Chrysler Minivans last a long time?

The gating and/or shift stick pushbutton is regarded as sufficient safeguard against inadvertent shifting between a forward range and reverse. One cannot always save the operator from himself without compromising the utility of the machine.

It is worth noting that through 1965, the Chrysler automatic transmissions contained a reverse safety valve which, if the transmission were shifted into Reverse while travelling more than about 3mph forward, would place the trans into Neutral. It remained in Neutral until actually shifted into Neutral and then into a gear. This was a wise inclusion on the pushbutton-shifted Torqueflites, and was carried over through 1965 (lever-shift Torqueflites using the same twin-cable shift/park mechanism as had been used by the pushbutton shifters), but for '66 this feature was deleted along with the rear pump. No more push starts for Torqueflite-equipped vehicles, no more safeguard if you shift to reverse while moving forward.

DS

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern
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Good point. Maybe the criteria for whether to put any given essentially free (firmware) safeguard in is whether the destruction that would be caused would be easily provable as to cause (for denial of warranty coverage purposes).

For example, in the LH cars (and probably most others) the PCM limits engine RPM to 4000 rpm when the tranny is in park or neutral. If my theory is correct, it could be that engine damage due to over-rev'ing in neutral may be difficult to distinguish (to a point provable in court) from certain spontaneous damage from other (non-customer initiated) causes - so that safeguard is put in. And, on the flip side of that scenario, that damge to a drivetrain from a tranny being thrown into reverse while traveling forward at speed *is* easily provable - so that safeguard is left out.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Reply to
Bill Putney

really dan could have fooled me when my kid slammed my charger into reverse at

45 and we heard the most allful noise and then had to get home by tow truc

"Daniel J. Stern" wrote:

Reply to
philthy

I had a 1972 Chevy Vega that had the tried and true Turbo Hydromatic 350 transmission. My girlfriend kicked the floor shifter into reverse while we were traveling down the freeway at 62 MPH. I'll never forget how it screeched ... just as if the brakes had been applied. The engine died as well ... I pushed the shifter back to neutral as fast as I could and restarted the engine. I was shocked when I shifted to Drive and took off like nothing happened at all.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Shuman

Ahhhh the old tried and true "reliable" TH 350. Back when I did tranny rebuilds for fun and beer money, 8 out of 10 were TH350s. I could turn one out in about an hour and a half, good as new.

Reply to
Steve

H'mm. A TH350 "good as new". Well...I guess, for certain definitions of "good"! :-)

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Read more carefully.

First year for the Charger: 1966.

Last year for the reverse-safety valve in Chrysler Torqueflites: See above, re-read what I wrote. 1965!

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

I am considering a new minivan to replace my 2001 Avalon. I test drove the Honda, Ford, Toyota and Chrysler this weekend. I have to say that I was very disappointed by the numb steering feel of the Chrysler minvan. Considering how well the steering is weighted in the 300M and other Chryslers I've driven, the minivan was a big disappointment compared to the other makes. Will probably go with the Honda which also gets excellent epa gas ratings..... similar to that of my 99 300M.

Reply to
Art

Oh, any definition of "good" you want to use. "Good as new" can be an awfully weak claim. :)

Reply to
Joe Pfeiffer

I read that the Odyssey is actually larger inside cubic feet wise than the Chrysler. At least in used models. I couldn't believe it.

Reply to
needin4mation

I believe it. It looks like a bloated pig on the outside so I sure hope it is bigger inside!

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

Do they get kickbacks from the foreign auto makers?

Reply to
needin4mation

I have an opportunity to by a 2001 odyssey for 11,500 at 83,000 miles or a 99 Chrysler Town & Country with 90,000 for 5900. That price tag of $5900 sure is attractive.

Reply to
needin4mation

Come on Putt.. you're an engineer.. I know you took lots and lots of math..you certainly got to derivatives !! LOL This group is such fun!

Reply to
me!

Are you KIDDING? Old American cars run forever- I've got 441,000 miles on a '73 Plymouth. Japanese dispose-a-cars may have required a lot less TLC for the first 100k, but I'd NEVER touch a Japanese car with more than 100k on it- they seem to undergo massive organ failure where

*everything* goes wrong somewhere before 200k miles, but American cars just keep going if you take care of them.

That said, I don't generally think of ANY minivan as being a good candidate for a long-life vehicle. Front-wheel drive is basically a light-duty arrangement, and is generally overstressed in a big vehicle like that, and drivetrain problems are apt to crop up. The engine may run forever, but I'd get tired of feeding it CV shafts, struts, steering racks, transmissions, etc.

Reply to
Steve

Which is reason enough to run out and buy one immediately.

Reply to
Steve

Now I've heard every possible ridiculous statement about automatic transmissions....

Reply to
Steve

Which begs the question "why bother?" There are plenty of used 3.3s out there, which are better in every measurable way. The only reason I can think of would be if you want to buy a much older van, during which time the 3-speed tranny (available only with the 3.0 or 2.5 4-cylinder) was much more reliable than the 4-speed behind the 3.3. But if you're looking at vans made after 94 or so, I'd pass by anyone with a 3.0. Steam ship boilers should be oil-fired, not van engines :-p

Reply to
Steve

But, your not buying used cars. Your buying used UP cars.

Couple things about this method:

1) It doesen't work for sporty cars or cheapo cars like neons or such, that have had a long, hard life of being abused by cheapskates. 2) It works best if the car is partly smashed up - lots of people will total out a vehicle with an immaculately maintained drivetrain that has, for example, the side caved in. 3) Works OK for the expensive vehicles that have had long, gentle lives and only within the last few years have come on hard times. You probably avoid stuff with a trailer hitch on it, for example.

This also works better in certain geographic areas than others.

Ted

Reply to
Ted Mittelstaedt

It's a lot easier than trying to shuttle around kids in a small vehicle. That is, after all, why most people buy them.

Ted

Reply to
Ted Mittelstaedt

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