2001 Chrysler town and country mpg

[Grant-53]

It's a weakness of some Chrysler automatic transmissions to last only about 135K. I had this happen in a 1985 Plymouth Horizon 2.2L we bought new and our 2002 3.3L Gran Caravan. I am a former auto parts salesman and know about oils and fluids. We live in a fairly hilly area.
I have some ideas about aeromods for the vans but I will have to prove them on my Prizm before my wife lets me mess with her van. A boat tail would prevent getting at the rear latch.

[3n3rgystar]

Originally Posted by Grant-53

It's a weakness of some Chrysler automatic transmissions to last only about 135K. I had this happen in a 1985 Plymouth Horizon 2.2L we bought new and our 2002 3.3L Gran Caravan. I am a former auto parts salesman and know about oils and fluids. We live in a fairly hilly area.
I have some ideas about aeromods for the vans but I will have to prove them on my Prizm before my wife lets me mess with her van. A boat tail would prevent getting at the rear latch.

Never heard of it and I also worked in a automotive shop as a mechanic in the late 80's and 90's. As far as parts salesman, I've had many lead me wrong before, and out of respect I wait for them to walk away before putting what they recommended back on the shelf. I lived in the mountains and we actually owned a Plymouth horizon and never noticed any weakness as you say in your expert opinion in the transmission. Why are you guys coming in this guys thread and saying what can happen, I read other threads about Honda's, etc etc and the discussion for the most part sticks to the topic? So why the Chrysler bashing?

[Varn]

Chrysler bashing, I didn't say anything about chrysler. I said mini van. Everything wears out. Make the car heavier, make it less efficient and you will wear out stuff faster, right? It is a good reason to never buy a first or second year car, sometimes even a 3 or fourth year car. Google Chrysler van transmission trouble, Change the search to Ford or Chevy or Toyota.

Actually the only transmission I ever blew was on a Chevy minivan. I took it out for a test drive and ran it up to about 85 and something let go. I called the dealer on my cell phone and asked him to pick me up. I found my Ford minivan sitting in the back with the ash tray full. Test drove it and made an offer on it.

I think it is good insurance to put in an additional transmission oil cooler.

Take a deep breath. The world is not out bash Lee Iacocca's dream.

Originally Posted by 3n3rgystar

Never heard of it and I also worked in a automotive shop as a mechanic in the late 80's and 90's. As far as parts salesman, I've had many lead me wrong before, and out of respect I wait for them to walk away before putting what they recommended back on the shelf. I lived in the mountains and we actually owned a Plymouth horizon and never noticed any weakness as you say in your expert opinion in the transmission. Why are you guys coming in this guys thread and saying what can happen, I read other threads about Honda's, etc etc and the discussion for the most part sticks to the topic? So why the Chrysler bashing?

[Grant-53]

Sorry to hear that some parts people are not up to ASI professional standards. Our NAPA stores took every opportunity to get up to date training for our counterman. Since I had a mechanical engineering technology backround I would co-host the technical seminars with the factory reps. It was important to know the strenghts and weaknesses of every type of vehicle used in our area to keep our inventory correct.
The issue of maintaining adequate cooling, especially when using grill blocks, has a direct impact on automatic transmission clutch plate life whether you are driving a small import car or a huge CaseIH tractor. Attention to air flow under the hood will reduce total drag and improve the life of batteries, electronic controls, and hoses.
The only cars that have given better value for money than the four Chrysler products I've owned have been the two Toyota Corollas (5 spd). I would not hesitate to buy another minivan from Chrysler or recommend one. Like I said each model has good points and weaknesses. Consumer Reports used car guide has the best statistical data on reliablity. Even when our van transmission gave out, the parts were inexpensive and easy to obtain.
For aero mods, an air dam, partial or variable grill closures, wheel skirts, and tire strake fairings should help the the belly pan. Just make sure the sections of the belly can be removed easily for repairs. Use aluminum near the catalytic converter instead of coroplast. The rear hatch might benefit from a short Kamm section. I saw some pictures of such modifications in a British study and will try to post them.

[Fat Charlie]

The RS (01-07) was a really good platform and the 3.8 is a really good engine. A long time ago, Chrysler transmissions went out a lot- but that was a long time ago.

Last fall I was looking for an RS for the wife but she wanted something newer than 07. A lot got carried over into the RT (08+) and we got one of those. We're happy with it.

[Grant-53]

There was a thread in the Aerodynamic section titled 'Minivan Kardboard Kammback boosts MPG' back in May 2009.