My latest mishap

[Shran]

Couldn't grab any pictures of the carnage before it got towed, but here's the story.

So I'm headed to Pierre on Monday, from Rapid City. I get all my shit packed up in my work van and hit the road. I get to Wasta (about 40 miles from RC) and look at my fuel guage...WTF? Half tank gone already? Whatever...damn gas hog Chrysler. I'd been riding behind a diesel VW most of the way and I figured I was just smelling exhaust from that, but once I got past that guy it became evident that it was, in fact, my van.

So I pull over, crack hood, smell around. Nothing except hot engine. Then it hits me - raw gas. So I'm looking around, and I notice the 3' wide puddle of fuel on the ground. The clips holding the fuel line to the floor pan of the van broke and the line got caught on the drive shaft (AWD Town & Country) and tore a ton of holes in it. Anyway, called the office, got a tow and another van, and was on my way.

Diagram of fuel line: (ignore ***s, won't let me put in spaces)

-----------|
*********|
=========|=== <-- Drive shaft
*********|
*********|---------- <--fuel line

WTF Chrysler? You put the fuel line OVER the driveshaft? Seems like a recall waiting to happen, especially if this happened and it caught fire.

 

[Danger FX4 Ranger]

I've never been a big fan of any chrysler products. Of the 3 US auto makers, they seem to use the poorest of designs.

 

[4x4RangerGuy]

I second that. Chrysler just seems to have backwards designs on the most basic of systems.

 

[BlackBII]

I second that. Chrysler just seems to have backwards designs on the most basic of systems.

I agree, having worked on some of them, it's like "Why did you place that bolt where you cant' take it out? And how in the hell did you get it in there in the first place?" lol

I dont know, their engineers make a lot more cash than I do...

 

[Shoeboy]

To be fair, the AWD version was an afterthought, and not a very good one at that. My family currently owns a 1996 Voyager, a 1997 Dakota, 2001 PT Cruiser (that I'm doing the timing belt in starting tonight, retarded 10+ hour job), a 1997 Concord. In the past I have owned a 1987 Plymouth Caravelle, and a 1991 Dakota. In the past my family have owned a 1986 K-Car, and a 1976 Dart, we've had very minimal problems with them, and aside from a few retarded designs, they've been fairly reliable, (even my 1987 Caravelle with 250k on it that I sold the next day after I got my first Ranger). Then again, when it come to Chrysler, I guess having a family friend who owns a dealership helps a lot. Some of their designs are retarded, but they've been no worse then any other car made. They all have their high points, and they all have their low points.

 

[Danger06Ranger]

I agree, having worked on some of them, it's like "Why did you place that bolt where you cant' take it out? And how in the hell did you get it in there in the first place?" lol

I dont know, their engineers make a lot more cash than I do...

reminds me of when i replaced the front diff on a 96 s10 jimmy, wometimes you just gotta make your own tools...