The STUPIDEST thing ever done by any OEM!!!

Me Again wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:

Me Again wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:
I have long promoted the idea that a seasoned mechanic sit next to the engineers and advise. Not that engineers are dumb, but a mechanic sees things from the point of view of: "How much trouble is it going to be to fix?"

Having that kine of input during the design phase could eliminate a lot of these problems.

Dumbest I have seen? In the 60's, Dodge Dart with a slant six cylinder engine.

You have to remove the whole air filter assembly to access the dipstick and check the oil.

Do you know how many miles the larger 225 slant six motor was good for?

It had steel cylinders pressed into the base of the block with complete and even 360 degree cooling of the cylinder. The head held the top of the cylinder in place. They lasted hundreds of thousands of miles.

Chris

I do. I agree they lasted hundreds of thousands of miles in an time when 50,000-75,0000 was common. They were great motors. But some obvious minor design flaws as mentioned.

A mechanic sitting next to engineer/designer would have stopped that.

My dad had three Plymouth Valiants. I Red 1960 wagon three speed on the floor, a white two door hard top 1962 Signet and then another 1964 wagon.

The little Signet was a rocket with the 225/auto/3.73 gears.

I do not remember any issues with the dip sticks.

Chris

My Dad ran an natural gas company service department and had to keep records on repair costs of each service truck. Of the three brands the Chrysler slant six required the most $$$ in repairs. Back in those days the service men could request which brand of company truck they wanted when it was time to purchase a new truck, but the Dodge trucks with the slant 6 repair costs were so bad that Dodge trucks came off the list in the early 80's.

Said another way they were junk. :W

The Chevrolets I6 company trucks were the least expensive to keep on the road.