Chrysler 300 Experiment Comes to Ignominious End

[Aage]

mstephens,

Sorry to hear that you and your wife are still not happy with the car. It seems a mystery that it is misbehaving for you still!

One question: in post #1, where you describe the performance and temperatures, you never actually mention what temperatures it reached?

Would you be able to remember at least what the maximum temperature that you reached was?

[mstephens]

Originally Posted by dkottum

MStephens, reading Andy's report he used the manual shift mode and kept the transmission in 5th gear on the highway, and shifted down for grades (to move rpm up to needed torque range). Were you able to use this method?

Absolutely. I went to great lengths to find the model with paddle shift. When towing I always manually shift to keep RPM optimum, and especially on hills.

[mstephens]

Originally Posted by Aage

mstephens,

Sorry to hear that you and your wife are still not happy with the car. It seems a mystery that it is misbehaving for you still!

One question: in post #1, where you describe the performance and temperatures, you never actually mention what temperatures it reached?

Would you be able to remember at least what the maximum temperature that you reached was?

With no trailer 206 is the norm I have been running. As soon as we started up the small hill she shot right to 228 at which we crested. Stayed high for miles and after time came down to 220. After dropping trailer it cam back to 206.

[switz]

This has been quite a story to follow. Really sorry for the outcome, but not totally unexpected from my perspective.

The engine is now factory "repaired" and this makes it a good candidate for a used car lot somewhere.

[JFScheck]

A newish Grand Cherokee would suit you well!

[andreasduess]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Can-Am's newest 300 test is with the near identical car the op used. Here is his report, page 6 in RV Lifestyle.

RV Lifestyle - Vol. 42 No. 5

Doug, that's the article that started this entire experiment. I am still confused to why the engine isn't performing, especially given that when installed in a Durango it is rated to tow 6500lbs.

I am sorry to hear that this experiment hasn't worked out and can fully understand mStephen's reluctance to continue throwing good money after bad. I do think that he was particularly unlucky and that with a different car we might well have had a different outcome.

I too would sell the car as quickly as possible, simply because I am almost certain there's other problems lurking.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Chuck

but...these heads were just replaced.

That info must have been in a different thread...

[xrvr]

Sell it, get something you can have confidence in. This has to be a freak car, or many others are going to be in trouble. The dealer should be able to give you a good trade in since they serviced this vehicle. Press them on it. Hemi? Jim

[SteveH]

One last story from me about this overheating subject, and then I'm off the thread....in the early 60's my dad bought a new Dodge pickup, 1/2 ton, standard cab, long bed. Sort of a sport truck for the day, came with black racing stripes down the hood, bucket seats and a console (which he promptly had the dealer change for a standard seat), and a great big 426 cu. in. engine. He bought the truck to pull his 31' Airstream.

Well, the truck was great. Pulled like no body's business, all except when pulling long grades in high country, it would overheat. So, my dad tried all sorts of magic coolant system addatives, recovery systems, special fans, but none of them worked. So, he sold the truck to a friend.

The friend and new owner of the truck took it to a radiator shop, and had a larger radiator core installed in the same tanks. The guy drove the truck several more years pulling all sorts of trailers with it, and it never overheated again.

mstephens, sorry this did not work out for you.

[Denis4x4]

Been following this thread and have come to the conclusion that your 300 in particular was the culprit. I've walked away from projects on several occasions and it appears that you made a good decision in moving on.

Once there is a mechanical issue, it's difficult to put trust in that vehicle even when it was "fixed". Took a $10,000 beating on a 2012 Silverado with transmission issues and traded it in with 2500 miles on the odometer.

The caption for this photo should be: "New Trucks Break Too!"

[Jim Flower]

D4x4, I come from a long line of sailors where not fixing stuff is not an option unless you can swim forever. Probably helps to explain why I keep my Jeeps for 20 years. In my mind, all things can be fixed. I have just not figured out how to keep the things from rusting away. Also, when it is practical to give up. My wife found me in the garage last week end after spending 2 hours trying to fix a plastic ice scrapper. A new one costs .99 cents. But a cooling issue? Surely that must be in "fixin 101" at the Chrysler school of Customer Service. Or maybe they just run hot when working and every thing is actually ok? Jim

[Denis4x4]

Jim, I too was a sailor for 40 years and agree with you on fix its. However, the technology and hourly rate to address issues like the ones on the 300 don't always make sense. GM's policy on the transmission that became suspect with less than a 1000 miles was to replace it with a rebuilt unit. The fact that it came flawed from the factory made no difference. I have three Model A's and a '60 Thunderbird and have no problems digging into the bowels of the engine compartment. The engine bay on the '13 Grand Cherokee is such that it's difficult to find the dip stick!

I suspect that 20 years hence, there will be fewer AS owners "restoring" models built in the first 10 years of this century due to the fact that they are much more complex then those Airstreams built 30 years ago.

Again, I'm sorry to see the 300 Project come to an end.

[Jim Flower]

D4x4. Sometimes it's just hard to accept that it's time to press the emergency locator button. Jim

[Ahab]

I never had a Chrysler passenger vehicle that didn't overheat towing over 6,000' on upgrades in extreme temps, and sometimes less and sometimes not towing. This is with all the recommended extras. It's like they design them with minimal cooling.

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by Ahab

I never had a Chrysler passenger vehicle that didn't overheat towing over 6,000' on upgrades in extreme temps, and sometimes less and sometimes not towing. This is with all the recommended extras. It's like they design them with minimal cooling.

Just a note to advise that may be your passenger car experience but may not be universal. We have no such problem with out 2012 Ram 1500 Hemi towing grades at high altitude in hot weather.

[JeweloJalopy]

I just found this thread, and have also considered a 300/Magnum/Charger as a tow vehicle. Our first TV was a 2000 BMW 540it wagon, with the 4.4L V8. It towed our little 13' trailer just fine, but I was always afraid the cooling system would explode as they aren't robust to begin with.

So we sold it and bought a 2004 Tahoe with the 5.3L V8. It tows our 26' Countess just fine, but was losing coolant the whole time we owned it. Until I figured out some of them came with porous heads. Yup, ours has them. A bottle of stop leak fixed it (the factory recommended fix btw) but it shook my confidence until I had a few hundred miles on the car.

So a Tahoe would likely serve you fine, just watch out for the swiss cheese heads.

[slowmover]

I've followed this thread and related. Damned sorry to see this conclusion, but agree with ditching this particular car. Until this iteration (this latest engine and 8-speed) I'd have gone with the Hemi powered versions. That choice may need to stay in place.

Expedition over Suburban if you go that route. Fully independent suspension always trumps live rear axle. Stick a PRO-PRIDE on the back and work the numbers.

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by mstephens

Our experiment ended very quickly today in the 90 degree heat of the desert.

That is a bummer ms. I too truly believe that car has an lurking defect.

PS..... Years ago my cousin bought a new diesel pick up. He was in the fishing industry in the Maritimes and when he got the call to get out on the water he had to drive to the boat ASAP. He bought the diesel because he thought it would be the most reliable. Instead it too was a lemon. Always blowing head gaskets. The dealer had the head off it many times to no avail. They just couldn't fix it. Not sure of the outcome but it goes to show it doesn't mater what you buy there is a risk of disappointment.

Best of luck with your next steps.

[Ahab]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Just a note to advise that may be your passenger car experience but may not be universal. We have no such problem with out 2012 Ram 1500 Hemi towing grades at high altitude in hot weather.

Read my post again. I said passenger car.

[gmw photos]

Well Mark, you gave it the old college try. Good luck moving forward, and enjoy whatever tow vehicle you settle on. Time to go camping....without worrying.