"Bulletproofing" a Chrysler 2.7, 3.2 or 3.5 liter V6?

Bill Crowell said
Thanks, guys, for correcting me on the 3.2 liter motor, and for the good information on the 2.7. Too bad, though, that there's no way to bulletproof it. What could the Chrysler engineers have been thinking when they designed the engine that way? Certainly they could have found the room for an external water pump located off to the side somewhere, like they did with the slant 6, if they had really wanted to. They should have realized that it would have the problems that it had.

Chrysler isn't the only manufacture to do this. Other engines with overhead cams and chains use an internal water pump some just planned for a better pump failure than others. If the motors is in a front wheel drive (or AWD with a PTO), you almost have to pull it to replace the pump.

In the end its no more or less intelligent then an interference engine with a timing belt or chain.