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#1
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Question about a potentially dying engine....
Here's the issue....our Dodge Caravan, a POS that we've had since new, is having some new issues. Today I opened up the oil fill cap to add some oil (it eats about 1.5qts per 1000 miles)....and was met with a new discovery. Thick milky-brownish white glop all over the cap and inside the fill hole. I heard the death knell bells in the distance at that point. I changed its oil about 1.5 months ago and hadn't checked it since. (not driven that much...sister's driver).....so, I am guessing it blew its headgasket? The coolant also looked darker than usual, and was a bit lower than usual. So it has to be that. Anyone back up my theory? Issue is though, we're not fixing the headgasket on a blow-by puffing 92k Mitsubishi V6 with a 22,000 mile over due timing belt. We may as well trash the car and seek a 240d or something to complete the fleet transition to all MB's/Diesels.
Anyways, how long do you think it will run that way? I'm assuming as more coolant gets in the oil it will spin a bearing or some other gruesome thing as lubrication fails....we don't really care when it dies, we just wonder how long it has left. We'll drag it to the U-pick when its dead.
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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
#2
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22k overdue on a mitsu v6? what's the current milage at (your sig says 92k)
Might be condensation, considering the time of year and the amount it's apparently driven. What weight oil do you put in it? run 10w30 if your not allready (15w40 in summer, if it makes it) Sucks that much money all to waste in 9 years on such a POS (why do you call it, again jw). O well though. The frount end componants (lights grill bumper fenders) move very easily this time of year with deer strikes. Might be worth poking around a few local body shops asking if they'd want (buy) the parts... Good luck, I think that engine's got alot of aluminium in it. it's worth about $220 to the scrap yards as is, alot more if you get the AL outta it and scrap that seperatly... ~Nate
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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100. 1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle! 2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl) |
#3
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Quote:
Actual mileage is about 91,700 currently. It has 5w30 synthetic castrol oil + a Fram ToughGuard filter. We'll keep on driving it to see what happens.....thanks for the tips on the scrap value, I was wondering about that. According to the service book it needs a new timing belt at 70k, but we didn't do it because the evil dealer wanted a HUGE sum to do it.
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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
#4
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Actually the Mitsu engine is supposed to last longer, we had a 91 Caravan in our office, it was a pain, would regularly strip its transmission mounting bolts but the Mitsu engine in it had over 106,000 miles and it was still strong.
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99 Gurkha with OM616 IDI turbo 2015 Gurkha with OM616 DI turbo 2014 Rexton W with OM612 VGT |
#5
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Pull the dipstick - is it milky white too?
Drain a little oil - is it milky white? If neither are milky white, it is simply condensation around the cap. My ML did that, as well my E430.
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Thank You! Fred 2009 ML350 2004 SL600 2004 SL500 1996 SL600 2002 SLK32 2005 CLK320 cabrio 2003 ML350 1997 C280 Sport |
#6
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Its probably condensation around the cap. It happens a lot when it gets this cold, if the car is used for short trips.
My neighbors love those things, they have three. A new one, a late 90's and what looks to be an early 90's. They are junk but if you take care of them they never seem to die.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#7
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Yeah it might be condensation....we'll leave it alone for a while. Although we'd like to get rid of it. (much rather have a car thats easier to work on) Working on that thing is a PAIN....1/5 the size engine bay as the W123/W126. And everything you need to get to is under 100 other things that break when you try to remove them.
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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
#8
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If the oil on the dipstick isn't milky, it's just condensation. Those 3.0 Mr. Squishies aren't a bad motor, but until about '93 or '94, the valve guides liked to drop, and even if they didn't, the valve seals liked to crap out. I'm personally familiar with a few of those motors, and they're capable of running strong well past 200,000 miles if the valve seal issues are addressed early on.
The A604 4-speed electronic transmission that was mated up to most of them was a different matter all together. Those things suck with out serious hard part retrofits and the newest available computer flash. By about '94, the tranny issues were mostly worked out as well. If it does have coolant in the oil, it won't last long at all. Expect the milkshake to cause the motor to self destruct violently within a very short period of time. A replacement vehicle should be sought out immediately, not two weeks from now. It could go that quick.
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- K.C.Adams '77 300D Euro Delivery OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap 404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex Current status: * Undergoing body work My '77 300D progress thread |
#9
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The dipstick oil appears normal currently....so we'll see how it goes. We'll still probably look into getting rid of the thing. We're just sick of it.
__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
#10
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Just buff it up and ebay it before the timing belt lets go. When the T belt snaps is scrap, now you can probably get a couple of grand for it.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#11
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Yeah, there's a lot of dealers around here offering huge trades too....so we're looking at the options. The thing is a bit ugly on the driver's side because we had to fight some rust....and thus it has big spots of primer on it.
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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
#12
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No matter...dealers really only care for the low mileage trade-ins as far as cream puffs to display on their pre-owned lots...the rest are sold to brokers, which they care little about the condition of those.
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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle 2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car 2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver 2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car |
#13
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Its for your sister right? Trade it on a Civic or something.
Those are good little cars, and you won't have to fix it for her.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#14
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Thats what we'd like to do.
__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
#15
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I'm going to give mine the VW in April. It will be fixed by then, she can put tires on it and just drive it. I don't mind helping out but I don't want to spend my free time fixing other peoples cars.
Next time she needs a car I'm just going to tell her to get a Toyota or Honda with a long warranty and some free service included. We are going on year 2 with my moms Rav4 and I have never popped the hood, I think my dad has a couple of times. Its going to the dealer for another free oil change and tire rotation tomarrow.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
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