The one in my stepfathers van, a 1988 Dodge Caravan, started puking oil today and he want me to help him fix it. personally I wish he would have let it die years ago but thats another story.

By the amount of oil its losing (he went though 2 1/2 GALLONS of oil to make the 110 mile trip home today) and location of the spray, it seems the front main seal is the culprit. Being a transvestite engine, it looks like its going to be a real PITA to get at- anyone have any advice or tips or should we just take it to the junkyard and get our $300 for it?

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

Johnhef

I have heard alot of bad things about these engines. I have not seen too many that were not oil burners. Does it burn oil? If so, it may not be worth repairing if you think it may be worth sending to the salvage yard, but I have no idea what kind of shape the rest of the van is in. If its a nice van, its probably worth repairing.

My grandparents traded in a nearly new 1987 Mazda SE5 truck on a BRAND NEW 1988 Chrysler New Yorker with that same 3.0L V6 engine you mentioned in that van. By 60K, it was burning oil. By 80K, the transmission was shot, then it was the power steering pump, then this and that, this and that, etc AND this was a babied car - never over 45 mph, oil changes every 2000-2500 miles, etc. Spent over $12,000 on repairs. In 1996, grandpa wised up and traded it in on a 1996 Buick LeSabre. Never had one problem with it and still has it. Rides and drives like a dream.

Take it to the junkyard. If the headgasket doesn't blow, the transmission does.

It is rare that I see one of those vans with more than 150k, and not have major work done on it.

If the BIC disposable pen people built a van, it would last longer.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

Yeah, the Mitsu 3.0 is known for spewing oil. The 3.3 is a much better motor. What I found out on the trans, is the electronic module on the side goes, and sticks you in limp mode. Total POS.

I have nothing to offer, but the engine is actually from Mitsubishi. Have been watching these things puff smoke for the last decade or more. So much for Japanese quality...

- JimY

Junk yard it.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Shoot the poor thing, put it out of its misery. I had a Dodge Dynasty with the 3.3L in it and it ran STRONG for 190xxx miles until it got killed in a wreck. I wouldn't have the 3.0, not Mitsubishi's best effort.

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

That's what I had and sold. The odo quit somewhere around 220k, but the car kept going. It failed the last inspection, and the guy's wife wants him to get rid of it, but the trans works fine.. I want to rip the drivetrain out and find another car to put it in, but I don't think his SO will wait that long.

the mitsu 4g63/4g64 are AMAZING motors.


a little work, and you can get 900hp from one. Upwards of 500hp on a stock 6-bolt block!

We're talking 4cylinders here...

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

I know its a valve guide eater but other then this oil leak it actually runs fine. 170 or 180k on it now but ugly as ****. Its very useful to him- he loves it, hauls anything and everything in the back with no seats.

I mean its not a pretty car by any means, it's beat but runs great. I'd have a hard time junking a car over a $4 seal.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

Ah, but you wouldn't be junking it over a $4 seal, that's just the last straw. You'd be junking it over that $4 seal plus everything else that's wrong with it and everything that's about to go wrong. Four words: Cash for Junk Cars.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

A $4 seal, and about $400 worth of labor to change it. Your time ain't free...

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

My sister's van has the 3.0 Mitsubishi motor in it, its almost to 94k and seems to do ok.....burns a little oil, but not to the point that you can see it in the exhaust. Maybe a quart per 1000ish miles....it has never had any real issues....the biggest pain on the thing is the low quality A/C system, and the electronics....the cooling fan control system fried about 7 times before I altered it....now it works great....we'll see how far it goes. I suspect the trans will go before the engine, then it gets junked.

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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)

All of them have made lemons with exception of Honda......the OM 603 is a fine glaring example of German tech at its very best.

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99 Gurkha with OM616 IDI turbo

2015 Gurkha with OM616 DI turbo

2014 Rexton W with OM612 VGT

yeah we could get $300 for it right now. There may be other stuff wrong with it, but nothing that would have ever been fixed anyways this is the only thing keeping it off the road.

__________________


1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350