[Cobra]

We were given one. I'ts transaxle may be hooped. Is this common for that model

[M&M CUSTOM]

"We were given one."[color=yellow]The price is right, but you get what you pay for.[/color]
"I'ts transaxle may be hooped."[color=yellow]How many miles, and was the previous owner hard on it?[/color]
"Is this common for that model?"[color=yellow]It depends on the previous owner and many other variables.[/color]

I have a '91 Caravan at the moment but it needs minor engine work that is awaiting funding.
My sister had an '88 Voyager that needed enough body work to kill all remaining hope of properly fixing it on her budget, and her boyfriend killed the ECM after messing with the wiring harness trying to hook up a stereo system.
I kept the engine and transaxle out of hers when I junked it for her, and two months after I had it ahuled I got a couple boxes of parts including 2 ECM modules. Oh well, life goes on.

[Cobra]

over 200 000 KM. Well maintained except the paint is peeling.

[M&M CUSTOM]

It lived its useful lifespan.

Mine is peeling like old wallpaper, light blue/primer/light surface rust.

If the interior isn't bad, the body isn't rusted through, and engine runs good, look into another transmission- or get that one rebuilt (even if you want to learn something new and do it yourself.

[Cobra]

We don't have access to a flow bench to test the automatic Transaxle afterwards.
Our Mustangs has 222 000 KM and doesn't burn or use any oil and the tranny is in mint condition.

[yesgo]

Pick up a used trans at a salvage yard. It's not like they're rare. U.S. dollars maybe 4-500$... hopefully less. If that's all you spend on it in half a year, you are still ahead.

What I see the most often on the Caravans is the mount on the driver's side sags, and causes the left inner CV to go bad, causing a driveline vibration.... that, and idiots screw up the brakes. Otherwise, they seem fairly reliable... headgaskets are a maintenance item on the 2.5, I think.

Everything breaks eventually. I have only seen one bad Caravan transmission, but I dont work in a trans shop... '96 Town & Country ran low on fluid with about 80,000 miles and was slipping. It had an axle seal leak.

[Cobra]

We put the tranny in . Had the smaller Dia winter tires from a previous car. Now every once and awhile the tranny won't shift up. It just started when we put the winter tires onit. any ideas, bad sensor.

[mikeweyman]

i have a 94 dodge s.e. . it has everything new, tie rods,wheel bearings, struts brakes, etc .etc. etc. the head gasket went and toasted the motor, i bought a whole van for 500. i put the motor in and less than a month later the tranny went. luckily i saved the other tranny.
I have lost all faith in dodge minivans and i was one of their greatest proponents.the one i have now also has new paint.if i could get a thousand for it i would sell it with the tranny and the 4 new snow tires for it.
my advise is to sell it (like i want to, but can't find a buyer)and buy something a little more reliable like a lada or a skoda or something. seriously,
go to a dodge minivan bulliten board and read almost any transmission page and you will draw a similar conclusion . these vans are beautiful to drive but after over 4 grand worth of parts and to have it majorly poop the bed twice in a month i would almost give mine away to someone i don't like...mike
THE OPINION ABOVE IS THAT OF A DISGRUNTLED LONG TERM MINIVAN OWNER,SO COMON CHRYSLER,MAKE ME GRUNTLED.mike

[Cobra]

Originally posted by mikeweyman
lada

You have got to be kidding I owned a LADA The only thing they are good for is getting totally drunk placing a video camera 1000 ft away putting 500lbs of dynamite into it and sell the videos on ebay. I will never own one of the POS again. I have had several imports including Hondas I will stick with my domestic vehicles thank you

[mikeweyman]

i didn't really mean a lada , maybe an 81 chevette or any other moving vehicle .lol.mike

[yesgo]

I guess I'll have to revise my position on Caravan's. I've seen many reliable ones though...

I would put the larger tires back on and see if it shifts right. If it is not shifting up at all, it is probably not the tires. If it is just shifting late, and I am not sure where that trans gets its shift signals from, but it could be possible, as the RPM and speed are not matching what they were with the larger tires.

Anything with computer controls, and changing tire diameter can sometimes do weird things... like forcing the A/C to shut off on minor hills, and weird stuff like that.