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1996 dodge caravan 3.0. Needs water pump, can I do it?


Dirtman

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2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
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It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
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Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
It's aparently a Mitsubishi motor put in the caravans all the way to 2001? Anyone deal with one of these before? Church friend who's down on his luck (cancer) needs a water pump on one. I wanna help but I'm doing some research and these things seem like a total nightmare. Seems like half the motor has to come apart, some special tools needed or at least custom fabbed. I wanna do what I can for them but trying to decide if its in my scope of capabilities. I just can't afford to buy any crazy special tools for the thing and he needs it done fast.

It's non interference from what I've found so thats a bonus if I screw up timing. (Water pump timing belt driven).

If you know anything about this engine let me know before I get in over my head. I'm doing it free but need to decide if I gotta say, just take it to a shop, scrap it, or what. Keep in mind, he has NO money and that's weighing heavily on me since if I say no he and his wife are basically screwed.
 


55trucker

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Oshawa, Ontario
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
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Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
-
Total Drop
mild
You will have to support the engine from under the pan while you remove the forward engine mount support, after doing so you can now see the coolant pump. To get the main support off you 1st have to remove the accessory drive belts, disconnect the vacuum hoses that run from the right shock tower area to the vacuum port in between the cylinder heads, (don't break them, they are fragile), disconnect the fuel lines and swing them out of the way, remove the front engine rubber insulator, remove the alternator, remove the p/s pump bolts which are at the bottom to the rear of the engine below the alternator, fastened to that main support & let the pump hang. The p/s fill tube is behind the alternator, it is supported back there by fasteners & goes down the reservoir which is out of sight.

With all of the *hardware* out of the way you can now remove all of the fasteners that hold the mounting bracket to the front of the engine. The coolant pump is driven by the cam timing belt, one needs to bring #1 up to TDC before removing the belt tensioner (mechanical sprung loaded), #1 is at the rear bank, not the front, there should be a timing mark on the oil pump *cover*, pull off the cam accessory covers, pull off the main front cover (plastic), when #1 is at TDC mark the cam pulley positions at 12 o'clock on the cam sprockets, release the belt tensioner & remove it, now you can pull off the timing belt & get at the coolant pump. The cams will remain their place but don't let them move while reinstalling the belt. When you get to the point of returning the timing belt start with the forward cam & work backwards underneath the pump pulley & then the rear cam, down around the loose tensioner & then the crank pulley. Manually check for no slack between the forward cam & the crank sprocket, reinstall the tensioner assembly, make sure nothing has shifted.

If one is into the engine this far it's good idea to replace the timing belt, inspect all of the idler pulleys as well. Replace whatever is not satisfactory.

Good luck with this........the 1st try is always the hardest, but it's no different than any other overhead cam engine that needs this sort of service.
 

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Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
Well thanks a ton for the info. Doesn't sound like a very fun job, but doable. I'm gonna grab a haynes manual for it and me and my brother in law are gonna have a go at it.
 

55trucker

Active Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
602
Reaction score
183
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Location
Oshawa, Ontario
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
-
Total Drop
mild
It's not hard, but for one who isn't familiar with the process it will be time consuming. A lot easier to do leaning over the engine bay of a Shadow rather than a Caravan. Air tools make the job go quicker.

If you find that the a/c discharge/suction lines are in your way & the system is not charged you can disconnect them from the expansion valve block at the firewall to swing them out of the way.



56956
 
Last edited:

Eddo Rogue

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Burbank,CA
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ranger 4x4
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
OHV
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
skyjacker front leveling kit
Tire Size
31-10.50R15
My credo
Crossed threads are tight threads.
It's aparently a Mitsubishi motor put in the caravans all the way to 2001? Anyone deal with one of these before? Church friend who's down on his luck (cancer) needs a water pump on one. I wanna help but I'm doing some research and these things seem like a total nightmare. Seems like half the motor has to come apart, some special tools needed or at least custom fabbed. I wanna do what I can for them but trying to decide if its in my scope of capabilities. I just can't afford to buy any crazy special tools for the thing and he needs it done fast.

It's non interference from what I've found so thats a bonus if I screw up timing. (Water pump timing belt driven).

If you know anything about this engine let me know before I get in over my head. I'm doing it free but need to decide if I gotta say, just take it to a shop, scrap it, or what. Keep in mind, he has NO money and that's weighing heavily on me since if I say no he and his wife are basically screwed.
Despite working 70hr, 6 day weeks, I still often find myself in these situations. My buddy suffered a major stroke, is in recovery, and also in the same situation. People are relentless. I hung up my cape. Here is my say:
-The most valuable gift you can give someone is your time (and energy).
-I don't think a car repair is going to fix/change his life. It is a drop in the bucket of what that guy needs.

If anything, I would pay to get it fixed for him. My time is more valuable than my money. I can make back the money.
 

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