Dodge Caravan 3.3 V6.

[Murphy Slaw]

No timing belt?

Is that cool or what?

My wifes van is pushing 100,000 miles and I was ready to take it in for the usual, several hundred dollar, pushing a grand, ordeal.

My brother is a mechanic and looked at it and said it has pushrods. Forget about it. Drive it.

I must say, that has been a fine machine. I know some people think minivans aint' cool, but this one has been a very fine machine. Zero problems.

I even borrow it to haul gear sometimes.

Murph.

[buddywayne]

Mine is a '95 model Voyager with 192,000mi. on the clock. Had to replace
the water pump last fall and put a belt tensioner on. That's it. I carry most
of our band's gear in it. Great machine!

[boris bubbanov]

Yeah, some of the Chrysler minivans had the Mitsubishi motors, and some not.

To me, a minivan is a lot cooler than an SUV. Those SUV things are the actual mommy-mobiles; everyone needs to get real.

Yessir, I loves me a timing chain, no stinking belts to fail and total the top end of the motor.

[Telehackster]

We bought a Caravan about a year and half ago, and I like it a lot more than I thought I would. It drives great, and there's ample room for both kids and all of the stuff that they bring along. The van is my wife's; I get to drive it when it needs an oil change or when we're taking a long road trip.

[Darrell]

Yea, I am a convert. It the wifes ride. I have to say...really a smooth transmition, handles good for a "boat". Tough on the wallet at 3.15 a gallon though.

[superlightweigh]

We're on our second one. We buy em used for cheap, then run them into the ground. When this one dies we'll probably get another Grand Caravan as the Caravan is no longer big enough for a family of six to even go to the store.

I just bomb around in my old Ford Ranger, and both vehicles are long since paid for!

Makes it easier to justify the occasional GAS attack!

[Dan German]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Yessir, I loves me a timing chain, no stinking belts to fail and total the top end of the motor.

Just for the sake of clarity, timing belts last a long, long, time. they also do not wear their running gear (sprockets, guides, tensioners) like a chain does. Most bread-and-butter engines nowadays are free-run designs; if the valves open at the wrong time, they can't hit anything anyway. Remember, there is no company more willing to sacrifice modernity for tradition then Harley-Davidson, and they, more than any other MC manufacturer, have embraced belt final drive instead of chain. Lots of advantages, whether you are driving a wheel or a camshaft. And yes, I am a pedantic gearhead; we now return you to your thread.

[Murphy Slaw]

Wrong.

The belts are only good for 100,000 miles or so.

The Dodge 3.3 engines will double this plus, with zero problems.

I'd be interested in hearing the MOST miles on a 3.3 without a major problem.

Buddywayne is winning with 192,000.

Murph.

[Dan German]

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

Wrong.

The belts are only good for 100,000 miles or so.

I did not say they outlast the engine. I am aware that depending on the engine they should be replaced at the 80-120K mile mark. I just pointed out that belts are not some kind of flaw in the engineering, or a "cheap" way of doing things. They are a valid choice with certain advantages over belts that must be weighed when building an engine. A pushrod engine doesn't have a chain because chains are better, it has a chain because the required length to operate an internal camshaft is far shorter than on an overhead cam engine, thus compensating for some of the advantages of a chain. Ever see the timing chain you need for an OHC engine? Now that's wrong!