1994 Dodge Grand Caravan Clunkin' Noise
tingham
06-30-2007, 02:52 AM
Got an ugly story for anyone that wants to read and hopefully reply with some ideas. Preferably ideas that don't cost a lot, but we'll take all into consideration.
For the past THREE WEEKS, hubby has been working at replacing a bad tranny in our 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan LE. It's a 3.3L motor with 4 speed, auto tranny. We took a working tranny out of our older (1992) Dodge Grand Caravan (also 3.3L motor) to put in the 1994. The 92 has some serious wiring problems that we just couldn't fix, and for some strange reason, I just don't relish driving a vehicle that keeps trying to catch fire. Tonight we managed to get it all done and hooked up, with all the fluids and filters replaced & filled, except the antifreeze. No need.
To soothe our 5 year old grandson's excitement, we attempted to test drive it. When we first started the engine, all was fine. Some knocking but that's to be expected because we'd also changed the oil and oil filter while we were at it. Once the fluids/oils moved into the working parts all quieted down just fine. We also ran the shifter through it's paces and double checked the tranny fluid level. Still a bit low, so added another 1/3 quart or so. At this point, we hadn't driven it yet. Just let it run to get fluids flowing well.
After about 5-10 minutes, we all climbed into the 94, decidedly excited, but also somewhat hesitant, and hubby shifted the tranny from Park to O/D. This repair job has been such a chore for hubby, as he's got some health issues that cause him great pain and fatigue, so we were thrilled that he was finally done with it! But I digress, sorry. Anyway, with the van in O/D, we cautiously started to drive forward, turning to the right a bit, to pull into the driveway. The van moved about 4-6 feet, then we heard and felt a BIG KERCHUNK! What the? :eek:
It's difficult to tell whether the KERCHUNK is coming from the engine or the tranny, but it really sounds like it's coming from underneath somewhere. Doesn't sound like anything coming from the engine itself.
Not wanting to make matters worse, he stopped the van immediately. Put it in Park and we both got out and investigated the underside of the van. Nothing under it. No floor jacks, no blocks, nada. No fluids squirting out anywhere. All good signs, right? So what the heck was it? :wtf:
Once again, he tried to slowly drive the van into the driveway. Another KERCHUNK! Again, at about 4-6 feet from where he started. It seems that if he puts the van in Reverse and backs up, it's fine. But anytime he tries to drive forward, the big loud KERCHUNK happens along with some clanking. So, much to our grandson's dismay and disappointment, :disappoin and hubby's chagrin, the van is still sitting and we're not driving it.
Before anyone tries to help, here's a list of what we've actually done so far:
From the 92 van we used the following-
Working 92 Transmission - (identical to the 94 except the extension housing on the 94 tranny didn't have the speedometer cable and the 92 did. So we switched extension housings to put the one from the 94 on the 92 tranny.) We did check with a Dodge Tech at our local Dodge shop. He thought this would be fine.
Power steering pump resavoir from the 92 cuz we thought the one on the 94 was leaking. (Later we discovered it was the 94 steering gear that was leaking).
Steering gear (brand new on the 92 this past spring, 2007)
92 crossmember to replace 94 crossmember, cuz 94 had broken bolt in it that we couldn't break loose.
Many new cosmetic items from the 92 now on the 94. Not mechanical issues here. Ya'all might notice here that we had a lot of extremely useable, almost new parts that we canabalized off the 92 to put on the 94. Lucky, I guess.
We also bled the brakes on the driver's side cuz that's the side that we had open.
We put in about 4 1/3 quarts (almost 9 pints) of DEXRON III tranny fluid (same as what we always used when that tranny was in the older van), and our usual Havoline 5-30 (4 1/2 quarts) motor oil and new oil filter. NOTE: We did NOT rebuild the torque converter. Did nothing to it.
NEW ITEMS we bought and put on 94-
Front hub and bearing assemblies (both sides)
Lower ball joints (both sides)
Don't know if any of this makes sense or if anyone has any ideas. But we're pretty much out of any new ideas here. So, please, if you think you can help, we're awaiting your knowledgeable expertise! We're done for the night, but I'll be checking back during the nightime hours and first thing tomorrow morning. So please....HELP!??!! :banghead:
We did call a friend that said maybe the TCM needs reflashed or possibly the tranny linkage needs adjusted. What do ya'all think?
Thanks!
Twila
For the past THREE WEEKS, hubby has been working at replacing a bad tranny in our 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan LE. It's a 3.3L motor with 4 speed, auto tranny. We took a working tranny out of our older (1992) Dodge Grand Caravan (also 3.3L motor) to put in the 1994. The 92 has some serious wiring problems that we just couldn't fix, and for some strange reason, I just don't relish driving a vehicle that keeps trying to catch fire. Tonight we managed to get it all done and hooked up, with all the fluids and filters replaced & filled, except the antifreeze. No need.
To soothe our 5 year old grandson's excitement, we attempted to test drive it. When we first started the engine, all was fine. Some knocking but that's to be expected because we'd also changed the oil and oil filter while we were at it. Once the fluids/oils moved into the working parts all quieted down just fine. We also ran the shifter through it's paces and double checked the tranny fluid level. Still a bit low, so added another 1/3 quart or so. At this point, we hadn't driven it yet. Just let it run to get fluids flowing well.
After about 5-10 minutes, we all climbed into the 94, decidedly excited, but also somewhat hesitant, and hubby shifted the tranny from Park to O/D. This repair job has been such a chore for hubby, as he's got some health issues that cause him great pain and fatigue, so we were thrilled that he was finally done with it! But I digress, sorry. Anyway, with the van in O/D, we cautiously started to drive forward, turning to the right a bit, to pull into the driveway. The van moved about 4-6 feet, then we heard and felt a BIG KERCHUNK! What the? :eek:
It's difficult to tell whether the KERCHUNK is coming from the engine or the tranny, but it really sounds like it's coming from underneath somewhere. Doesn't sound like anything coming from the engine itself.
Not wanting to make matters worse, he stopped the van immediately. Put it in Park and we both got out and investigated the underside of the van. Nothing under it. No floor jacks, no blocks, nada. No fluids squirting out anywhere. All good signs, right? So what the heck was it? :wtf:
Once again, he tried to slowly drive the van into the driveway. Another KERCHUNK! Again, at about 4-6 feet from where he started. It seems that if he puts the van in Reverse and backs up, it's fine. But anytime he tries to drive forward, the big loud KERCHUNK happens along with some clanking. So, much to our grandson's dismay and disappointment, :disappoin and hubby's chagrin, the van is still sitting and we're not driving it.
Before anyone tries to help, here's a list of what we've actually done so far:
From the 92 van we used the following-
Working 92 Transmission - (identical to the 94 except the extension housing on the 94 tranny didn't have the speedometer cable and the 92 did. So we switched extension housings to put the one from the 94 on the 92 tranny.) We did check with a Dodge Tech at our local Dodge shop. He thought this would be fine.
Power steering pump resavoir from the 92 cuz we thought the one on the 94 was leaking. (Later we discovered it was the 94 steering gear that was leaking).
Steering gear (brand new on the 92 this past spring, 2007)
92 crossmember to replace 94 crossmember, cuz 94 had broken bolt in it that we couldn't break loose.
Many new cosmetic items from the 92 now on the 94. Not mechanical issues here. Ya'all might notice here that we had a lot of extremely useable, almost new parts that we canabalized off the 92 to put on the 94. Lucky, I guess.
We also bled the brakes on the driver's side cuz that's the side that we had open.
We put in about 4 1/3 quarts (almost 9 pints) of DEXRON III tranny fluid (same as what we always used when that tranny was in the older van), and our usual Havoline 5-30 (4 1/2 quarts) motor oil and new oil filter. NOTE: We did NOT rebuild the torque converter. Did nothing to it.
NEW ITEMS we bought and put on 94-
Front hub and bearing assemblies (both sides)
Lower ball joints (both sides)
Don't know if any of this makes sense or if anyone has any ideas. But we're pretty much out of any new ideas here. So, please, if you think you can help, we're awaiting your knowledgeable expertise! We're done for the night, but I'll be checking back during the nightime hours and first thing tomorrow morning. So please....HELP!??!! :banghead:
We did call a friend that said maybe the TCM needs reflashed or possibly the tranny linkage needs adjusted. What do ya'all think?
Thanks!
Twila
tingham
06-30-2007, 10:54 AM
OOPS! Never mind. Too late. We went out this morning, put the 94 up on jackstands again, pulled the wheels off and started the van. Ran through the gears a couple of times, revving the engine just a little, still hearing the clunking/clanking sound, soon the tranny fluid flowed freely right to the pavement! :eek: GRRRR! What we suspected but were afraid to ask....seems the pump on the 92 tranny is trashed now. Gotta' love that! NOT!
Guess that clunk we heard the other day, when hubby first tried to put the 92 tranny in the 94 van caused a bit more damage than we'd hoped. :banghead: We were worried about that, so hubby dropped the tranny again and checked the alignment of the torque converter. Got it set correctly and the second time it went up without a hitch. So, let this be a lesson to ya', if you're putting a tranny in, don't force it. It should go up easily. :banghead:
Looks like there's a trip to Wrench-n-Go in our future.
Guess that clunk we heard the other day, when hubby first tried to put the 92 tranny in the 94 van caused a bit more damage than we'd hoped. :banghead: We were worried about that, so hubby dropped the tranny again and checked the alignment of the torque converter. Got it set correctly and the second time it went up without a hitch. So, let this be a lesson to ya', if you're putting a tranny in, don't force it. It should go up easily. :banghead:
Looks like there's a trip to Wrench-n-Go in our future.
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