Will 2001 up 2.4L engines fit into 1996-2000 Vehicles?

[mikefaster]

Curious if the newer 2.4L, NOT the more recent WORLD ENGINES, but the 2001 or 2002 2.4L Caravan/Neon (and similar) engines will fit into the 1998 (or 1996-2000) year Caravans if I switch over the exhaust and intake manifolds from the older engine...

My current engine, I realized that the REALLY bad pinging that it had, was due to the fact, that some idiot replaced the timing belt with the marks WAYYY OFFFF for my liking... Then the head gasket went, and that is when I realized some chunks of a piston was gone and 50% of the top ring was exposed!

I suppose that will make it ping as well...

Anybody got ONE good connecting rod and piston assemply? Standard size...

Just got to get it running and sell it!

Mike