My daughter picked up a 03 with the Dohc 2.4 four cylinder. 184,000 plus, motors runs well and automatic transmission shifts well. She had a loaded strut put on the front and new rotors and pads all around. Heater control was shot, installed new one and now works perfect. Body is in good condition. Anyone have history with this motor and transmission combination? Calls for 5w30. She needs to put some miles on it to establish oil useage. Paid $700 for the car and parts and labor were right at $800. Not to bad for her first car.
03 Dodge Stratus
- Thread starter RedOak
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Sounds like a good deal.
I had a 96 Breeze with that engine/transmission combo. It was a fun car really. I don't recall using any major amount of oil in mine. I think by 2003 Chrysler had worked out most of the bugs in the Ultradrive/41TE but I'd still feel a fluid change would be a good maintenance procedure.
The 2.4 has a timing belt but appears to be a non interference engine. Still a possibility of dinging valves if it breaks according to what I've read. If it can be done, I'd have someone at least check the belt's condition
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They eat head gaskets. I'd change coolant (G05 if it calls for it) and take it easy on it when cold.
My experience with neon timing belts isn't a whole lot of fun but you can check pretty easily. The worst part is a "home plate" motor mount thingie up against the frame rail. But a stratus might have more room being a bigger car.
My experience with neon timing belts isn't a whole lot of fun but you can check pretty easily. The worst part is a "home plate" motor mount thingie up against the frame rail. But a stratus might have more room being a bigger car.
At some point in the early-mid 2000's Chrysler switched to a different head gasket. I never had any problem with my 2005 Caravan 2.4 engine.
After 100,000+ miles the spark plug valve cover o-rings will begin to leak oil into the plug wells. An easy and inexpensive repair.
I never had any major problems with the 2.4 that I owned. They were supposed to have fixed the main problems with the 41TE trans (finally) by the early 2000's. Mine required a transmission rebuild around 130,000 miles, but it had been in a head on collision 6 months earlier that might have contributed to the problem. Transmission was successfully rebuilt. Wife was not.
After 100,000+ miles the spark plug valve cover o-rings will begin to leak oil into the plug wells. An easy and inexpensive repair.
I never had any major problems with the 2.4 that I owned. They were supposed to have fixed the main problems with the 41TE trans (finally) by the early 2000's. Mine required a transmission rebuild around 130,000 miles, but it had been in a head on collision 6 months earlier that might have contributed to the problem. Transmission was successfully rebuilt. Wife was not.
Four door sedan. My daughter wanted to finance a car but I insisted she have no debt. I made mistakes with high payments and want her to understand how to make logical financial decisions. It's really hard for young adults to be patient and save their cash. She is learning to be frugal. Plus now I get to change her oil. Super tech high mileage here we come!
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