Weeping VCG fixed this morning. Could not believe how it looks under here. 2 owners prior to me, 2007 T&C just purchased. Some maintenance done, some deferred, overall in great shape. Also doesn’t use oil like the 3.8 is known to. Over 2k miles driven with no noticeable oil use.
250000 mile Chrysler 3.8 under valve cover view…Wow.
- Thread starter KEVINK0000
- Start date
dnewton3
Staff member
Impressively clean.
Any idea of previous fluids and OCIs?
Any idea of previous fluids and OCIs?
TBH...i am not suprised.
My mom has had nothing but 3.3/3.8 vans since the mid 90s. Most of the time the OCs go quite a bit over. Her old 94 3.3 which then became one of my first cars, regularly went 10k or so on cheap basic conventional oils. When I popped the headgasket at 201k it looked very similar under the valve covers (at that point I was using off the shelf Syn oil and shorter changes). Her other vans we took a little more better care of but they always looked clean thru the filler cap.
Her 05 3.8 drank oil pretty bad tho. Her current 2010 3.8 uses a little bit, but less then a quart every 5k ish
My mom has had nothing but 3.3/3.8 vans since the mid 90s. Most of the time the OCs go quite a bit over. Her old 94 3.3 which then became one of my first cars, regularly went 10k or so on cheap basic conventional oils. When I popped the headgasket at 201k it looked very similar under the valve covers (at that point I was using off the shelf Syn oil and shorter changes). Her other vans we took a little more better care of but they always looked clean thru the filler cap.
Her 05 3.8 drank oil pretty bad tho. Her current 2010 3.8 uses a little bit, but less then a quart every 5k ish
At what temp does the thermostat open?
Excellent, a well maintained engine.
Get out a knife and fork for that one. You can eat off it. If the valve train is that spotless, you can bet the rest of the drivetrain should be similarly well kept.
Mopar made some lovely V6s into the late 90s, right before Mercedes hijacked them and stole all their money. That deal should have gone the opposite way, and Chrysler had more than enough money to buy Daimler then.
We had a 2000 Gen2 LH platform with the OHC 3.2, and I just hated to get rid of it. Loved that you could spin a big FL-1 canister on it, back when I had cases of them on hand for the boats.
Mopar made some lovely V6s into the late 90s, right before Mercedes hijacked them and stole all their money. That deal should have gone the opposite way, and Chrysler had more than enough money to buy Daimler then.
We had a 2000 Gen2 LH platform with the OHC 3.2, and I just hated to get rid of it. Loved that you could spin a big FL-1 canister on it, back when I had cases of them on hand for the boats.
Definitely unknown fluids etc. Stock 190 thermostat, no oil cooler. Engine looks original, with factory labels, barcodes etc.
Transmission and fluid was clean but magnet almost overloaded. Shifts excellently.
Transmission and fluid was clean but magnet almost overloaded. Shifts excellently.
I worked on a high mileage 2005 Dodge with the 3.3 for a friend, and was so impressed I bought this one as a road trip rig, instead of our V10 excursion. Almost 2x gas mileage and more room. Also impressed at handling, especially steering feel and feedback. Not especially easy to please in that regard, with multiple BMW and RX8s in the driveway as well. Chassis is very stiff, even with all the door openings. Snobbily, I had no idea how good these are until I worked on one.
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3.8 liters and less than 200 hp means you can run vegetable oil and be fine.
That and it runs at 190F. My BMW T-stat runs around 219F in normal driving and 226F in economy driving.
I wonder if it’s been worked on majorly previously.
You’re saying it like it’s a good thing. There is not reason to run coolant this hot, other than to squeeze out that sweet, sweet EPA credit juice to the last drop.
I used to change oil on a number of these and a lot of 3.3 vans back when I worked in the Pennzoil express lube. I saw a few of both that used oil but (3.8 might have been a bit worse for it) but they always seemed to be neglected, the ones that were low on oil. And they certainly weren't burning a qt in 1000 miles like I've heard, or they would be run out and seized up as most people don't check anymore. I always thought they were a good engine. We saw a few intake gasket leaks and lots of TIPM problems but very few engine problems. Even the transmissions weren't as bad as the older ones by this point.
I think he's just pointing out a reason that it would hold up longer.
My 05 Silverado has a 190f thermostat unfortunately the cooling fans will not turn on until over 220f unless AC or defrost is turned on. I turn it on if I'm stuck in traffic so it doesn't run so hot but sometimes I don't need Ac or defrost and I'm just wearing out the compressor to trick the ECM into turning the fans on.
Hopefully one day I'll get a tuner that can adjust the fan turn on temp.
No I'm saying the engine isn't running as hot so less opportunity for deposit formation hence the "run vegetable oil" comment.
205 hp. Cruises easy at 90, about 2700 rpm. Low wind noise too.
I owned a 3.3 and a 3.8. I loved the 3.3 - it was in a minivan and it saw tow duty with a 3500 lb pop-up, and DC metro traffic. Great torque curve, great balance, quiet, smooth, and if you had to rev it out it was non-traumatic. (Torque steer was traumatic).
3.8 - we had a good one. I felt like the 3.3 handled the bore/stroke better - the 3.8 had more vibrations and seemed rougher when pushed, but it didn’t hesitate to lay down power on demand. You rarely had to rev it out because it offered good low end torque. Our 3.8 used about a quart every 7500 miles, which in my book was excellent.
These were both around 2001
3.8 - we had a good one. I felt like the 3.3 handled the bore/stroke better - the 3.8 had more vibrations and seemed rougher when pushed, but it didn’t hesitate to lay down power on demand. You rarely had to rev it out because it offered good low end torque. Our 3.8 used about a quart every 7500 miles, which in my book was excellent.
These were both around 2001
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