Is the Dodge Caravan 3.3L a sludger?

[SFCP]

I own a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan which has the 3.3L V6.
I purchased it used with 40k about 3-4 years ago. It was previously leased, so I doubt that it saw regular oil changes. Since I purchased it, I've been changing the oil every 3k or 3 months with conventional oil and it runs perfect. The only thing I seem to notice is that this engine gets up to operating temp a LOT quicker than my Chev Luminas 3.1L. This made me wonder if it is a hotter running engine by design, and if it is more prone to sludge if I ever neglected it? Or, even with regular oil changes, are some of these engines going to have sludge?

 

[Fordiesel69]

I am not expert on what degrades oil in an engine, but I can tell you these engine blacken the oil much faster than other engines. This engine was designed in the 80's and very little major changes have been made to the internal structure. So I would consider it to be fairly antiquated in the means of how effiecient the combustion is. What you are doing right now is about all you can do, the 3/36k interval combined with new SL/SM based oils. What more could you do?

I will tell you that removing the oil pan is very simple, so cleaning out the oil pan may not be a bad idea. These engines can hold up for 200k or more as long as they are NEVER overheated.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Quote:

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I own a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan which has the 3.3L V6.
I purchased it used with 40k about 3-4 years ago. It was previously leased, so I doubt that it saw regular oil changes. Since I purchased it, I've been changing the oil every 3k or 3 months with conventional oil and it runs perfect. The only thing I seem to notice is that this engine gets up to operating temp a LOT quicker than my Chev Luminas 3.1L. This made me wonder if it is a hotter running engine by design, and if it is more prone to sludge if I ever neglected it? Or, even with regular oil changes, are some of these engines going to have sludge?

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I've got the Caravan... not the 3.3. thou. Renew the antifreeze with a 60-40 mix & change the thermostat. Get one that's EOM.

 

[94MaxGXE]

Could it be that the Caravan warms normaly, and the Lumina has a problem with a stuck open thermostat? Most cars today should show normal temp on the gauage after 2-4 miles, I would think. My 06 3.3L Caravan does.

 

[SFCP]

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Could it be that the Caravan warms normaly, and the Lumina has a problem with a stuck open thermostat? Most cars today should show normal temp on the gauage after 2-4 miles, I would think. My 06 3.3L Caravan does.

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It is possible that my Lumina needs a new thermostat, and it is likely the van is heating up properly. Someone above this post I'm writing said that they (the 3.3L's) tend to blacken oil really quick. I have noticed this. My Chev Lumina seems to allow the oil to stay clean up to 2000 miles. The van on the other hand becomes very dark after the first 1000 miles. I have been keeping up with all the fluid's ie..antifreez, oil, and trans, and will continue to dump the oil every 3 months, even if I have not hit 3k on the oil. This van is my families primary vehicle when we all go somewhere, so in the long run, I feel i'm safer to change the oil often in this vehicle. Especially after the way this engine seems to beat up the oil so quickly.

 

[SFCP]

****No edit feature****
Also, I don't trade my cars. I'm always the last owner of any vehicle I buy, so I can't afford to neglect the engine with long OCI's.

 

[Big Jim]

From what I understand, the Chrysler 2.7 is the V6 with a reputation of being a sludge motor.

 

[Gene K]

The quicker the engine warms up the less sludging you get. This is one reason you dont want to let a vehicle idle while warming up. The 3.3L is not known to have a particular sludge problem.

Nothing wrong with going 6 months or 5000 mi on a quality conventional oil. If it causes you stress change it sooner.

BTW did you know fresh oil causes more engine wear? You would have to get with one of the Tribologist around here to find out why. Its over my head.

 

[JohnBrowning]

No the 3.3 and 3.8 are not sludgers. If thery sludge they either have a coolant leak or have been neglected.

 

[LargeCarManX2]

3.3 and 3.8 are 318 engines with 2 cylinders cut off. Push rod engines, 3.3 has timing belt and 3.8 a chain. They are not sludge engines.

 

[smeltjr]

I am the original owner of a 99 Voyager 3.3 that just turned 100K. No signs of sludge-I have had one analysis done on it. There were no issues. I run whatever synthetic that I can find when it is on sale and change it once every 6 months. In a word the answer to your question is no.
My worry is not the engine, but the infamous A604/41TE transmission. It gets a pan drop and fluid change once a year. I have changed a water pump on it, not because of overheating, but because it was making noise. It is an easy DIY job. Watch the coolant-there is nothing wrong with the van heating to operating temperature quickly as long as it never overheats. You may be in for a new thermostat-easy too.
The 3.3 and the 3.8 are identical block engines. The 3.8 has a slightly larger bore and longer stroke. They both have timing chains. The timing belt is found on the 3.0. The engine, as noted, is pretty much indestructible. Old 60 degree V6 pushrod technology. Not the most powerful or advanced motor compared to the Hondas or Toyotas, but that high-tech double overhead cam technology makes little difference to my wife driving my daughter to cheerleading. I'd buy another in a snap.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I would not hesistate to own a 3.2,3.3,3.5 or 3.8! They are very sound engines. SO are the 3.7V6,4.7V8 new 4.0V6 and the 5.7 Hemi! Dodge has always built preety sound engines for the most part. The 3.7,4.7,4.0V6 and 5.7 Hemi have sloved the bigest problem dodge ever had and that was gasket failures.

 

[Slick 55]

"The 3.7,4.7,4.0V6 and 5.7 Hemi have sloved the bigest problem dodge ever had and that was gasket failures."

Could you please clarify??

 

[javacontour]

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3.3 and 3.8 are 318 engines with 2 cylinders cut off. Push rod engines, 3.3 has timing belt and 3.8 a chain. They are not sludge engines.

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Huh?

The 3.3 in the minivans is a destroked 3.8, IIRC, no timing belt.

Now, I think the 3.0L Mitsubishi engine is a timing belt engine, IIRC, not 100% sure, and I think some of the engines from the LH series cars are timing belt engines, but the 3.3L and 3.8L found in the minivans are OHV timing chain engines.

 

[Gene K]

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3.3 and 3.8 are 318 engines with 2 cylinders cut off. Push rod engines, 3.3 has timing belt and 3.8 a chain. They are not sludge engines.

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No offense but I think you have them confused with the 3.9L (90* V-6) that was originally designed for the Dakota. The 3.3L and 3.8L (60* V-6) are OHV Timing Chain Engines that were designed to replace the Mitsubishi SOHC Timing Belt 3.0 in FWD Chrysler Products.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Ever since the LA series of engines came out they had problems from day one with gasket issues off and on. The main ones were head gasket,belly pan, intake manifold. The 4.7V8 and 3.7V6 have not had any problems at all with gaskets. One of the main reasons second only to cost for Chrysler droping the magnum lin for the new 5.7 Hemi was to get ride of all of their warranty gasket issues. This was in one of their offical releases about this engine when it first came out. It is cheaper for them to build then the old magnum series V8's , does better on emmisions and does not have gasket failure issues under warranty for the most part.The mitsubishi V6's that Chrysler was useing prior tot he 3.3 they devolped had valve stem seal issues and were costing Chrysler an arm and a leg compared to produceing their own engine. Valvestem seals count as a gasket. I absolutely love it when a manufacture decides to design a new product to fix comon reacureing probablems as well as give their customers a better product!You just wait until the new Pheonix line of modular V6's come out!!! It will impress a lot of people espcialy the cam-less design! Not only will it be themost refined quasi-domestic V6 it will truely be a work of art! It will also be used by Mercedes.

 

[GearGuy]

The 3.0 was a Mitsubishi engine.
The problem with it was that the valve guides would get pushed out. You'll usually notice the van burning oil at this point.
I was in the process of changing the valve seals on my wife's '90 when I got to the last cylinder and noticed the guide. Had to pull the heads and have them redone.
The design was changed in '93 IIRC. They put 'locks' on the valve guides to prevent them from moving. My rebuilt heads had the locks installed, per the new design.

 

[rcy]

Not sure if the 3.8 in my '99 Grand Caravan was an LA series engine or not, but I was losing coolant and a used oil analysis confirmed coolant in the oil. It was a leaking intake gasket, which was replaced but it was too late. A few months after the repair, the 'bottom end fell out' according to my trusted mechanic (does this mean spun bearing or something?). A used motor was put in, and van since replaced with a 2006 Odyssey.

Aside from this issue (and really, I should have been more on top of the leaking gasket than I was - I let it go for far too long just topping up the overflow bottle) the engine was dependable and burned maybe a 1/4 litre every 5000km. Very torquey engine as well, though not the most in horsepower (it's all about the torque).

Just as an aside, I changed the coolant prior to the intake gasket leak developing and before I knew of BITOG. I replaced the factory green stuff (not sure what this was in 1999) with Prestone All Makes, which I believe is a Dex-Clone. After this the gasket started leaking. The intake gasket on this engine is metal though, so I don't think the Prestone 'ate' away at it. Probably coincidence, or possibly method (like adding cold water/coolant mix to a warm engine).