Mopar FE253 (circa early 2000s)

[rcy]

I used to have a 99 Dodge Grand Caravan. I found 4 of these filters in my garage. None of my current vehicles can use this as far as I can tell.

Anyone know if these were decent filters? Looks like there's no relief valve either. Would anyone use these seeing as they're a decade or so old?

 

[rcy]

Hmmm...oddly, doing a little research, this doesn't even seem to be the right filter for the vehicle I had, which had the 3.8 litre V6 in it. However, I did get these from the Chrysler dealer.

That engine ending up failing (as my mechanic said...'the bottom end fell out') I wonder if the wrong filter contributed to that?

If the filter is supposed to have a bypass and I used a filter that didn't, that wouldn't in itself be enough to starve the engine of oil, would it?

 

[crazyoildude]

too bad you did not have the 3.3 in the 99 caravan that engine is pretty much bulletproof.. How many miles on the 3.8 when the bottom end went?

 

[rcy]

Around 120 000 km. Actually, now that I think about it, I had coolant getting into the oil (intake gaskey if I recall correctly) and had repaired that, but I guess that damage was done. That probably contributed to the engine failure, not the oil filter.

 

[GSCJR]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
too bad you did not have the 3.3 in the 99 caravan that engine is pretty much bulletproof.. How many miles on the 3.8 when the bottom end went?


Aren't they similar?

 

[slybunda]

0.5 difference

 

[crazyoildude]

yes they are but the 3.8 had issues that the 3.3 did not such as head design rocker arm drama and also bearings on some of them..

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: slybunda
0.5 difference


This reply wins the internet for the day.

 

[GSCJR]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
yes they are but the 3.8 had issues that the 3.3 did not such as head design rocker arm drama and also bearings on some of them..


Ok.

Can the 3.8L AWD model GC be swapped out for a 3.3L?

Valve covers and intake look the same.