That Mitsu 2.6 had bad timing-chain issues.
The homegrown Mopar engines were way more reliable.
Vehicle Sighting - '80s Plymouth Caravelle
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The homegrown Mopar engines were way more reliable.
keep in mind those are Canadian Dollars... in "freedom bucks" its a bit shy of $6k.
Owen Lucas
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A true connoisseur of malaise vehicles.
They certainly got a lot of models out of the basic K car design. I knew a guy that had a convertible version of the Dodge 400, which I think was the same as the LeBaron "super K". Early '80's. I believe that he still owns it since the '80's as a summer car only.
The 2.6 Mitsu engine had some troubles and the 2.2 Mopar seemed to be very prone to head gasket failures. The 2.5 was the reliability champ. I had a nice used '86 Reliant wagon in the late 90's. Lowish mileage for $1000 US. That had an early tall block 2.5 with TB injection. I found out just how scarce a used oil pan was for that early 2.5. I was stuck in northern PA. for 4 days until a shop finally located one in Canada. A retired Army motor pool tech once told me that the Spirit/Acclaim with the base 2.5 were the most reliable in their fleets in the late 80's and all of the '90's.
The 2.6 Mitsu engine had some troubles and the 2.2 Mopar seemed to be very prone to head gasket failures. The 2.5 was the reliability champ. I had a nice used '86 Reliant wagon in the late 90's. Lowish mileage for $1000 US. That had an early tall block 2.5 with TB injection. I found out just how scarce a used oil pan was for that early 2.5. I was stuck in northern PA. for 4 days until a shop finally located one in Canada. A retired Army motor pool tech once told me that the Spirit/Acclaim with the base 2.5 were the most reliable in their fleets in the late 80's and all of the '90's.
and carb issues. I had a 2.5 which replaced the 2.6 engine in my Dodge Spirit. Reliability wise, that was the best car I ever owned. It was a vault on wheels.
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"Different Folks, Different Strokes" I feel like 95% of them were either totaled by the new drivers who inherited them 3rd hand from their parents, junked for scrap or donated to charity.
I remember! 
We did have the Caravelle in my area but I didn’t see it as a large seller.
We've owned some Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth vehicles of the 1980s with 2.2L & 2.5L. And I knew many who had some Mitsubishi engines as well. Dodge/Plymouth Colt, Challenger/Sapporo, Conquest. Some even had Peugeot engines during that time.
The 2.5L were way smoother. And my understanding is that the 2.5L was based off of the 2.2L
The 2.2L definitely had multiple head gasket & smog pump failures. Real easy engines to work on and the vehicles were quiet easy to work on.
We did have the Caravelle in my area but I didn’t see it as a large seller.We've owned some Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth vehicles of the 1980s with 2.2L & 2.5L. And I knew many who had some Mitsubishi engines as well. Dodge/Plymouth Colt, Challenger/Sapporo, Conquest. Some even had Peugeot engines during that time.
The 2.5L were way smoother. And my understanding is that the 2.5L was based off of the 2.2L
The 2.2L definitely had multiple head gasket & smog pump failures. Real easy engines to work on and the vehicles were quiet easy to work on.
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It seems to me that FL is full of newer cars. I rarely see any older ones here. Maybe the rust free ones get shipped to other states? But I've not seen a K-Car in a decade or more. Same goes for a Chevy Citation. Heck, I'm the only one still driving a 22 year old Jaguar X-Type around.
+2
The roads used to be full of Mopar minivans blowing blue smoke.... Those were the ones with the Mitsubishi engine.
@Cujet, you're still in Florida? I thought you were retiring farther north, perhaps Tennessee.It seems to me that FL is full of newer cars. I rarely see any older ones here. Maybe the rust free ones get shipped to other states? But I've not seen a K-Car in a decade or more. Same goes for a Chevy Citation. Heck, I'm the only one still driving a 22 year old Jaguar X-Type around.
Yes still in FL. Retired last year and mama got in a terrible crash right away. Had to care for her. Time to move now!
Owen Lucas
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Kudo's for taking these measures to help your mother, you are an amazing son. Not many would do this sadly, a trait missing in many. She raised you well!
Sorry to hear about the crash, but it sounds like she's recovering.
I hope the move goes well.
Had an '89 Dodge Shadow with the 2.5 engine. One of the few options it had over a base model. The color was dark cherry so kind of sharp looking.
Obligatory:
My first car was a early 80s (don't remember exactly) caravelle in gold with 4 doors. Started life as a police car (found the light blinker system under the dash), 318 ci converted to propane and may or may not have been a taxi for a while. Unsure of the mileage, but completely sure I got hosed when I bought it, at 16, from a "curber". I did drive it for a couple of years....
Was that the sister car to the Plymouth Acclaim? A friend had one, an '89 or '90. It was a pretty good car.
That would have been an evolved Volare/ Aspen, right? RWD/Torqueflite 3-speed automatic.
Plymouth Sundance I believe which had a chrome grille in front. Acclaim was a twin to the Dodge Spirit.
