Yes, those Turdcels NEVER ran well.
Worst Engines
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ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: yeti
antonmnster -- for the first couple of model years, the minivan used the mitsu 2.6, and there were some issues with that motor. i wasn't aware that they used the 2.2 in it back then.
You just never had a cheap model. The anemic 2.2 was standard in the first run of the Caravan.
We had an automatic version, slow like a VW bus, but the motor just would not die! Ran it 250k miles and sold it to a band who drove it all over the country for years after that!
In 88 and 89 the Caravan could also be had with the 2.2 turbo or 2.5 Turbo. 88 got the 2.2 and 89 got the common block 2.5.
Originally Posted By: yeti
antonmnster -- for the first couple of model years, the minivan used the mitsu 2.6, and there were some issues with that motor. i wasn't aware that they used the 2.2 in it back then.
You just never had a cheap model. The anemic 2.2 was standard in the first run of the Caravan.
We had an automatic version, slow like a VW bus, but the motor just would not die! Ran it 250k miles and sold it to a band who drove it all over the country for years after that!
In 88 and 89 the Caravan could also be had with the 2.2 turbo or 2.5 Turbo. 88 got the 2.2 and 89 got the common block 2.5.
If I recall, 84 and 85 had either the 2.5 Mitsu or the 2.2. The 2.2 was slow, but not quite as bad with the 5 speed. My dad still brags about hauling 7 people around getting 30 mpg. (He doesn't mention the 45 mph top speed.)
That Caravan's only option was a rear defroster.
It had an AM radio with one speaker.
No AC.
No headrests.
No gauges. (Hard to tell when the HG went)
It had lots of room in the engine bay keep quarts of oil.
My friend's parents actually gave me their 84 Toyota Van a few years ago. It's engine came right off Yota's forklift line. Somehow that might be slower! With front and rear AC running on a 95F day, once the viscous fan kicks in you can't use 4th gear. You have to hold your foot to the floor and maaaybe maintain 60mph. But an AWESOME van!!
That Caravan's only option was a rear defroster.
It had an AM radio with one speaker.
No AC.
No headrests.
No gauges. (Hard to tell when the HG went)
It had lots of room in the engine bay keep quarts of oil.
My friend's parents actually gave me their 84 Toyota Van a few years ago. It's engine came right off Yota's forklift line. Somehow that might be slower! With front and rear AC running on a 95F day, once the viscous fan kicks in you can't use 4th gear. You have to hold your foot to the floor and maaaybe maintain 60mph. But an AWESOME van!!
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It was the Mitsu 2.6 Litre and I had one...
Worst engines in my family:
Ford 2.3L I-4 HSC (Ford Tempo)
Oldsmobile 3.1L V6 (Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme SL)
Chrysler 3.3L V6 (Chrysler New Yorker)
Ford 2.3L I-4 (Ford Ranger)
Toyota 1.8L I-4 (Geo Prism)
Ford 2.3L I-4 HSC (Ford Tempo)
Oldsmobile 3.1L V6 (Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme SL)
Chrysler 3.3L V6 (Chrysler New Yorker)
Ford 2.3L I-4 (Ford Ranger)
Toyota 1.8L I-4 (Geo Prism)
Cadillac HT4100 V8
Cadillac 6.0L V8-6-4
Cadillac 6.0L V8-6-4
had a saturn-ran flawless till the tranny went at 170k. best american car i have had so far. i vote the ford 2.3 as a worst also. and what about the subaru 2.? phase 2 engine-blows head gaskets every 30k or so
Originally Posted By: Jim Spahr
Wait a moment. How about the infamous Audi 1.8 Turbo I-4. Here's a turbo charged engine with only a 4.3 quart oil capacity. It should have the title of Sludge Monster as it's middle name. The long factory rec. OCI and the small oil capacity combined with the heat generated by the turbo spelled sludge.
3.7 actually, in the Transversely mounted applications.
Those engines were fine as long as the proper VW 502 synthetic oil was used. Of course, most people used dino 5w-30 at the 10k intervals, which resulted in the sludge problems.
Wait a moment. How about the infamous Audi 1.8 Turbo I-4. Here's a turbo charged engine with only a 4.3 quart oil capacity. It should have the title of Sludge Monster as it's middle name. The long factory rec. OCI and the small oil capacity combined with the heat generated by the turbo spelled sludge.
3.7 actually, in the Transversely mounted applications.
Those engines were fine as long as the proper VW 502 synthetic oil was used. Of course, most people used dino 5w-30 at the 10k intervals, which resulted in the sludge problems.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
Originally Posted By: StevieC
It was the Mitsu 2.6 Litre and I had one...
Not only that it was a Hemi. The K-cars even has little badge that said 2.6 Hemi.
It was the Mitsu 2.6 Litre and I had one...
Not only that it was a Hemi. The K-cars even has little badge that said 2.6 Hemi.
My nomination (if it hasn`t been mentioned already) is whatever underpowered POS they put in the Pontiac Acadian and Chevy Chuv-it.
I inherited the Acadian version of this lemon as my very first car. The only good memory of it I have is the day when, 6 months after I got it for free, someone T-boned it while it was parked on the side of the road, and their insurance company wrote it off and cut me a check for $500.
Between that and the $300 I got for salvage, it was enough to buy what I think of as my truly first car (probably because I bought it): a `79 4-speed manual VW Rabbit, which, even though it was older, felt like trading up from a Yugo to a Porshe (the Acadian was so underpowered it could barely do even 40 km per hour up even the mildest grades).
Really soured me on GM (just that they could put out something so awful), and the big 3 US auto manufacturers in general. Ever since its been Japanese or European for me.
-Spyder
I inherited the Acadian version of this lemon as my very first car. The only good memory of it I have is the day when, 6 months after I got it for free, someone T-boned it while it was parked on the side of the road, and their insurance company wrote it off and cut me a check for $500.
Between that and the $300 I got for salvage, it was enough to buy what I think of as my truly first car (probably because I bought it): a `79 4-speed manual VW Rabbit, which, even though it was older, felt like trading up from a Yugo to a Porshe (the Acadian was so underpowered it could barely do even 40 km per hour up even the mildest grades).
Really soured me on GM (just that they could put out something so awful), and the big 3 US auto manufacturers in general. Ever since its been Japanese or European for me.
-Spyder
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yes
And I know a few people who run 12 second 1/4's with minivans, street driven.. Note the Turbos didnt appear until 89 and 90 and were 2.5 T1 engines.
The 2.2 and 2.5 Turbo engines were pretty much indestructable as long as they were not run lean. I have scene them stock with a stock turbo, intercooler put down 250WHP and 320WTQ with simple manual boost controller. if one upgrades to biggger injectors and turbo the sky is the limit. Friend has a Shadow and pushes 350 WHP and 420WTQ with spearco cooler, hyrbid turbo with 50 trim wheel and .63AR housing, 3" exhaust. I have Shadow with stock Garett and 2.5" exhaust, put 220 WHP and 310WTQ with min mods, just +20 injectors, stock VNT cooler.
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: yeti
antonmnster -- for the first couple of model years, the minivan used the mitsu 2.6, and there were some issues with that motor. i wasn't aware that they used the 2.2 in it back then.
You just never had a cheap model. The anemic 2.2 was standard in the first run of the Caravan.
We had an automatic version, slow like a VW bus, but the motor just would not die! Ran it 250k miles and sold it to a band who drove it all over the country for years after that!
In 88 and 89 the Caravan could also be had with the 2.2 turbo or 2.5 Turbo. 88 got the 2.2 and 89 got the common block 2.5.
And I know a few people who run 12 second 1/4's with minivans, street driven.. Note the Turbos didnt appear until 89 and 90 and were 2.5 T1 engines.
The 2.2 and 2.5 Turbo engines were pretty much indestructable as long as they were not run lean. I have scene them stock with a stock turbo, intercooler put down 250WHP and 320WTQ with simple manual boost controller. if one upgrades to biggger injectors and turbo the sky is the limit. Friend has a Shadow and pushes 350 WHP and 420WTQ with spearco cooler, hyrbid turbo with 50 trim wheel and .63AR housing, 3" exhaust. I have Shadow with stock Garett and 2.5" exhaust, put 220 WHP and 310WTQ with min mods, just +20 injectors, stock VNT cooler.
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: yeti
antonmnster -- for the first couple of model years, the minivan used the mitsu 2.6, and there were some issues with that motor. i wasn't aware that they used the 2.2 in it back then.
You just never had a cheap model. The anemic 2.2 was standard in the first run of the Caravan.
We had an automatic version, slow like a VW bus, but the motor just would not die! Ran it 250k miles and sold it to a band who drove it all over the country for years after that!
In 88 and 89 the Caravan could also be had with the 2.2 turbo or 2.5 Turbo. 88 got the 2.2 and 89 got the common block 2.5.
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