Lynn in StLou wrote:

> Twas written.....
>
>>
>> Most people i know with the dodges are also putting trannies in them
>> every 60 to 80K. If that one has NOT been already rebuilt, chances are
>> it could be due. Its a crap shoot anyway you look at it.
>
>
> A lot of this may be due to maintenance on the trans. We have a 92
> Caravan that in the first 90K, we put in three transmissions. With the
> third one, I started doing fluid changes at 25K mile intervals. We just
> turned over 201K and trans is doing very well. The key, IMO, is to
> follow the heavy use maintenance schedules. Granted, there's a 3.3 in
> front of mine, but it is the same trans, just a different designation.

The key is to service the transmission regularly under the heavy use
schedule, and to only use Chrysler type fluid. Even though the dipstick
and the instructions on the early ones like your 92 say you can use
Dexron, YOU CAN NOT without damaging the transmission. Every Tom, Dick
and Cheapie Harry from Armpit, Arkansas can see that Dexron fluid is
cheaper at Wal-Mart than the Chrysler fluid. But the savings won't buy
a transmission rebuild once the damage is done.

Newer ones, beginning with the 95 models, also seem to have better
computer programming, which can be "flashed" into the transmission
controller on some of the older ones, too.