Junkyard transmission?

What years of Caravan automatic transmissions are compatible with the
1993 4-speed automatic, the one that needs frequent costly repairs?

Would it make sense to look for a replacement in a junkyard, and hope
to find a more recent year, when the transmissions weren't quite as
bad? How bad of a wreck can a transmission survive, such that you're
likely to find a good one in a wrecked Caravan?

What other vehicles have transmissions compatible with a Caravan's?

> wrote in message
...
> What years of Caravan automatic transmissions are compatible with the
> 1993 4-speed automatic, the one that needs frequent costly repairs?
>
> Would it make sense to look for a replacement in a junkyard, and hope
> to find a more recent year, when the transmissions weren't quite as
> bad? How bad of a wreck can a transmission survive, such that you're
> likely to find a good one in a wrecked Caravan?
>
> What other vehicles have transmissions compatible with a Caravan's?

The folks at the junk yard will have a chart with exactly the information
you are looking for.

Richard.

On Wed, 29 Mar 2006, Richard wrote:

>> Would it make sense to look for a replacement in a junkyard, and hope
>> to find a more recent year, when the transmissions weren't quite as
>> bad? How bad of a wreck can a transmission survive, such that you're
>> likely to find a good one in a wrecked Caravan? What other vehicles
>> have transmissions compatible with a Caravan's?
>
> The folks at the junk yard will have a chart with exactly the
> information you are looking for.

Not a "chart", it's an interchange manual called Hollander's, and nowtimes
it's on computer. Anyone may access Hollander interchange information. Go
to www.car-part.com (searchable used auto parts clear across North
America), put in your year, make and model and specify the part you're
after. Search results will list all directly-interchangeable years, makes
and models for that particular part. Results come up sorted in
descending-price order; you can choose to sort by other criteria (such as
vehicle year) by clicking the column headings. Note that Hollander
interchange information does NOT include any indirect interchanges. ANY
difference that would require modification or adaptation, no matter how
minor, will exclude a part from the list of those that will fit your
vehicle. So, interchange information will get you partway or most of the
way there, but there may be specialised knowledge along the lines of "Oh
yeah, a 2004 transmission will fit your '93, all you have to do is swap
the dipstick tube and pan."

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Wed, 29 Mar 2006, Richard wrote:
>
> >> Would it make sense to look for a replacement in a junkyard, and hope
> >> to find a more recent year, when the transmissions weren't quite as
> >> bad? How bad of a wreck can a transmission survive, such that you're
> >> likely to find a good one in a wrecked Caravan? What other vehicles
> >> have transmissions compatible with a Caravan's?
> >
> > The folks at the junk yard will have a chart with exactly the
> > information you are looking for.
>
> Not a "chart", it's an interchange manual called Hollander's, and nowtimes
> it's on computer. Anyone may access Hollander interchange information. Go
> to www.car-part.com (searchable used auto parts clear across North
> America), put in your year, make and model and specify the part you're
> after. Search results will list all directly-interchangeable years, makes
> and models for that particular part. Results come up sorted in
> descending-price order; you can choose to sort by other criteria (such as
> vehicle year) by clicking the column headings. Note that Hollander
> interchange information does NOT include any indirect interchanges. ANY
> difference that would require modification or adaptation, no matter how
> minor, will exclude a part from the list of those that will fit your
> vehicle. So, interchange information will get you partway or most of the
> way there, but there may be specialised knowledge along the lines of "Oh
> yeah, a 2004 transmission will fit your '93, all you have to do is swap
> the dipstick tube and pan."

If you go with a salvage transmission, check to see what kind of
warranty they offer. Most warranties will be void if the transmission
is opened. Something that is difficult to avoid if you want to put
fresh fluid in it after installation.

-Kirk Matheson

That 4-speed is the A604, or the 41te in more recent years.

If you were to find a Caravan from that vintage that had the trans
rebuilt, but then got written off in an accident - specifically the
van got rear ended or perhaps side swiped, then you mirght have a good
shot at getting a trans that is in good shape.

However, anything like that which has been in an accident could have
sustained internal damage which is not outwardly apparent. Considering
how complicated it is to re & re this trans (as opposed to the old
rear wheel drive transmissions) I would think the costs and risks are
prohibative unless you are doing the re & re yourself. Even then, you
could spend a LOT of time playing around if the trans turns out to be
bad.

Also, you have no idea how the previous owner drove the trans! They
could have been towing boats, or driving like they were in the Indy
500.

There is a reliable shop near me that rebuilds these transmissions for
$1800. That includes a rebuilt torque converter, all the re & re, the
correct ATF fluid, teaching the transmission once installed, and a
rock solid one year no-quesitons-asked warranty.

If you have the know-how, the tools, and the time then what the heck,
tinker to your hearts content. If you need a reliable vehicle in short
order and don't have time to keep taking it apart, then look I would
look to have your trans rebuilt.

hth

On Wed, 29 Mar 2006 02:33:20 -0500,
wrote:

>What years of Caravan automatic transmissions are compatible with the
>1993 4-speed automatic, the one that needs frequent costly repairs?
>
>Would it make sense to look for a replacement in a junkyard, and hope
>to find a more recent year, when the transmissions weren't quite as
>bad? How bad of a wreck can a transmission survive, such that you're
>likely to find a good one in a wrecked Caravan?
>
>What other vehicles have transmissions compatible with a Caravan's?

> wrote in message
...
> What years of Caravan automatic transmissions are compatible with the
> 1993 4-speed automatic, the one that needs frequent costly repairs?
>

Not many. The early 90's versions of these transes up to 1992 I
believe used a mechanical speedo, the 93-95 versions used an
electronic speed sensor, and the 96 onwards replaced the
mechanical parking level linkage with electronic. There are also
a lot of computer considerations, a Chrysler trans manual will have
them, and you need to run with a current computer that is flashed
to the current level.

Not to sound racist, but around here the Mexicans like these vans
and seem to spend a lot of time scavenging for transmissions for
them, anything usable that shows up in a wrecking yard gets
carted away in short order.

If your 1993 Caravan has a shot transmission the cheapest way to
do it is pull the trans out and rebuild it yourself. If you don't have an
AWD unit this isn't that bad of a deal. If you do have an AWD unit
you should be very confident of being able to rebuild it yourself
since the R&R is so complex in that model.

If you get it rebuilt by a rebuilder experienced with these units, he
will use all updated parts and from then on it will not need
"frequent costly repairs"

If your 1993 has the 3.3L engine it is definitely worth rebuilding
assuming the body of the van is in good condition.

> Would it make sense to look for a replacement in a junkyard, and hope
> to find a more recent year, when the transmissions weren't quite as
> bad?

No.

Ted

if u inquire at the junk yard they can look in a interchange book

wrote:

> What years of Caravan automatic transmissions are compatible with the
> 1993 4-speed automatic, the one that needs frequent costly repairs?
>
> Would it make sense to look for a replacement in a junkyard, and hope
> to find a more recent year, when the transmissions weren't quite as
> bad? How bad of a wreck can a transmission survive, such that you're
> likely to find a good one in a wrecked Caravan?
>
> What other vehicles have transmissions compatible with a Caravan's?

I got mine at Greenleaf Auto Recycling. I paid extra for the lifetime warranty
on my used Voyager tranny. Running now two years and nary a hiccup.

> likely to find a good one in a wrecked Caravan?