Evidently these are rare birds-nobody seems to have em and the people that do want 1k+ What the hell? Here's what I need- 97 Plymouth Grand Voyager SE auto for 3.3 v6 Thanks ahead of time...
It's not that they are rare, its just that every fwd dodge on the planet needs a new ****** after 100,000 making it hard to find good used ones. You should ditch the minivan and build an old suburban with a hemi!
That would be the overdrive trans? I believe the older 4 speeds are basicly the same trans but somewhere around your year Mopar changed the trans top motormount to a new style and the old transmissions won't fit. Bet thats why its such an issue to find one. IF you had the earlier style you could most likely get away with one from a Dynasty or whatever. No idea what would be involved to adapt the old to the new. Solenoid wiring might be different too...no idea on that aspect. I feel your pain...been down the exact same road with my daily. Replaced the trans 3 times...repaired 3 times with varying amounts of success. Mopar transaxles are junk.
AXIOM Automotive has a container load they are trying to get rid of. Do a Google of axiom and transmission parts. $450 was the price I was quoted. May have been the older trans but I think yours was in the range he gave me for what it fits.
sssssshhhhhhhhh don't say that too loud my brothers dodge spirit w/275,000 on it may hear u...lol......joe
That was a little harsh (what I said)...some HAVE lasted a long time...I know that. I just MEAN they lube the crosspin and spider gears with Transfluid, which doesn't have the ability to keep the metals involved from galling and putting iron filings and powder thru the hydraulic circuit, where it plugs up valves and governers etc, causing shift hangups and clutch burnouts...IF the diff gets to see much wheelspinning etc. Mopar calls it abuse...but it really doesn't require much effort. They used "abuse" as a way to cut down replacement costs. Then again it might just cause a single major galling issue that snaps off the pin retainer bolt (as a "welded on" spider gear actually spins the pin itself!) and allows the pin (which eventually unwelds due to normal diff action) to then slip out of the differential and p*** thru the aluminium case, before the trans ever gets to the point of not shifting properly! Instant dead transmission. Your friends car might have been driven easier (plus its a lighter car, not the van...perhaps with the 4 cyl engine?) or may have just gotten some better spec parts by luck. I've seen a few put down some excellent mileage myself! They blew it on diff lubrication with those transmissions...ATF isn't a replacement for gear oil inside the diff. It works fine on the main gears due to the inline configuration which is lower friction than say a 9" rear axle gear set. Glad your friend had good luck with his, but sadly its the exception not the rule. The ****** things usually work EXCELLENT until the diff wears out...or the clutch pack retainer clip snaps in the OD trans... For awhile Mopar even had case-saver plates available to bolt onto the diff and prevent the cross pin from falling out of the unit and killing the case. You didn't even use the roll pin to retain the cross shaft! Rebuilders used to use them but I don't think they are available anymore. They didn't stop the powdering of the spider gears, so the transmissions still died despite the plates. I have one spare diff with my own homefabbed plates attached. I had replaced the original worn diff hoping to make the trans last awhile longer but the powered iron was already thru the system and it died anyway a month later, even with the perfect replacement differential. Tossed that case but kept the hard to get differential. anyway...thats my story and I'm sticking to it!!!
Dont' get me wrong this van has earned a new ******-it has over 200k on it and it's super clean all around! I bought last year on the 'bay for 2k and it's valued around 5k, so the investment wouldn't be upside down, really. I just think it's rather 'ironic' that this thing was sold with a 12month warranty on the ****** rebuild and sure enough month #12 rolls around and BAM! like Emeril, that ****er's toast . I'll check on that Axiom lead. thanks!
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