Jasper reconditioned engine for Dodge Caravan?

A

autumn

New member
I just had a reconditioned Jasper engine installed in my 98 Dodge Caravan. The garage called last night at just a few minutes before they closed and said it was ready. I heard a clunk after I started it up and put it in drive, but didn't hear it after that one time. This was the first time I'd driven my car in 3 weeks but the engine seemed to run a little louder than before. I only drove it half a mile to my house last night, but am going to take it out for a drive after I post this. Maybe it's just that it's been so long since I've driven my own car and am looking for things, but I've never had an engine replaced before. What things should I expect? I mean, what is normal and what is not? Should it run just the same as it did before? There wasn't anything wrong with the original engine, except that it had 176,000 miles on it. The car needed to have an oil leak problem fixed that was going to cost $1,500 and a new water pump that was going to cost approx. $700, so my husband decided it would be a good idea to just replace the engine.
Thanks, Eddie! = )
Mike - It was the valve seals and it really would have cost $1,500. This was quoted by several garages, not just one. The water pump is a cheap part, but the labor to replace it was the clincher, because it's so hard to get at. There was a Ford dealership across the street from where the car broke down that wanted $1,000 to repair it. We checked other places, and they were all over $500, most were between $600 - $700.
The engine, idk, I drove it today about 45 miles and it seemed okay. Anyway, it was my husband's decision to get the reconditioned Jasper engine. It's got a 100,000 mile or 3 yr. warranty on it. I hope it will be okay.
 
If that is what the shop quoted you for any oil leak and a water pump you were ripped off. A water pump for your vehicle will only cost about 250-300 total and most oil leaks can be handled for under 500. You should not have put a reman engine in your car as there was no problem severe enough to warrant it. You just wasted a ton of money. Sorry to say that. As far as your new engine it should sound the same or better than the one it replaces. But man I feel bad for how badly you've been burned.
 
I did the same thing you did, but there shouldn't have been a clunk though, also if they didn't tell you to run your engine in, even though its a reconditioned one, then they should have, you have to do no more than 60klms for the first 100 klms (35 mph - 60 miles) then vary the speed between 35 mph and 60 mph, but don't go over that for another 60 miles, also I had a problem with the tappets, they needed to be adjusted which is quite a simple thing for them to do and it should have been in your warranty, I only got 3 months or 6 months or something but it lasted like 15 years or something, only thing I had to replace was the water pump but found a way around that, under your radiator cap there is a thermus held in by a spring, remove the spring, take the little disc like plate out and put the spring back in, no more engine is running hot business, learnt that from my brother and he knows loads about cars, it won't damage the engine, its like having 3 legs, u dont need the extra one, and it wont cause any trouble but I'm a bit worried about the clunk, if its automatic then they need to realign something, just can't remember what the name of it is cause it was a while ago when I did it but it apparently changes the alignment with your gear box, thankfully mine was okay, hope this helps and doesn't confuse you, I wish you luck :)

Just remembered, get them to do a compression test done so you know how much capacity you have in your cylinders, that way you'll know whether they are all working or not :)
 
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