new caravan owner with some questions
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new caravan owner with some questions
hey there guys, i just bought a 2004 dodge caravan anniversary edition with a 3.3l v6 and automatic tranny. I have a few questions for anyone willing to help me out^^. Keep in mind im not really a mechanic but i picked up a few things from my dad.
A. i noticed after about 15minutes of driving, the temperature guage is already at half way. When i got to my destination and turned the van off, my girlfriend said she smelled something hot. Water leaking maybe?
B. going through potholes theres a kind of clunking in the front suspension, im just wondering if thats anormal sound or not.
C. When i press the brakes, i can feel the pedal kind of jolting slightly, like a constant jerk then releasing.
D. the brackets that hold my brake pedal /emergency break to the floor of the cab are rusty....WTF?
E. What is the best thing to use to rust convert/ undercoat the van with and are there any other major things i should know about this van
?
THANK YOU KINDLY!!
A. i noticed after about 15minutes of driving, the temperature guage is already at half way. When i got to my destination and turned the van off, my girlfriend said she smelled something hot. Water leaking maybe?
B. going through potholes theres a kind of clunking in the front suspension, im just wondering if thats anormal sound or not.
C. When i press the brakes, i can feel the pedal kind of jolting slightly, like a constant jerk then releasing.
D. the brackets that hold my brake pedal /emergency break to the floor of the cab are rusty....WTF?
E. What is the best thing to use to rust convert/ undercoat the van with and are there any other major things i should know about this van
?THANK YOU KINDLY!!
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 279
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From:
The first thing you need is a shop manual for your van.Haynes makes a good one.
The "hot" smell is probably coolant leaking from the engine somewhere.Antifreeze solution has a distinct sweet smell.There should be signs of a leak somewhere.The water pump is a likely suspect.There's a small "weep" hole somewhere near the pulley on the pump body.This hole is where the coolant comes out when the pump fails due to either seals or bearings.It's there as an early warning system.You can look for steam or liquid coolant coming out of this hole while the engine is at operating temp.Replacement is the only fix if the pump is leaking.
The clunking sound is probably the sway bar bushings.They have a tendency to do this.I don't know whether your van has swaybar links or not,these can also cause the noise you describe.
The brake pulsing is probably the rotors are out of round.This can be fixed by having the rotors resurfaced on a brake turning lathe.New pads might be needed at this time also.
Rusty interior parts is one of the first signs to look for to keep from buying a flooded vehicle.Check under the seats for rust on the seat brackets.A musty smell is also a danger sign.The problems arise when wiring connectors start to corrode and the electrical gremlins get loose.
Check to see where the van came from.If it's from a state that has had flooding in the last couple years it could be a flood car.Carfax MIGHT be able to help out here.
The brake pedal bracket should be just lubricated and not treated with rust convertor because it might cause the E-brake mechanism to malfunction.I'd just keep it lubed using a light machine oil or a spray lube like WD 40.
Since you've already bought the van and you don't say whether a warranty is in effect,that Haynes manual is going to come in handy.They are valuable whether you are going to do the work on your van or not.You can use the information in the manual to help describe the problem to a service manager and to tell when your being hoodwinked.
These manuals have lots of pictures to help figure procedures and to let you know whether you have the tools to actually do the work before you start a job.
The "hot" smell is probably coolant leaking from the engine somewhere.Antifreeze solution has a distinct sweet smell.There should be signs of a leak somewhere.The water pump is a likely suspect.There's a small "weep" hole somewhere near the pulley on the pump body.This hole is where the coolant comes out when the pump fails due to either seals or bearings.It's there as an early warning system.You can look for steam or liquid coolant coming out of this hole while the engine is at operating temp.Replacement is the only fix if the pump is leaking.
The clunking sound is probably the sway bar bushings.They have a tendency to do this.I don't know whether your van has swaybar links or not,these can also cause the noise you describe.
The brake pulsing is probably the rotors are out of round.This can be fixed by having the rotors resurfaced on a brake turning lathe.New pads might be needed at this time also.
Rusty interior parts is one of the first signs to look for to keep from buying a flooded vehicle.Check under the seats for rust on the seat brackets.A musty smell is also a danger sign.The problems arise when wiring connectors start to corrode and the electrical gremlins get loose.
Check to see where the van came from.If it's from a state that has had flooding in the last couple years it could be a flood car.Carfax MIGHT be able to help out here.
The brake pedal bracket should be just lubricated and not treated with rust convertor because it might cause the E-brake mechanism to malfunction.I'd just keep it lubed using a light machine oil or a spray lube like WD 40.
Since you've already bought the van and you don't say whether a warranty is in effect,that Haynes manual is going to come in handy.They are valuable whether you are going to do the work on your van or not.You can use the information in the manual to help describe the problem to a service manager and to tell when your being hoodwinked.
These manuals have lots of pictures to help figure procedures and to let you know whether you have the tools to actually do the work before you start a job.