My 95 Caravan (3.0L, 165,000 mi.) is giving me grief. I'm hoping somebody here will take pity on me and tell me what I should try first, and if that doesn't work, what I should try second and third.

I should begin by saying I'm not a complete idiot, but I'm pretty close. The most advanced mechanical job I've ever done was the water pump on this Caravan, and before you ask, yup; I replaced the timing belt while I was in there. I was a little surprised when I put it back together and it actually worked, though. The point is, I can read a manual, but there's nothing in the manual about the AT, except to say go to a shop, which I can't afford at the moment.

I've been having transmission problems with this car for a while; by far the most noticeable was a reluctance to go into reverse when the car was cold. If I revved it, it would drop into reverse with an unholy thump that sounded like it was going to tear the whole damn car apart, which broke me of the habit of trying to back up when it wasn't warmed up. It shifted okay going forward, though-- maybe a little late and rough, but not very noticeable.

Last Christmas I was driving in heavy snow and the transmission quit working altogether. It was leaking fluid like a sieve. I ended up pouring fluid into it and trying to get home (<1 mi.) before it all leaked out, which worked. I parked it for 10 months with a vague idea I might try to put a junkyard tranny in it someday when I felt ambitious.

The other day I finally got around to looking at it, and the hose that connects the tranny to the radiator was ruptured. The new hose was $1.29. Like I said, I'm pretty close to an idiot.

Anyway, yesterday I replaced the hose, put 3 qts. of fresh Pennzoil Dexron-III-compatible ATF in there, and started 'er up. The first thing I noticed was it now goes into reverse no problem, even totally cold. That's good, but I felt like the transmission was slipping in forward gears, especially from 0-15 mph. Like driving a standard with the clutch not quite all the way out.

Today I checked the transmission fluid level, figuring that the 3 qts. I'd had on hand yesterday weren't enough, and sure enough it was way low. I bought another qt. of same tonight and put it in right there in the parking lot. Now the fluid level idling warm in neutral seems about right.

Now it's not slipping (I don't think, or at least not as much) but it's not shifting, either, that I can tell. I got it up to 35 on the way home, and it was revving pretty high; I felt like it should have shifted into 3rd by then. Also, while I was parking it just now, something was chattering a bit in reverse only. I'm not getting any error lights on the dash.

That brings us up to the present moment. The alert reader will have noticed that I didn't put Mopar 7176 ATF in the tranny, which I just found out I probably should have used.

Here's what I'm hoping has happened: My old tranny fluid was broken down and needed to be replaced (it was no longer red, I remember). It had gotten too thin. In my fantasy, this accounts for my previous reverse problem. The new, wrong fluid is too thick, which fixed the reverse problem (sorta) but threw the tranny into limp mode (maybe) on account of being the wrong stuff. And now, all I have to do is drop the transmission pan, put in a new filter, gasket and some 7176 fluid, and the transmission will work perfectly.

Anyway, that's what I'm hoping is the case. I'm also hoping my fairy godmother will give me a million dollars, but that doesn't mean it's gonna happen.

To add insult to injury, I currently have a net worth of approximately zero dollars until I start working again next month. I can't take it to a shop, or even do the basic transmission service kit for at least a week or two.

Here's what I want to know: Will I destroy what's left of my transmission by driving it (lightly, just around town) with the wrong fluid in it for a couple weeks? Will I destroy it by taking it on the freeway for long enough to see if it's really in limp mode? And most importantly, what huge, glaring, obvious mistake have I made in all this that I haven't noticed on account of being a moron?

Also, am I crazy for thinking that, if it needs it, I could put a junkyard tranny in it myself? There are a lot of cash-for-clunkers Caravans in the U-Pull-It yards right now with ~100k on 'em, which is tempting.

Any advice would be appreciated. All I have to trade is advice about music gear and cheap guitars, but I'd be happy to help anyone out if I can!

 

Putting the any other fluid will not cause the trans to fail. its just cause's a chatter problem. When you transmission goes into limp in, the ck engine lite will not come on. That started in1996 with OBD2 cars. You did write that you have a 3.0L engine, but didn't say if you had a 3speed or 4speed automatic. If you have a 4speed (A604) 41TE the body connector would near the fuse cover,next to the brake pedal. ck for codes and post. That way we can tell you what is next.

 

Hmm. I've never used a scan tool and don't have one. I'm game to try it though, sounds handy. Do I need a special one, or will any of 'em do?

EDIT: Never mind; I'm just gonna make AutoZone hook me up with a loaner. I'll be back in a few days with all the juicy details.

 

autozone wont be able to help yall becuse there scanners are only for 96 and newer vehicles or stuff with 0bd2 which dont apply to this van and the man is rite about what trans it in her. 3 or 4 speed. caint give you much help until we all know what its got