hey everyone, i just picked up a 96 caravan se for $150. needless to say, it does have a few issues. but it runs, and has only (used relatively) 150'000 miles. i had a 95/96 neon that i rebuilt almost completely, so im somewhat familiar with this era of Chrysler engineering. plus i'm a DIY guy, so im ready to tear into this thing.

the first issues are the service engine light. i did the key thing and pulled the codes. i cross referenced them with the haynes manual (that came with it for the price!) and it says that my coolant temp sensor is bad, and the torque converter relay solenoid needs replaced. the problem is that the haynes book doesnt show/say where these two items are located. i checked the big relay/fuse box by the battery, but didnt see anything about a torque converter relay in there.

another problem is that the front sway bar is broken on the drivers side right where the end link goes through and bolts on. from what the haynes book says, the procedure sounds to be very similar to the neon build, so i dont think it will be a problem doing. i was just wondering what years were compatible? will only the gen 3 vans work, or are there other ones that will fit also? i'm just trying to get this figures out before i call around to junk yards.

and the next big problem is the headlights. they have the typical dodge fog over the lenses, and they dont light the road very well at all. in fact, ive been running on highbeams since the day i bought it (a few weeks ago), and no one has ever flashed their lights at me. they are that bad. again, the neons are notorious for this, and i read somewhere that you could buff them with brake fluid to clean off the haze (but dont get it on the paint!). i ended up just picking up new headlights for that car, so i never went through with it, but does buffing with brake fluid work? or does anyone know a better way to clean them off?

that's it for now. all in all, the van's not my style, but i travel a lot for work, and i really like the room for my luggage and stuff. and for the price, i cant really complain.

 

this post is impossible to answer without knowing what engine you have. but as for the code issue, clear them and see if they come back!!!!! if they come back, then we'll talkYour wasting your time looking for fuses for this problem./pDon't waste your time for used swaybar links for under $25 you get a BRAND NEW one from the auto parts store and they are greasable. You got the van cheap, unless you're extremely poor living in a van down by the river or a trailer dweller, spend the money on new stuff./pusing brake fluid to clear headlights is the stupidest thing I ever heard of! All you do is wet sand them with 1200 grit and then buff with a medium rubbing compound, then clear coat

 

damn, how did i forget the most important thing? its the 3.0 liter, 3-speed auto.

anyway, i dont appreciate the attitude. for your information, i am a "trailer dweller"... is that a problem for you? however, where or how i live is not a factor here. i thought it would be understood that i dont want to buy a bunch of new parts, tools, or anything else, for a van that i only paid $150 for in the first place. i guess not though, so let me clarify; i dont want to buy a bunch of new stuff for a busted old van. i mean, if i wanted a 'good' van, i would have spent more upfront. this thing is beat up, has an R title, and i only bought it to use for running to work, and get my stuff out of the storage unit. if i can use it for work for a few months, and not have to rent a u-haul, then it will have served its purpose. if i was trying to spend a ton of money on something, it would be on my isuzu rodeo or honda accord, not the already-been-totaled-once, $150 mini van.

SO...

as for the sway bar, its not the end link that's the problem. the sway bar itself is broken where the end link's stud attaches. i need a different sway bar altogether. i need to know what will fit it. does it have to be a gen 3 van? does the drive train matter?

the codes are legit. the radiator fans never come on, and you can feel that the torque converter is not right when you take off. just for good measure though, i went to a friends and used his scan tool to clear them, but they were back by the time i made it home.

i already took care of the lights, so that's a non-issue now.

 

wow do you have thin skin... I never said YOU were a trailer dweller, it's a reference as a funny because it seems Mopar owners are about as cheap as it gets. and while they do provide a temporary place to live, they do not appreciate in value or contribute to financial growth potential. I have people wanting to put in used shocks from a junk yard find that they spent $10 each and for $15 each I can install brand new ones. My favorite was a cheapskate that paid $10 for a used junkyard door handle and brand new at the parts store they are $8 (k-car)... but I guess you must be since that little humor offended you. Sorry you have to live in a trailer... ALL gen 3 sway bars will fit. Just goes to show had you spent 2 minutes diagnosing this thing first before asking the question about swaybars would have saved you time and reduced the need of demanding someone else solve this problem especially how easy it was to figure out. for your codes, now you need to use proper problem solving techniques such as reading resistance value of the coolant sensor to determine if the sensor is bad or if the wiring is bad or a computer problem. Same goes for the torque converter solenoid

 

its not that my skin is all that thin, or that i dont have a sense of humor, but more that the term "trailer dweller" has negative conultations. i've never heard "unless you're a trailer dweller" used in a positive light. as for my housing arrangement, i am by no means forced to dwell in this trailer, but i'm a younger, recently single guy. my rent here is dirt cheap, and it enables me to have more money for other things i need/want in life. FYI though, a trailer or modular home can appreciate if its set on a permanent foundation. once its set, and the axles are removed, its no longer considered as a 'mobile' home, but rather a permanent residence.

on to the van though... i know what i'm doing here. i work on all my cars, and have since i was a teenager. its just that im not familiar with these vans. i know there are a lot of dumb people out there, and people tent to take the 'cheap' route when buying new wouldnt be much more. im not those people though. i take good care of my other vehicles, but i dont care about this van. i need to use it for a few things, then get rid of it. that's why i'm taking the cheap route anywhere possible.

i had to replace the harness in my old neon because of heat damage from the exhaust, so i know how great the engineering is on these mid-90's chryslers. hopefully its just the sensor and not the harness on this van though, but, before i can test it, i need to know where the hell the sensor is located. so, if you know, and plan on helping me here, tell me where its at. i can handle it from there.

same goes for the torque converter. i just need to know where this solenoid is at, and i should be able to take care of it from there.

thanks for the swaybar info though.

 

The torque converter soleniod is in the EXACT same spot as the neon and you've stated that you've replaced them before.

 

i live in a 60s trailer and i think that dwellr coment is funny cuz its pretty much true for me. coolent sensers are pritty much alwsys by the upper rad hose water neck they have 2 wires if yall find what mite be a 1 wire senser in that area thats for the temp gage/lite only. in the old days key dance time a coolent sensr was a 22 as i rember. a scaner is real nice for this cuz yall can see what the computer sees for that. if she's open circut then it puts in a realy cold neg value. yall can test the senser with a multimeter and mesure resist. as the moter gets warm resist goes down. and the lockup sol needs to have like 30ohms or less i think but yall should look that up in a manual or google maybe. and yep the lockup sol is in teh same spot as them neons 3speed trans 1987 was the first year on lockup for all them 3speeds. i seen them yelow or blue conecter with 2 wires rite by the cooler hoses. and yep them swaybars from any 96-00 vans works adn wile your at it grab them links too and if yall is lucky to find the greesable kind are replaced and way better. i wish i coulda got a van as nice as yalls for a buck and a half. id flip her to make a payment on my trailer loan
oh and didja know yall can test out the lockup pritty ez just drive her down the road like 45+ with her warmed up then just put a lite brake on not enouf to slow down and see if she feels like the revs comeup. then yall can tell if shes unlocking

 

okay, to be blunt, i've had enough of you bull ****. i would love for you to post the quote with me saying, "i've replaced the torque converter solenoid in my old neon." you cant, because i NEVER said anything about my neons torque converter, let alone the solenoid or changing it.

just like with the sway bar thing, you failed to thoroughly read the post. then you post back with some useless crap that in no way helps the situation... other than the sway bar thing, which i assumed was the case anyway.

so either read the posts and understand what is being said, and help out. OR just dont post in my thread. i dont care which.

 

thanks for the help. but in this case, a picture truly is worth a thousand words. i'll take a look under the hood tomorrow though, and hopefully i can spot a sensor with that description.

as for the torque conv. solenoid, can't someone just say "it's located here"? from reading around, i think its inside the transmission. am i getting warm?

i'll probably grap the drivers side end link when i get a sway bar, because the one on there has a pretty big tear in the boot. the other one looks fine, and if the bad one is replaced by a used one, i dont see the need to get them both unless there is a big difference in mileage on the parts car vs mine.

 

Wow, you have issues . You claimed you replaced the trans on your neon a couple times, which means you had to unplug the lockup solenoid. and you claimed to have replaced a wire harness which means you most likely would have had to deal with the wires to the lockup solenoid. and yes, the solenoid is IN the transmission and the plug is on the outside and that quality grammer guy stated where it is, and surprisingly he's right on the money.