Replace Alt or Fuel Filter?
#1
01-03-2011, 07:42 PM
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Replace Alt or Fuel Filter?
02 Grand Caravan 130k. Would like it to last another 2 or 3 years. Wife drives it but we are a bit concerned with age/reliability. Long drives to Nova Scotia 2 or 3 times a year other trips with 4 small children, we get a bit nervous about breaking down. It is still pretty tight and I keep up with maintennce.
Two things that I was thinking about replacing was the alternator and the fuel filter. The fuel filter is inside the tank I think, is it worth the effort to change it? Thoughts on the Alternator? I did the serpentine belt/tensioner/pulley.
Anything other opinions on what to replace. Maybe some hoses? Just trying to think of some other stuff that would give me some piece of mind for another 2 or 3 years...things that would break down on the highway.
Two things that I was thinking about replacing was the alternator and the fuel filter. The fuel filter is inside the tank I think, is it worth the effort to change it? Thoughts on the Alternator? I did the serpentine belt/tensioner/pulley.
Anything other opinions on what to replace. Maybe some hoses? Just trying to think of some other stuff that would give me some piece of mind for another 2 or 3 years...things that would break down on the highway.
#2
01-03-2011, 08:21 PM
As far as the alternator goes, I would take it to a garage and have them check the output on it. If it is still putting out max output, I would leave it alone. Once it is tested, they can tell you if it is getting weak on the output at all. Usually these tests are free too.
As far as other things, I would check the radiator hoses. 8 yrs old and 130k miles, those hoses might start breaking down causing leaks and overheating. Easily checked by squeezing them with your hands and seeing if the hose springs back to shape quickly. If it kinda slowly goes back to shape, that is a sign that the rubber is weakening up. This does not mean that it could go bad soon, just a sign that the integrity of the hose is not where it should be. You could get another 130k out of them. But your asking.
You say that you keep up on the maintenance, so I am going to bypass tune ups, oil changes, transmission flushes, radiator flushes, etc. Those I will assume you are doing.
Now if you are doing the maintenance yourself, are you greasing up the necessary parts? A lot of DIY forget this important part. Now I don't know all the lubrication points on the Caravan, so maybe someone will pop in with those and help you out.
Other than that, if it is your wife driving it all the time, the only other thing that I can suggest is that you take it for a drive every couple of weeks and LISTEN to the van yourself. You seem to know what your doing and you should know if the van is making a noise that shouldn't be there.
As far as other things, I would check the radiator hoses. 8 yrs old and 130k miles, those hoses might start breaking down causing leaks and overheating. Easily checked by squeezing them with your hands and seeing if the hose springs back to shape quickly. If it kinda slowly goes back to shape, that is a sign that the rubber is weakening up. This does not mean that it could go bad soon, just a sign that the integrity of the hose is not where it should be. You could get another 130k out of them. But your asking.
You say that you keep up on the maintenance, so I am going to bypass tune ups, oil changes, transmission flushes, radiator flushes, etc. Those I will assume you are doing.
Now if you are doing the maintenance yourself, are you greasing up the necessary parts? A lot of DIY forget this important part. Now I don't know all the lubrication points on the Caravan, so maybe someone will pop in with those and help you out.
Other than that, if it is your wife driving it all the time, the only other thing that I can suggest is that you take it for a drive every couple of weeks and LISTEN to the van yourself. You seem to know what your doing and you should know if the van is making a noise that shouldn't be there.