I've seen some people here who can tell what model trans a Dodge has by the last digits of the VIN. I can't find how to do this, I can only decode every other part of the VIN, not the production info.

My Caravan SE is a 3.0 auto, and has a small trans pan. All bolt patterns and counts are identical across the 3(?) models of auto trans for the '98 so I'm at a loss. The only marking was a 33 on one part of the casing.

Anyone gotta tip for identifying? Mine slips in drive so it's troubleshoot myself or probably scrap to avoid paying 2x what I paid for the van and the blue book to have transmission work done..

UPDATE: I found this on top of the trans 04659981 46435C. Seems to be a control solenoid for the 41TE/A604. What I read suggests I have the 6G72 engine. There are different valve bodies and bell housing bolt patterns per engine. Still not able to correlate that number to a trans part number or any information useful for sourcing parts or a whole used trans..

UPDATE2: It's 41TE/A604(thanks to master tech for verification). There are different bell housing bolt patterns and valve bodies for each engine just for the A604 though(based on my interpretation).. Everything except bell housing pattern and valve solenoid I think are identical, but I'm not entirely sure. If someone selling a used tranny doesn't know the year and engine it's from you have to verify these two things else it will not work.. Weird for a single year there are at least a few variants of one of the four models of transmission..

 

A full rebuild at an independent transmission shop with warranty and R&R labor should cost you no more than $1500. If the job goes bad, they do the rework for free. A full rebuild should get you another 150K trouble-free, reliable miles assuming the chassis and engine condition will allow that.


I can't imagine buying an as-is used tranny for such an old vehicle and doing all the labor...hoping it will hold up. Where in the heck are you going to find a reliable used transmission almost 20 years old?????? If it slips or doesn't function right shortly after swapping, you will want to kill somebody. There comes a time when cars are junked because proper repairs exceed book value. Are you there now? If the rest of the vehicle is good for another 150K mi, then it's surely worth ignoring book value of the van and installing a rebuilt transmission for the going price.

 

I paid $900 for the van, and the blue book is only like $1,158. I definitely wouldn't put $1,500 into a tranny of something on the verge of needing an engine rebuild too; especially when the shops almost never fix the problem correctly even x tries in.. There is a guy here in NC who sales rebuilt trannies and offers a discount if you trade in your old, and they have warranties.. It's around $450 and the only other thing I've seen that makes economical sense unless you have the time and tools to drop the tranny and use a mopar master rebuild kit, new solenoid pack, and new speed sensors..

Funny thing is there is no dynamics with transmission shops. I remember being quoted about the same for a 4 speed '88 Chrysler, and then just going to a pull yard and getting a tranny.. I just don't see the sense in paying almost double what the car is worth for transmission work, ESPECIALLY when it's a vehicle about at or over 200k that will blow a head gasket or need a rebuild soon..

ADDITIONALLY: Almost every caravan trans shop story I've read the people were ripped off. The shop would do things like change a solenoid or speed sensors and charge for a rebuild, or replace or rebuild a tranny, and it be an electrical issue they can't fix but still charge the owner for all the parts and labor leaving them where they were to begin with just significantly poorer and in some cases in debt..

 

I hear you. All the points you metion are a legit concern. However my take on this is a bit different as I've owned a half dozen cars over 40 year pushing 250K-300K miles. My cars are very reliable. In most cases they quit running when choose I turn the key off and park them permanently as junkers due to recurring troubles (excessive failure rate) or rust.

In my book, book value is a nearly meaningless piece of data. Any vehicle you buy for under $3K will have no warranty, sold as-is. Buying one involves very high risk. Buying a second one doubles the risk lol. The engine or tranny could fail or begin showing symptoms an hour after the title is signed over. You won't know what you have wrt latent defects or troubles until months of testing (driving) has passed.

However after the first few months of ownership passes, I'm able to identify or at least uncover all the major issues. This is the point at which you have a high level of confidence in knowing what you have, or don't have. You can dump it and try potluck again or address the deficiencies. The try again method could result in $1500 flushed two or three times on losers.

I see no problem with dumping $1800 into a $1200 van, if I know it is otherwise strong and reliable. this could be by far your cheapest course of action to reliable transportation. Crying over spilled milk doesn't help mop it up or refll the bowl.

I understand your concern about good independent transmission shops. If you have no reliable shops in your area or you are unable to research that, you're in a pickle. However after digging and asking around I have been able to uncover two indy shops within 20 miles of my house that offer reliable, warrantied rebuilds and they don't cheat customers. They perform FULL rebuilds using all new soft parts, servos, sleeve bearings and fresh torque converters. These teardowns are 100% to bare housing. these trannys are euqal to or better than new. One of the shops specializes in a half dozen domestics while the other does some others. I asked around and got references and have always had excellent luck. Don't know what limits you from taking this approach, but I know it's easier to find good shops in some areas.

The 4spd Dodge GC automatic is one of the most popular & simplest trannys to rebuild. It is cake according to my shops.

good luck

 

the 3.0l Mitsubishi has a 3spd and 4spd trans for the 98. the base version of the 98 comes with the 3 spd transmission. mine is a SWB, manual windows with a 3.0l so it has a 3 spd.

the 4 spd has a TCM module and the 3 spd does not. I think if you have more options with your 3.0l caravan, it is probably 4 spd.

 

Yeah I have a '98 SE with 3.0l, power everything, and the 6 speaker infinity audio.

I do seem to have the A604/41TE judging from the 3rd gear on the column and the number on the control valve casing. There is a Jasper sticker on the trans with a number on it I haven't looked up yet also.

I've dropped the pan and cleaned magnet and pan, changed filter, put on new gasket, and put in 4qt advance auto ATF+4 with some Lucas. This fixed it a while but it's doing it again. I suspect it's the control valve and/or one cylinder shaped piece inside that is made from plastic but has a metal replacement; I read this is the typical fail point of the 41TE based on a series of tare downs by a mechanical engineer who found this piece cracked in all the failed 41TEs..

I can rebuild the tranny with the Mopar kit, but I'm going to try to clean the control valves and replace this one piece first along with two new speed sensors. After that I have the famous dash cluster electrical issues to deal with too.. I can't wait to sale this, so I have to watch my investments..

 

Has long as you have the correct tools to do the overhaul, its a piece of cake. I can R&R and rebuild the transmission in one day. You can do the repairs yourself, because we have the members that can help you. A complete overhaul kit maybe 200.00 dollars. And then your labor. But if you need to replace any hard parts, then it will cost more. Like planetary gear sets.