[4th Gen : 01-07]: Please help finding radiator
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Please help finding radiator
I have a 2004 Caravan, manufacturer's date shows as 02/04. When I search with the VIN it comes up as a 2005.
In either case, I have searched for radiators for 2004 and 2005. Typically any parts for 2001-2004 will work on this van. I also have 2 other 2003 Caravan's... again just about anything I've never needed, years 2001-2004 have been the same and a lot of parts the same up through 2007.
Anyway, this particular van has a different radiator than my 2003's. I have been to the junkyard and looked at radiators from 2002 to 2005 and they all look the same, which is the same as my 2003 vans. This 2004 (or 2005 if you believe the vin decoder) has a different radiator. The van has mounts/clips on the radiator for the a/c condenser to 'push' onto to hold it in place. My vans, and all the ones I find at the junkyard and new radiators at the parts store do not have these needed mounts. The a/c condenser bolts onto everything else I've seen.
Pictures of radiators I've seen on Amazon and Rock Auto all show the same... which is not what I need. They all show pictures showing bolt holes for the condenser, not the clips. Now that said, one photo on Rock Auto does show the clips. But the description shows nothing different than the other brands as far as to this oddball mount. I really need to find a radiator locally.
So does anyone know what I need to search for locally? Oh, this is a 3.3L just like my 2003's. The door sticker shows this van was manuf. in the USA so there's nothing different there. I'm stumped as to how this van could have a radiator that even the local parts stores can't figure out what to order. And there are no local dealerships near me. But surely this can't be a dealer only radiator..... a radiator on the most common van and most sold in the world.
In either case, I have searched for radiators for 2004 and 2005. Typically any parts for 2001-2004 will work on this van. I also have 2 other 2003 Caravan's... again just about anything I've never needed, years 2001-2004 have been the same and a lot of parts the same up through 2007.
Anyway, this particular van has a different radiator than my 2003's. I have been to the junkyard and looked at radiators from 2002 to 2005 and they all look the same, which is the same as my 2003 vans. This 2004 (or 2005 if you believe the vin decoder) has a different radiator. The van has mounts/clips on the radiator for the a/c condenser to 'push' onto to hold it in place. My vans, and all the ones I find at the junkyard and new radiators at the parts store do not have these needed mounts. The a/c condenser bolts onto everything else I've seen.
Pictures of radiators I've seen on Amazon and Rock Auto all show the same... which is not what I need. They all show pictures showing bolt holes for the condenser, not the clips. Now that said, one photo on Rock Auto does show the clips. But the description shows nothing different than the other brands as far as to this oddball mount. I really need to find a radiator locally.
So does anyone know what I need to search for locally? Oh, this is a 3.3L just like my 2003's. The door sticker shows this van was manuf. in the USA so there's nothing different there. I'm stumped as to how this van could have a radiator that even the local parts stores can't figure out what to order. And there are no local dealerships near me. But surely this can't be a dealer only radiator..... a radiator on the most common van and most sold in the world.
Captain
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 553
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There’s a difference between a manufacturer build date and model year - February 04 seems a little too early for it to be considered a 2005, but the model year can be confirmed by checking the 10th digit of the VIN - 4=2004 and 5=2005. The model year is what you want to refer to when searching for parts.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the radiator is discontinued from Dodge, so one thing you could do is call the dealership parts dept, give them the VIN, and ask for the most recent Dodge part# for the correct radiator. Then you can start searching using the part# rather than by year and engine.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the radiator is discontinued from Dodge, so one thing you could do is call the dealership parts dept, give them the VIN, and ask for the most recent Dodge part# for the correct radiator. Then you can start searching using the part# rather than by year and engine.