In March, I bought a 2009 Dodge Journey from a family member who was going to scrap it due to a number of issues that had crept up on them over time - the worst of which being a massive power steering leak. As the body wasn't it too bad of condition (there's a little at the rear wheel fender arches, and the driver's door will need to be replaced due to the failing of a bondo repair under the paint from someone's previous accident repair), I paid what the salvage yard would have given them and towed it home to look it over. Worst case, I could scrap it, too, if it really was in an unworthy-of-repair state. I have to double check, but I think it has roughly 140k miles on it. The engine starts easy and runs great, though.


I had other projects to finish since I picked up the car - including 2 engine swaps: one on a 2005 Volvo V70R (completed the swap, and it is now sold), and another on a 2008 Scion xB (completed the swap, but the replacement engine also failed...so I'm taking a break on that before tackling the next swap on it) - but now it is time to dig into the issues on the Journey. It's up on the lift and I've started poking around...


After a little disassembly and investigation, I found the source of the power steering fluid leak: there is a massive crack in the flexible portion of the power steering return line that runs from the steering rack out to the cooler loop at the front of the car. This hose runs along the back of passenger side of the engine bay, on the inside of the passenger fender well.


I've ordered the replacement cooler line loop (this goes from the passenger side of the rear of the front subframe, out to the PS cooler loop, and back to the PS reservoir), as well as a new PS reservoir (since the current, original one looks very aged/yellowed). I had already ordered the PS pressure line that runs from the pump to the steering rack, so I replaced that as well - the original line had not failed, BTW, and didn't show any leaks. Then I removed and rehabbed the first short section (pic below) of the PS return line path that goes from the steering rack to behind the front subframe (the isolation bushing/sleeve on one of its mounts was worn (red arrow, below), so I used some appropriately-sized fuel line hose to replace it in the clamp).

I'm going to find another of these protective sleeves (blue arrow, above) at the local U-pull yard to cover the new flexible hose in the PS return path (to cover the area where the old hose split) as an additional protective measure - against heat and road debris - when I install it.

Then, I'll be replacing the transmission cooling lines. There are signs of minor leaking on them, possibly from failing o-rings or hose crimps that are going bad. I'll draini the transmission fluid, put in a new filter and add fresh fluid. I've already looked up the transmission dip stick tool that is needed (since they don't include one on the vehicle ), so I'll order that, too. I'm thinking of pulling an extra transmission fill cap at the u-pull and adapting the transmission oil level tool to it (at the proper length) so that I can have a permanent dipstick on the car. Then, I'm also considering adding a drain plug to the transmission pan to make the next fluid change easier and less messy (using something like ).

With that first set of work out of the way, I want to drive it a little and see what else might show up that needs attention. From what I am seeing already with it on the lift, the suspension needs some work. In the front, I would want to replace the swaybar endlinks and the tie rods (inner and outer on both sides, and their boots). In the rear, all the bushings need to be replaced (I have a press, so that will make easy work of that) and I may as well replace the shocks on it, too, while I have it all apart. The rear tires have wear on the inside of the tread, so that is part of the effects of the worn suspension bushings.

 

Check the timing belt. The 3.5 is an interference engine. IIC, it is a 100k or 10 year replacement interval. We had an 09 with the 2.4 and that thing was a tank! Great little car. We liked it so much we traded it for another journey.

 

Thanks for that tip/reminder! It looks like the water pump is timing-belt driving on the 3.5L, as well, so I should probably replace that at the same time.

My plan is to get these initial items (power steering and transmission leaks) addressed, and then put a few miles on it to see if it is something we want to keep long-term. My in-laws have a 2014 Journey that has been good for them that I have maintained, so I am familiar with them. They do offer a lot of seating flexibility for their size!

 

Over the weekend, I added a drain plug to the transmission oil pan so that it is easier to drain the fluid and make less of a mess at the next transmission filter replacement service.





My neighbor helped with brazing the drain plug bung onto the pan (I did the prep work).







The new Wix transmission oil filter kit included a gasket for the pan (so I didn't have to use RTV), but 2 of the holes on the transmission housing for the oil pan bolts were stripped and could not be torqued to spec. I wound up tapping them one size larger (up to 7mm, from 6mm), and fortunately I had suitable size bolts left over from stripping down a Volvo last year.

I also installed new transmission cooling lines. The old ones had signs of weeping/failure at some of the hose crimps.

 

I finished installing the power steering lines this weekend, and then filled and bled the power steering system and filled the transmission to the proper level, too.






I've made a couple of short (2-3 miles) test drives and everything is working well. The engine runs great! And, after all the reassembly and test drives - there are no leaks!

In reading through some of the paperwork my kids had in the glovebox, it showed that the vehicle had the headgaskets replaced at 132k miles (there is 166k miles on it now). Also at that time, the timing belt and water pump were replaced, as well as the spark plugs.

I spent yesterday detailing the interior front to back and it cleaned up nicely!

 

Good deal on the timing belt and water pump being replaced already!