I got slack and let my 3.8 liter van run low on oil and now one of the rod bearings is stuck to the crank. The van has 160K miles and is in decent condition otherwise. I am trying to decide between three options:

1. selling it like it is - I have no idea what one in this condition would bring. The trans is good and has about 70K but also has a small leak. I have to add about 1 qt every two weeks or it doesn't go into gear like it should.

2. Pulling the engine and installing a new crank along with the rod that is damaged. I am hesitant to do this because if it ran low enough on oil to weld one rod to the crank then what did it do to the others?

3. Replace the entire engine with a used salvage yard unit. I haven't searched alot but what I have done leads me to believe that these 3.8s are not easy to find.

Also, what is the differences between the L and R in the VINs? I see one L and no Rs in the VIN but is it posible to use either engine? I am asking this becasue there is one for an R very close to me, and one with an L a long way away.

TIA

 

Im not a Dodge tech but I am in the feild.Most of the time the diffrence between the Vin# engines are emmissions options.If you get the other vin engine you might have to use and old part off of your engine.Most of the time it is minor diffrences.Also most of the time the minor diffrences are in the intake system.

Put the used engine in IMO.