94 Caravan Mount Replacement doesn't fit. Need help!

I was very proud that I managed to pull the old Front Right Engine
Mount out of my 94 Grand Caravan 3.3, when I realized that the
replacement mount, similar in all respects, had a smaller bolt hole
through the metal composite within the rubber. I have now gone to 4
different auto parts stores and all of the after market mounts have
the same smaller bolt hole. Currently I'm stuck with the engine on a
jack until I can figure out what to do.

My guess is that my Caravan was built at a different plant or
something, and that perhaps they ran out of a part and used something
differnt? I heard somewhere that Mitsubishi was producing some
Caravans back then too.

I can't use a smaller bolt as the nut is part of the bracket. It looks
like I could drill out a millimeter or two and be fine, but I'm not
sure if this is safe? The hole is in a diamond shaped piece of metal
or composite within the rubber, and my guess is that it would be safe,
but as I'm not sure it is worth the risk.

Please let me know your thoughts and if you have ever come across this
before? I can call the dealer on Monday but I'd like to be driving to
work by then! Thanks.

 

The only Mitsubishi was vans that had the 3.0 V6 but that was only the
engine, the mounts and everything else were Chrysler. Ya might have to get
the mount from a dealer to make sure you get the correct one.

 

Quite likely they're all manufactured by just one company.

My guess is you've got the wrong mount.

It's amazing the claptrap you can hear if you don't filter for source.
Mitsubishi made the 3.0 litre V6 that was used in a great many Caravans,
but that's it. Chrysler made everything else, including the engine mounts,
and in the case of your 3.3, that's a Chrysler-made engine.

....so you'll have to go get the correct mount...

DS

 

I've never come across this in an engine mount but I've often come across
stuff like this in aftermarket parts.

Most recent was fuel pump in my 84 Chevy Celebrity. The aftermarket
pump had an inlet that was turned about 3 degrees different than the
factory-supplied
pump. Normally nothing big for a fuel pump except that it's all steel lines
going
to the pump, and I did not feel like trying to bend one of them to get it to
fit. I went to 3 different auto parts places, all of them had the identical
pump.
So I gave up and bent the fuel line slightly to get it to fit. It did make
it much
harder to get the fuel lines started without cross threading them, but I
just worked
very slowly, carefully and gently, worked them around and eventually got
them
in without ruining them.

In your case if the new and old mount were _identical_ (not just 'similar',
there's
a difference) except for the size of the hole, I'd drill it. Most likely,
Chrysler
used the larger bolt for a number of years then for some reason changed the
spec to a smaller bolt but did not change the mount. The person who
designed
the aftermarket part probably didn't see the actual mount, and was going off
the
bolt size of a later model when putting in the holes. It is probably likely
that this
kind of scenario comes up so seldom (I cannot think of many people bothering
to
check for broken engine mounts in a 10 year old van) that when it does the
people
just drill it and forget about it.

It is frustrating when you run into this kind of thing in the aftermarket,
but aftermarket
parts are cheaper for a reason.

Ted

 

different auto parts stores and all of the after market mounts have

Will fit has now become will ALMOST fit.

I had the same problem with a radiator. The cap wouln't even tighten all the
way.
All three stores buy from the same will ALMOST fit vendors.

 

Thanks for the follow-ups people. This has been a learning experience!
The dealer had one for 3X the cost but it also included the bracket
and bolt. To remove the current bracket would have been beyond me as
it is bolted from the underside. So I separated the new one from the
mount, (which had the right size hole), and put it all back together.

The van has not been running right and the engine shakes at times.
That old mount was letting it shake violently, especially in reverse,
and though is had not split, it had cracks all over the place and
generally looked tired. The new mount is defiantly calming things
down.

I hear a tiny bit of a rattle that sounds like a couple valve/piston
things aren't firing right, but I don't know much of anything. I have
just gone step by step; new plugs, wires, coil, pcv valve(or whatever
it is). I'm not sure what to do next. It's a nice van with only 85,000
miles on it so it is definitely worth the effort. All the comforts;
interior, stereo, electric widows, etc. are in good condition, and up
till a month or two ago the engine was humming great too.

 

A WAG: dirty injector(s) causing an imbalance.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')

 

Think I ought to drop in a little Chevron Techron or something?

 

I had lots of problems with shake with a 94 GC while driving. It
would mimic a wheel balance problem. To be brief, after many and
costly consultations with people who should have known the answer, I
traced it myself to the engine being off center. Under certain
driving conditions this can cause binding (and wear) in the in the
front axle shafts as they rotate which is manifested as a shake or
wobble in the front end. Changing the engine mount or mounts can
affect engine centering, as can changing the front axle shafts. Ageing
of the mounts can do it to, in my opinion. Mine had sagged badly, and
I changed all three.

I have the service manual for theGC, and you can forget the centering
procedure given in that manual. It can be done in your driveway using
a technique of measuring the projections of the two front axle shafts
beyond the rotor hubs. It should be the same on both sides. The
major difficulty in doing this is removing the big hub nut so you can
make the measurements. I borrowed the big socket from AutoZone. The
nut is very tight.

If the projections are not the same, jack up the engine and loosen
all three engine mounts where they attach to the frame, pry the engine
right or left as needed to equalize the axle projections (half the
difference of the two projections) making sure the mounts move with
the engine, and then tighten the mounts. Put it all back together,
drive it a bit, and recheck the measurements. You can find additional
(more detailed) info on this procedure with a dilligent internet
search.

Good luck!