'98 Grand Caravan 3.3L head gasket failing at 33,000 miles

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by RWM, Jan 14, 2004.

  1. RWM

    RWM Guest

    '98 Grand Caravan 3.3L V6 head gasket failing at 33,000 miles.

    Dripping coolant leak from failing head gasket on rear cylinder
    bank.
    No oil in water, no water in oil, just coolant dripping from rear
    bank, so far.

    Beyond 3 yrs time, within 36,000 mileage of OEM warranty.

    "Self authorizing" Dealer says "tough", won't advocate with
    Chrysler for any "good will" coverage

    $1000 head gaskets plus $600 other opportune work (pumps, belts).

    In 35 years of prior ownership, no BMW, Honda or Datsun head
    gasket has ever failed.

    Last Chrysler product, ever.
     
    RWM, Jan 14, 2004
    #1
  2. | '98 Grand Caravan 3.3L V6 head gasket failing at 33,000 miles.
    |
    | Dripping coolant leak from failing head gasket on rear cylinder
    | bank.
    | No oil in water, no water in oil, just coolant dripping from rear
    | bank, so far.
    |
    | Beyond 3 yrs time, within 36,000 mileage of OEM warranty.
    |
    | "Self authorizing" Dealer says "tough", won't advocate with
    | Chrysler for any "good will" coverage
    |
    | $1000 head gaskets plus $600 other opportune work (pumps, belts).
    |
    | In 35 years of prior ownership, no BMW, Honda or Datsun head
    | gasket has ever failed.
    |
    | Last Chrysler product, ever.
    |
    |

    I would think Chrysler would go halves with you on the cost. Keep pushing.
    It's worth it to them to keep you as a customer.
     
    James C. Reeves, Jan 14, 2004
    #2
  3. RWM

    jdoe Guest

    Right.....we all know the technicians in their dealerships are just there
    for show. Sorry to hear your problem but the others don't roll on water
    either. My friend just spen well in excess of $1500 to fix a oil leak on his
    Camry with only 30+k on it. Toyota didn't help HIm either. Funny though he
    thinks the sun rises and sets on that CAmry. BTW it may not be a head
    gasket.
    Larry
     
    jdoe, Jan 14, 2004
    #3
  4. RWM

    RWM Guest

    Unless the dealer techs are, as you say, "just there for show", they says they
    checked and it's the head gasket...
     
    RWM, Jan 14, 2004
    #4
  5. RWM

    Steve Guest

    In 30 years of ownership and over 750,000 miles, no Chrysler head gasket
    has failed me. Yer point?
    No imports. Ever.


    Now that the insults are over, you should contact another dealer or
    contact Chrysler directly. For one thing, failed head gaskets on a 3.3
    are not common AT ALL. Its not a like a 2.0 DOHC (or all those Hondas
    for which Fel Pro makes "problem solver" head gaskets, for that matter).

    Secondly, if oil and water haven't mixed, are you SURE its a head
    gasket? Could be a casting plug (aka 'freeze plug') on that head too.
    Could be LOTS of things, unless you've actually traced the source of the
    water to the head/block junction.
     
    Steve, Jan 14, 2004
    #5
  6. RWM

    RWM Guest

    Classic case of YMMV.

    Visually, leaks starts at the head/block interface and unless the dealer
    techs are flat lying, they state, yes, it is a failing head gasket (as did
    the local garage).

    Round two with DC begins tomorrow.
     
    RWM, Jan 14, 2004
    #6
  7. RWM

    RWM Guest

    We'll see; round 2 with DC begins Thursday. They apparently took a snow
    day today. We're in the minivan market for at least one more round,
    whether DC or a competitor.
     
    RWM, Jan 15, 2004
    #7
  8. |
    |
    | "James C. Reeves" wrote:
    | >
    | > | '98 Grand Caravan 3.3L V6 head gasket failing at 33,000 miles.
    | > |
    | > | Dripping coolant leak from failing head gasket on rear cylinder
    | > | bank.
    | > | No oil in water, no water in oil, just coolant dripping from rear
    | > | bank, so far.
    | > |
    | > | Beyond 3 yrs time, within 36,000 mileage of OEM warranty.
    | > |
    | > | "Self authorizing" Dealer says "tough", won't advocate with
    | > | Chrysler for any "good will" coverage
    | > |
    | > | $1000 head gaskets plus $600 other opportune work (pumps, belts).
    | > |
    | > | In 35 years of prior ownership, no BMW, Honda or Datsun head
    | > | gasket has ever failed.
    | > |
    | > | Last Chrysler product, ever.
    | > |
    | > |
    | >
    | > I would think Chrysler would go halves with you on the cost. Keep pushing.
    | > It's worth it to them to keep you as a customer.
    |
    | We'll see; round 2 with DC begins Thursday. They apparently took a snow
    | day today. We're in the minivan market for at least one more round,
    | whether DC or a competitor.

    I've had two. A 1987 Grand (the 1st year for the grand) ...ran great for 10
    years and sold it to a friend that ran it for another 3-4 years. I'd imagine
    it had over 200,000 miles before they got rid of it. I currently have a 97
    with the 3.3. Been lucky, I guess...never any gasket problems that I can
    remember.
     
    James C. Reeves, Jan 15, 2004
    #8
  9. RWM

    mic canic Guest

    YEHAA!no more want freebe work on my vehicle after 3/36 is up. waaaaaa!
    since you won't be buying another chrysler product means we don't have
    to listen to whine all over again
     
    mic canic, Jan 15, 2004
    #9
  10. RWM

    mic canic Guest

    it's more than likely the metal heater hose y pipe behind the plenium
    leaking
     
    mic canic, Jan 15, 2004
    #10
  11. RWM

    RWM Guest

    Independent garage and dealer don't think so. Both say head gasket.

    I'm sure you'll be able to tell. Maybe you want to have a look?
     
    RWM, Jan 15, 2004
    #11
  12. RWM

    cloaked Guest

    I agree with the other posters that the head gasket is not a common
    problem on this engine, but mine did go. Albeit at 129,000 km!

    Same place, on the rear cylender bank. The previous owner replaced the
    water pump, thinking that this is what was leaking - or perhaps HOPING
    that it was the water pump. ;)

    I was skeptical at first, but I was slowly and consistantly loosing
    coolant.

    After the head gasket was replaced, all was well again.

    I think the dealer is jacking you around. You are doing the right
    thing going direct to DC. The minimum they should do for a vehicle
    with such low mileage is 50/50 split. Kick some butt, and let us know
    how it goes.

    Mine is a '94 GC BTW.
     
    cloaked, Jan 15, 2004
    #12
  13. This topic has been discussed before and the recommendation was
    to go to Chrysler's regional people. You can start by calling their
    800 number, 1-800-992-1997, E-mail and paper post address is
    also available on the Chrysler website. Keep in mind that the regional
    people if they agree, are going to only give you any kind of credit if
    you have the work done at a dealership. So you should shop around
    before you start calling them.
    Well, it all depends on how long you usually keep your vehicles, right?

    This is a 6 year old vehicle. If you kept it in the garage and never drove
    it at all, it would still depreciate and you would lose value.

    I'm sure you know this and you know that the vehicle is worth maybe
    $7K and your thinking that nearly a quarter of the value of this vehicle is
    about to
    be sunk in repairs.

    But let me ask this. Suppose that this van was driven on a more ordinary
    schedule and 2 years ago it was at 33,000 miles. Well it's the same vehicle
    as what you got now, isn't it? But it's market value would be more along
    the lines of $11,000, turning this repair more like a 10-15% of the car
    value. And I'd guess also that you wouldn't be as hesitant to drop $1600
    into repairs on a 4 year old vehicle.
    I never had an electric frying pan gasket fail. I've had a few head gasket
    failures
    in some of my vehicles. Therefore your logic is that electric frying pans
    are
    superior to cars.

    Not an apples-to-apples comparison.

    Ted
     
    Ted Mittelstaedt, Jan 15, 2004
    #13
  14. RWM

    RWM Guest

    DC Customer Service (1-800) was closed for a snow day yesterday... as we
    are, here, today. Thanks for the pointer on email; didn't find that on
    the site.
    The issue is not the cost of repair, it is the indifferent attitude of
    dealer, the fact that dealer reneged on a promised advocacy role, and
    what is clearly either a manufacturing or assembly defect; overall track
    record suggests it may not be a marginal design.
    Not a frying pan to automobile comparison, either! ;-)

    Thanks for the regional contact reference.
     
    RWM, Jan 15, 2004
    #14
  15. I've owned two chryslers for over 200k miles and had two head gaskets go.
    Both on 2.2 engines.
    No boring cars, ever. Import or domestic.
    Good advice. I would start with a different dealer that might be
    friendlier and willing to help you out with chrysler.
    One of my chrysler head gaskets failed in such a way that the coolant
    leaked out of the block and not into any of the oil passesge. So it is
    possible for the head gasket to go with no coolant and oil mixing.
     
    Alex Rodriguez, Jan 15, 2004
    #15
  16. Take some pictures and post them. We can all take a shot at diagnosing
    the problem. :)
     
    Alex Rodriguez, Jan 15, 2004
    #16
  17. RWM

    Jim Scott Guest

    FWIW, I had a head gasket on our 3.3L Intrepid go bad at 44K almost exactly
    two years ago. The leak was on the right head near a water gallery on the
    back or bellhousing end of the head. Corrosion between the head and block
    ate a tiny hole in the gasket, which is thin there. I'll bet your leak is in
    the same spot (right side of the rear head on the Voyager).

    I pulled the other head and did both gaskets just to make sure all was well.
    That one spot of corrosion about the size of a dime, which cleaned up
    beautifully with minimal work in the machine shop, was all I found. No rust
    or corrosion elsewhere in the engine cooling galleries could be seen.

    The only thing I can figure is that either clamping forces aren't good in
    that area, or the previous owner wasn't careful about using the proper
    antifreeze/water mixture. Or, more likely because the EGR pipe to exhaust
    manifold joint had a leak (improper assembly at the factory), that
    eventually caused overheating in the right bank which warped the head at
    that point. I do know I had to replace the right exhaust manifold because it
    had cracked in several places. And, once the EGR pipe was properly installed
    (I had to buy a new one + gaskets for that), I no longer got spurious Check
    Engine EGR codes which had been happening occasionally for about 6,000
    miles.

    Who knows? I've run two other 3.3L Mopar engines to far greater mileage
    without a head gasket problem.

    Did the head gasket jobs myself, except for machine shop planing of the
    heads, and haven't had a problem since then. Did the work on evenings and
    one weekend for about $350 in parts and machine shop work.
     
    Jim Scott, Jan 16, 2004
    #17
  18. RWM

    RWM Guest

    Drivers side, rear head (Caravan 3.3L). Thanks.

    Just wondering, but how did you determine "improper assembly at the
    factory"?

    Did you take this or the inadequate clamping force (design issue) up
    with D-C?
     
    RWM, Jan 16, 2004
    #18
  19. RWM

    Steve m... Guest

    That's all great and good. But, what about when the mechanic tells you (and
    puts it in writing) that "it's normal for the age and mileage of the
    vehicle". In my case they said that about a rear bearing noise on our Grand
    Cherokee.
    In reality, a lot of Jeeps have bearing problems in the axles. Do you
    think they'd have fixed that under the warranty ? Nooo.... of course not !
    lol....

    Mechanics aren't perfect either and should take some blame for items that
    are their fault as well.

    Steve m...
    (98' Grand Cherokee now has 72k miles)
    (04' Pontiac GP 4k miles ... hey what happened to all that Dexcool ???
    lol.... )
     
    Steve m..., Jan 16, 2004
    #19
  20. RWM

    Jim Scott Guest

    I determined this by close examination of the gasket between the pipe from
    the EGR valve and the exhaust manifold. The gasket was burned through and
    there were clear signs of a leak, as if the joint had never been tightened
    properly since day one. Also, the bolts were loose. There had been so much
    leakage that the clamping collar was distorted from heat, and would not
    effect a seal when I tried using a new gasket. My car is a California model
    with a special pipe, which attaches to the back end of the exhaust manifold
    instead of looping down and coming up from underneath and mounting to the
    bottom of the manifold, as in federal emissions 3.3's. Installing the new
    pipe was a real bear; there's little working room and only one way the
    inside bolt can be approached and tightened. It took a lot of trial and
    error and fooling around with a mix of sockets, extensions, etc. to get it
    torqued correctly. If it was that difficult for me, then it must also have
    been too much trouble to get right on the assembly line, is my thinking.
    No, I was well out of the 3/36 warranty, and that's merely speculation on my
    part. Also, I didn't need the aggravation, if you know what I mean, as I had
    to get the car back on the road ASAP. The EGR/running lean overheating
    probably caused just enough warping in that spot to let corrosion start.
    Corrosion is what broke the seal by eroding the gasket. The machine shop guy
    said he took very little metal off when truing the head, so if there was
    warpage, it wasn't much. And the block passed warpage tests.
     
    Jim Scott, Jan 16, 2004
    #20
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