Engine swap for voyager

Cylinder head gasket went on my minivan the other day. Was on a highway trip
and the temperature light never came on. By the time I saw the white smoke
from the exhaust, the engine was already toast.

I would like to just get a junkyard engine to swap in. My van is a plymouth
voyager, 1989, 2.5L, non-turbo.
Does anybody know what other motors will fit?

I got one hit on a junkyard that said they had a '97 motor for $300. Sounds
like a crapshoot but a new engine last I checked was $2600 which at the
moment is out of the question.
Also found www.cherry-auto.com which links to urgpartsearch.com. This gave
me several hits on engines from '89 through '94 at an average cost
(including shipping) of $950.

Thanks in advance for any pointers
Oppie

 

I just got rid of my 92 2.5 Voyager last summer, same reason. Considering
the age of the van, I wouldn't try to fit in any other type of motor. You'd
be bound to have problems with motor mounts, linkages electrics etc. Instead
I'd look for any 2.5. Doesn't have to be in a van. Buy a crocked-out Shadow
etc where you can see the engine run, take out engine, throw away car. Even
better if you could get one with papers saying the cylinder head was
recently and professionally redone.

Good luck.

 

Oh yes, if you take an engine from a car, make sure you keep the van
transaxle. The car gearing is different, and not suited to the van.

 

Things like this really hurt. Got 205k miles on it and have kept up with the
maintenance and repairs. Everything is in remarkably good shape (with
exception of dead motor). Even for $950 to get a used motor with a 90 day
warranty is probably reasonable (shows that the vendor has some trust in
their wares).

I just wanted to be sure that a '89 chrysler 2.5L motor will be compatible
with anything newer that I can find in the same displacement.

The original motor was professionally rebuilt at a shop for $1300 at 153k
miles. Had to replace the cylinder head gasket once after that... Such is
life. Thanks for the reply.

Oppie

 

Yep, clear on up through the last use of that engine in '95. Do a quick
search at www.car-part.com , searchable used auto parts nationwide, and
you ought to be able to find a good used engine near you for fair money.

DS

 

Professionally rebuilt at 153k and it only lasted another 52k miles? I
don't think I'd go back to that "professional" again.

 

Hasn't your van got an engine temperature gauge? ...Shouldn't you have
been keeping a periodic eye on it?

There's no '97 engine that is interchangeable with the 2.5 litre in your
'89.

DS

 

It was the base model without the gauge package. Only the idiot light.
Temperature sender must have been defective since it never lit the
temperature warning light. I am almost anal-retentive about watching
whatever instrumentation there is available.

Thanks for the lead about Car-part.com. Unlike Cherry-Auto.com, you can
search by area and avoid shipping costs.

When having the motor previously rebuilt, I found two local rebuilders. Both
were recommended by others. One had a terrible mess in his shop. The other
was a spotless operation that you could eat off the floor (should you ever
desire to). Both quoted same prices so I went with the latter. Go figure...
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all <grin>

Could have sworn that one junkyard said a '97 would fit. I could have heard
wrong, I tend to turn into a blithering idiot when under stress.

Happy Holidays to all,
Oppie

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Argh. Yeah, the problem is that the sensor's meant to sense the
temperature of water, not of air. If there was a massive enough loss of
coolant that the temp sensor was seeing air and not water, it never
would've lit, and the "TEMP" light would have fiddled while the engine
burned.

I have had *really* good luck with car-part.com.

They probably thought you had a 3-litre V6, in which case a '97 would fit.
But the 2.5 was replaced by the noncompatible 2.4 for '96.

DS

 

Find a nearby junkyard, this motor goes for $400-600 here in SoCal. Might
want to get a temp gauge while you're at the junkyard; better than the idiot
light.

Good luck,
Patrick

 

I wouldn't try to put another engine in. FWIW, a good buddy blew the
engine on his Voyager and bought a cheap rebuild. He went for price and
not a good warrantee. The second blew too in a short time. I told him
about a shop near me(Chicago) and it was a bit more, but he declined.
So, he then bought a second engine...for the right price later.

 

I think the Blue Book of another '89 minivan like yours is about $900. My
advice is
that if your van is straight, never been in an accident, fairly clean, that
you can sell it
for at least $200 via private sale in it's current condition. Someone will
buy it and part
it out. Then take the $200 plus the $300 your contemplating on another
engine, and
use it as a down payment on a car loan for a '92 van with a lot less
mileage.

I've done the wrecking yard engine on one of my cars and it can be a real
winner
if your lucky. But it's a huge risk, and at the time I had an alternate car
that I
owned that ran fine and I just had parked, I would never have done this with
a daily driver. It's a lot of work to do the in-and-out even with a hoist,
etc. and
you always end up buying a bunch of miscellaneous parts that jack up the
cost.

If this van isn't required for a daily driver, then your best bet is being
patient. Check
out the auto auctions, call your insurance agent and ask about buying
totaled cars,
check out the automotive thrifties, etc. Look for a smashed van similar to
yours with
the same engine, that someone wants to get rid of for more than the $50- a-
ton that
a wrecker will pay them. You can pull the entire engine/trans combo out of
that and
swap it in, plus all the glass, seats, other misc parts, then throw the
blown - up engine
into the back of the carcass and haul it down to the wrecker for the same
$50 -a- ton.
Your going to get an extra tranny out of the deal plus a good stock of
spares.

Ted

 

All good information and thanks to all that responded.

Thankfully, while it was our daily driver, we also have an '85 VW GTI which
is in reasonable shape. Was my son's old car but we kept it since it has a
trailer hitch and used it for light towing.
Our plant is closed for the holidays, so I'm going to do a bit more damage
assessment on the old motor though I'm pretty sure that it is gone. Past
that, local taxes are due in mid Janruary and after that we will see about
either a replacement motor or another vehicle. Some of the new cars have
really low finance rates and we'll see what is affordable. Most likely will
just get a newer used vehicle.

Regards,
Oppie

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