'04 SRT-4 engine in an '88 Caravan build

[rbryant]

I don't like the way the majority of the bracket isn't attached to anything. If you say that the other bolt is above the ones that I can use than it shouldn't matter. Than again, maybe that's why it was made of such heavy material. I have an idea on what I'm going to do. I'll post what I end up with. If you can get a good deal from Target Ad, never miss that.

A.J.

The SRT AC bracket is much the same as the stratus bracket attachment points...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SRT4-...Q5fAccessories

The stratus AC bracket is plenty rigid so it is fine. It isn't going to snap off or anything. If you are worried about it then add a gusset.

-Rich

[rbryant]

The SRT AC bracket is much the same as the stratus bracket.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SRT4-...Q5fAccessories

The stratus AC bracket is plenty rigid so it is fine. It isn't going to snap off or anything. If you are worried about it then add a gusset.

-Rich

I just looked more closely at your pictures...

The Minivan AC bracket is different than the stratus one!

I told you to just get stuff from the junkyard and that getting the whole vehicle wouldn't be any easier.

Best bet is to get a stratus AC bracket but then you are still have big problems using that intake with the alternator bracket.

-Rich

[A.J.]

The SRT AC bracket is much the same as the stratus bracket.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SRT4-...Q5fAccessories

The stratus AC bracket is plenty rigid so it is fine. It isn't going to snap off or anything. If you are worried about it then add a gusset.

-Rich

$55! My TM colors are showing. Ya, it's a compressor/motor mount bracket. The gusset is what I was thinking. We'll see.

A.J.

[rbryant]

$55! My TM colors are showing. Ya, it's a compressor/motor mount bracket. The gusset is what I was thinking. We'll see.

A.J.

You can get them for $20 the ebay link was just to show what it is.

The stratus intake and accessories are the best IMO. They are also the easiest to get.

You could even consider using the older head on the SRT4 block so that the intake bolts on directly. It would require a little welding on the head in order to build it up to match the block's front oil return but it can be done. Considering that your other head is bare anyway it wouldn't be a big deal to switch them. Lots of people say the older head is better anyway...

The SRT4 intake doesn't appear to be compatible with running a front alternator and AC.

-Rich

[A.J.]

The SRT4 intake doesn't appear to be compatible with running a front alternator and AC.

That sounds like a challenge! I accept!

I told you to just get stuff from the junkyard and that getting the whole vehicle wouldn't be any easier.

I took these pictures just to prove you semi-wrong.

Power steering in the rear. Bracket bolt up 100%.




Front mount bracket. IN YOUR FACE! Bolts up 100%










A/C bracket is gonna take some work. I think if I make a support and weld it to the oil pan for the lower bolt hole It'll be okay.






I drew a circle where I'd have to drill a hole for an extra bolt. Because I'll make a mount on the oil pan I might not bother.


Back side of the a/c bracket and a circle drawn where I'd have to drill a hole.


And if I didn't buy the whole vehicle I wouldn't have this awesome storage shed for all the extra parts. You have to admit, my shop looks better than your garage.




If anything happens to my 1st gen van and I decide to step up to a 2nd gen van, this is what it would kind of look like lifted for prairie dog hunting duty.


A.J.

[A.J.]

After staring at this for 2 hours, I figured out my alternator/bracket problem. I'm sticking with the '98 2.4 Caravan bracket. I shimmed the alternator away from the intake with 2 washers. By shimming it out I'm gonna angle the belt a little. The belt that runs the alt and a/c compressor is a 6 rib serpentine belt. I'll run a 5 rib belt instead and have it run on the inside of the alt pulley and the outside of the a/c comp.







There was plenty of room with the rear cover off. I put it back on and gave it a little love with a ball peen hammer. Also you see how the intake sticks out a little past the runner towards the alt. Well I looked inside with my Snap-on bore scope that has a clear as hell picture screen. The part that sticks out is a little cavity in the intake. I think I'm going to cut it off and weld it back on flush when I do my throttle body flange. That will give me plenty of adjustability. After that I might even be able to un-shim the alt and run the six rib belt.


Now I just have to notch the alternator bracket for the t-stat housing. That's no biggie.






A.J.

[rbryant]

Now I just have to notch the alternator bracket for the t-stat housing. That's no biggie.


A.J.

Here is my notched alternator bracket (for my intake manifold).



-Rich

[rbryant]

That sounds like a challenge! I accept!

I took these pictures just to prove you semi-wrong.

Nice bracket, what is the part number? The stratus bracket is half steel half aluminum so it is different.

Front mount bracket. IN YOUR FACE! Bolts up 100%

There are at least 3 caravan front motor mounts then.

The all steel 2.4 bracket from the pre-01 vans doesn't fit well. I think it actually would have had to be modified to even fit from what I remember and it had a slight clearance issue with the crank sensor.

The stratus mount looks much like yours with the 4 M8 bolts but hits the crank sensor aswell.

I used a newer bracket:
4861574AC list: $51

A/C bracket is gonna take some work. I think if I make a support and weld it to the oil pan for the lower bolt hole It'll be okay.


I drew a circle where I'd have to drill a hole for an extra bolt. Because I'll make a mount on the oil pan I might not bother.


Back side of the a/c bracket and a circle drawn where I'd have to drill a hole.

the stratus bracket takes less work and doesn't hang down as far:

And if I didn't buy the whole vehicle I wouldn't have this awesome storage shed for all the extra parts. You have to admit, my shop looks better than your garage.

I never claimed to be neat, I am far too scatterbrained.

If anything happens to my 1st gen van and I decide to step up to a 2nd gen van, this is what it would kind of look like lifted for prairie dog hunting duty.


A.J.

No accounting for taste... Lowering trucks and lifting cars are both considered stupid in my book. I am not really sure where a Caravan falls into this.

[A.J.]

Nice bracket, what is the part number? The stratus bracket is half steel half aluminum so it is different.

The number on the p/s bracket is 4612520. I'll take a picture of it. There were some other letters and numbers. I forgot to bring my camera to work today.

There are at least 3 caravan front motor mounts then.

The all steel 2.4 bracket from the pre-01 vans doesn't fit well. I think it actually would have had to be modified to even fit from what I remember and it had a slight clearance issue with the crank sensor.

The stratus mount looks much like yours with the 4 M8 bolts but hits the crank sensor aswell.

What happened to the days when Chrysler made one thing and made it work on all their vehicles? Maybe that's why they're going under. All this extra engineering and parts warehousing.

No accounting for taste... Lowering trucks and lifting cars are both considered stupid in my book. I am not really sure where a Caravan falls into this.

I agree. But I actually had a purpose. Otherwise I'd like a lowered van.

A.J.

[rbryant]

What happened to the days when Chrysler made one thing and made it work on all their vehicles? Maybe that's why they're going under. All this extra engineering and parts warehousing.

No kidding... After being so used to everything being the same I guess I made too many assumptions... I guess my picture of the newer style all steel engine mount failed to attach or something. I will have to add it back in.

I guess we need to start making a KC article on all of the possible 2.4 accessory brackets that are out there with part number... Perhaps I will have time someday.

I agree. But I actually had a purpose. Otherwise I'd like a lowered van.

A.J.

Hehe. Like I said I am not sure what category it falls into...

-Rich

[Vigo]

I guess we need to start making a KC article on all of the possible 2.4 accessory brackets that are out there with part number...

[A.J.]

I guess we need to start making a KC article on all of the possible 2.4 accessory brackets that are out there with part number... Perhaps I will have time someday.

I like that idea. I took too many pictures to post here. Should I just start a K.C. article for brackets and part numbers for the '98 Caravan n/a 2.4?

A.J.

[A.J.]

I removed the balance shaft assembly so I had to build and oil pan baffle. When I brazed the legs onto it, the heat warped the hell out of the sheet metal. Nobody is going to see it when it's together so I'm not that concerned.













Balance shaft oil feed oil plugged.



I also opened up the oil pick-up.



I painted the valve cover. It came out pretty nice considering what it looked like when I first got it.



I got the pistons, valves, combustion chambers, and exhaust passages ceramic coated by Jet-Hot. I also got the anti-friction coating done on the sides of the pistons. They have a facility here in the valley.





I got most of the engine together. I still need to do some work on the intake so I can use my fuel rail from the 2.2/2.5 one piece intake.





I had to modify the alternator bracket a little, since it wasn't meant to work with this thermostat housing.

I had to cut a notch for the heater hose.




I had to grind a little off for clearance of the thermostat housing.




A.J.

[turbovanman²]

Nice work,

[Austrian Dodge]

i like your oil pan baffle

[Mopar318]

I have a stratus/neon A/C bracket you can have if you need.

[A.J.]

I have a stratus/neon A/C bracket you can have if you need.

Could you take a picture of it and measure the distance between the mounting holes for the compressor?

I have the a/c bracket off of the '98 2.4 n/a Caravan. Only two bolt holes line up. I'm going to drill out a third and possibly weld a boss onto the oil pan for a fourth.

A.J.

[Mopar318]

Could you take a picture of it and measure the distance between the mounting holes for the compressor?

I have the a/c bracket off of the '98 2.4 n/a Caravan. Only two bolt holes line up. I'm going to drill out a third and possibly weld a boss onto the oil pan for a fourth.

A.J.

How about I compare them to the SRT4 A/C bracket. They look the same. But Ill get the compressor off and take a look.

[rbryant]

I had to modify the alternator bracket a little, since it wasn't meant to work with this thermostat housing.

I had to cut a notch for the heater hose.


I had to grind a little off for clearance of the thermostat housing.




A.J.

This confirms that the Caravan bracket is taller and closer to the water outlet compared to the stratus alternator bracket.

On the Stratus bracket I had to put in a notch in order to get the water line like your above picture to clear the bracket but that was the only part that was an issue... There was no need to grind on the top of the bracket or the bottom of the housing. The only reason that I needed to modify mine was because I was using the angled water outlet on the driver side of the waterbox like the SRT4.

The '01+ Stratus uses the same alternator bracket as the earlier Stratus. The SRT4/PT waterbox is the same casting as the Stratus one but they simply machine the opposite water outlet so that on the Stratus is points straight forward and doesn't interfere with the alt bracket. The other boss is shown non machined in AJ's middle picture above. Depending on what is desired the driver side hole could be plugged and the front hole can be drilled and tapped for 3/8 NPT. What is best really depends on the intake manifold used. In AJs case with the SRT4 manifold the notching of the bracket to use the driver side outlet will probably work best.

When I was going to use the SRT4 waterbox I also drilled out the bleed hole and tapped it for 1/8" NPT. That gives a nice place to run the temperature sender that operates the dash gauge and you can still unscrew it to bleed the system. Of course AJ is using a 2.4 transmission so he won't have starter clearance issues with the sensor bungs on the block so he can just use those.

Here is my modified bracket so that the SRT4 outlet would clear with the stratus alternator bracket:



I believe that the caravan alternator might actually have a wider connection spacing on the alternator than the stratus which requires the bracket to be taller. They are both 6 rib pulleys so the stratus bracket and alternator would work without all of that grinding.

Of course I ended up plugging the normal water outlet and moving it to the driver side with a custom headgasket in my setup but the above mod would have worked if I ran the waterneck.

The next issue I had was that my intake runners are so short in order to fit an intake into the charger engine bay that the plenum actually hit the alternator bracket so I had to clearance it for that...

Looks like you are making great progress... You will probably be done before me.

-Rich

[eduardo_rt]

Nice Project Bro.