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

[rbryant]

if it comes down to it you could fab a spacer for the T-stat neck that raises the hose spout a minimal amount and rotates it however you want. more work but just an idea i wanted to throw out

I actually have a fully custom fabbed waterbox that uses a smallblock chevy 90 degree swivel waterneck... I made it (ok I had it made) before I moved my waterbox to the driver side of my SRT4 head.

Worst case this would solve AJ's problem. But then he would need to use a chevy t-stat so he probably won't want to do that.

I think the PT waterneck is also taller so it would clear but it is plastic so that might not be what he wants.

-Rich

[A.J.]

It looks great on the stand AJ Clearly, you are into the looks of this set up and it shows. Back in the day when I was first doing simple/free/stupid mods to my GLHS, I wasn't running the plastic distrib 'dust cover' and I hated the way the distrib body had that akward strait front ege with the screw holes for the cover. So I pulled it and spent a couple hours with a Dremel grinding the front edge to have the same radious as the back edge. IMO, it cleaned up the look some. Prolly saved 3 ounces too Just sayin...

I'm not a fan of the way the distributor looks either. I'm hoping if I put enough flare into everything else, maybe people won't focus on that.

if it comes down to it you could fab a spacer for the T-stat neck that raises the hose spout a minimal amount and rotates it however you want. more work but just an idea i wanted to throw out

I though about that too. I could counter sink the screws like I did on my fuel rail adaptor blocks. That might be the way to go. I was painting my intake today so I couldn't try black86glhs idea.

A.J.

[A.J.]

I clocked the fuel pressure regulator today. I might have enough clearance now.







I ground down the high points on the back of my A/C bracket because I couldn't find the right size washer to shim the hole I drilled. I still need to weld a boss onto the oil pan for the lower bolt hole.







I made the fuel injector/knock sensor wiring harness.







I also sandblasted the intake and painted it.



I finally got my dip stick & tube so I could finnish my baffle. I needed the parts so I knew where to drill the hole.





I also went to the junk yard to get a larger throttle body than what's on my van now. I got one off of a 3.3 liter Caravan. It bolts up the same, I can use my IAC & TPS, and I can bolt up the bracket so I can use my '88 van's throttle, cruise control, and transmission kick down cables. The 3.3 T.B. is about 1/4" larger. I took pictures on the SRT-4 throttle body spacer so you can see the difference.

2.2/2.5 turbo throttle body


3.3/3.8 Caravan throttle body


A.J.

[A.J.]

I re-did the heater tubes. I'm not using the water-cooled oil cooler and I don't like the location of the turbo coolant return location so I went with the 2.4 Stratus heater tubes. I also had to get the back of the water pump pipe also. I had to heat and bend the tubes to my liking.







I cut the engine-pull-hook off of the SRT-4 heater tubes and used just that. I also had to bend the Stratus mounting flange and drill a new hole.





In order to use the 2.4 N/A Caravan accessories with the SRT-4 intake I had to shim the alternator out. By doing that the belt doesn't line up. The 2.4 N/A Caravan uses a six rib belt. I got a 5 rib belt and ran it on the inside of the alternator pulley and on the outside of the crank and a/c pulleys.



I mounted the unfinished automatic transmission to the engine today so I could determine if the throttle body hits from the rumors I've heard. It does so I need to figure something out.







What to do, what to do..........





A.J.

[RoadWarrior222]

A.J.

I'd port that a bit if I were you, doesn't look like it will flow too well

[Mopar318]

Have you thought about cutting the intake where the throttle body flange starts, cutting off material on one side, then welding it back together? That would be really simple, and with an adapter block your just adding more to it.

[A.J.]

I'd port that a bit if I were you, doesn't look like it will flow too well

Have you thought about cutting the intake where the throttle body flange starts, cutting off material on one side, then welding it back together? That would be really simple, and with an adapter block your just adding more to it.

I thought about that. I might have to if this doesn't work. I have to build a plate to put between the SRT-4 throttle body spacer and my 3.3 throttle body anyways. Even though they have the same bolt pattern, they don't mate up the same and would have a huge air leak. So this could kill two birds with one stone.

A.J.

[A.J.]

Back on track. It's hard to believe it's been almost two years since I shelved this project because without my Ostrich working, I had no way to tune the 2.4 engine. Now that it's working I can move forward.

I got the tranny together. Complete with a Peloquin LSD, line pressure adjuster hole drilled and plugged, Alto front 6 clutch pack (not longer available), Alto rear 4 clutch pack (no longer available), ditched the wavy snap-rings and tighten up the clearances - front is .035" and the rear is .040", accumulator blocked, valve body bleed for higher line pressure and other valve body mods, pinion area in the case reenforced, five pinion front planetary gears. About as bullet proof as I can make it. And it's going to have a lock-up toque converter for better mileage.





I had to build a bracket to move the kick-down/throttle valve cable. It's two inches closer to the throttle valve arm than the older A413 2.2/2.5 transmission.









I got the trans bolted to the engine so I can start working on the location of my throttle body. I cut the flange off an old T-I intake so I can use my throttle body and my electronics. Also because it would have hit the trans because of the angle of the intake.





A.J.

[turbovanman²]

Very cool, waiting to see how this works and what kind of MPG you get. What do you get now?

[A.J.]

16 MPG combo city/hwy in the summer with the AC on and 18 mpg combo city/hwy when the AC is off.

A.J.

[turbovanman²]

Not bad, I average 14/15 mpg combined, A/C on or off.

[A.J.]

My digital camera took a crap so all I have to take pictures is my iphone 3. So until I get a new one they're not going to be as good. Also Photo bucket won't let me upload photos so I had to switch to Image Shack.

Instead of using the T-I one-piece intake flange, I decided to build a new one. I needed a port for the PCV since I cut off the original from the intake. By making a thick enough flange, I could drill and tap a couple of ports in the top. The intake is off getting welded, I should get it back next week.


By azturbo at 2012-09-14


By azturbo at 2012-09-14


By azturbo at 2012-09-14


By azturbo at 2012-09-14

Next is to make this work. I really want to keep my equal length half shafts. I have a few ideas.


By azturbo at 2012-09-14

A.J.

[turbovanman²]

Why can't you keep your half shafts? The van is the same and the trans end is the same as your original axles, you just need to make a bracket for the bearing, which for you, is cake,

[A.J.]

Why can't you keep your half shafts? The van is the same and the trans end is the same as your original axles, you just need to make a bracket for the bearing, which for you, is cake,

Thanks for the compliment. I plan on keeping them. The easy way out is to use the long shaft. Also because my van is lifted, if I use the long shaft, when it's on the lift and the suspension is hanging, the axle shaft will hit the K-member.

A.J.

[turbovanman²]

Gotcha,

[A.J.]

Cindy from FWD sells a replacement bearing/bracket for the intermediate shaft. I had to get the measurements of the bearing to see if it would suit my needs. Now that I know it will work I know what I'm going to do.

A.J.

[turbovanman²]

Cindy from FWD sells a replacement bearing/bracket for the intermediate shaft. I had to get the measurements of the bearing to see if it would suit my needs. Now that I know it will work I know what I'm going to do.

A.J.

I have one of those on my shelf, haven't needed to use it yet, killer setup for sure,

[A.J.]

The factory 2.2/2.5 bearing support has a recess in it (you can see it in my picture) where Cindy's is a hump which will be better for my fabricating needs. I'll take plenty of pictures.

A.J.

[A.J.]

I got my throttle body flange and some of my exhaust manifold welded. I need to find a new welder. I'm tired of going back three times because he refuses to check his work. A spray bottle with soapy water and a blow gun it's too expensive or hard to work.







I had one person weld the three pieces on the right and someone else weld the last elbow on the left. That's why the welds look different.





I'm going to the track this weekend with my van. After that I'm going to start my swap.

A.J.

[turbovanman²]

Too bad you weren't closer,

Good luck, I am going out tomorrow, gotta run 12's again.

Can't remember what turbo you have and what your going to use?