88 Caravan 3.0 long block compatibility

[TurboV6Van]

I have an original 88 Voyager 3.0 engine, and it smokes and loses oil pressure at high rpms... it has maybe 250k on it. There are a few wrecking yards out here with newer 3.0 engines from minivans. What year would be the "best" one to swap in my application? Stock manifold and exhaust setup from the 88 3.0. Thanks in advance, just trying to keep this work mule running!

[BIGBRUDDA]

All the 3.0s are pretty much the same. Go for lowest mileage, the cleanest motor, peek at the timing belt to see if it's been changed. Don't limit yourself to vans.

[Murphy]

I can't remember which year they fixed the vavle guides, either 92 or 93. A 93-95 would swap right in since they still came in spirits and shadows up until 95. I don't know about later years.

[RoadWarrior222]

Not quite sure when the accessory differences started, probably around '97 or so... you can either test fit yours and maybe have to drill and tap a spot they missed on those later ones for a bracket, or use the later accessories and brackets. The valve guides and PCV issues were fixed sometime before '92, so later than '92 is good... and will have roller cams in.. (Tad more efficient theoretically) as part of that they have a different lower intake, different front valve cover and different PCV plumbing than an '88, so you kinda wanna "upgrade" to that if you can instead of swapping the '88 parts over, but they will work just the same as they do on the '88. If you get the engine nearly fully "dressed", you need to swap the '88 injectors over because they're low impedance while later ones are high impedance and your '88 SMEC won't handle it. Then if it comes with a TB on you wanna swap the one off your '88 on to it, because that should be a 52 and later ones are only 48, also the TPS plug might be arse backwards to your harness, the later MAP is too I believe. If possible you want the later upper intake plenum with that. The '88 usually has an air intake temperature sensor and the later plenums aren't drilled for it though. If a manifold comes on the later motor, check it against the one you have, there's supposedly both 2.5 and 2.25" outlet versions of the rear manifold, so you'll wanna pick the bigger one. EGR, there seems to be little rhyme or reason which years got EGR, you may have to move EGR parts you've got to keep it happy, or delete them from the new motor if equipped and yours isn't.

They are pretty much externally identical when stripped right back, but like I said, I suspect you might have an accessory bracket hole missing from the very latest ones, and I don't have a reference handy to what those were.

If you get one that was paired with a 4 speed A604, you can pretty much bet that it was the tranny that put it in the yard and not the motor.

As a general precaution I figure it is worth changing the waterpump, timing belt and valve seals while the motor is out, you never know how long you've got on them otherwise, then if they're fresh you're good for 100,000 ... Personally I wouldn't shy from buying a motor with a broken belt and a seized waterpump, (For cheap) many mechanics seem to be telling people these are interference and if the belt breaks it's done.

Check for sludge in the valve covers though, it can happen if the PCV system is not well taken care of, can cause issues if not. Also if poss shine a light in the spark holes and be suspicious if any cylinder is shiny clean, head gaskets have been known to leak (Well no biggie if you wanna do a headgasket job, but did it get a rod bent against a cylinder full of coolant?)

[22mopar]

I put a 2000 3.0 engine into a 1989 GCV.

[Ondonti]

I put a 2000 3.0 engine into a 1989 GCV.

This. I used a 1997 and even thought he engine mounts are crazy different, the motor is the same. If you use a diamante you are in for some crazy mods to make it work but its just time consuming. Better to steal the internals.


I like to look at mileage, look under the oil cap with a light, and look for dirty insides. Its sad but the mitsu versions of these motors are 10x cleaner then the dodges. Dodge owners suck at maintaining their vehicles.

If you commit to a motor, take off the front valve cover for a complete inspection to see how clean it is, then try to turn the crankshaft. I found one in the yard where the nose of the crank was busted.
Also do this to see if the motor catches anywhere (beyond the resistance of compressing the cylinders). . This would indicate corrosion in at least one cylinder. The motor I ran 11.5 on had that issue. I actually got it to go away with seafoam in the cylinders and a lot of time turning and letting it sit for a long time then coming back to it. Not that it actually helped the condition of the cylinder wall.

Even if an oil cap or something is missing the motor can still be good. The motor mentioned above was almost falling out of a van with no front valve cover and the oil pan had water in it. lucky me they poked a hole in the pan so it would not fill up, and the rockers, cam, and valvetrain had no rust.