Vannin' Home Forums General Discussion Readers Rides Mlarky's 92 Dodge maybe getting new drive train soon.

What years were the 4 speed automatics? 88+?

Yes. But if you are swapping one into an older vehicle you want to try and get one of the hydraulically controlled ones. So 88-95 are the years you are looking for. Be advised you will also have to modify the trans mount and driveshaft if you install one in place of a three speed auto.

Life and God keep throwing me curve balls! Wife fell and broke her right ankle 3 weeks ago, then had to have surgery on it 10 days later. Now she's laid up in a cast for the next 6 to 8 weeks. Can't drive ( obviously). So after work I get to come home and be the house hubby doing the nursing, run errands, take her to appointments, and still do all the cooking and cleaning. Mom raised me right, so I know what to do. Almost like second nature. So I stay rather busy from the time I wake up to bed time. Next curve ball was when my grand daughter got clipped by a hit and run driver, while crossing the street at her middle school after a basket ball game. She was lucky and had only minor injuries. Spent 4 days nursing her AND the wife. Then the heating and air conditioning in the house needed to be replaced. Add to that the schedule at work got jacked up for December. Been almost no time to work on the project.

I did manage to get the engine cleaned up and ready for painting before the wife's "accident". Having to pull the intake to get it out, showed me the previous owners did the regular maintenance, since the engine really clean inside except for some oil staining. I took my time pulling it. Took pics, made notes. Now I think can do the swap a bit quicker, since I know what to expect. Still have to either modify drive shaft from donor van or find one for a shorty van at a salvage yard. If I end up having to get the donor shaft modified, I at least have her car to drive for the 2 day turnaround they said it will take.

Yesterday I had to get help from one of the shops I deal with to get some front end parts replaced. The passenger side tie rod and adjusting sleeve were in bad shape. The outer tie rod had stripped out one end of the adjusting sleeve. It was actually sliding in and out of the outer end of the adjusting sleeve!! It was maybe an inch shy of completely pulling out! Steering had gotten quite sloppy, and hard braking made it tend to pull hard right. Scary stuff! Also replaced both Idler arms, since they got thrashed around. The silver lining was the parts had a lifetime warranty, so cost me nothing in the end. Brian did the labor as a friend. Having a lift made the job easier. Tuesday morning I will take it to another shop for the front end alignment. Glad I paid for the lifetime alignment, saving close to $100 for each time. Brian and I are going to make the time for a Pick N Pull run in the next couple of weekends, for a whole front end clip for his Toyota Solara thanks to a rather large deer getting in his way. While we're there, I'll be looking for parts and maybe new seats for the van. So trading out the help is the way I like to do things when I can. Nice to have a friend like that. And have the companionship.

Now the goal is the 360 swap by spring break...unless another curve ball comes my way. :P After that, I should have my tax refund and the $ for the body work and paint. I have the tools and the skills, just no money for the materials just yet. The money I had saved for that, bought the running donor van and the parts for the swap. AS of next month I will have had this van for 8 years. I usually finish my projects within 2 years. Frustrating at times, even thought of selling to get something else to drive. But I'd miss vanning. I think once my van is done, I will be a happy vanner. Now my 2020 New Years resolution is to have it done by this time next year. Would dearly love to have it done in time for the nationals, but not getting my hopes too high at this point. All these curve balls have dampened my spirit a bit. So making plans for any specific time frame seems like I'd be setting myself up for another disappointment. I'll just get whatever done as best I can for now...

Wedgy, I'm still using the tranny until I can get the swap done. Had hoped it would be done by now. I have the 3 speed with lock up torque converter. 34r? I think.

The new year saw another major curve ball...only this time "I" WAS the curve ball!!! Tuesday morning I woke up to major chest pain, stomach going nuts, burping like a warm beer contest, back pain to match the front and my left arm hurt. After hearing the warnings from the medical folks for years about these symptoms, where they say a man should head straight for the ER to be checked, I wasn't taking any chances. Also, had 2 friends over the years ignore those symptoms and did die from a heart attack.

Wife called EMS and I got a quick ride to the ER in case I was having a heart attack. Scared the shit outta me! Lucked out, no heart attack. But they kept me for 2 days drew at least a pint and a half of blood, ran Xrays, 2 kinds of CAT scans, and an ultrasound of everything. The cardiologist said my hearts was fine, no blockages. Whew...BIG sigh of relief. Now they say the culprit is my gall bladder or other gastric issues. More tests today to figure it out. Apparently a bad gall bladder or Gastritis issues can mimic heart attack symptoms. I did NOT know that. Found out the hard way. But enough about me...

The engine and tranny are ready to swap. Plan is now to do it next weekend with help from my son. Tomorrow he and I are hitting the salvage yards for parts. Hopefully a drive shaft for the van. Know what I need, and maybe save $100 or so from having mine resized. He's looking for rear diff parts for his Ranger that now sports a 5.0 and a T5. That thing is a beast! More father son time working together on our toys. Loving it! More soon.

Heck yeah, glad the ticker turned out okay. Gastro issues are a huge bummer, been dealing with severe issues for about 7 years or so now. Hope you get it sorted quick.

Good news on the engine swap too. Must be engine swap season. There are a few of us doing them right now.

Made the rounds of the local salvage yards with my son today, looking for the drive shaft for the engine swap. Found 3 vans with exactly what I was looking for ! BUT....When those places use the oversized forklifts to move them, they BENT all 3!!!! I was so frustrated and let down. Never occurred to me that it would be an issue. ...

Now I am back to having to modify the one on my van and spend the $150+ to get er done. Bummers. Oh, well...is what it is.

Yep the yards destroy alot of good parts with forklifts. Even better my son has a picture of a set all four Keystone Classics welded under an escort to keep it off the ground. Parts is parts.

What a bummer!