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I'm thinking about getting one of these with the 5.2 multi port injection for a second vehicle. I was just wondering if any of you guys out there in city data land have had extensive experience with these things and what pattern failures are out there? (besides the fuel sending unit which seems to be affecting all of the vehicles I've seen advertised)
I know Chrysler used the 5.2 liter V8 forever, the earlier form being the 318 which I have had two. I remember the reliability of the 727 trans being excellent but that's from the 70's and 80's models.
I have a good deal of experience working on my own cars throughout the years.
Roadtrek is a very good conversion and great design / resale.
I know several people with them and performing well (Fuel system and all)
I have had many of the precursor powerplants and drivetrains in pickups, and they have performed up to my rigorous needs (I tow heavy and in Mtns.)
It would be just for transporting light items (furniture) and also carrying the occasional few people. Definitely not for luxury, it's a 90's era van after all. I see Primetime conversions and occasional "el Kapitan" as well.
More concerned about any pattern failures, not sure about the later Mopar Transmissions.
With routine maintenance per Dodge, these have been pretty reliable units.
That includes routine scheduled fluid changes for the trans and diff. The trans is 30,000 miles, and it's best to use the Chrysler spec'd fluid rather than substituting Dexron ATF (which is listed as an acceptable substitute). Heat under the hood is a minor issue, and Dodge schedule is to replace the ignition wires at 100K; I think it prudent to do so sooner than that.
I've got a 1993 Dodge 3500 (Roadtrek 19' Versatile) with mid 100K mileage on it,which I bought with 100K miles on it. The 5.2 Magnum engine has performed flawlessly for me, although I did all the external maintenance on it possible at the time I bought it ... fluids, filters, ignition wires, coolant flush/change, etc. The only failure item has been the in-tank fuel pump, which started to shows signs of weakness on hot days on hot re-starts; when it cooled off, it would work fine and continue to run until the unit was shut down hot.
Note that part of the trans fluid change is a new filter and it is recommended that while the pan/filter is off that the trans bands be adjusted. On my rig, the trans had been a bit balky on the OD downshifts/upshifts and the routine upshifts were not smooth, even though the trans fluid had been changed (with Dexron) as part of the servicing to prepare it for resale. With the proper fluid, new filter, and adjusting the bands, the trans had completely different behavior ... shifted smoothly, with the OD shifts quick and almost imperceptible. A total transformation in how the rig drove, all for the better. As well, they'd not changed the diff fluid and it whined a bit starting at around 45-60 mph. A diff lube change eliminated 90% of the whine; now it only comes in faintly at about 65 mph on hot days, which is my typical cruising speed.
On later 1990's Dodge vans, the radiator design was changed for the trans cooler. The updated unit is more likely to trap small particles from the trans fluid and not flow/cool very well. This has been the source of numerous premature trans failures due to overheating of the fluid. All the more reason to routinely change the fluid in these vans, to keep the cooling working properly and prolong the life of the transmission.
The fuel sending unit is integral with the in-tank fuel pump. Outside of being sure that the wire connector on top of the pump for the fuel sender is secure, you'll need to change the fuel pump assembly to fix this. Given the age of the unit, a new fuel pump might be good preventative maintenance on the rig. Not too expensive, I got an OE replacement for mine for under $200. Dropping the tank is a PIA, but the pump itself is simple for an experienced owner like you. Dodge used several different fuel pumps in these units, and I found the only way to identify the right one was to remove it (couldn't even tell by chassis serial number at Dodge which of three was the right one). All the more reason to drop the fuel pump at your convenience and replace it if indicated rather than waiting for a failure while on the road.
A/C. With age, it seems like the Dodge factory components are susceptible to seepage throughout the system, such as the receiver dryer or the expansion valve area. I've replaced mine (along with a failed compressor) and improved the situation, but it seems like a routine topping up at the beginning of each A/C season is needed. Converted to R-134a, the unit also doesn't cool as well as when it was running R-12 ... but it is adequate for my needs here in the Rocky Mountain region and has been OK on trips to Eastern NE and other hot/humid areas to Ohio destinations. Given the nominal cost of a 12 oz can of R-134a at the begining of a season, I've not been motivated to do any further repairs to the system. I've not seen a rear A/C unit driven by the van A/C system, and the Roadtrek rear A/C is a roof mount 110v 750watt unit not part of the van A/C system.
Overall, I haven't found any major failure areas on this workhorse van. Brakes/suspension have been durable items and the bodywork integrity has been OK.
W
On later 1990's Dodge vans, the radiator design was changed for the trans cooler. The updated unit is more likely to trap small particles from the trans fluid and not flow/cool very well. This has been the source of numerous premature trans failures due to overheating of the fluid. All the more reason to routinely change the fluid in these vans, to keep the cooling working properly and prolong the life of the transmission.
Do you recall what model year this design change was made?
The fuel sending unit is integral with the in-tank fuel pump. Outside of being sure that the wire connector on top of the pump for the fuel sender is secure, you'll need to change the fuel pump assembly to fix this. Given the age of the unit, a new fuel pump might be good preventative maintenance on the rig. Not too expensive, I got an OE replacement for mine for under $200. Dropping the tank is a PIA, but the pump itself is simple for an experienced owner like you. Dodge used several different fuel pumps in these units, and I found the only way to identify the right one was to remove it (couldn't even tell by chassis serial number at Dodge which of three was the right one). All the more reason to drop the fuel pump at your convenience and replace it if indicated rather than waiting for a failure while on the road.
I called the Chrysler dealership not too long ago and they want near 400$ for the fuel sending unit. However, with so many aftermarket parts made to poor quality standards, I've been bitten before by using aftermarket parts.
A/C. With age, it seems like the Dodge factory components are susceptible to seepage throughout the system, such as the receiver dryer or the expansion valve area. I've replaced mine (along with a failed compressor) and improved the situation, but it seems like a routine topping up at the beginning of each A/C season is needed. Converted to R-134a, the unit also doesn't cool as well as when it was running R-12 ... but it is adequate for my needs here in the Rocky Mountain region and has been OK on trips to Eastern NE and other hot/humid areas to Ohio destinations. Given the nominal cost of a 12 oz can of R-134a at the begining of a season, I've not been motivated to do any further repairs to the system. I've not seen a rear A/C unit driven by the van A/C system, and the Roadtrek rear A/C is a roof mount 110v 750watt unit not part of the van A/C system.
This seems to be a recurring theme with the two or three I have tested. I didn't notice a roof unit, but on one there were rear vents but in the midst of checking all the other things, I did forget to check whether they worked or not.
Overall, I haven't found any major failure areas on this workhorse van. Brakes/suspension have been durable items and the bodywork integrity has been OK.
I saw a couple with rust in the upper corners of the A-pilars which seems to be a Mopar trademark as the few early ones I have also had this problem. I'm glad to hear the suspension was good because the 78' I had a while back ate ball joints and idler arms with regularity.
Do you recall what model year this design change was made?
IIRC, it was in the mid-1990's. Perhaps 1995-6, maybe a year later.
I called the Chrysler dealership not too long ago and they want near 400$ for the fuel sending unit. However, with so many aftermarket parts made to poor quality standards, I've been bitten before by using aftermarket parts.
Correct factory OE supplied fuel pumps readily available from the usual big box store mass merchandisers and on-line ... I got mine from Rock Auto. It was the OE manufacturer and identical to what my Dodge dealer would have supplied. I went to my Dodge dealer to get the pump, thinking they'd identify it from the chassis VIN and that would save me time for the install. They could not, they said the only way to identify it was to have the old one in hand to match up and they'd have to order it which would take 3-4 days.
So, having to make arrangements to have the van in the air and the fuel tank dropped for awhile, I had to order in the fuel pump anyway. The folks at Rock had it to me just as fast as the dealer, and it was delivered to my door rather than a 65 mile round-trip to pick it up.
Location: Butler County Ohio and Winters in Florida
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As a former Dodge Dealership Service Manager, my take is these vans are very good workhorses.
As stated above, make sure you change ALL fluids every 30K for best results. The front end has lube points unlike modern vehicles. The front end also wears due to the design and weight of the engine above the front wheels. Also the engine heat cooks the upper control arm bushings. Many had passenger car tires, these wear super quick, go with a truck tire. The 5.2 318V8 is decent, I think the intake manifold would leak over time. I prefer the 5.9 360 if I had a choice. Also use the Champion plugs like the OEM, they work best. I did notice the newer, last to be built years, early 2000s had very sloppy body parts. Doors didnt seem to close as tight, maybe the tool and dies were getting worn?
BTW, I am looking for a nice Ram Van Conversion to service as the family hauler.
We have used a few of these for our business. We buy them, use them a few times over a period of years and dump them. When not in use, employees sometimes use them for holiday trips.
Engines and transmissions seem to hold up well. Everything else - not well. Many conversion items are poorly made, no matter which conversion company did the work. They all order the materials from the same set of suppliers. For conversion items/options expect failures of the following:
Power seat bed/bench.
Rear A/C unit.
After Market electrical systems.
small vent window latches.
O2 sensor.
Catalytic converter.
Stereo systems.
Seat latches for recline/swivel captain's chairs.
Brake rotors (constantly getting warped)
Shock absorbers.
Control arms and tie rods.
Universal drive shaft joints.
Fuel injectors.
Door latches and door latch handles (sometimes the door latches break and the door will no longer open).
Cooling system.
Alternator - frequently these are upgraded to provide the necessary additional electrical power and can be very costly to replace.
Many of these items are a factor of the conversion workmanship and/or the added weight from the conversion. Those giant side windows, expanded top and huge skylight are nice for passengers but add a lot of weight. Television screens built into the back of each seat do not hold up well, and many families complain they result in anti-social holiday trips with kids.
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