My wife's 2005 Chrysler Town and Country needs a new camshaft.  The mechanic said it would be best to put a whole new engine in it, which would cost between 4-5K.  Two questions:

 

1.  How hard is it to replace a camshaft?

2.  Is 4-5K sound high to you for replacing the motor?

Replacing a cam shaft isn't necessarily difficult but it does pretty much men taking the motor out and taking all of the front end off to access and replace.  Usually you replace all of the items you took off if they weren't recently replaced and timing chains etc...

 

As far as 4-5k for replacing the motor, it doesn't sound bad to me but it would also depend on the type of motor being used to replace it with.  is it one out of a junker or a recent rebuild etc...

 

I also wonder why you need a new camshafts.  Unless you have  a gazillion miles on it or there is some other type of manufacturing defect they don't just wear out.

 

The other thing is I am guessing the blue book on that vehicle is probably 8-9k at most so you have to decide if that 4-5k is best spent fixing this one or trying to sell it with the issue and using that 4-5k as a downpayment on a newer vehicle

Thanks fly.  We're definitely not going to drop 5K on a van that we bought for 6K three years ago.  We can buy the same vehicle for less than that now with fewer miles than our current van.

 

If we sold our van AS IS and advertised what was wrong with it, do you know what we could expect to get out of it?

Let me ask you this...............what is it doing........IE the symptoms? I have a lot of  wrench time on 2001-2007 Dodge/Chrysler vans with the 3.3 and 3.8. They have there own unique sets of problems, but usually the engines (unless abused) are pretty bulletproof.

It's "knocking" and the knocking has gotten worse over time (the past 6 months).  The computer shows that there's something up with the number one cylinder.

It also sounds like it's missing when it idles at a stoplight.

What's been changed so far, and HAS NOT solved anything?

I haven't gotten the bill yet.

Well have you at least had them eliminate the simple stuff first? Like Cam or crank position sensors? Spark plugs, wires, ignition coil?

I replaced the plugs, wires, an coil.  That's about the extent of my mechanical knowledge/abilities.  Are the cam and crank position sensors a common problem on this van?

I have had to change a few.

I have had to change a few.

A quick search led me to the same conclusion...it is a semi common issue.

 

If you have the 3.8 i am pretty sure that is the same motor used in the wranglers and i frequent those message boards and i haver never seen anyone say they needed to replace a cam and in general, the jeepers are going to be a little harder on their motors than your typical minivan driver.

I have replaced engines many times, but only for commercial trucks, the money spent gets replaced fairly quick and it's just the price it costs to do business.

Don't always think it's a good idea to put too much money into a depreciating asset if it isn't earning you money.  Spending 50% of the total value of the vehicle just to get it back on the road is something that I would not do.

I find it hard to believe the cam went in it. Cam and crank sensors are a very common problem like already mentioned.

A quick search led me to the same conclusion...it is a semi common issue.

 

If you have the 3.8 i am pretty sure that is the same motor used in the wranglers and i frequent those message boards and i haver never seen anyone say they needed to replace a cam and in general, the jeepers are going to be a little harder on their motors than your typical minivan driver.

Agreed. There are quite a few things that would lend to that issue, I would never put the cam as a problem. Sensors, valves, bearings, there is a multitude of things that could be knocking, or causing the knock.

With that being said ^^^^, and not being there to hear the problem myself, I would without a doubt get a few more opinions...

Have you gotten a second opinion?

I am in the automotive industry .As of lately I have been seeing alot of chrysler problems roll through the shop . I have never replaced a camshaft as a knocking sound . My suggestion is to pull the valve cover and manually spin the engine over and inspect for damage . Or possibly as the engine is running if you pull a plug wire off at the spark plug and the engine smoothes out at that point you have narrowed the cylinder down . In most cases I have had decent succes in installing a crank kit if it is bearing and or bottom end related. But sometimes a motor must be replaced .

We haven't gotten a second opinion yet, but after the first one cost me $350 I can't afford too many without finding a solution to the problem.  I think I will get one more and see where I stand.  Thanks for all of the help guys!

It cost you $350 for them to diagnose the problem?  Wow...that seems like a lot.  Also if it is throwing codes most autozones or other car parts places will run the codes for you for free.

My usual heavy diagnostic charge is $90 how ever if you were paying for tear down time. then that makes sense .Just for the record parts stores don't diagnose they use a code reader . What your paying for at a shop is time and expertice. , however not all mechanics aren't created equal. My $ 15,000 dollar computer equipment is not the same animal as your standard code reader equipment . If you dont mind me asking what all was included for the $ 350 . Pm me I may be able to walk you through a check out your self and save you some christmas money.

I know he took the whole top of the engine off (the head I believe).  When he found out what was wrong with it, he stopped, called me to see what I wanted to do, and I told him to put it back together and I'd drive it until it blew up.