Vehicle has 112k and is in almost showroom condition. Perfect for Colorado weather and can’t beat the hauling capacity. Want to upgrade to current generation power plant. lots of driving in mtns at altitude etc Questions:
1. Remanufactured or rebuilt of existing 3.8L engine
2. will a new 3.8L chrysler engine fit
3. will a new 4.0L chrysler engine fit
I cannot answer your question at all but I think what you’re considering is ill-advised.
A 13 year old Chrysler T & C is not worth a fortune and a small fortune is what it will cost to perform any of the options you mention with the last one being even pricier. If you can even find someone to do it.
Anything is possible; the only question is are you willing to pay deep into the 4 digits to do it?
And if you’re wanting to do this because the current engine is trashed or just worn out then I’d want to know why an engine with only a shade over a 100k miles has gone south already.
Stick with the existing engine.
Engine swaps are nearly impossible without spending enormous sums of money, and then the vehicle may not be highway legal. The engines may fit, physically, but the computer in your 1998 won’t be able to correctly communicate with or control the emissions of the newer engine.
I’ve never seen an engine swap to a different engine that ever worked very well and this goes back to the 1950’s. I had a classmate that installed a Cadillac V-8 into a 1951 Mercury. This car was never right. I saw a Buick V-8 installed in a 1953 Studebaker–same problems as the Cadillac engine in the Mercury.
A real rebuild of your present engine would involve reboring and honing the cylinder walls and fitting oversized pistons, checking the crankshaft, regrinding any bad throws and installing undersized bearings, renewing all rod and main bearings, planing the cylinder head and installing new valves, installing new timing chain or gears, installing a new water pump and a new oil pump, regrinding the camshaft, etc. This is very expensive. A remanufactured engine does all of this, but is less expensive because it is done on an assembly line. However, it still isn’t cheap.
Now you have the rest of the car. The transmission has 112,000 miles and will probably need attention before the engine gives out. There is also the suspension and steering components. When you finally replace everything, then the body may begin to rust.
You can’t win on putting the money into your 1998 vehicle.