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1. Do a little reading on the Dodge "Death Wobble." It affects vans from, if I recall correctly, 1998 to something like 2002. I know that the 1997 is not affected; the 2001 likely could be.
2. I agree about the rust issues with the 2001.
3. The 318 Mopar engine is one of the longest-produced engines in automotive history. If it is cared for properly, it will last a very long time and cost you very little. Change the oil before it needs it. Flush the radiator and keep clean, quality coolant in the system. Good plugs and proper tune up adjustments. You should see long life, and 15 mpg.
4. Check the freeze plugs for corrosion. It does not happen often, but those freeze plugs can corrode through. When they do, the engine must be pulled from the van in order to replace all of them. That's $2,000 at an average shop just to pull the motor. The plugs can look good, but be paper thin. Wiggle your way in there, do a visual check for leakage, and give them a bit of a tap to verify structural integrity.
Good luck!
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Silver Streak
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