hey guys,

So hopefully a few of you can give me some pointers on here ...

Got a uk spec 2002 3.3 v6 grande voyager with some annoying issues -

local dealer wants take-the-pee money for working on it so i've been working on it and also realised that the last service agent hadn't changed the spark plugs in the left bank closest to the firewall because they were too difficult to get to!!!! Having started doing stuff on it, I've found that neither the engine or transmission dipsticks give accurate readings?! - Decided to change the engine oil since I couldn't remember my dad saying it had been done in a while, dipstick said it was full yet having drained it there was maybe a litre and a half in it at most and that includes the filter contents!

Also had a shot cv joint so replaced the shaft (no cv kits here in the uk? - more on the shaft in a mo too) but it wouldn't come out without a fight for some reason - ended up having to pop the guard plate section off the transfer box to free the shaft. In the process I probably lost about a litre of fluid yet dipstick s
still says its slightly above max?!?!

Should also mention, fluid levels all checked with the vehicle level.

Next! drivers-side driveshaft, the old shaft had a spline at the base of the box end shaft yet the new one doesn't? Chrysler tech in the uk confirm the shaft as a revised but suitable shaft yet I'm noticing gear changes are definately lumpier / more jerky now ... perhaps the spline on the old shaft was something to do with the gearbox internals?

Finally, bushes! From what I can work out, they seem to be every voyager owners nightmare! Our ones had a knocking from the front for years despite several expensive repair bills! Decided to bite the bullet and re-bush the whole front end ... local dealer quoted £3000!!!!! Lots of googling found me a source in the uk for bushes instead of replacement arms etc and several days on my driveway combined with lots of swearing saw the front re-bushed by myself (for a fraction of the cost) and in the process, I also found the cause of our bushes getting trashed even faster than usual. The cradle above the bracing plate that the lower arms mount into had worn? - the internal sleeve from the front bush on the nearside lower arm had worn a groove about 3mm deep! I'm guessing the car must of had an accident before we bought it and perhaps the leg is bent there? - haven't had time to check it yet but the steel washer I used to pack the groove seems to be working at the moment ... anyone else had this happen?! - I'm hoping the washer will hold since that cradle looks like a mission to replace and at uk prices is probably more than the car's worth!!! Also found that the rear double-bushed bolt that goes through the brace plate and cradle up into the chassis rail keeps working loose? Think the captive nut plate in the chassis rail has broken its welds (it was a pig to do up since it kept moving!) and is working it's way free. I have to tighten it every couple of hundred miles to stop it from knocking at the front again. I can't think of any way to stop it though - don't really fancy cutting into the chassis rail to re-spot the nut and doing anything to the bolt head end is going to be pointless since the bush can still compress and allow the nut end to free up .... any ideas?!?! lol!!!

Apologies for the marathon first post guys ... any help or suggestions would be most appreciated!