Are you sure it's the starter and not just the contacts? Depending on starter, the contacts may be changeable without even taking the starter off the motor.
I don't know if the starter location in the 98 Caravan is anything like a 91
> Plymouth Grand Voyager, but I found that if I removed the radiator fan
> (couple of screws and the electrical connection), then it made it easier to
> get to the top starter bolt. It also made it easier to drop a shop light
> down from the top so you could see more of what you were doing. But mostly,
> you had to do the top bolt by feel. Boy, is it a pain. I've tried removing
> and putting the top bolt back from the top and the bottom. Either way is a
> challenge.
>
>
> > I finished the job on Sunday... took about 2 hours. Hardest part was > getting
> > to the top bolt... then I had to do it twice because the metal flange got
> > bent and was rubbing against the flywheel making nasty grinding noise. > >
> > I had everything I needed... 15 mm socket, ratchet..etc. The one thing I > did
> > buy (in the middle of the job actually) was a set of ratcheting box > > wrenches.
> >
> > The lower bolt was a PITA to get out since a ratchet wouldn't fit and a
> > normal wrench took too long... the ratcheting box wrenches worked great. > In
> > hindsight the offset ratcheting box wrenches would have been even better
> > (but they were $10.00 more!)
> >
> > Hope this help somebody in the future!
> >
> > > buy a tool set with lots of sockets and extensions . a good set would be
> > the
> > > one that comes with the haynes manual and made in usa, China.
> > > > I need to replace the starter on my 1998 Grand Caravan (3.8 liter). > > > >
> > > > It looks like everything except the top mounting bolt is readily
> > > > accessible.... so are there any tips/tricks/trade secrets to doing the
> > > job?
> > > >
> > > > TIA