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'96 Dodge Caravan sliding door lock

The lock on the passenger sliding door of my '96 Caravan doesn't work. At least not electonically. I took off the door panel and inspected the works. The actuater seems to be ok, but the metal piece that connects to the actuater seems to have broken off. I need to order some parts here, but am not sure about the part number. I was hoping to be able to be specific about it so that I might be able to pick one up second hand on the net.

I am wondering if anyone knows where I can get a on-line diagram of the mechanisim. Plus, I noticed that the lock mechanism has this number stamped on it: B87OW and underneath it this: 0456. Is this the part number?

Finally, anyone know where I can pick up replacement parts at a nice price?

Thanks,

Shacky

Reply to
shacky
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Alternative.... This also happened to me - many years ago. I was able to drill a small hole in the mechanism just after where the metal piece broke off, and install a split pin (cotter pin) with a couple of small washers, through my new hole and through the hole in the end of the actuator. Cotter pin .05 cents Washers .05 cents Time - about 30-45 minutes including door panel re and re.

Much cheaper than even a used lock mechanism! It's been working just fine like that for 3-4 years now.

Reply to
Mike

Hmmm, interesting idea. I think I will try something like that.

Reply to
shacky

Hmmm, interesting idea. I think I will try something like that. Thanks.

Reply to
shacky

Reply to
maxpower

Upon further inspection and work, it appears the acuator needs to be replaced. The electronics work, but mechanically the piston seems to be broke on the inside. I did drill the hole for the cotter pin, tommorow I'll pick up an actuator see if I can make it work.

Reply to
shacky

Reply to
maxpower

Double check - the actuator may be OK. It has an internal 'overtravel' allowance to allow for manual operation. You may just need to have the mechanism load on the actuator in order to actually see it move. In other words, the piston rod that you can visually see on the end of the actuator, moves more/further, than the internal solenoid piston.

I also thought the same thing when I first looked at mine. It did not appear to move properly when locking and unlocking, until I connected them back together.

Even though 50 bucks may seem cheap, I figure why give them even 25 bucks, when a 25 cent repair may work better - no chance to break again. And it will take you a much longer time to remove and reinstall the mechanism, than to do a repair that will take 5 or 10 minutes.

Reply to
Mike

The problem with the actuator is as follows. There is a white piston that goes into a black housing. It seems that when the actuator is triggered, a part in the housing spins. Somehow that spin causes the piston to move out or in, depending on it's last position. My problem is that whatever connected the piston inside the housing seems to be broken. I took the flexible sleeve off and can feel rough edges spin when I trigger the actuator and when the piston is in place, you can hear them spin against it.

That's what it seems like to me, at least. If I am wrong about this I would like to be set straight.

Thanks for all the help and believe me, I would rather spend a buck or two, than $50!

Reply to
shacky

I got the new actuator for $36 today. The parts guy told me the mechanism was another $65. I connected it as recommended , but I used a short piece of coat hanger that I bent on each end. It works great. Thanks for the help...for some reason I wasn't thinking about making it work, I was going for the whole mechansim so I saved at least $65 from the help here.

Thanks again,

Reply to
shacky

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