Thanks for the help Dano!
I have an update...the kit you mentioned can be gotten locally for a little over $66. After calling three dealerships, we finally found someone who would acknowledge that the kits exists at Autoway Dodge. Their rep stated that they could have the part in a day from Orlando and that there was a notice stating specifically NOT to replace the vacuum assembly for pump weepage. Apparently this is a known issue and there may actually be a service bulletin out there regarding this specific part.
Jerry Ulm quoted $2200 installed for a complete assembly, even claiming that there are no serviceable parts available for the the unit. Bob Wilson Dodge quoted out at $2479
for the same work, again not acknowledging that the unit was serviceable. Something smells funny here and it's not me. Needless to say, dad decided to go with Autoway's kit, rather than a unit replacement.
Moral of the story: Do your research, because often times even the dealerships have no idea WTF they are talking about. A big thanks to the Autoway Dodge folks for mentioning the kit, providing a part number and committing to getting the parts here fast. Saving over $2000 in unnecessary expenses is always a good thing.
