2000 Neon LE - Engine and Car Noises


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2000 Neon LE

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Auto Repair Home>> Automotive Repair>> Engine and Car Noises

Scot C
New User

Dec 19, 2016, 2:51 PM

Post #1 of 3 (1490 views)

2000 Neon LE	Sign In

Hi Guys,
I've got a 2000 Neon LE that is consistently hesitating. It feels like a misfire but I have no engine codes and the engine light does work.
At any given speed, the car will intermittently chug and hesitate and there will be a loud single knock coming from the bottom of the front end.
There was an engine code a few months ago as there were misfires and we found some oil on the plugs. We changed the valve cover gasket and the plugs and it was running smoothly for a while but now it is experiencing the issues above.
It is losing a bit of oil somewhere but I've checked the plugs and they are dry and there are no leaks under the car. Could this be a head gasket? There's no smoke or anything or possibly a fuel pump? This has been going on for a little bit now and I figured if it was the fuel pump, it would have gone by now.
Any thoughts you have have would be greatly appreciated.

Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Dec 19, 2016, 3:20 PM

Post #2 of 3 (1474 views)

Re: 2000 Neon LE	Sign In

Your buzz word is "intermittent" and it did get better with changing plugs that were NOT all the same or if so had oil on them or did I misunderstand you?
This engine if this information is totally accurate requires an extreme maintenance at given mileage now at the age that counts too.

Quoting my find "Recommended replacement 105,000 miles, normal driving conditions. Water pump driven by timing belt. It is recommended that you consider changing the water pump when replacing the belt. Interference engine" {That was for timing belt job and components that are involved with it}

That's replacement of a lot of items done at this # of miles including it said camshaft!
Question is what to do right now? I'd take a compression test on this engine plus also know if blow-by is exceeding ability for PCV set up easily seen as fumes coming out of the engine oil dipstick rather than drawing in minor air while at idle.
If confused - check how even spark plugs are again. If not identical this engine should be diagnosed IMO at the age and if over those miles for more info on it's condition in general.

BTW - the term "interference" means that if valve timing is off enough which isn't all that much the valve will collide with the pistons, bend valves or worse than just that.

In short - total compression test done and check for blow-by both as evidenced as said. Plug condition should be even and compression near the same or there's real trouble at hand with this engine specially, the 2.0,

T

(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Dec 19, 2016, 3:28 PM)

kev2
Veteran
kev2 profile image

Dec 19, 2016, 3:24 PM

Post #3 of 3 (1468 views)

Re: 2000 Neon LE	Sign In

start simple easy inexpensive -
Scan for codes - even if that light is not working. Scan no key on off trick.
Fluids - are you consuming or loosing any? you mentioned oil 1qt in X miles... Coolant no problem?
Knock from front end - is that engine knock? or unknown.
Fuel pressure - a basic test on injected engines... pressure then with KOEO leak down - drops Xpsi in 5min.
Do you have a scanner - showing live data?

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