Top 20 1996 Dodge Neon - Page 5 Questions & Answers

I WOULD REPLACE FUEL FILTER FIRST.THEN CHECK FUEL PRESSURE SHOULD BE 48 PSI.

you may have a worn starter cable

If the brake master cylinder is full with approved DOT 3 brake fluid and the vacuum line that attaches to the brake booster is in place and not leaking or disconnected at either end, check for leaking fluid on all 4 tires, if you find no fluid at the tires indicating a caliper is leaking then the problem is the master cylinder being bad.

sounds like the fuel pump needs to be replaced. That's what happened to mine. Once I replaced the fuel pump it was good to go. Hope this helps.

you can get one cheap from a junkyard for same year and the colors will match for the wires.
if you know how to solder that is a help, will give you the best connection.
i am not sure if the dealerships carry the pigtails anymore for a 1996

You will need to have the timing belt replaced. Depending on which engine you have, you will likely need a new belt tensioner as well. There was update to these as they failed frequently and caused the belt to come off. I am pretty sure this engine does not bend valves so you should be able to repair the belt problem and be good to go.

I am metalpoet....level II chrysler tech.....It sounds like a fuel pump issue by the way you describe it but I know from working on them you will need a timing belt....This will cause it to run terrible like you have described after you get it started.....I really need more info....Has it been tuned up or anything like that lately......How many miles are on it ? Without knowing anything I would disconnect battery/ remove the in line fuel filter / then reconnect battery turn switch on and see if the fuel pump is pumping out fuel...(THE PRESSURE ISNT VERY HIGH COMING OUT OF THE TANK...BUT BE CAREFUL.....IT IS 2 MAN OPERATION ).......IF NO FUEL YOU NEED AN IN TANK PUMP KIT...IF YOU HAVE POWER GOING TO IT........IF fuel comes out let it run until clean then replace in line filter......Then check timing belt....The timing belt is not for beginners to
replace.....Please reply with more info.....I can give detailed instructions on replacing timing belt if needed.............Need to know history of vehicle........................Metalpoet

Hi, your symptoms indicate a bad auto shutdown relay or a bad ground to the relay coil. A way to test my theory is to run a jumper wire from the battery positive terminal to the dark green wire with an orange stripe on the positive coil terminal. If this allows the car to run normally, try swapping the relay and removing the jumper. If that doesn't work, I would check to see if there is a ground signal at the computer, pin 67. This is the pin that is supposed to turn the relay on by sending ground to the relay coil. Do not remove the connector to check for the ground signal--you have to probe the back of the connector at pin 67 with the key turned on--this is a dark blue wire with a yellow stripe. You will need an ohmmeter to check for ground by touching the other probe to chassis ground. The meter should read less than one ohm with the key on. Please let me know if you have questions, and thanks for using FixYa.

It can only be two things. The fan or the sensor that tells the fan that the engine water is too hot. (My guess is that it is the latter... (Those fans each have their own sensor ....lol, I THINK)! The parts store will know. (Be ready for a flood of antifreeze when you change the sensor. Leave on the radiator cap to keep fluid loss at minimum and top it off with the pink or green stuff, whichever you use.

On the left (drivers) side the dark green wire is the positive and the brown/red one is the negative (ground) On the right (passenger) side the purple wire is the positive and the dark blue/red is the negative. I hope this helps and good luck.

sounds like you have a throw out bearing out. Put in neautral and depress pedal while idleing if noise starts its throw out bearing in clutch if noise is there when clutch is out in neautral its probly front trans bearing either involves removeing transmission and replaceing clutch assy or front bearing

Sounds like you may have a blown head gasket. Is your coolant level low and have you had to add coolant. Still sounds like you may have a cooling fan issue or maybe even a clogged radiator. what is the temperature difference from the inlet and the oulet of the radiatoe hoses? Anything less than 20 degrees and I would say the radiator is toast and you need a new one. And fix the cooling fan issue. But still dont rule out the blown head gasket especially if it over heated...

It could be the inline filter, a hole in the gas line , or even one of the plastic locks that they use on gas lines now.

change pcv valve

The instrument pod is most likely to blame. It could be caused by the body control module or the cable between the two because data is being sent between the two. I hope this helps.

Sounds like the camshaft is out of sync with the crankshaft.

Neons have a real problem with camshaft timing belt sprocket. The pin that aligns it to the camshaft can shear off and then the sprocket can slip so the belt is out of time. If it slips enough, you can bend the valves and then the engine is damaged. It won't necessarily set a code when this happens. If you check the belt timing it will appear to be just fine because the sprocket and crank are still in sync, but the camshaft is out of sync. Pull all the plugs and check compression with a gauge from the auto parts store. If it's low, then that might be it...Normal is 175PSI - 225PSI. OR, your timing belt may have slipped a tooth or two, in which case you can just look through the hole in the timing belt cover with the engine at Top Dead Center. The timing mark should be lined up with the cross hairs on the cover.

i would go to the local auto part store and have them look it up eventually that loose wire goes to the starter good luck

you may need a new fuel pump

Hi, my name is John I will do my best to assist you.

To Remove

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Disconnect the filtered air tube from the throttle body and air cleaner housing.
3. For SOHC engines, remove the air cleaner inlet tube.
4. For SOHC engines, detach the electrical connectors from the engine coolant sensor and the camshaft position sensor.
5. For DOHC engines, unplug the electrical connector from the camshaft position sensor.
6. For SOHC engines, remove the brake booster hose and the electrical connectors form the holders on the end of the cylinder head cover.
7. Unfasten the camshaft position sensor mounting screws, then remove the sensor.
8. Loosen the screw/bolt attaching the target magnet to the rear of the camshaft.

To Install: NOTE: The target magnet has 2 locating dowels which fit into the machined locating holes in the end of the camshaft.

1. Install the target magnet in the end of the camshaft. Tighten the retainer to 30 inch lbs. (3.4 Nm).
2. Install the camshaft position sensor. Tighten the sensor mounting screws to 80 inch lbs. (9 Nm).
3. For SOHC engines, place the brake booster hose and the electrical harness in the holders on the end of the valve cover.
4. Attach the electrical connector(s) to the camshaft position sensor and coolant temperature sensor (if necessary).
5. Install the air cleaner inlet tube and the filtered air tube.
6. Connect the negative battery cable.

The camshaft position sensor is mounted to the rear of the cylinder head - SOHC engine shown



Location of the camshaft position sensor - DOHC engine shown



Unfasten the retaining bolt, then remove the target magnet from the rear of the camshaft - SOHC shown, DOHC similar



The target magnet has 2 locating dowels for proper alignment during installation

go to local part store they can give you a print out for free