I got a 00 dodge neon 2.0 sohc car it has new plugs wires coil it starts good revs up good just has no power at all?you can pull the plugs out they look just like they come out the box and this the second set ive put in it why?my friend did a compression test on it and it had 150psi on cylinder 2,3,4 and cylinder 1 had 90 psi?any help id really appreciate it thank you

 

I would look at 3 things for low compression. Bad piston rings, burnt valves, head gasket issues. since the plugs are clean I think it's not burning oil. They used to spray motor oil thru the spark plug hole and retest. If compression goes up it's the rings.
The other two requires pulling the head off for inspection. I love my 00 but I have to be realistic with repair costs.

 

thanks........yeah im thinking its a burnt valve or bent valve?how hard is it to tear down and fix?is it hard to retime it?

 

There are timing marks on the timing belt gears to keep you at TDC. It's a big job and the worst part of it is there is little room in some areas of removal. you will have to take off the exhaust manifold, intake manifold, timing belt, valve cover and more. You can get good idea of what you are up against on youtube. You should have pretty good auto skills, you will need some special pullers, and some luck.

 

ive got decent auto skills ive timed and done some of the old school stuff and ive done a few mid 90s cars with the timing belt but ive never done a neon?so does just the cam and crank time or the water pump time also?i figured it was gonna be a decently hard job to tear it down........I was told when I take the timing belt off hold a wrench on the cam and slowly let the tension off it by hand?

 

I'm pretty sure that only cam and crank. Position to TDC compression. Disconnect battery. Drain coolant and remove plugs. remove intake manifold. remove exhaust manifold if needed. remove ignition sys. components and valve cover. Remove timing belt. You will need a harmonic balancer puller for Chrysler & a collar type puller for the cam. I have seen people use big channels locks on the cam. but not sure if you still need puller. Taking off the timing belt cover is the hard part. Raising and lowering engine to get to bolts. Inspect upper and lower strut mounts while you at it. Also engine mount and trans mount. They tend to crack. Get a helper and see youtube for timing belt removal.

 

I got it apart it was in time like its suppose to be well took head off to find out it had several valves leaking compression so I got a machine shop gonna do a valve job on the head for me.........when I go to put it back together do I got to take the timeing tension out and compress it in and stick the allen wrench in the lil whole to hold it down to put the belt back on?also where the lifters and all been took out the head do I wait to torque the lifters and stuff back in the head after I time it and stuff or how I go about that?do I got to buy new head bolts also?

 

I'm sure if you slacken the tensioner with the allen wrench, the belt should slip on. There is a indicator window to show you are within the tension specs. If it's anywhere close to changing your timing belt I would replace it, tensioner, and water pump while it's all opened up. My book says tighten head bolts inward out to 25lbs first pass. Then 50lbs same pattern. Last a final 1/4 turn on all head bolts. Hydraulic lifters 0 lash. Then install timing belt. Hope this helps

 

almost forgot. Inspect bolts and I would use them again if they are in good shape. I hope you checked them when you pulled them out in case they are different size. If they are and you didn't keep them in order drop them in and look at clearance length. Should be all the same.....good luck