Newbie to your forum here.
I have a 95 ATX SOHC. I've stripped it for 4 cyl dirt track racing. It's almost ready to go, but I've got a concern. Most of the time you race on 1/4 mile dirt in 2nd gear (remember now this is ATX.). When I put this car in 1st or 2nd gear the throttle pedal travel is severely limited. In 1st I can barely press the pedal and get any travel. I get a little more travel in 2nd, but ultimately I'd like to have full travel in 1st 2nd and drive. Does the throttle linkage just need to be adjusted or is there some kind of wonderful "feature" that I need to disable?

Thanks!
Mathias

Oh, here is a picture for you all.

 

Nice car, but I'm not sure about your question. Maybe racer55x can help....he's a dirt track racer also.

 

Thanks Das. I'll look him up and see what he has to offer.

I hope I've worded the question to be easliy understood. The crux of it is, why does shifting into lower gears on an automatic limit the travel of your throttle pedal?
I'm sure it's some kind of goverening type function, but mine feels extremely limited.

Thanks again Das and anyone that can offer any advice!
Mathias

 

my guess would be your downshift linkage is binding or stuck on the transmission.
it goes through the shift lever and they like to get stuck together. if they are stuck you can just unhook it & manually shift. or hose it with penatrating oil and work it free.
theres also a little trick running an auto - re grind the notches in the shifter gate so you cant skip past 2nd gear without pushing in the button.
where are you racing at? how big is the track?
nice car, looks good.


[IMG]local://upfiles/37714/1AA82203817F4047B8E7840CDD9908AC.jpg[/IMG]

 

Thanks Racerx55! Your car looks really good too. Most of the cars I see in this class are spray painted numbers and pretty junky looking. I'll be at I96 Speedway outside of Lake Odessa Michigan. This class runs on the 1/4 mile dirt, although the main track is their 1/2 mile dirt. We get a lot of hobby stocks, modifieds, late models and sprints out there, plus Grand National and other motorcycle classes through the Summer.

I see you run with your aluminum rims. Steel wheels are mandatory at my track. Have you ever busted a rim? I have three just like yours I'd trade for steel rims if your interested.

Thanks for the trick on the shifter gate. I was thiking it felt a little too easy to slip past second!

I noticed you had another post where someone was asking for tips ("cheats" they said.), anything more you could share on your experience in racing would be appreciated. rose_matthew@sbcglobal.net.

 

I too am a 4-cyl dirt track racer. I currently drive a '88 Mazda 323 that is getting smoked by the DOHC Saturns.

I can get my hands on a '95 DOHC Neon with a bad fuel pump for $300. The only drawback is that it's a automatic. My question is, would trying to find a manual be a better alternative or is the horsepower difference between an auto and manual negligible?

We run on a 3/8 mile banked red clay track. I have to run my Mazda in 3rd gear. If I run in 2nd I hit the rev limiter about 3/4 down the straights.

Here I am: http://www.dotphoto.com/GuestViewIma...207&IPP=16

 

ive torn the center out of steel rims,or the lug nuts tear through..cut some up and weld a double center together for the RF at least.
aluminums only break when you hit the wall hard

i have 4 or 5 steel rims i barely ever use, your kinda far away though, just a thought GM steel rims (beretta, cavaleir, corsica..grand am,..etc.) will fit right on a neon, toyota (80's celica)5 lugs will fit if you grind the center hole a little bigger.
im not sure 100% on making a SOHC run strong but i know if you can get away with "cheating" with a header it makes gobs of torque.
do whatever you can to get more air to that motor,
irun a 2 1/2" exhaust and let it come out right in front of the LR wheel. pretty much just cut the stock stuff off right there and run it. 2 1/4 stock pipe isnt bad to run, helps for torque, im stepping mine down i think

 

i run a 3/8 high banked in 3rd, with 195/45/14 Toyo proxes T1R's on the front and left rear, an almost bald195/70 on the RR, run right to the rev limiter in 3rd usually, or close to it. try to find you some of those little tires theyre awsome on dirt. at muskingum we bury it in the corner just barely back off , tag the brakes to throw it sideways then your WFO again sliding the whole corner.
a DOHC neon doesnt have alot of torque to pull off the corner if its a long straight sharp corner track youll have some trouble pulling out unless you stay high and just run it ***** out up against the wall.
a neon seems hard to tune to alot of tracks, when theyre fast they just flat *** fly, when your not doin so great they go right to the back.

Also an auto neon dont do bad on the track, and you can easily convert it to a 5 speed later on.

 

Holy Cow!!! Your track pays $350 to win?

http://www.clayhillmotorsports.com/rules.html#payout

That's what I have to do now with my Mazda. I can keep them in sight as long nothing happens to break my momentum. I hit the wall a couple of weekends ago with my foot firmly on the floor. Wall 1 Tie Rod End 0

I just want a car that will run with the Saturns.

 

muskingum pays 350 to win. they have the highest payout ive ever seen for 4 cyl. ive only ran there once ( this weekend) but i loved it. and its crazy fast. you lose your focus for half a second and your off the back of the track and goin down the bank faster than you realize.
has anyone tried an escort GT there? the 1.8L GT dominates up here at wayne county and theose things wont die.
honda preludes with 2.3L also haul *** since the H22 motorhas been outlawed.
DSM's (talon eclipse laser) run really fast at muskinum. gotta be a 90-94 though. (4g63 motor)
a guy brought a saturn here and got his *** handed to him.
can you fit bigger tires on your car? biggest you can stuff in there might get you to the end in 2nd gear.