I definitely need to relace my head gasket on my 97 Neon SOHC. There's oil along the back side of the engine below the valave cover gasket but it's not the valve cover gasket because that was recently replaced. What's the best route in doing this and since I have it tore down what are some other things that could be done? The timing belt was done already. Thanks!

 

neon had headgasket problems but in a 98 and 99 neon sohc they used diff steel head gaskets and it fixed the problems so probly get a 98 or 99 neon head gastket that will fix it and it can hold better

 

yeah, when i did my top end i went to the local dealer and got a whole top end gaskt kit for like 150 bucks..

 

Others may disagree with me on this but I am always so tempted to drop the oil pan grab up the ridge reamer and replace the piston rings sense I have the head off already (even if I know I have pretty good compression).lol

 

**** i would do the same dam thing i just dont how but im buying a engine rebuild kit thats going to be a bitch but if u go to ur junk yardu might find some 98 or 99 neons there at the one we have theres like 12 neons there which but they where wreck dnt need to demote the neon

 

Did you check the camshaft position sensor to make sure it's not leaking?

 

any headgasket that you buy nowadays is a MLS...

when the timing belt was replaced, did you also replace the water pump and idler pulley??? if not then that would be a good idea...
otherwise, if it runs good, then there really isnt anything else you HAVE to do

 

Wel I bought the car from a guy who did all of the work but there's oil down the back side of the engine. I do not know if he replaced the water pump when he did the timing belt but last night i had to replace my radiator and so i went ahead replaced the thermostat and it's a good thing i did because the old one was in pieces inside the water neck, how it was still functioning is beyond me. Where's the camshaft position sensor? I did not check it. Also there's no coolant in my oil but I think the car's burning it slowly. In the mornings or afternoons during cold starts there's some fog like smoke that comes out of the tail pipe but it dissapates very quickly not hanging in the air like normal oil burning smoke. I smelled it and it has a very slight oil smell to it. Ideas??????????

 

i believe the cam sensor is on the side of your head.

 

That’s kind of what I meant when I said replacing rings finding something I should have done before putting the engine back together. I always seem to get a car that would develop some blow by from the oil control rings a few thousand miles after I’d replace the head gasket although no dodges mostly Chevy’s (no offence to any Chevy owners probably because of it not be maintained before I got the car) and then not wanting to tare down the engine again to replace them but you don’t have to replace anything that you know isn’t bad (just my own paranoia on rings) although I don’t think its rings in your case .

Since you said that you have

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oil along the back side of the engine

it could be a leaky head gasket or the head but since you also said

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during cold starts there's some fog like smoke that comes out of the tail pipe but it dissapates very quickly

I would tilt a little and say maybe more likely the valve seals maybe the valves but more likely the seals hope this points you in the right direction.