Hi newbie here just picked up a 96 4dr Neon to save on gas paid for by scraping my nearly 400,000 mile Ramcharger 4x4[]. Have always owned dodges and always will( also own 78 Magnum t-top 360). anyway details on the neon - sohc atx 102,000 miles pretty nice shape overall just replaced all brake lines, fuel lines, sending unit, pads/rotors, and shoes. Plan on head gasket and timing belt in near future but is there anything else that i should look into as a common problem?

 

when you replace the head gasket and timing belt, also replace the timing belt idler pulley and the water pump....other then that, you should be good to go

 

isn't that only on the DOHC?

 

^^^Nope, thats on both.

 

thanks
took a closer look today at the motor and noticed a MLS head gasket so does that mean it has already been done?

 

Yes it does, so you should be good.

 

same thing for the sohc and dohc, but the dohc has 2 idler pulleys (1 idler and 1 timing tensioner) and the sohc only has 1 (tensioner pulley)