i replace my spark plugs and wires. it still isn't starting normal. i have to rev it a little or it will stall. the fuel pump and filter were replace about two months ago. I also think i have leak somewhere with the cooling system. i just replace the upper hose, i had to tighten the clamps because the got loose. idling smoke starts coming from underhood. i smell the fluid burning but i can't tell where. i don't think i lose enough fluid to overheat the engine. any ideas will be helpful./

 

I also have a stalling problem and it sounds very much like what your going through. I replaced the plugs and was planning to do the filter. I'll be watching this thread to see what you come up with. Good luck.

I have a 99 Neon with a DOHC engine that I'm currently putting a crank kit in. You need pics of something, I might have access to it

 

SO its odvious that you have a coolant leak right? How many times do you have to add coolant? The only solution to this if to find where its leaking, and a very small leak could give you big problems. First place i would start lookin would be the radiator fins for residue from coolant indicating a crack or hole. next would be all you coolant lines for tightness especially your heater core hoses. IF you can smell it really strong when your dirving or your windsheild fogging this could indicate a heater core issue. Has it ever overheated?

for the starting issue i would guess that its only hard to start when its cold. For me this only happens when i let the car sit for two or more days. in this case it could be normal since the lifters (lash adjusters) have emptied of oil giving excessive lash until they get enough oil pressure. Have you checked injectors? Does it run rought all the time?

 

If your radiator cap is rated for 16psi but is really only strong enough for 10 psi, you might be loosing coolant through the catch bottle at normal operating temperature. If your car is running a little hotter than usual because of lets say a faulty thermostat, then your cooling system may be creating 20psi, in which case a properly functioning radiator cap would vent the excess pressure like it was supposed to.

A coolant leak has been fairly easy to find in my experience. Drive the car until it gets up to operating temp, then look under the hood to see where the steam is coming from. Sometimes you can even see the steam coming out from under the hood before you open it.

Let us know where the stream is coming from.

 

i haven't added any, i'm doing that tomorrow. i think the fan isn't working, when it running at normal temp, it wasn't on. the smoke is coming from below the engine, like the lower hose area. what's the gap suppose to for the spark plug. dohc i have. i took the new spark plugs out today to check them and two of them have oil. another one had some a little black stuff built up. i ran the engine a while and sound tick sound. i check the temp and it was running normal. there wasn't any smoke but driving is when it's starts smoking.

 

It looks my quota for attachments has been reached. Sorry, no pics.
You could PM me your email and a description of what you need. I could work with that I think.

 

looks like the raidator is going. i turn the heat on while parked and the smoke started. i didn't smell anything through the vents.

 

I"m not sure why that shows your radiator is out.

 

smoke from where?

possible heater core?

 

It was the radiator and lower hose. also the problem with starting it was the timing belt was off.