Hey all I'm new to this forum and my vehicle. I'm pretty good at getting my way around an engine but I'm a little stumped. If you slowly give my neon the gas from a dead stop it hesitates to the point of almost stalling, does this for about 3 seconds then takes off as it should. IF you put it in neutral it idles fine, same in park, it's only when in drive and from a dead stop. If you coast slowly and give the gas slowly it sputters a bit as well. Once you're up to speed it's fine. I checked the O2 sensors dirty but not bad, I changed the air filter, and no better. Just wondering if it's more likely timing or would new cap rotor and plugs maybe help the issue? It almost feels like a vacuum leak. 16 valve DOHC automatic sport. Thanks Dave

 

check you fule filter might need changed

 

I was going to try it. Only reason I didn't is it's raining and I didn't want to get on the ground just now so I did the air cleaner and plugs first. As for the filter where is it on a neon? By the looks of the filter it must be pretty close to the tank. THe one I saw had three different lines coming from it with three different colored caps, is it a complicated process or accessible as most others? Dave

 

Only the '95s and some of the '96s have an external/replaceable fuel filter. It's outside of the tank, by the rear passenger tire, with a plate screwed on underneath it. Not difficult to get to or replace at all.

No Check Engine Light yet? I would lean more towards the TPS. O2 sensors are still a possibility though - clean does not necessarily mean functioning properly...

There is no distributor, hence no cap/rotor/points, etc. Likelihood of ignition problems without throwinga code are pretty slim. Plugs (copper, not precious metals) are a safe bet, as are new plug wires. Coilpacks can go bad, but tend to throw a code (234,000 miles on my original and still running fine...).

Best of luck!

 

only codes I get are 12 which is previous battery disconnect and 55 which is normal. I've changed all four plugs, the wires, the upper o2 sensor air filter fuel filter, still the hesitation on the initial deprssion of the gas peddal from a dead stop. The exhaust is intact, a subtle leak where the cat and the intermediate pipe connect, but know holes otherwise. THe cat is my next thought. As previously stated there are no codes. I know it's possible for a sensor to be failing and not quite in the failure range for the system to store it but it runs great otherwise. It was surging a bit at a dead stop, but that seems to all but have gone away with the recent changes.