Status update.

It still randomly dies. Not as often as before. Most of the time I can just pop the clutch in 4th gear to restart the car when it happens as it only does it when I push in the clutch to start slowing down from cruising speed.

I cleaned the intake manifold, the TB, replaced the IAC control, the throttle position sensor, the upstream O2 sensor, double checked all the vaccuum connections, no error codes (except for 15 and P0500 - which is the VSS sensor problem I cannot fix).

I re-read the Haynes manual, and it appears that the PCM sets the idle based on input from the TPS, the IAC, and the VSS. I wonder if my problem will go away once I permanently fix my VSS issue? Since no signal is coming from my VSS, the PCM may be trying to set the idle too low while transitioning from cruise to stop. Good theory at this point, but we'll see.

I have decided that since I cannot find a good new/used VSS connector, I am going to do something I normally would not, but if it works, I really don't care at this point. I am going to remove the VSS and epoxy the connector to the sensor. If I ever have to replace the sensor, I will just replace it with a new connector at that time. I did finally find a source online that not only has the sensor, but a new connector, but they want way more then I am willing to pay at this time. And in fact, if this does not fix my real problem, then I haven't wasted any money doing it, and I still get my speedo back.

 

well I hope all is well with your NEON

 

Don't let anyone ever tell you that the VSS sensor does nothing for a Neon. I now know better. Some of you gear heads out there are probably thinking -DUH! - but up until now, I really did not put a lot of thought into what the VSS did other then provide input to the speedo and odometer. I cannot say if the VSS has as much effect when paired with an auto tranny, but on a 5-spd manual tranny, the VSS is very much needed. Without the speed input to the PCM, the continuous idle adjustments and overall smoothness of accelerating and decelerating are very much affected.

I finally got around to epoxying my busted connector onto my known good VSS sensor (if I ever have to replace the VSS, it's gonna be a B$$$$ to do it). I wish I had done it sooner, but I did not want to complicate future repairs, so I tried to avoid it. I drove the car this weekend and it did not die once. I drove it to work today in stop and go traffic, and it did not die once.

As I suspected, the VSS in concert with the IAC and TPS sensors are constantly monitoring the fuel/air combo, and the speed of the car tells the PCM that the car is NOT at a stop and idling when you push in the clutch to decelerate from cruise and the PCM keeps the fuel air mixture at an appropriate level for easy transitioning back to a "normal" state if needed instead of suddenly dropping everything to a full stop/idle condition that creates problem for the fuel control and kills the motor as the car is still moving at 'x' speed.

The last of the gremlins has been exorcised! I hope to run this car until the frakkin wheels rust off!