I have a Late model 1999 Neon, SOHC, 5 speed. When I got my neon ~6 months ago, the ignition cylinder was pretty bad. The key would pull out while running, etc. It got worse to where you could start it with just about anything that would fit in it. Which I didn't really care about.

Then it started getting stuck between "Run" and "Start" -- the heat, radio, etc wouldn't turn on and you had to tap the key backwards into "run". Shortly after, the car started the stalling issue.

While driving, the car would just randomly shut off (all lights would shut off, engine died), but then randomly start back up and be fine. It only would shut off for a second or two. It was extremely sporadic. Could go for a week without it doing it once, then it would do it 6-8 times in a minute..then it'd be fine for a few days, and do it again, then be fine, etc...

So putting two and two together, I thought it was related to the issue with the ignition cylinder. I put a new one in, and it was ok for a few days, and then started doing it again.

Then I put in an ignition switch. It seemed to fix the problem. It was fine for the last month. Tonight it started doing it again.

It occurs at all speeds, any gear, clutch in or out..It is definitely electrical, but I am stumped. Could it have been a bad ignition switch? Loose ground (I tried checking some but failed to find anything that looked like an issue)?

I tried searching but couldn't find much. Am going on a 2 hour drive this weekend and would like to try to get it fixed by then. Would appreciate any ideas.


To sum it up:
-ignition cylinder was sticking between run and start
-car started randomly stalling for a brief moment and restarting
-put in new ignition cylinder, didn't fix anything
-put in new ignition switch, and fixed it for a month, and now it is doing it again

 

i had the same problem with my 96 neon, also 5 speed manual, but it wasn't any ignition related, turned out to be a bad fuel pump,

another possible cause, also had it, is the idle motor behaving erratically, i explained in a previous post that u need to check the ground of the throttle, which is a small wire going to the top of the radiator, see if its lose and tighten it, u can also try to take the air hose off the throttle, and spray mopar throttle body cleaner on it and the idle motor, it should fix it if its idle motor problem

 

I will look into the IAC. The fuel pump kicks on every time, and it does not seem to me like its any sort of fuel or spark issue..Fairly sure it is electrical.

I took two pictures. I only have one ground that goes anywhere near the top of the radiator. It runs off of the battery wire and I had to reroute it to the fender piece in front of the rad because it caused issues once before.

http://img839.imageshack.us/i/neongroundwire.jpg/

I was looking at the vacuum lines, and I found one ripped in half - I went to see where it went and it fell off the other end - does anyone know where it might go??? It is on the back of the valve cover.

http://img543.imageshack.us/i/neonvacline.jpg/

 

I will note that the car runs great. Idle is nice and smooth. I recently put a new timing belt, water pump, and clutch in. Timing is perfect. No CEL.

It doesn't matter whether you're going 10mph or 65mph, warm or cold.

Edit: I found another problem on this P.O.S. The alternator belt is nice and tight, and sits on the alternator pulley just fine. The other pulley it connects to, it is half on. Like the alternator needs to be moved towards the side of the car so the belt is straight. Is there a way to adjust the alternator horizontally? Like towards the side of the car?

Edit 2: Nevermind the alternator adjustment - can the crank pulley be adjusted in or out in anyway? Both the v belt and serpentine belt are not on right -- the crank pulley looks like it needs to move so the other two are straight..

 

Really? Nobody has a clue on either one? Maybe I'll find different neon forums. The Ram section on here is great, would've had a response probably an hour after I posted..Aside from fisichella (thank you), haven't even had a response :/

 

i know your crank pulley can be pulled out with a harmonic balancer puller or pushed back on with the bolt in the middle of the harmonic balancer?