Hey all,

Just picked up a $400 Dodge Neon, SOHC, automatic with only 56,000. Thing is clean inside and out, but is overheating, oil is milky --> head gasket needs to be replaced. Any suggestions or tips? I found a how-to on allpar that I was going to follow, and just order parts from Advance online. List of parts include:

Head gasket set
Head bolts
Water pump
Timing belt
Idler pulley
Spark plugs + wires

Anything else? Thanks.

 

Coolant and an oil change. Take a peak at the oil pump seals while your in there. Head gasket set I think comes with a new cam seal also. Be sure to have the head check at a machine shop for cracks and flatness. Not any real tips or tricks for the neon. Pretty straight forward just dig in.

 

Does anyone have specific part #s? I was going to go down to my local Advance (actually order online as it seems to be the cheapest option) but wanted to make sure I order the right parts...

 

Get the best Head Gasket you can.

 

I used felpro in the past. Also used the advanced auto and oreilly kits Not sure of the brands. Also used an ebay one, but only 2 out of the 3 I installed worked.

 

This is what I was looking at for parts:

Head gasket set: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...ead+gasket+kit

Timing component kit:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...ming+component

I was told that there was a change in timing idler bearing and that part was changed to a kit including a resdesigned timing cover. Is this referring to the mechanical vs. hydraulic tensioner? How do I tell which one I have now?

 

The picture you showed is the hydro tensioner. Which should be the same thing that's in your car. The hyrdo setup pushes on a idler pulley to keep it tensioned.

 

So with those two kits above, I should be pretty much all set?

 

Yep just be sure its for the SOHC. Looks like the valve cover gasket may of been a dohc in the photo, but that may not be the same photo as what your getting. Take the head by the machine shop and have it pressure checked, checked for flatness.

 

And the proper torque spec is 25 ft-lbs, 50 ft-lbs, 50 ft-lbs, then 1/4 turn, going inside to outside, correct? Following this: https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-question.html but wasn't sure if it changed from DOHC to SOHC...