im getting a 99 neon r/t 70k miles for only 3,000 great condition. couldnt afford a srt-4 so ill settle 2nd best. its got an exhaust and an iceman intake on it already im going to get the unorthodox underdrive pullys and the mopar PCM what do you all think i should do to her? what manifold would i need need to mount a turbo on my own and what size turbo? would i have to bore out my cylinders and replace my rods and piston?

 

It used to be the classifieds on ************had manifolds for sale sometimes setup for turbos. you can also buy just the manifold and turbo from Hahn Racecraft through HowellAutomotive for not too bad a price (new parts) < $1000 and do the rest yourself.

with only 70K miles I don't know that I'd jump into the short block unless you're really interested in spending money and/or "getting to know your car" LOL. I read on Allpar once about 4 years ago that the 420A engine was designed to hold up to about 300 hp before any major upgrades were needed, so you don't necessarily have to do new rods and pistons.

In my opinion, if you're looking to get all you can out of it for a reasonable price, I'd get a 2.4 long block from a caravan for $500, rebuild it with 8.5:1 pistons (about $1000 or so if you do it yourself and your head is okay as is--don't feel a need for cams) and then get the 20G Hahn turbo and manifold and plumb it yourself. There'll be other costs in injectors, fuel pressure management, odds and ends, but you'd end up with an EASY 250 horse (probably a LOT more if you push the PSI envelope and/or if you add an intercooler in the path) for about $3000 to $4000 with 20% increase in displacement too if you're gonna do all yourself. This is basically the package I'm looking into doing with my neon next year. You might be able save too since you already have a DOHC head--mine's SOHC and it's just all around easier to use a DOHC head on a 2.4 than it is to make a SOHC head work.

The real question is how much of this work are you going to do yourself and with that how much money you got? I just stepped into a conversation where a shop wanted $4000 to rebuild a basically truck stock Chevy 350 for a boat that had gotten water backflushed in through the exhaust. I laughed because my father pointed out that you can go get a truck stock replacement all new GM crate motor for about $1200 at the right dealer. . . but the guy'd have to get it into the boat etc. That's the trick--how much time, tools, skill have you got?


*EDIT* Please do not link other competing forums on DF.

 

If it's your first turbo, consider one of the kits (intercooled) from Hahn or Chill Factory. For $2500-3500, you can have just as much power as a stock SRT-4 on your stock block. If you upgrade the suspension (just the 1st gen stock ACR will do, Koni's in other words), you'll outhandle it as well.

Best of luck!

 

So the stock 2.o DOHC will be able to handle a hans intercool turbo. only when i start putting out over 300 ponys will i have to rebuild the engine. a Q just poped up im buying it from my brother he thinks the 99 RT is a 2.4L DOHC he cant remember, is it?

 

Nope The only neon that has a 2.4 stock is the SRT-4

 

You'll have to consider upgraded internals more in the 225-250 HP range. There's no safety net, you'll either be safe or you won't. If you can't afford forged internals, take it easy on the boost.