I am 100% sure this question has been asked...but i had no success searching.

I have a 1999 Neon SOHC. The engine has always been noisey....At 90k miles the head gasket failed, now with 130k miles the engine is loosing oil pressure, so I am looking for a different engine. No luck finding engines for gen one cars.....without them having 150k miles on them.

I have found a gen 2 2.0 with low miles and at a good price. How significant are the changes between 99 model year and the newer engines?

No need to answer the question, if you could possibly find a link to a thread containing info.....

Or, just start bashing me right here for being a stupid newbie!



Thanks

 

You could take your engine to be rebuilt. If you can take it out and put it back yourself, your lookin at maybe $700-$1000 for a stock rebuild.

 

$1000? Not as bad as I expected.

Maybe you could verify this - I spoke with a wonderful gentleman at a "auto recycling center" ( AKA GREASY SOB AT THE JUNK YARD)...he seems to think that by taking a 2000 and up motor and taking it down to the long block, then replacing with the 1999 mounts, oil pan and other accessories that it would work....

Are the long blocks interchangable?

 

Yes they are, but its just the short block. The head is different. You are better off rebuilding what you have though, only for the reason that you know what you have and know its all new and right. If you can get the short block for real cheap then it may be worth it, but I would never use a junkyard engine as you have no clue what could have been done to it. The old lady that owned the car before you could have never changed the oil or something.

 

Good point. The engine I found is out of a 2004 and has only 15k miles on it. I did't want to use my head as it has been noisey since it had 40k miles on it.

Generally, when loosing oil pressure, where is the loss? Excessive clearance in the crank? Poor old girl doesn't leak or burn any oil...with the new head gasket.

 

There are a lot of places that oil can leak by and lower the oil pressure, could be a bad pump too. If the oil was ran too long you could have messed up the pump.

 

The crank signal changed in 2003 and is completely incompatible with earlier Neons. So unless you want to tear the 2004 engine out and swap cranks, don't go that route...

All of the 1995-2002 SOHC's are relatively interchangeable. I have yet to see an EGR system on any 2000-up Neon, but all the 1995-1999 models had them, and your stock computer will set the CEL if you don't have it... Most of the 2000-up heads actually have the port for the EGR, but it is blocked off from the factory. If you find a long block with a head like that, just swap over the EGR system from your car, the motor mount on the timing belt cover (if needed, I can never remember), keep your accessories and brackets (power steering, a/c, alternator, etc.), and you'll have no problem. No need to swap oil pans. Pretty sure the crank pulley will work as well (but keep yours just in case...).

Other than a few minor differences on the 1995 SOHC, all the short blocks (pistons and rods excluded) are identical on all 1995-2002 Neons, even the DOHC's and Magnums. If you really want, you can use any of those engines in there (head included) with nothing more needed than a minor wiring change (DOHC coolant temp sensor) and an appropriate PCM (DOHC needs DOHC, Magnum may need Mopar if there's no EGR port in the head). DOHC or Magnum would be a nice upgrade, assuming you have a 5-speed. They'll work with an auto, but why?...

Try www.car-parts.com (salvage yard database) to see if you can find a better price locally. Used running engines shouldn't run more than $300-500. Most come with some sort of warranty (30 days to a year, depending on the yard).

Best of luck!

 

awsome information there! Thanks. The engine I found was a 2004! I'll keep looking. Till then, keep your fingers crossed....and pray she keeps on running!

 

UPDATE:

I found a 2002 sohc motor with 39K miles....$500 with alt, ac compressor, intake and exhaust manifolds ( can't use them anyway...but...) ...! The motor was 2 hours away so I specifically asked the guy at the salvage yard if the motor had the EGR port on the head..."YES IT DOES" he said.

I went to pick it up yesterday....it was cold as a well diggers A$$outside so the only time I spent looking at the motor was when I was strapping it down in the trailer. I went out this morning to check it out and noticed NO EGR PORT ON THE HEAD.

*#&#&$....

RadarLove said " and your stock computer will set the CEL if you don't have it... "..... Must I find a motor with the EGR port, or can this be eliminated?