Hello All, First poster to the site, I'm a deployed Navy guy and my wife just bought a 97 Neon 2.0 DOHC. Seems the car is in decent shape. After buying the car (save gas A-B car) the check engine light came on. Misfire 1-4 cly. I had her buy plugs and wires, father in law changed the parts, reset the code. Two days later the same code, mis fire 1-4, she says there seems to be a ping while driving.. I'm thinking fuel/timing. Could it be that just the 1 coil pack has gone bad, or is it a timing belt issue? I was going to have the coil and the fuel filters changed first. At 127K miles, i'm not sure if the timing belt/coil have ever been changed. I've never seen or driven the car as I'm deployed. I've had the wife price around for a timing belt and mech to do the job. Belt was @ 60.00 and the est for the job was 415.00 that seems a bit high to me. So I'm looking for input, info, and poss a mech in the Richmond/Chesterfield area of Va to give an assist with this car. Thanks for any help in advance.

 

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY!

Misfires could be plugs, wires, fuel injectors, clogged fuel rail, bad coil pack and so on. If you have the timing belt changed, you need to have the water pump and idler pulley done at the same time. They all have a 100,000 mile interval change. Fuel pressure should be 49 psi if you can have your father-in-law check to rule out the fuel filter.

 

So the wife had the plugs and wires done. Code stayed gone for 2 days, then the misfire 1-4 came back, and she says there is a ping. She is trying a higher octane fuel to see if that helps as well as some fuel system cleaner. I'm having her get the fuel filters changed next. Not sure what is a good price to have the timing belt, water pump and tensioner changed, but if we are going to keep the car for any period of time I guess it should be done.. Just wish I was home to do it myself. I really don't like spending $$ on stuff I KNOW I can do myself. But who knows how long it will last.. I don't want it going out and destroying the motor before I get home.

 

I'm home and I've driven the car. Father in law changed the plugs and wires while I was gone. I just put in new NGK V-groove plugs, the wires are good. I have multi misfire, and a EGR code. the car is slow to get up to speed, when in park or neutral and you mash the gas it is slow to rev, almost like it's loading up, but no black smoke out the back. I've checked the fuel pressure and it's 49 psi with key on engine off.
Any Ideas of what has worked to clear this misfire code. Wouls changing/cleaning the egr fix a misfire? Would the coil pack clear the misfire. I only have a few days home bfore I have to leave the family again so I'd love to fix this now.

 

Sounds like a vacuum leak, possibly injector o rings. If the diaphragm in the EGR is shot then it could be your leak, but 9 times out of 10 its not the egr casuing issues. Did you try a new coil? Usually timing being off will throw some sort of code, usually not a misfire. It sounds like it is due for a timing belt anyways. $415 at a shop is cheap for a timing belt, water pump, seals, and tensioner/idler. Get a vacuum reading off the intake manifold also. The neon does not have a "fuel filter" It has a fuel sock on the pump, and a fuel accumulator on the frame rail. If the fuel pressure is good, and it stays up when you load the motor then I dont think delivery to the fuel rail is the problem.

 

OK here is an update, I've replaced the coil, and still no change. it seems to have better pull in the upper rpm, but is a turd at the lower range, it idles smooth, but burbles when you mash it and just sounds off. I unplugged each ejector and the motor died down a bit so I know they are doing their job. as for the fuel pressure, you would think that the higher rpm range would suffer if it was fuel, you keep it in first and at about 2500 you hit it and it seems to take off just great and shifts nice and firm. I went up a small grade today after leaving the auto store, at 25 mph I smashed the gas and it barely picked up any speed at all. what is the fastest way of checking the timing to make sure it's not a tooth off.

 

Its an auto? Is it downshifting like it should? Check vacuum.... Vacuum readings will show you timing being off and or vacuum leaks which can both cause the issue your having. You can also pull off the upper cover, put #1 at TDC and check the marks. I usually pull injectors and check spray pattern. You can usually see an injector issue easily, replace the o rings on them. What CEL code are you getting, 43?

 

My car starting acting the same way yours is, even giving the EGR code. Turns out my cat was plugged.

Try disconnecting the exhaust at the manifold to see if you might have a clogged mulffler/cat. That or go to your nearest muffler shop. They will usually check it for nothing.

 

could try running some seafoam thru the gas too, cant hurt.

 

Thanks all for the help. I'm back in Va now so I can try and work the car some. I've changed plugs, wires, coils with no help. I noticed today that the check engine light will stay on and also flash at times. I pulled codes just now with a p0300-p0304(random miss and each cyl mis fire) then a p0138 o2 sensor hi volt and a p0140 o2 sensor ckt no activity...

As for the plugged cat ide..sometimes the car runs like a scalled dog..then the next sec its un unpollished turd! You would think if the cat was plugged it would run the same ALL THE TIME. and that is what is making me doubt the timing or fuel... I wondered if the comp could cause the issue. I hear some guys get the 2.4 DOHC comps and just adjust the timing.... I'm lookin to sell the car so I dont want to drop too much into it now that I'm back home. I've already did the brakes and the shocks/struts.. it's a clean car and runs around perfect except for the misfire issues. ideas?