It has been a tough 2 years since I bought my 03 neon RT. The motor began to sag occasionally then eventually sucked all the time. I have spent $2000 trying to bring it back to life and am out of money and ideas. The last time was on a dyno with a computer hooked to it. It peaked at 132hp but took a very long time reaching that. I have changed plugs and wires twice , o2, TPS, MAP, fuel inj service, bunch of other stuff I can't remember. Cleaned power and ground, removed all stereo wire,air filter on cold air intake, on and on. It has never coded. Last year I posted this and one guy answered that I would never find the problem. Too true, man, I wish I had listened. All the zip, exhaust note, fun has been gone since 50 000 miles. I hope someone who really understands this 2 liter motor can shed some light on this problem. Thanks for thinking about it!

 

Is your car stock? If so 132hp is normal for that car. i don't know how fast you were expecting to get there, but you bought an american N/A 4 cylinder...

getting to power fast is a very weird way of looking at things and i'm not sure exactly what you mean by that.

again, if you car is stock and making that power on the dyno... there is nothing wrong with it.

~T

 

Hi it is the RT 150 hp plus 8 for cold air intake. I know you loose a little on the dyno. Thing is the car used to have very good power for such a small motor, good torque from 2500 and up. Now it just suck-holes to maintain 50 mph. The mechanics can feel the problem by driving it but can't find it.

 

Ever checked the fuel pressure? Maybe the fuel pump or the regulator is dieing. Had the computer reflashed?

 

as small block mentioned, the dyno produces wheel hp numbers. that is the power that actually makes it down to the wheels. The 150 you mention is crank hp. That is what the engine makes with no drivetrain loss or no load on the engine.

Also a CAI is not going to give you 8 hp... you will be lucky if you see a 3 hp difference on the dyno.

Here is a little example...

My SXT... 135hp right!?

i had CAI, full exaust, header, underdrive pully, grounding kit, wires, & coil pack...

So what do you think i made on the dyno?

135hp
CAI - 8
Full Exhaust - 8
Header - 10
UDP - 5
grounding kit/wired/CP - 3

169hp right!? First off... none of wat i mentioned about will give me even close to those numbers. Take about 75% off all those numbers than add drivetrain loss and i made

120whp / 126wtq


As far as your car, it is fine... it is making the power it is supposed to make. There is noting wrong.

 

Also, maybe you don't go out and beat her enough and she's full of carbon. I sure wish my 01 se had 130whp lol. I have automatic no way i'm getting that at the wheel.

 

Or maybe your cat broke and lodged the insides, thus running ****ty and no exhaust note. Unbolt the cat and take a trip around the block see if you get your "power" back.

 

Yes, we watched the fuel pressure while it was on the dyno and it was rock solid. I am not unhappy with the stock performance of the car. It is the fact that I have lost all throttle response compared to when it was running good. I should not have mentioned the dyno #'s as they just confuse the issue- that the car lost it's zip! It had fine power before, that's all I want. I run it harder than most drivers, again that's why I bought it. I highly doubt it's carboned up. The clue that I ponder the most is that the power could be good one second and bad the next making me think it was electronic. It was hit and miss for about a year and then the last year it has never been good at all. I'm giving it to the wife anyway and looking at an escape.Hopefully someday it breaks down completely and the problem is found then I'll trade her back!!!

 

smallblockfreak- does that happen with the cat?? Broken guts? That will be worth trying next time on the dyno. I'll collect a few ideas then get back to solving this thing.

 

It can happen. I had a 88 dynasty that it happen to and a buddy of mines mercury just did it. If you have a camera that takes sound put it near the exhaust and rev it up so that i can possiblely hear it would be nice.