hey everybody. i bought a 2000 neon today from the car lot that i work at. the car was cool for a while, and we were asking full retail for it, then its oil light started coming on and i was able to buy it as an inside deal for 1800 bucks.

anyway, i guess my question is: is there anything on the 2nd gens that conks out on a lot of cars and causes the oil light to come on at low rpm's? it runs quiet, so I'm hoping that it is only the pressure switch, but if it is not, how tough is an oil pump?

I've had a few first gens, so I know this engine pretty well, but just haven't had to change an oil pump yet... any advice or other things that i should be looking at?

thanks.

do the 2nd gen neons eat up head gaskets too? i hope not.

 

looks like the pump goes above the edge of the pan and has the crank go through the middle of it... i guess that's better than having to drop the pan and change something above the crank or something like that...

anybody ever do this repair before? is it that bad?

thanks again.

 

Was it low RPMs after it was started cold (idle), or did it come on after it had been driven? How old is the oil? What is the oil level like? I'd change the $15 sensor first. Couldn't hurt and it's much easier to do than the pump.

 

the light comes on after the vehicle is warm, so it only happens when the oil is warmer and a little thicker. the oil looks clear on the stick so it is new, and it is up to the correct level.

still only happens at low rpms but after the engine is warmed up. i'm grabbin the sensor on my lunch break tomorrow, so i will know tomorrow night if the sensor is the issue or not. hate to sound this way, but i kind of hope it is the pump because i have a little tick at idle that i would like higher oil pressure to get rid of. it definitely sounds like the valvetrain, and its the single overhead cam... if oil pressure doesn't solve my tick, does replacing the rockers usually do the trick? (assuming that the shafts and cam and valves are ok) what usually goes out on these cars, i'm new to second generation quirks.

thanks a lot.

 

These cars have a tick in them. That is the 2nd Gen quirk. Just depends if it will come out or not. As for oil pressure, according to the shop manual, it only has 4psi at idle! Don't know that replacing the oil pump will make it any higher, but if it is an actual pressure problem, then I'd say yes to the pump.

 

No headgasket problems with the 2nd gens.

 

id start with with the pressure switch first. its a cheap fix. then go from there. as for what darthroush said, im in agreement

 

replaced the pressure switch last night, and my light went away. sounds better running, but still has that tick... Granted, I'm not sure the last time it was driven before I bought the car, but there was a lot of oil on the back of the engine on the driver's side... In the manual is says to check that pressure switch if you have an oil leak, so we'll find out if that was it or not. But what else on the 2nd gens is notorious for causing oil leaks if its not a head gasket?

Thanks for the advice guys, it helps me out a lot.

 

has anybody solved the tick issue? I was thinking about getting replacement rocker arms, but wasn't sure if it was a clearance issue or something else that is really just permanent.

Thanks again.

 

that tick is just how the neons are. mine has done it since the day i got it from the dealership and ive experienced no problems what so ever outta my car