yea thats what im thinking... is there a specific brand of scanner i should avoid? one i should try and get? I usually only get the right part when i walk in with the bad or broken part at oreillys, and as for the smaller local parts store here, they go through oreillys and u have the same issues at a slightly more expensive price lol

 

gonna go on a long shot here...MAF sensor?

 

I'd think something like this would suffice just fine for you:
http://www.amazon.com/Equus-3030-Inn...2065894&sr=8-4

This is equivalent to the scanner I have, that used to cost over $100 (found it for $97 at Wal-Mart at the time).

 

last i knew these didnt have a maf sensor... but a combination of map sensor as well as a couple others between the intake tubes throttle body and intake manifold.... i may be wrong but thats what i read somewhere else...

now today while my gf drove to work, it came up with a P0171 code... so could this what seems transmission related problem really be engine related causing to me what i can only describe as the trans not kicking down....

 

Speed density hasn't been used in a long time. Most any fuel injected car made in probably the past...20 years has used a MAF sensor, I'd venture to guess.

The P0171 is most commonly associated with.......a dirty MAF sensor or a vacuum leak downstream of the MAF. Very nice guyonsomecouch

However, if there really is a transmission issue, the MAF has nothing to do with it; even more so because it isn't electronic so the sensor readings wouldn't have any effect on it IMO.

 

okay, so im not leaning more towards its not the trans as much as engine related... today while in town, my gf tried to step on it a little to get out of the intersection and it popped loudly, (backfired) no new codes still the p0303 (which as i said i've had for a while with low compression on that cylinder and it hasnt caused anything like this) batt disconnect code, and the new p0171...

so where is the MAF located on these cars?

im more familiar with the trucks where its a huge thing attached to the intake tubes before the throttle body....

 

ohkay, so a new set of codes.... still have all the others, and now a p1193... and a p0508.... also now my battery light is on... but alt is working fine and my voltage is staying about 13.8v at idle 14.3 while driving.... i have done the big three minus the larger alt, i havent got there yet, on my vehicle (1/0 gauge direct alt wire, and 4 gauge grounds plus added a couple new grounds)

 

I guess Neon's don't have a MAF really thinking about it. They do have the MAP on the intake manifold though. They have an intake air temperature sensor though which is located where a MAF sensor would go; I guess I just didn't really think about it before I said yes.

Now onto the new codes. Looking up P1193, that is Inlet Air Temp. Circuit High (intake air temperature). P0508 is IAC Valve Circuit Low. If the battery light is on, check all battery connections and check the wiring itself. My positive cable was corroded underneath the crimps of the two power wires causing all sorts of problems. These cars will screw up like crazy if the exact amount of voltage is going to everything.

I'm now leaning towards a vacuum leak and/or an electrical problem.

 

well i have one of those sound quest aftermarket battery post teminals with the set screws for 1 1/0, 1 4, and 2 8 gauge wires, im going to find my original one and put some crimps on the wires and go back to that because it seems to be corroded like crazy... i cant hear a vacuum leak, as i've been checking and i did clean out the pcv valve last night and the check ball is now free to move.

 

ohkay so another thing i found...looks like a spot on the throttle body is missing a vacuum line....its the port on the tb thats toward the front of the car.... the only lines i can find in this area are the one from pcv to intake manifold, and the one that runs the back of the tb and around the air box to back behind the battery somewhere... and then the line from the valve cover to the air box....

what connects to this port?

maybe it is whats causing my issue of driving... i started the car with the air box off, and put my finger over the hole, and didnt feel any suction... but i was thinking maybe it only has the vacuum with the air box and all that sealed and attached, and or only when the throttle is pressed down....