2000 Neon not starting, spark plug has oil on it
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2000 Neon not starting, spark plug has oil on it
I have a 2000 Dodge Neon that is not starting. The problem first started about a week ago, I was running errands and it was having trouble starting, chugged for a few seconds, but did actually start. This happened about 5-6 times. The car then sat for a few days, and when I tried to start it again, it wouldn't start at all. We changed the battery because it was well over-due anyways, and then it started, so we thought all was well. However we went out the next day and it wouldn't start again (it does try, cranks, all the lights work etc) but no start. Metered the battery to make sure it wasn't dead for some reason, but it was fine. We then checked all the spark plugs and found one (the #4) had quite a bit of what appears to be oil on the rubber tube that goes down onto the spark plug. When we look down into the 'spark plug hole' - there is oil sitting on top of the plug itself. The other three are completely dry.
I am wondering if this could be causing it to not start?
If so, is there something we can do ourselves to fix it? I'd rather not have it towed and pay a mechanic to do it since I just dropped a small fortune on this car last month. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
I am wondering if this could be causing it to not start?
If so, is there something we can do ourselves to fix it? I'd rather not have it towed and pay a mechanic to do it since I just dropped a small fortune on this car last month. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Last edited by jjs19; Jul 22, 2012 at 12:17 AM.
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Joined: Jun 2012
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+1 on buddhamans assessment of culprit behind leak.
as for the hard starting, i suppose it's possible that some oil wicked up into the boot and is causing some interference with the plug and wire contacts. get that seal fixed, and see if that solves your problem. new plugs never hurt anybody, either (unless they are relatively new plugs are already).
as for the hard starting, i suppose it's possible that some oil wicked up into the boot and is causing some interference with the plug and wire contacts. get that seal fixed, and see if that solves your problem. new plugs never hurt anybody, either (unless they are relatively new plugs are already).
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Joined: Oct 2012
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its eitherer the spark plug tube seal( comes with valve cover gasket set) or the tube itself unseated from the head ( red locktite ) or the piston ring is fu**ed in that cylinder. start with replacing those in the order.
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From: Northern California
How would the oil get into the tube from the cylinder though? There's still a spark plug there plugging the hole...
