i have an 02 neon and i have the same problem. i keep hearing a ticking sound like a valve is hitting sumthing. I dont no for sure what it is but it only does it when its ideling and then when u gas it it goes away. i change the oil every 3k miles and i changed the tranny fluid and it comming from inside the engion for sure. when i got the car at 30,000 miles thats when i first noticed it. after time it sounds like its getting louder.

 

I meant there was too much clearance FOR the pin to fit securely into, so it's either loose and making the noise or the arm and head of the piston are making the noise because of it. Either way, how much do you think it will cost to replace one piston, or should they all be replaced if I'm going to have it done?

 

Like I've said before it's not your piston. You've got a valve tap. Just like every other Neon in existance. If you want it to go away or subside so it's not so loud put heavier oil in it. Instead of using 5W-30 or whatever you are using switch to 10W-30 or something heavier.

You guys are wracking your brains over something stupid.

If you really think it's a piston, which it most likely is not then tear the engine down and rebuild it.

Also, if your piston was actually the problem odds are your car wouldn't be running right now because the engine would be seized. Especially if the piston's got "too much clearance" like you've stated. If that were the case the top of the piston (piston head) would've slammed into the bottom of a valve and in doing so would destroy a lot of things. For one, the engine would stop turning. You'd ruin a lot of valves and the car would cease to be.

And if the piston has "too much clearance" and you are worried about a noise guess what? You've got bigger problems because odds are your timing is more than 8* out of time and if you are driving the car with it that far out of time again, the car would not be running because again, the piston would've slammed into a valve.

Not to mention you'd probably have massive crank problems, valve clearance issues, timing issues, the car would be throwing a lot of codes.

But hey, if your eally think it's a piston be prepared to rebuild the entire engine. Crank, new rods, pistons, valvetrain, valves, cams, bearings and everything else that goes inside the motor.

Who diagnosed your car?

 

First off, I am not going to bother with this car anymore, I'm looking for a late-model Avenger 2.5L V6 or a 91-94 Stealth (preferably R/T). It's extremely hard to find a Stealth around here, if anyone knows of one for sale in the midwest U.S. please let me know (I'm in WI) I am not looking for an answer to this Neon anymore because four mechanics all gave different diagnosises in a 5,000 mile period.

The most recent mechanic just said the pin connecting the head of the piston to the rod is worn down so that the clearance in the hole or whatever is out of spec, making a clicking/clacking noise when the car is cold until it's warmed up. He never said there is too much clearance in the cylinder wall.

This is not the normal valve tap, the noise I'm describing isn't even a tap or tick. I knew the car had this (valve ticking) when I bought it, and it still does, but that is hardly noticeable unless it's absolutely freaking cold outside. The clacking noise is not coming from the valve cover either, and when the infamous piston slap test was performed, it worked. A little squirt of 5W-30 into cylinder #4 shut the noise up for about 20 seconds.

Oh, and here are some of the mechanics that looked at the car in order of visits (last most recent):

Casco Service, Independent: lash adjusters out of spec
S&L Motors, Five-Star Chrysler dealer: slight piston slap is a possibility
New Franken Sales & Service, Independent: bad rocker arm assembly
House of Ryan, Five-Star Dodge Dealer: worn out pin in piston

 

Sounds to me like this is the infamous 2.0l cold idle knock.
My wife's does it constantly when it's cold. It has been to the dealer 3 time s while under warranty and they actualy said that it is a non issue, every 00-02 does it. Ours has 55k on it and runs like a top.
We only hear it when it's bitter cold but it has always gon away when the engine warms up.
Wierd thing is my 04 has not done it yet, but it sure hasn't gotten really cold here yet!!


Jeff
Philly

 

thats all it is a normal cold knock that every neon has.