I have a 2005 SXT Neon with 25K Miles on it. So far I replaced the stock intake with a K&N Fuel Injector Performance Kit, Replaced the stock ignition coil with an MSD coil. I plan on replacing the Stock Plug wires with MSD 8mm wire. I want to install a trans cooler new springs and struts and sway bars. The list goes on.

 

Do you have a 5-speed or automatic? If you have a 5-speed, chances are you have a small factory trans-cooler mounted a few inches behind it on the bottom of the firewall. If you have an auto then obviously a trans-cooler would benefit, as long as you don't go too big (or too small). Also, a few more tips:

There is almost no overall difference between a set of MSD 8mm plug wires compared to the $20 wires you get from AutoZone or O'Rielly's... so keep that in mind as far as $ are concerned... the MSD's might last a few miles longer due to better manufacturing practices and materials used, but for the first 20,000 miles or so they'd probably send the same amount of voltage to your plugs as almost any other brand of new wires.

The MSD coilpack offers no real performance gain inside your engine... at best, it will put slightly less strain on your PCM, but probably not enough to notice, even on a dyno. The stock ignition coil floats between 40,000 and 44,000 volts, which is actually about 10-15% more than the MSD puts out.

The sway bar (especially in the rear, assuming you don't have a factory one) is a very good investment. Adding one to the rear will obviously improve your handling tremendously.

 

Well I have an automatic unfortunetly. It was the last one on the lot so I had no choice in that area. What brand would you recomend and with a fan or not? The sway bar that you were talking about, can you get me link for me to see it? Also My neon was one of those dealer modified units. It came with a rear bumber that is lower, like the SRT-4, and a dual tip ecxaust system. I dono if it Mopar performance or dealer made. I mean tht muffler looks like the stock one on a regular neon but has a tip on each side. I was wondering if it be a good idea to cut the muffler and run a split rear dual? I mean my intake is louder than the back, kinda sad. What would you recomend?

 

Well you could go with a trans cooler, mounted directly in front of and against your radiator, and skip using the extra fan... you should get enough airflow through it to keep things cool.

I don't have a link for the swaybar, but I would recommend the SRT4 swaybar if you're going to do it... it's obviously beefier and shouldn't cost much more than the regular-Neon-swaybar... just remember to get the hardware kit with the bar or you won't be able to mount it.

Your rear bumper is probably actually the same exact height as the others, it just has cut-outs in it... I have someone else to vouch for that now, as I showed them this weekend the factory "cutout lines" on my rear bumper where you could tell that they used the same exact mold to make the bumpers without muffler tip cutouts, and those with the cutouts... but as far as your exhaust, if you bought your car new like that, I would assume that it is the Mopar performance muffler that they used to sell in their add-on catalog... that being said, you might not want to change it out... up to you though.

... don't cut the muffler and go with just duals... there's loud and then there is really loud, and unfortunately our cars with just a straight pipe sounds like a damn Indy-car when you start it... you want to put at least a cheap glasspack or something in there to cut down on some of the noise, no matter whether you run duals or a single tip out the back.

 

Ok, thanks. I am always open open to new ideas and suggestions to improve my car. I am going to college in august and it is 4 hours away. and here in mississippi with the heat index of 100 or so get crucial on a car like a neon. What all have you have you done to your car, and what other suggestions or tips you got from your past experiences?

 

You have r/t dual exhaust and sounds like the mopar rear from the lip kit .If your have the r/t dual exhaust it should be pretty quiet and you wont have to add a glasspack cause your exhaust has a muffler already.

 

This might sound ridiculus but I have a rumor that the Neon Body is capable of recieving either and auomatic or manual trans, and that if you were to swap from an automatic to manual it will fit and you would have to just get the new wiring and shifter linkage and pedals. I dont think thats possible, what do ya'll think?

 

It's a lot more work than you'd think, it sounds simple but you'd need the following parts:

Manual transmission
Pedals and linkage and all associated hardware
CV shafts (I believe the passenger-side is different length between an ATX and MTX trans
ECU from a Neon of the same year as yours
Shifter and linkage and all associated hardware

... and I think a few other people in here could definitely add to that list.

 

I know a junkyard where I could get all that. Haha, just might not be able to actually do the swap. Too much work.

 

For a MTx swap you will need the following: transmission (3.55 or 3.94), modular clutch, passenger side axle, clutch master and slave cylinder, shifter cables and clips, tranny side motor mount from a manual transmission 2nd gen, MTX PCM from your year car, shifter and shifter base, clutch and brake pedal assembly from a 2nd gen.

As for the reason of this thread...I have the following modifications on my Neon R/T: COMP 400 Cam, MSD Wires, K&N CAI, Eibach Prokit, Hotchkis Sway Bars, Vibrant F/R Strut Bars, Unorthodox UDP, Maddog 72% STS, JonnyMopar Solid Shifter/Booger Bushings, Prothane MM's, RB1 GPS System.

Soon to be installed: SRT-4 front brake system with MSC Stage 1 Performacne Brake kit, Exel 17" wheels, Tokico HP Blues, solar yellow fiberglass eyelids, and Mopar Lip Kit.