I am a new member on this site, and also new to dodge and the neon. I just purchased a 1996 dodge neon dohc 5spd on saturday. The guy told me it makes a noise and upon driving it i heard it. I drove the car home, it ran and still runs strong. The problem is there is a noise comming from somewhere in the engine bay, its quite loud, the best way i could describe the sound is a knocking sound which is only there when im on the gas, when i let off, down shift, or am stoped the sound is gone.

The first thing i thought it was, was maby an oil issue. The car doesn't smoke or leak oil though and the oil is filled to the proper level. I noticed after driving the car the noise gets quieter when i slightly depress the clutch (maby the throw out bearing?). Any help would be great as this is my daily driver. If you need any more info let me know and if anything changes ill post it here. Thanks in advance.

 

dude i had a squeeling noise and it was my belt and all i did was tighten it up and it went away and it happened when i hit the gas...it has to be something that transfers power.

 

kinda seems like rod knock to me

 

see, i thought it might be a rod also, but its just real loud, and im just not sure if thats what the problem is. I think im gonna go get a clutch kit, its not like it would hurt and not very expensive. Hopefully this will solve my problem, if not, then it must be something in the top end.

 

well, while getting my inspection done, the guy, a friend of mine, had said that it is deffinately in the transmission, he said its not the throw out bearing, that would make a squeeling noise if thats what it is. he thinks it may be the pressure plate, flywheel, or the final gear. Anyone here had any problems with any of these things?

 

Is it like a loud rhythmic pop-pop-pop-pop sound? Mine was doing that & it turned out to be a burnt valve. I had to have a valve job & my head replaced(lol that sounds funny). Since you said it happens when you let off the gas(which is exactly what mine did), I'd take a look at your valves.

 

actually it only happens when im on the gas

 

Now that I think of it mine did it when I gave it gas too. I'd check out your valves, you don't wanna let your valves go out. Very expensive.