I need help on this one guys just to figure out if I have to tear everything down again.

I had to replace the water pump on my girlfriends 99 dodge neon. The timing belt was shreaded because the water pump had actually seized up. So I had to tear everything down and replace the timing belt and water pump. I did as the manual said and set the timing accordingly before putting the belt on.

The car runs fine now except for three things.
1. The idle on the car when first started is horrible, and can sometimes stall. If you give it a little gas it idles fine the rest of the time while driving.

2. Multiple Cylindar Misfire - This is the big issue. Randomly the S.E.S. light comes on, so I plug in my code reader and it comes back with multiple cylindar misfires on 1 and 4.

3. Rich Mixture - This only came up once so far in the past 600 miles.

What can I do to fix these problems. Do I need to tear everything down again and readjust the timing? Or are there other things I should check.
Thanks

 

when i got my car it was misfireing bad and it had all kinds of codes... what i did was change the spark plugs and it solved that problem perfectly... so i would try that. also make sure ur wires are good and your coils are working properly.. and are you sure you have the plugs in the right order ??

for the rich mixture im not to sure how to fix that but maybe check ur egr valve and make sure its clean and work properly. some one else might be able to help you more with that.

good luck...keep us posted..

 

Remember to always go after codes in the order they come up. If you troubleshoot multiple ones or secondary codes you could chase your tail all day. It may well be you have 2 problems but mostlikely you have one (maybe multiple causes but one problem). Thus go after misfire first. Easiest would obviously be spark. Next is fuel and the base engine. So new plugs and wires would be a great start. Remember to check for proper plug gap should be about .035". If you have a multimeter check for about 5-6K Ω's for each spark plug (good luck on Champion seen them at 125KΩ out of the box...Crap) then also about the same per foot on plug wires. Moving them to find any open circuits. If plug wires good probably ok to reuse but still check by spraying water on them while running to check for cross arcing. Then Try some good fuel injector cleaner like Mopar top engine cleaner or Redline SL-1.

Then your into engine problems such as valve and cam issues. If you have acces to a compression gage you can check that too by spinning with spark plugs out and gage in each hole one at a time and see what you get for comression. Should all be within 75% of each other. Then also if you have compressed air source and leak down tester you can find TDC on each cyclinder and check for leakage into the crankcase or into intake or exhaust. If the crank then you have problem with rings intake or exhaust is obviously the associated valve.

Start from he basics and good luck. Hopefully just a fouled plug or two. Just remember to check the coil as well.

 

see you get some one like this that really knows his **** and can be a big help..... im still learning myself so i find these forums very helpful. i learned alot since i started posting here.. i bet if u check what he said u will find ur problem.. nice work lol
[sm=thanx.gif]

 

After $30,000 in school I hope I learned a few things.

 

yeh i would hope so too cuz that would be a big waste lol... when i go to college i plan to take some extra courses cuz in highschool you don't learn ****...

 

If you shredded the timing belt, most likely you bent the valves to some degree, maybe just enough to not let them close all the way.

 

i don't know if u want to take it that far yet lol... i mean if its like mine was then he will get lucky with spark plugs and wires.... i would hope it ain't worse then that. also doesn't the egr valve have to do with fuel mixture ??

 

That is the reason for a leak down compression check. To see if valves seal all the way!

 

I know, it is an interfearance engine and if he shreaded the timing belt it is a real possility.