I just got a 96 neon dropped in my lap with a broken timing belt. It's got the sohc engine, is it an inteference engine? any help would be appreciated. Thanks Dan

 

The Neon 2.0L SOHC uses a rubber timing belt to drive the cam. The DOHC version of the 2.0L also uses a rubber timing belt to drive its twin cams. Both applications are "interference engines," which means there's not enough clearance between the valves and pistons if the timing belt breaks. The recommended replacement interval is 60,000 miles on 1995-'99

models, and 100,000 miles on 2000 and up models.

thanks mr google for the info

 

The flat rate for changing a timing belt on a SOHC 2.0L engine is 2.4 hours versus 3.6 hours for the DOHC version. To change the belt, you have to remove the right engine mount and timing belt cover. A spring-loaded tensioner is used in both engines to maintain tension on the belt, so once you've removed it you have to compress it in a vice and temporarily lock it in the compressed position with a 5/16 allen wrench or pin inserted through the body.

The timing marks on the SOHC engine belt pulleys are both in the straight up position when the crankshaft is rotated to Top Dead Center (TDC). On the DOHC version, the cam sprocket timing marks face each other when the crank is lined up to TDC.