spark plug problems and more

[02silverneon]

So yesterday, for the second time my 2002 neon se 2.0 lt blew the #2 plug out of the engine but this time it was worse this time it also blew out the sleave out of the valve cover that blocks the oil from entering the spark plug tube this allowed oil to spill onto the exhaust and catch fire
fortunatly i was able to get the fire out before it caused any major damage
my question is how do i fix this problem and prevent this from happening in the future
any help is appreciated

[rice_eater]

you have one weird car man, lol. I've never heard of that happening. what do you mean "it blew the sparkplug out"? as in like it shot out of the head while your engine was running or what? you didnt strip your head or something did you?

[HoodooGuru]

Sounds like you got a poltergeist in that puppy!! lol
You got me stumped too! Maybe look into the pressure rating in the head? May be a blockage or something.
Good luck.

[02silverneon]

the #2 spark plug occationally backs itself out of the cylinder but usually the check engine light comes on this time it backed all the way out and the sleave between the head and the valve cover came out that is where i need the help are those part of the valve cover or the head and how do you replace one

[01NeonES]

I know this post is a little old, but is there any further information that was found out about this problem??

The EXACT same thing just happened to my step-sons 2001 Neon... the plug and its tube shot out... and car just stopped dead in its tracks - and something burnt a hole through the black matting on the underside of the hood... either the hot oil that shot out all over melted it, or there was an actual burst of flame.

The plug is mangled - the threaded end of the plug looks like it was crimped in a vice, and then put to a grinding wheel on one side - the threads and metal ground/shaved right out...

I had to use needle-nose pliers to get the plug out of the head - it was resting between the valves (think those are the valves on the top - I'm not that familiar with inner-motor work/parts)...

any ideas? worth the fix, or time to dump and get a new/newer car? it's got about 120K miles on it...

Thanks!!

[RadarLove]

Ouch!

The Neon is an interference motor to start with, and a spark plug in there is just about guaranteed to bend those valves...

If you are not mechanically inclined at all, it would be cheaper to buy a salvage yard engine and swap it in for the old one... If you can turn a wrench, you might be able to get off fairly cheap...

The head really isn't worth salvaging. You can bore out the original hole and use a helicoil (spring-shaped material inserted in the hole to make new threads), but the machine shop work is going to cost you about as much as it would to just get a complete used head from a salvage yard/eBay/forum classifieds... about $100. That takes care of the springs as well. This is assuming it's the regular SOHC, not the Magnum (ACR or R/T).

While the head is off, you need to inspect the cylinder walls for scoring, as well as the piston to make sure it's not damaged. If the cylinder is scored, it has to be bored, which means all 4 cylinders should be bored... which means none of your original pistons will fit... Boring all 4 cylinders and buying used stock pistons (and maybe a rod...) will run you maybe $300-500, depending on how much work the shop does for you (removing and installing pistons, etc.). So at this point, that $600 salvage yard engine is looking pretty good... But it's worth looking, because you could save a lot of time and hassle.

Swapping an entire engine in isn't all that hard. You have to remove all the excess stuff from the engine (intake manifold, exhaust manifold, wiring, hoses, etc.), which can take a couple of hours by yourself with some hand tools. Taking out the battery and tray, radiator and fan(s), etc. will make it a little easier. You can rent a cherry picker from most places for $20-40 a day (free from Autozone, if they have one), or they're ~$60-80 used (or new) if you look around. Getting the old engine out and the new one in (leave the tranny attached) will take less time than removing all the stuff attached... Swapping the tranny over with it out of the car is TONS easier... That'll take a good hour or two on its own...

A Haynes manual helps a lot. The timing belt how-to at www.boogerracing.com will help a little with the head swap (well, getting the timing belt on and off, lined up, etc.). An extra pair of hands is always great, preferably two extra pairs when it comes to swapping the tranny over...

Best of luck!

[01NeonES]

thanks all...

I'm not going to bother with it... I would have a shop do all the work anyway... I live in a condo with no room to work on stuff as it is - with a 6-bay "community" garage, and just don't have the time/knowledge to do all that myself anyway - especially since my step-son needs the car by Monday to go back to school... so I just bought him an excellent condition 2000 Cavalier with only 36,000 miles on it instead... it will/should last longer than that Neon would anyway...

So, just going to try and sell the Neon as is. Know anyone looking for one? Or where's a good place to post this car for sale online?

[rice_eater]

[QUOTE=01NeonES]so I just bought him an excellent condition 2000 Cavalier with only 36,000 miles on it instead... it will/should last longer than that Neon would anyway...QUOTE]
:thatfunny HAHA good luck with that! I'm not saying a neon's reliability is anywhere near that of say a honda civic (yeah yeah, its a ricer, but you know its true), but i'd rather put my money on a neon for reliability (and speed for that matter, but thats off topic), not an ecotec powered cavalier... It may last longer than that particular neon, but comparing a high mileage car (whatever was on the neon) or a lemon with a low mileage car is like comparing apples to oranges... still probably a wise choice to ditch your car, considering your circumstances, but you couldve got another neon for way less than you probably paid for that cavalier... GM vehicles are always overpriced IMO.

[RadarLove]

You could try the classifieds here, but you'd probably be more likely to get a bite on the neons.org forums or even ebay.

[flash gordon]

if you buy a 4 cyl car.....don't buy american(or subs: mazda, isuzu, mitsu) they suck.

If you want a 4 cyl that lasts.....honda, nissan, toyota and subaru are the kings of the road.

[dodgeneonACR98]

I have to agree that the japs got the motors done right!!!!!
How many sub's do you see on the road From the 80's??????? They may be ugly but that guy hasnt had to buy a new ride for almost 15 years. Hondas arent fast and Toyota's rust apart,,,,,but the damn motors last forever. How many early 90's Nissan trucks still on the road YEAH alot. As for Toyota too.....The beds fall off the cabs rust out, a few dollars in putty for the cab and a wooden flat bed and it's good for another 100K. If a dodge or chevy rusts out it usually has 3 or 4 motor transplants.

Just my 2 cents.

[Ardog]

Chevys are usually the ones with the motor transplants I've always had good luck w/my dodge engines and shame on all of you for saying ricers are better!! The reason they last so long is because they don't make enough power to hurt themselves LOL!!!!!
Make mine Mopar every time!!!!

[dodgeneonACR98]

Shame on us for sure! LOL I agree that more chevy's bite the dust than dodge.

[rice_eater]

Still, statistically you cant argue with the fact that even dodge bites the dust more than honda... I'm not sayin dodge is unreliable, but honda has definately got somethin right.

[Ardog]

Yeah but again,they don't make enough power to hurt themselves. Thats why they last so long. I'll take "mo-power" over no-power any day!!!

[dodgeneonACR98]

mopower Mopower It's Real Neat !
Mopower Mopower Cant Be Beat! Goooooooooo Mopower!!!!!

Corny Yeah! But Funny Lol It Might Sound Better From 15 Cheerleaders In Mini Skirts. Lmao.

[HoodooGuru]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Now u talkin neonacr!!
Bring on the Mopar cheerleaders!! woohoo

[HoodooGuru]

mmmmmmmmmmm cheerleaders!

[HoodooGuru]

mmmmmmmmmmmm short skirts!

[HoodooGuru]

sorry had a homer simpson moment there!
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[rice_eater]

:thatfunny: :thatfunny: :thatfunny:
nice cheer, ACR98....

Ardog-- you have a point. the old civics and accords were beyond slow, but i hate to say it, but the new accord EX (a family sedan) would hang with most stock neons (maybe not in the twisties, but on the straight) and the new civic Si isnt slow by any stretch. Sure maybe these cars dont match up to "legendary hemi power", but if you still think honda cant make power, my guess is you've never ridden in a Honda S2000... Like i said, I'm not bashing dodge, but give credit where credit is due. Dont over do it though :D

[HoodooGuru]

Most Jap cars do well.
I owned a 1.3 litre sohc 4 door daihatsu charade hatch! I know, hard to believe!
But I got that up to near 260,000 klms without a problem.
Reliability plus.
I did have to replace the clutch and the gearbox after I shot the input shaft out the side of the housing ballistic missile style.
But that engine kept going and going. Would rev to the hills like a screaming baby!
90 hp from a standard car like that that weighed nuthin was fun to say the least.