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March 8, 2011 3:34 p.m. Ranger50 HalfDork

Went on the search for some 05-up Mustang wheels for my soon to be 5 lug Dakota. But of course, I searched the car for sale section looking for some kind of gas miser for stupid cheap to split time with my 20mpg gas hog Dakota too. I found a 98 2 door auto Neon with a "blown up" SOHC for $500.....

I assume the timing belt broke as nobody changes them until they DO break and cost a small fortune to fix. I mean it's a freaking Neon after all.

So what kind of cheap almost free upgrades can I do? I can't remember them all.
March 8, 2011 3:59 p.m. Zomby woof Dork

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/2000-neon-budget-project-what-to-do/324...

The Prothane bushing kit, and rotors with ceramic/carbon pads arrived today.
March 8, 2011 4:37 p.m. Vigo Dork

suspension bushings, muffler, intake, that stuff is very cheap.

But it will always be slow until you 5spd swap or turbo it. And it still wont be terribly fast if you turbo it without 5spd swapping it.

If you have the head off, port the exhaust ports. If you have an MLS gasket on it, you can take out the middle layer for a mild compression bump. iirc.
March 8, 2011 8:44 p.m. Ranger50 HalfDork

Ok....

Provided it survives the school commute, I was thinking 2.4 swap later on.
March 8, 2011 8:53 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

IIRC, only the DOHC are interferance.
March 9, 2011 1:47 p.m. Ranger50 HalfDork

Seller emailed me back... oil pump died. I find that hard to believe, but not improbable.

So what to do, what to do.......
March 9, 2011 5:39 p.m. BoneYard_Racing Reader

SOHC is interferance (exTcept for LEV but your chances are quite literally 1 in 80000) The oil pump could go its not the best design thankfully very easy to change. When the Tbelt breaks usually valves are done but the bottom end is fairly intact. Pick it up and enjoy. If you get extra ghetto on a 2.4 swap its a $500 job including the engine
March 9, 2011 9:52 p.m. Ranger50 HalfDork

BoneYard_Racing wrote:

If you get extra ghetto on a 2.4 swap its a $500 job including the engine

Not happening around here unless I find gold on Egay.

Now to ponder some more about 41TE solenoid packs and how they shift....
March 9, 2011 10:32 p.m. BoneYard_Racing Reader

If you cant leave somewhere in your area with a PT 2.4, a 2gn neon fuel pump assembly, a 15/32 drill bit, and, some JB weld for under $500 I feel bad for you (of course I envision your properity values being much higher )

Chances are I have any part you need feel free to ask.
March 9, 2011 10:53 p.m. Ranger50 HalfDork

No. It's called only 1 JY under 2hr one way drive worth a E36 M3 and it doesn't have many Dodge parts in it. Most of the time I have to call over the US to get anything worth a crap.
March 10, 2011 8:45 a.m. Brett_Murphy Reader

How far is Charlotte or Winston-Salem from you? Both places have Pull-A-Parts in them. Charlotte is a bit of a hike from Raleigh, NC, but I've made the drive a few times to scour both of the yards and come away with tons of parts both times.

There's also one in Knoxville.

http://www.pullapart.com/locations.aspx
March 10, 2011 10:06 a.m. Ranger50 HalfDork

In reply to Brett_Murphy:

All of those are at least 4 hrs one way away. I live right where the "Y" is for Louisville, KY on their map, which is 3.5hrs-ish still. No flat land here=no places to put a decent sized JY.