CMMC

Hey guys I really need your help! Has anyone blown the timing belt on their 01 Neon?

Okay start laughing now, I have a 70 mile commute one way to work so I need the gas mileage of the Neon. Since it is broken down it is severely interfereing with the XJ build!

Here are the details:
I was doin 80 on the way to work and the timing belt went. Anyway, got her home and tore it all down and have the new belt on. I have the idiot marks at Top Dead Center for the number one piston. I pulled the valve cover to check out the valves and absolutely confirm that I was in fact at TDC. Anyway, the valves are all working properly when the engine is turned by hand. Now for the fun, all it does is crank, no start!

I really need to get this thing going and am pretty sure it is something stupid simple. Anyone had this problem before? I have "reset" the computer by disconnecting the battery. I have found a few Questions on-line referring to the reset of the cam and crank position sensors with a diagnostic tool but I have no idea.

Any help would be greatly welcomed, this repair has burned through my XJ project money and time really quickly.

Jim_K

The belt broke? If it was running and the belt broke then the pistons would smash the valves that were currently open when the belt broke and the engine kept moving the piston and not the valves... sorry bud.. The reason it would start is the bent vales are making it not have any compression.

CMMC

Okay, well the next thing I am going to do is attempt a compression test. Thank you for the response, I hope it doesn't come to pulling the head but really starting to look like it.

Thanks for your honest opinion

Jim_K

No problem. I was going to say to do a compression test just to check the problem there. Good luck!

mrfajita

I don't know if Neons are non interference engine, if they are then it shouldn't have bent valves. My friend's MR2 has a non int. engine and blew the timing belt last spring and still ran after that (until he blew the engine)

jnicewan

They are an interference engine, most likely you bent valves when it broke. A simple compression test will verify. The cheap way to repair is to buy the valves and lap them in yourself, or you can send the head out to a machine shop, or buy a reman.

CMMC

Should have known that I could lap them in myself! Anyway, I will be going for one of the first two options. At least now with this knowledge I can just let the Neon sit till I can drum up the compression tester.

I can completely refocus my efforts on the XJ and finish up the stuff that doesn't require $.

I would like to thank everyone who has posted a reply to my question! This thread is absolutely for lack of a better description! Thanks again.

tjskywalker328

Gauranyee you bent 4 or 8 valves depending. On if its Soho. Or dohc when u replace valves u will need a new head gasket as well. Make sure to get new head bolts cause they stretch when they are torqued down. There are a ton of walkthroughs on replacing valves the valves spring compressors are tough to find one to fit. Just follow directions you find don't have the links to the one I used on my rebuild. Good luck.

CMMC

Thanks for all the help guys! Anyone ever got a junk compression tester from Auto Zone? Just wondering because my #1 and #2 pistons are reading 0 psi. I quit at this point because I had to get ready for work.

Also, the engine is a 2.0 SOHC with 16 valves

tjskywalker328

You turned it over by hand I am assuming what about the other 2. Cylinders. Check out some neon forums they will be able to help better than us. Again good luck

Greenfishinkayak

Dig around and see if it is the Mitsubishi 2.0 I got a 95 sebring with a blown belt- easy fix, right? Hahahaha nope ended up with a sideways valve trying to go through the hole that was a big ol moneypit if I ever saw one. Sorry to hear that though.

ETexas XJ

I'd bet he had one of the cams 180 deg out. Easy thing to do. I've replaced (literally) hundreds of broken 2.0 Dodge timing belts and very few have had bent valves.

HCCAFan

I know on the SRT the valves don't hit the pistons but they will hit each other.

Greenfishinkayak

The mitsubishi engines tend to go clunk though

ETexas XJ

Yup. The Itchynookie motor is a different animal.

He has a 2.0 DOHC Dodge motor. They are also labeled as interference engines as well but for the most part when they break a belt things seem to "snap" to a neutral position and the pistons miss the valves.

You can put one on with one cam in 180 out and it won't run but won't hurt anything either. I bet that's what happened here.