1997 Plymouth Neon hesitates while in drive

My Neon hesitates while I am driving normally on the highway at high speeds 110 km/hr (60 miles/hr). The check engine light flickers on and then off and I drive the car normally after that.

I was just wondering where the problem may lie, ie could it be the transmission?, timing belt? or something else.

Since the light doesn't stay on, going to a mechanic and having them hook up the diagnostic tool to look to see why the light came on may not work. Also I don't know cars all that well and do not have a reliable mechanic that I can go to and have him check the engine et all. Basically I would like to go to someone but have some idea of what to tell him to look at so I don't get burned.

The car has 182,000 km's

thanks

Mark

Reply to
Mark
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If the CEL comes on, it should set a code. Go to your local Autozone and have them hook up a OBD-II scanner. Should help narrow down where to start looking.

Hesitation at high speed could be partially plugged fuel filter, pump starting to show signs of impending failure (can supply sufficient volume or needed pressure).

Mark wrote:

Reply to
Mike Behnke

My '87 Escort GT did that too for a while. It was the mass-airflow sensor. It would flap the big barn door closed and shut off all air. As I recall, it was only in the winter, but that was long ago in a land far away.

Dan

Reply to
dgates-at-keller - no - space - engineering - dot - com

try checking MIL code, if it gives one via. on-off-on-off-on

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Reply to
Bill 2

formatting link
has alot of neon resources and a large forum following

Reply to
Michael Bennett

Michael, test for fault codes first. Key on, off, on and read out the blinks. Tell us your code readout in a post and we will feedback your trouble area where you should look.

Sometimes, though, intermittents don't register a fault code in the RAM chip, so you need to resort to low technology:

You might have an intermittent with the primary power relay in the power module. Bypass all the electronics with a jumper from Batt + to Coil +. This will power your fuel pump and ignition independently of the power module protection system. If the car still is intermittent, run a second jumper from Coil + to Pump + right at the fuel tank. Also it helps if you can hook up a fuel pump gauge to the shraeder valve on the fuel manifold. You should get about 55psi at all times. If it dips, its your fuel pump. If that checks out, it helps to dynamically look at the ignition system with a scope, just like we did back in '62 with a Sun Motor Tester on wheels. I once saw an intermittent in the Hall Effect tripe wire lead and that fault never even showed up as a computer detected fault. Intermittents are a real bitch, aren't they?

Don't forget mechanical problems can cause intermittents. Mechanicals like sticky valves, low compression, etc. But mechanical problems are not likely to flash the engine check light. Your problem is probably electrical and blame it on the two hundred wires and 100 pin connectors that go every which way. Especially problematic are connectors in close proximity to the battery. Battery electrolyte is a killer of anything electrical; Chrysler knows this so they recommend grease impaction in the connectors. What a joke. Can you imagine what would happen to all those electrics if ever you steam-cleaned your engine? Your car would be immobilized FOREVER!.

Next time buy Russian if Ladas or Moskoviches are sold in your Country. They don't have all those wires to go wrong. In fact, over there in Mother Russia, steam-cleaning their motors is a national pastime.

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Anonymous via the Cypherpunks Tonga Remailer

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