1995 Plymouth Neon-ND

Well, after my cooling off period, it was time to get back in the game. Unable to decide what to do with my other, now destroyed, project (CSX-ND), I knew I had to get something done. Thinking at the time that it would be years until I'd get the CSX-ND fixed, I pulled the engine out of it. This engine was a real workhorse, and gave me many miles of smiles in the CSX. Well, I knew what I had there, we'll use it! Hah! Easier said than done. To get the Turbo III 2.2 DOHC engine to fit into a neon proved more difficult than the SOHC engine. This, even with our experience, and having all the mounts and wiring done. I pushed those guys harder, and they were starting to really dislike me at this point for doing so. I tossed the automatic in favor of an A568 5 Speed manual. To make this thing work, we used a neon 5 Speed shifter, and the A568 cables. Clutch operation was a slight problem, as Neons use a different setup. Vic and Keith took a pedal set from a Neon, and a pedal set from a Daytona, and made up a set that would work. Vic said there was something like 40 hours in the pedal setup alone! I believe it. Everything about this project consumed lots of time, and even more $$$. Next, we dropped then engine in, and found out quick that the right frame rail hit the PS pump nicely. Eric told me to ditch to power steering. No way. We got the torch out, and four grown men pounded and bent things till it fit. We were all wiped out from that one. Now it's in. Using modified 1990 Turbo IV electronics and the distributor setup I developed for the CSX-ND, we got it running. It ran well. It ran really, really well. Wow! Imagine over 300hp to the ground in a package that was both light and nimble. But it wasn't enough. I tossed the Neon's 18:1 steering rack in favor of a rack from an 87 Shadow ES Turbo (Firm Feel Suspension) and bolted it in place of it. This gave me the better 14:1 ratio. I tossed those sorry Jamex sturts and springs, and put Koni ACR struts and MP Neon springs. I put in poly bushings all the way around the car. Now we had a serious handling and accelerating car! Top this off with a GTS hood from ModernPerformance, and it was starting to look like a real car too! I never got to the track with the car like this, but should have. Only one or two contests in it. Most notably the 99 Viper GTS I sent home in a 'street contest'. Lots of witnesses nearly wet their pants when seeing this happen. We figured the Viper owner had that thing in for service Monday morning, wondering how a POS Neon could possibly walk all over it. This bliss was of course to end quickly. Soon the engine was smoking. Uh oh. Build another short block, put it in. 1100 miles later, smoking. rings are shot again. Re-ring it. 1500 miles later, smoking again. What is going on???? Well, I should have guessed. Looking at the electronics, the O2 sensor was reading beautifully. EGT's were not really going along with it though. Reading 1100° under WOT, and sometimes as low as 900° under cruise. I really should have been paying better attention. It turns out, DO NOT EVER USE A BOSCH O2 SENSOR!! EVER!!! They have some serious quality issues, and despite using new ones everytime we tore the engine down, they were reading leaner than the car actually was. This caused the SBEC to add in more fuel, making it way too rich. This washed the cylinder walls down in gasoline, which removes lubricating oil. This in turn, burns up rings. Use ONLY MOPAR O2 SENSORS!!!! This chapter was now over. Here are the specs for this setup (in addition or change to Phase I):

• 1991 Turbo III Block, Crank, Rods, Balance Shafts
• 1991 Turbo III Head, extensively ported
• TEC TA34/T4 Hyrbid Turbocharger
• 1990 Turbo IV/ND Performance Electronics
• ND Performance Turbo III Distributor
• A568 5 Speed Transmission
• Aluminum Flywheel
• Centerforce Dual Friction Clutch
• MP +40% Fuel Injectors
• Mexican Export Neon Radiator (all metal)
• Extra Cooling Fans
• More!