Car problems

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by AndyAMG

I knew OP wouldn't come back... oh well, lesson learned.

<pat pat>Don't be so hard on yourself Andy. You crafted a fine reply, and were probably on the right track. I wonder if a car would run at all if the ignition wires were out of proper sequence, however. I wasn't going to go near the "check engine light" thing. I mean... if you have to mention something as obvious as that... ah well... live and learn.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

I think Hawk is right on the money, it sounds like a broken timing belt.

If the timing belt was broken, the car wouldn't run at all.
A 2003 car at 10k miles a year would have about 130,000 miles on it more or less.
Timing belts are usually changed right at or just before 100,000 miles.

If the timing belt broke while the engine was running, it could cause all sorts of problems with engine internal parts clanking together with each other and breaking as the engine ran out of sequence, and it would crank and make a knocking noise, but wouldn't start.

Read this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_engine

The autozone reader said spark plugs, but if the timing belt was stretched, it could cause misfiring which would make the reader say it *might* be the spark plugs.
Readers can't diagnose to the component level, that's why we pay mechanics to do a series of diagnostic tests to zero in on the problem.

If only one or two of the spark plug wires were mis-wired, the engine would run but poorly and probably be backfiring.
It would be worth double checking the spark plug wires, and making sure you have the right spark plugs just to rule that out.

A 2003 Neon is basically a $2000 car if it's in great shape, so if it is a bad engine, it's not worth replacing it.

Sounds like it's time for professional diagnostics (not Autozone level) and the possible decision to either scrap the car or replace an engine.............

[NWGirl74]

Originally Posted by AndyAMG

I knew OP wouldn't come back... oh well, lesson learned.

Yeah, I'm finding myself more and more hesitant to respond to new OPs. I find in other forums more so than this one there seems to be a lot of "One and done" posts by them.