Dodge marketed the Neon from 1995 to 2005. The last base model came equipped with a 2.0-liter engine. On a rare occasion, the head gasket in the Neon may need replacing due to an overheated engine, worn bolts or an improper fit. Whatever your reason for replacing the head gasket, the process requires the removal and disconnection of most of the parts situated near the engine.
Start working on your Neon when it has a cold engine. Disconnect the negative battery cable. Release the fuel system pressure. Drain the coolant from the cooling system into a drain pan under the radiator.
Label all the automotive parts and tag each component as you remove the parts from the vehicle. Separate or take out the power-steering belt, exhaust pipe, right front wheel, right side splash cover, alternator drive belt, crankshaft damper, bottom torque strut and upper torque strut.
Remove the ground strap from the engine mounting brackets. Unlatch the support clip on the power steering hose from the engine mounting and take off the power steering pump.
Lift the engine a bit and remove the top bracket bolts on the upper engine mount. Separate the engine mount bracket and front timing belt.Turn the crankshaft and align the timing marks.
Glide off the timing belt and remove the tensioner. Some other components to remove or disconnect include the camshaft sprocket, rear timing belt cover, coolant recovery reservoir, ground wires, upper radiator hose, intake manifold, spark plug wires and coil pack. Disconnect the fuel line.
Remove or separate electrical connectors: ignition coil, cam sensor, coolant temperature and heater hose attached to the thermostat housing connector.
Remove the cylinder-head's bolts, starting in the middle and working outward. Lift the old head gasket from the cylinder block. You may need to nudge the head gasket from the block with a screwdriver. Cover the engine so materials and particles do not get inside.
Clean the engine block and gasket mating surface with a plastic scraper. Clean the bolt holes. Look at the cylinder assembly for damage, leaks or wear.
Lubricate the new head gasket on both sides with Mopar gasket sealant. Position the new head gasket. Assure the head gasket aligns with the dowels.
Oil the bolt threads of the cylinder head with motor oil. Tighten the cylinder head bolt in the proper sequence. For the 2003 to 2005 Neon model, torque the bolts in a six-step process. Torque each bolt to 25 foot-lbs. Torque bolts one through six to 50 foot-lbs. Torque bolts seven to 10 to 35 foot-lbs. Torque bolts one through six to 50 foot-lbs. and bolts seven through 10 to 35 foot-lbs. Torque all bolts an extra ¼ pivot with a torque angle wrench.
Position the cylinder head cover over. Replace the engine parts in the reverse order of removal. Connect the negative battery to terminal.
Refill the cooling system. Perform the crankshaft and camshaft timing relearn procedure with a Diagnostic Readout Box (DRB) scan tool. Locate the data link connector (DLC) beneath the instrument panel near the steering column to the scanner.
