I have 98 neon with 95K miles on it. It has the POS three speed auto tranny (from the Dodge Omni!). The tranny hasn't given me trouble lately, but last night as I was leaving work, it seemed to be confused about what gear it was in. I thought it was odd, but it went away so I went on the assumption that it was me that was confused.

About a mile down the road, I stopped for a light, and moved the shifter into Park. When the light changed, I put it back in drive, and the car went backwards. I moved the shifter back and forth, but it stayed in reverse. I threw on the parking brake, and flashers. I got out and convinced the person behind me to back up. This allowed me to back into a small parking lot, and call AAA for a tow.

While I was waiting, I turned off the car, and I went through all the shifter positions. The Backup lights stayed on in all positions. Also, the car would not start (neutral Safety) in any position. I popped the hood, and I managed to wiggle the power distribution box behind the battery free, and wiggle my arm down to where the shift lever goes into the tranny. The shift lever has bound up twice on this car, so I was familiar with what I was grabbing onto.

Reaching behind the battery, I could move the shift lever going into the tranny. I eventually figured out where neutral was, by moving the lever, and checking if the backup lights were on. I also tested which positions the car would start in (which is how I new which way was park). The car would only start with the lever in two positions.

The tow truck guy and I were able to move the car by pushing, so I am pretty sure I got it into neutral. I got it towed to my driveway.

I assumed it was the shifter or cable that broke, so I started to remove the console. The console wasn't cooperating, so I started to remove the battery, to reveal the top of the tranny. The problem was soon obvious. The bolt that holds the shift cable bracket was missing, so moving the shift lever on the console only moved the bracket, not the transmission input lever. I scavenged a bolt to re-attach it, and I put everything back together.

Before putting the battery back in, I verified that the shift lever appeared to be moving the tranny input lever. I installed the battery.

With the battery installed, but the engine not running, I verified that the backup light only comes on when the console is in "R".

When I started the car, I get no forward or backward motion in any console position. When I move the shifter to "N", the engine slows down a little (which I can't explain). I turned off the car, and tested Park and Neutral by seeing if I could push the car. Park is engaging, and I can push the car in Neutral. I warmed up the engine, and checked the fluid in Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive. I have plenty of fluid in all gears. The fluid is a little dirty, but probably normal since it was last changed at 66K

I have no idea what could be going on. Serious internal transmission problems usually involve erratic shifting. I have no shifting at all. The bolt that held the shift cable falling out explains my getting stuck in reverse. I had no problems until I left work yesterday.


Anybody got any ideas? I am at a complete loss to explain this. I can't get anyone to look at it until Monday, and I let the wife take the Kid and the van to visit her sister for the weekend. I'm anxious to hear any explanation.

OK, so it's Monday Afternoon. I got a referal via "FindaTrans.com" to a local AAMCO shop. This morning they called me back, and arranged for a Tow.

It is 3 PM, and they gave me the report. Externally, everything is OK. The Transmission does not even try to engage any gears.

They tell me the Transmission must come out. The tranny must be rebuilt, and the man told me "Mid teens". I don't know the book value on a 98 Neon DOHC "Sort" Auto with 95K miles is, but "Mid Teens" is probably pretty close. I suspect that with a decent body and DOHC engine, the car would be worth something to someone who wants it for a Manual tranny conversion.

I asked the guy about a Used Trans, and at first he would not consider it. When I pointed out that the car is not worth "mid teens", the guy went on and on about how warrentee companies trying to foist used transmissions onto them. Then he gave me a bunch of horror stories and stuff about 50/50 shot, and all that.

What do people think?? I recall 4 years ago someone selling a used Auto tranny on this forum for $300. I don't have the time to put in a tranny myself, but I might find someone who does. I live just north of Philadelphia.

:runaround:

OK a co-worker who loves Dondge Neons called his favorite junkyard, and got a quote for a 70K tranny for $200. I'd really like some feedback on what people think of going the used tranny route.

There is a local independant repair shop in my neighborhood that has "tansmissions" listed as one of the things they specialize in. They have two very positive feedbacks on Yahoo Local. I like the idea of giving the business to my neighborhood, especailly when my favorite mechanic left.

I left a message, and I will call them tomorrow.

If they offer a warranty get it. But I don't see anything wrong with buying a used tranny with only 70,000 miles on it. They can be bullet proof if taken care of correctly.

Well I decided to abandon the AAmco shop, and take it to my old mechanic. I trust him. All AAmco did was put my car up on the lift and check the linkage. Nothing obvious, must need a $1500 rebuild.

Given that the tranny never had any symptoms until the cable came loose, I find it hard to believe that something drastic internally happened at the same time. My mechanic tells me the chain tranny shops have racks of already rebuilt transmissions in thier warehouse, and they are actually performing a tranny swap. They have no interest in figuring if something simple is wrong to save me money. Fortunately, AAmco only charged me for the towing.

I know I had a shop manual for that tranny, but I can't find it. I remember reading it four years ago. It had all sorts of troubleshooting procedures that can be done by checking pressures at the various hydraulic ports. Heck AAMCO didn't even bother to drop the pan to look for debris, or check for a plugged filter. For a tranny that never slipped, never leaked, never ran low on fluid, and never overheated, I would think a filter and fluid change would be the first thing to try.

I remember from the manual that there is a big cog on the bottom of the valve body that rotates with the shifter linkage. If I remember correctly, this Cog is what activates the Neutral Safety switch, and the reverse switch. It also has pins that activate valves. Maybe something happened to a feeler pin that controls a valve that controls the master hydraulic pressure to the bands and clutches. With the car is on a lift, with the pan removed, something like this would be easy to find and fix without removing the tranny from the car.

It is very unlikely that bands, clutches or other parts deep in the tranny were damaged.

I went through a lot of issues with my trans (auto) after I first got the car and it only had 30K on it. It was still under warranty, but I had to fight with the dealership and ended up with 5 separate trips to the shop before they ended up replacing the whole thing. To me it just sounds like AAmco was just jerking you around, which in my experience is what mechanics are good for. Check my site maybe, someone may be able to help you find a new tranny there. Good luck!

If you're up to pulling a tranny yourself from a junk car, try Harry's in Pennsburg or Allentown. Probably around $70 (i don't recall exact amount). Not too bad of a job. The first engine replacement I ever did was on a Neon and since you have to pull the engine and transmission as a unit anyway, changing a transmission is the same thing. You need an engine lift, but Pep Boys has them for around $150.

These transmissions are unsophisticated, but simple means that they are usually pretty reliable.

With all that said, I think that you are on the right track. Seems like more than coincidence that the cable came loose and the tranny selfdestructed at exact same time. However erractic shifting is not the only sign of a bad tranny - the pump could have failed and without that, you're going to be stuck in neutral.

Well I got the car back Last Friday Night; Two weeks after the whole ordeal started.

I got a Junkyard Tranny that a CoWorker bought from me up in Scranton, PA. for $200. I had my mechanic install it for $500 including tax. He changed the fluid, but used the original seals. The donor car was a 96 neon of unkown type, my car is 98 highline Sport with DOHC

This tranny appears to have a higher gear ratio. At 65MPH, the original ranny would run at 3100 RPM. The replacment tranny runs at about 2800 RPM at the same speed. I will probably get better gas milage as a result. The ruduced engine noise on long trips is something I will appreaciate.

One thing I am not so sure about is the shift from 1 to 2. All shifts are smooth, but the shift a low throttle seems kind of late. Going through neighborhoods at under 30 Mph this morning, the tranny waitied to shift at 2800 rpm with light acceration. That dropped to about 2400 once the engine warmed up. It was about 50 degrees this morning.

It could just be that I am not used to the differant ratio, or it could be just that the throttle linkage needs adjusting. All shifts are smooth, but I could just be paying too much attention to the shifts. Maybe everything is OK.

I suspect the donor car was a SOHC with a throttle body, and my car has Multipoint injection. Thoughts anyone?

Click on the link below and you will have your answer...
http://sun.science.wayne.edu/~jwaleke/trans/

The neon came with different trannies depending on model.

Click on the link below and you will have your answer...
http://sun.science.wayne.edu/~jwaleke/trans/

The neon came with different trannies depending on model.

Thanks... however that link is for Manual Trannys. I have been searching for Automatic switch points.

I looked in my 1998 Dodge Neon Factory manual, and it only specifies one set of gear ratios for the 31TH (AKA the A413). If the donor car was an older year, then it could be a differant ratio.

Ah, forgot yours was an ATX. Here you go in this case...

year - engine - overall gear ratio - part number - production number
1995 - SOHC - 3.04 - (to 12-8-93) 4773019 - 4670800 (superceded by 4773070)
1995 - SOHC - 3.04 - (after 12-8-93) 4775070 - 4659405
1995 - DOHC - 3.24 - 4762108 - 4670169

1996 - SOHC - 2.98 - 4778715 - 4659962 (superceded by R4778715AA)
1996 - DOHC - 3.19 - 4778716 - 4659960 (superceded by R4778716AB)

1997 - SOHC - 2.98 - 4883103 - 4659962 (superceded by R4778715AA)
1997 - DOHC - 3.19 - 4883102 - 4659960 (superceded by R4778716AB)

1998 - SOHC - 2.98 - 4883103AB - 4659962 (superceded by 4883103AC)
1998 - DOHC - 3.19 - 4883102AB - 4659960 (superceded by 4883102AC)

1999 - SOHC - 2.98 - 4883104AC - 4659962
1999 - DOHC - 3.19 - 4883102AC - 4659960

31TH ATX was also on the 2000 and 2001 Neons but there was only the SOHC available. The parts manual has two numbers for each year and shows gears for 2.98 and 3.19 ratios, but I'm not sure which number has which ratio.
year - part number - production number

2000 - 5014299AA - 4799901AB (superceded by 5014299AB)
2000 - 5014300AA - 4800309AA (superceded by 5014300AB)

2001 - 5014299AD - 4799901AD (superceded by 5014299AC)
2001 - 5014300AC - 4800309AC (superceded by 5014300AB)

Thanks....

I found some information about the over-all gear ratios. for 96-99, all SOHCs had 2.98 Final drive, and all DOHCs had 3.19 Final drive. That is about 7% difference, which may explain that at 65MPH I had been seeing ~3100 RPM with the original tranny, but now I see ~2800 RPM.

7% does not explain the difference for shift points with gentle acceleration:
1->2@15MPH with the original tranny and 1->2@21MPH now.
2->3@21MPH with the original tranny and 2->2@29MPH now.

The tranny also will kickdown from 3-2 with the pedal only halfway or 2/3 the way to the floor. I think I need to check the throttle adjustment.