ejburbank

My daughter has a 1997 neon. Recently and of course, not consistantly, it will stall at stop lights. You can watch the rpms flutter below 1000 and then it will stall. When this happens, I can start it in park or neutral and it will start and run ok. But putting it in drive wil cause it to sputter. Also, when this is occurring, reving the engine in neutral and then backing off will watch the rpm's go down below 1000, sputter but then come back above 1000.
Note: No codes are generated as a result of this porblem.

Fractured1

First thing is when was the last tune up...plugs wire ect..if it was recently done, check all your vacuum lines, the IAC valve (located on your throttle body) will aso cause this condition with out throwing a code. If the tune up was recent, and the vacuum line check out, remove the IAC valve and clean it and clean the opening you removed it from woth TB cleaner, reinstall...hopefully it with just cost you a little of your time...good luck

das2123

I'd bet it is your problem. Replace the spark plugs with the stock copper champions or NGK's. Do not use platinum plugs.

97 neon

das knows what he's talkin about

das2123

I have just seen this over and over with people and their neons.

mafenther

So are the copper plugs better for the neon than the platinum ones?

das2123

Yes the copper are better. The platinum and split-fire plugs are no added benefit for the Neon and may cause it to run worse.

sheetmagnet

Just an idea - could also be signs of a tranny problem in it's first stages... if it's stalling in park or nuetral, then your tranny is just "free-spinning" with the RPM's of your engine. When placed into drive, there is no more "free-spinning," instead your tranny is placed in gear, and the only thing that keeps your motor from stalling at a dead stop is the small gap of fluid inside your torque converter. If the solenoid is bad in the torque converter and it isn't opening up all the way, there will be too much fluid friction at idle, and thus, it will stall your motor.

And another possiblility (and a cheaper fix) that I have noticed MANY times with Dodge/Chrysler automtic-tranny cars is a simple power problem... Automitic-tranny cars sometimes come with a higher-amp alternator than a stick-shift version of the same vehicle. This is because your transmission requires plenty of amps to move the solenoids to shift gears and lock/unlock your torque converter. ANYWAY, if your battery and/or alternator is going bad and isn't keeping a healthy charge, your transmission will become sluggish and have these effects (poor idle after down-shift, slower "murky" shifting, etc). Had this problem with another neon and an intrepid... So if ya change your plugs and stuff and still have the problem, I would look at your electrical system too...