I recently bought a neon with the 16 valve DOHC engine. I don't know much about it, for the exception it was in a bad accident previously in the rear quarter panel. Anyways, I got it for a decent price. Whenever I bought it, the "service engine soon" light was on, I did a partial tune up ( new spark plugs, distributor wires, air filter, oil change) Before I did all of this, it was running terrible, going down the road you could feel the engine coughing. Unfortunatly, the spark plugs looked as if they hadent been changed in a long time, I'm guessing maybe 5 years, from the way they looked, the air filter was black, starting from the tips. Probably the worst I've seen yet. I thought maybe after giving it a tune up, the light would go off. It didnt after all, I'm stumped on it because I've been told serveral different things from local people.(Oxygen sensor, Intake manifold sensor, catylactic converter) I have no idea on what is going on with this car, and for me to replace everything that I'm hearing, Im sure it'd become more than what the car is worth..
The only odd signs it's showing leading up to the dash light is, when you're going up a hill at high speeds(65 mph), 5th gear with the gas pedal floored, it accelerates sluggishly, not skipping, just slow, whenever in 4th gear it accelerates moderatly decent.. Now I know when any engine has to go up a hill it makes the motor work harder, but that made me wonder if it's just worn out. The engine has 101k miles on it. It has no signs of burning/leaking oil, whenever I did the oil change the oil didnt smell scorched. I'm just assuming it's not getting enough air flow or it has to do with the fuel lines?
I don't know hardly anything about sensors, and thats what people are telling me. If anybody can help me I would greatly appreciate it!