i hate neons!!

[ashley0119]

Ok well let me introduce myself, my name is Ashley, and yes I'm a girl on a car site! I own a 1997 dodge neon (unforunatly) It is the biggest piece of junk. I have had the head gasket changed, then the real main seal, among many other things! Yesterday my service engine soon light came on when I was going about 60 mph. Everything seems to be running fine. I took it to auto zone today to have them hook the scanner up to it, and the code po743 came up, the guy went to look in the computer and could not find anything, so he called dodge. It seems to be a torque converter clutch circuit problem. Something electrical. And something with the cylonoid? Ok so what does this mean. I am taking it to my mechanic tomorrow, but I would like to know in advance what this is going to cost to fix, and if its even worth it. The guy at autozone couldn't believe my car wasnt having trouble taking off or shifting. He said I just must not of noticed. Ok I'm not that stupid not to notice something like that. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks Ashley

[tasattack]

when my head gasket went on my 95 my dad insisted on going to the dealership, i dunno i guess he likes flushing money down the toilet. $1200+, when my plugs and wires were arcing that was 200ish. It really depends on where you go and where the defect is on the car, ie how burried it is under what and what all you have to remove before you get there. Someone should really ask me if its worth it, well no but if you dont have a car payment and very very low insurance cost then in the long run it is worth it. after ive had my repaired it runs sooo much stronger than it ever has, ive toped it out at 120mph at least 2 or 3 times every other month and i have almost 147k, its really your decision. Ive had almost everything done to my car that i can think of other than tranny work so i couldnt give you an exact figure.

[vamc]

A cilanoid(sp) is something that gives the spark to all the wires to send to the sparkplugs. if that is bad, there will be less spark or no spark at all. Beleve it or not, you can chang it. its a pritty simple opperation. I bet you can do it w/o any help. you seem pritty smart, i dont think you will need a ase working on it. there are only 2 wires going to it but if you do venture to do it yourself, take off the batt. cables from the batt before you toutch it, you can hurt yourself, a not so nice shock could hurt you. other then that, there is a small metal strap holding it on. you can do it in 20min or less. i have faith in you! :-)

[ScrafFD]

Originally Posted by vamc

A cilanoid(sp) is something that gives the spark to all the wires to send to the sparkplugs. if that is bad, there will be less spark or no spark at all. Beleve it or not, you can chang it. its a pritty simple opperation. I bet you can do it w/o any help. you seem pritty smart, i dont think you will need a ase working on it. there are only 2 wires going to it but if you do venture to do it yourself, take off the batt. cables from the batt before you toutch it, you can hurt yourself, a not so nice shock could hurt you. other then that, there is a small metal strap holding it on. you can do it in 20min or less. i have faith in you! :-)

????
A solenoid is part of your starter!!! Its the part that spins out and makes contact with the flywheel! You know that "click" you hear just before the car turns over? Thats it!

[DanF]

The torque converter clutch has an electronic solinoid to engage it. She is right, it could be. That will not affect your daily driving at all, the guy at autozone was simply an idiot. You will lose highway gas milage, because the neon only has a 3 speed it uses the solinoid and to engage the converter clutch at higher speeds so it drops the rpms, its pretty much acts like a 4th gear in some senses. Unless you know a lot about your car I would not suggest trying to do this on your own. You have to drop the trans and take out the axles as well, its a time consuming and pretty involved job if it needs to be replaced.

[Kingnick213]

i have a 98 neon and the thing with neons is that they have a bad name that the gaskets always go out, what happens is over time they harden up and dont seal crap, i pulled my spark plugs and had oil fouled plugs, so i bought some gaskets for ($35) thats it and fixed them , pretty easy buy a complete break down of your engine maual, anyway my car has 133000 miles so i changed oil(GTX High Milege), air filter(k&n), Oil Filter(fram high milage),changed spark plugs and wires, ran some slick 50 oil treatment(treats engine-nicks and scratches inside), Then i ran some slick 50 fuel treatment through with a FULL tank and since then the car runs like new, it gets up hills like nothing. The only thing i have left to is the pcv valve which you dont have to but it helps. Hope it Helps anyone...Nick Ps-Total price for all this was about $130 with the gaskets included, its the labor you pay mechanics that kills you.

[vamc]

ScrafFD,thanks for the correction.

[adam_scott1221]

I have a 2000 neon and the code P0743 come on and my car keep dying can anybody help me

[neon_rt]

I could just be a loose wire or faulty connector. I think that there is power to the solenoid constantly (when engine is running). To activate it, the computer grounds the return wire to body ground. I would have that checked first. If the solenoid is bad.... trade in time.

[palindromelol]

I think you have a problem with the torque converter clutch solenoid.
The clutch solenoid engages a clutch when the car exceeds 45 MPH. The purpose is to reduce viscous loss when cruising at high speed.
This is not a major problem. If the clutch does not engage it is not big problem so don't loose sleep over this.

To fix the problem ensure the connector is seated. It is a two prong connector mounted vertically under the battery on the top side of the transmission.

Just a connector I think. Jiggle it together and clear the codes by lifting the negative battery terminal for 45 seconds.

[skatendestroy]

its the torque converter solinoid and no it will not affect your daily driving all it does is when you are driving on the high way it it locks the torque convertor so that you dont have drivetrain sliipage thus conserving gas. its not s not going to affect the car just the gas milage. check to see if theres just a loose wire or a connector came off

[99 Neon R/T]

Not that this is gonna help you at all but when you get this little snag fixed on your car try to remember that a car will act how you treat it.I have a 99 with 133000 miles and very little except regular maitenance and it will still run 9"s on an 1/8 mile track.

[das2123]

Originally Posted by skatendestroy

its the torque converter solinoid and no it will not affect your daily driving

Problem is that if it doesn't disengage then the car will stall. Kinda like a manual in fifth gear, but only going 5 mph and you not giving it any gas, the car will stall.