98 Plymouth Neon Expresso

CHRISTINA TABLER

MEMBER
1998 PLYMOUTH NEON
4 CYL
2WD
95,000 MILES

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION CHANGING GEARS AND SHAKING. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER. I HAVEN'T USED THE CAR IN OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AND I WANT TO FIX IT. THE LAST TIME I DROVE IT WAS STILL RUNNING. NOW WHEN I TRY TO START THE CAR IT WON'T STAY RUNNING UNLESS YOU KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS. DO YOU THINK IT IS FROM BAD GAS? WHY WON'T THE CAR STAY RUNNING? WHAT COULD IT BE FROM?\R\nTHE CAR HAS ABOUT 95,000 MILES ON IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

6 Replies

FIXITMR

MECHANIC
9,990 POSTS

Get the codes read from computer. Who told you you needed a TC? If car was fine when you parked it it should not have changed that drastically by just sitting. Change of spark plugs may help if they look old/worn/dirty when removed.

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Saturday, May 7th, 2011 AT 6:01 PM

CHRISTINA TABLER

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4 POSTS

IT WAS HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHEN I PARKED IT BUT YOU COULD STILL DRIVE IT. WHEN YOU WOULD COME TO A STOP IT WOULD START SHAKING SO I WOULD PUT IT IN NEUTRAL UNTIL I STARTED MOVING AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING IT WOULD SHIFT GEARS WRONG. AFTER SITTING FOR SO LONG NOW IT WILL START BUT WON'T STAY RUNNING UNLESS YOU GAS IT. I WILL CHANGE THE SPARK PLUGS TODAY AND CHECK THE FUSES TOO? THE AUTOSTORE GUY SAID MAYBE I SHOULD CYPHEN OUT THE OLD GAS AND PUT NEW GAS IN IT. DON'T WANT TO UNLESS THAT COULD REALLY BE THE PROBLEM.

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Saturday, May 7th, 2011 AT 6:49 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,737 POSTS

WHY ARE YOU YELLING? Sounds like two simple problems with simple fixes. First of all you have a misfire causing the shaking. Of course the transmission won't shift right if you have to press the gas pedal further than normal to get the car going.

If the car was sitting, the battery was disconnected or run dead. The Engine Computer has to relearn "minimum throttle" before it will know when it has to be in control of idle speed. Until then, it will be too low and the engine will stall at stop signs unless you hold the gas pedal down a little. To meet the conditions for the relearn to take place, drive at highway speed with the engine warmed up, then coast for at least seven seconds without touching the brake or gas pedals.

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Saturday, May 7th, 2011 AT 7:09 PM

CHRISTINA TABLER

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4 POSTS

I can't get the car out of park without it dying because as soon as you take your foot off the gas the car dies. Even though I had transmission problems before it always would stay running. This is a new issue after having sit for so long. I'm hoping maybe it's just spark plugs. Thank you for taking the time to give me advice.

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Saturday, May 7th, 2011 AT 8:32 PM

CARADIODOC