p0335 fault and rattle

[boathenoah]

So today my neon threw a code at me (after a few weeks of rattling). The current fault is p0335 crankshaft position sensor a circuit and there are 2 pending faults, p0562 powertrain system low voltage, and p0700 tran control system (MIL request). From my limited knowledge and research is seams like I may need to replace the crank sensor (or atleast test it) and the reluctor ring/wheel (due to the rattling). The car ran fine with the rattling for a few weeks but tonight started to stutter and then die. Took a minute but restarted and got me home without dying. Still rattling and drooping rpm a little every so often. So does anyone know how to check and see if the reluctor ring/wheel is indeed bad/loose, and how to replace it if so? Or perhaps a decent quote on what a mechanic might charge should I be out of my depth (seems likely).

[occasional demons]

What year is your neon?

Only 2003 to 2005 have a bolt on reluctor ring. You would have to drop the oil pan to see if that is what's actually rattling.

The low voltage might be the source of the crank sensor code.

Normally when there is a crank sensor issue, the engine just plain dies, and will not start again until the sensor is replaced.

A moving reluctor ring would also have it throwing misfire codes.

I don't know that the rings become loose all that often. It would be one of the more rare things to happen. I would think if it was loose, it would beat up the screws, and possibly the screw holes in the crank. Tightening them back up probably wouldn't last long, if it was even an option.

[boathenoah]

It is an 05 neon sxt. I might try and drop the pan this coming week and see what is up then. Would you have any other suggestions for the rattle and the codes thrown? The rattle only happens when the transmission is engaged and over about 2k rpms. It doesnt run rough or anything, no misfires. No codes thrown until it died yesterday when it also started to stutter and drop rpms every so often. The rattle also seems to have gotten worse. so I am left to assume they are related. As of today the car has started and moved (only 20 feet or so) without dying a couple of times.

[occasional demons]

The rattle could be an ATX/torque converter issue. Or it could be the thrust bearing on the crank is letting it move back and forth from excess end play. Although wearing the thrust bearing would be kind of a rare occurrence with an ATX.

Maybe check the flex plate to TC bolts for tightness, or broken welds. The TC on my brother's Sebring had a bolt boss break off the TC from a poor weld. In his situation, it leaked fluid, but if the weld did not penetrate deep enough, it could tear out without creating a hole to the inside.

It didn't rattle, but then it didn't get to far either. It might have begun to make some noise, if it retained ATF.