rage's 02SXT

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:35 pm

i think its time I make a progress log. Its been 2 years since i got my neon. It is my first stick car (learned to drive stick 2months before i got it) and my first car.

This is what it looked like when i brought it home:

Last year i put a few light mods in the car just before i went back to school:
mopar performance clutch, CAI, Power slot rotors, Vibrant exhaust, and flik hornet 17"s wrapped in falkens, an alpine 9847 radio, and 4 point stroth harness.

This year after running into a few bumps in the road i replaced my sxt rear bumper with tyvek tape bandaid with an SRT4 bumper red from ebay for $200. I also installed and lowered my car this spring with my NEX SS coilovers. The ride is a little stiff but i have never hugged the road any better.
before:

after:

WykedHellFire · Post by **WykedHellFire** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:39 pm

looks good bro, thats the look I want to go with when my srt swap is done. 02 sxt or rt front srt rear and rt sides, sweep sleeper if swapped.

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:44 pm

ever since i replaced my bumper a few days ago more ppl have been noticing my car. More ppl are tailgating me trying to run me and then they go wtf and notice its a not an srt4 front end. Since its my DD and my father pays my insurance he won't let me do the swap just yet. I am doing a motor build tho this summer. i'll update as soon as i get the ball moving on that.

WykedHellFire · Post by **WykedHellFire** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:59 pm

aight dude. gl!

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:30 pm

Well the suspension is almost complete.

progress rear sway, and energy suspension bushings were installed not too long ago. Now its just time to wait till the funds come for the engine build.

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:25 pm

Well after Christmas I installed my new MSD 8.5mm wires, NGK iridium pugs, Screaming demon coil, booger bushings, and race motor mounts.

The car feels like it has some pep restored and the gas mileage is better. I am still waiting for a co-op before i do any more major mods.

future plans:
AF/X race computer
AEM or similar wideband
Apexi tuner
rebuild dohc bottom end (not sure if i will just get different pistons or use the dohc ones)

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 12:04 am

I had a custom alignment done with amazing results. The car is so much more persice and can hold turns so much tighter.

specs:
_________front______rear
camber___-1degrees__ -1
caster____stock______ n/a
toe ______+.2 _______+.3

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:13 am

whats up with that exhaust?

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:25 pm

Did you ever put in that mag cam?

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 1:52 pm

no lol after realizing it would be easier to just tear down the engine and replace the headgasket at the same time i held off.

Also I may not be doing any more work to my neon cuz i have some high hopes for the way this summer will pan out. Basically i will be in the market for an srt this summer so untill this summer i am gonna hold off on any major mods.

FAC3L3SS wrote:whats up with that exhaust?

its what happens when you cut and weld the thing yourself

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:13 pm

its been awhile but I have some awesome updates!!!

As most of you recall I had a bad wiring issue with my car. My cat-converter severed my 02 down flow sensor and shorted out the wiring. After the dealer replaced the 02 sensor the car would sputter and shut off. The dealer could not figure out Y this was happening and told me to drive the car with the upflow 02 sensor uppluged as the car would still run. The dealer's "official" response on the reciept was that the pcm wouldnt' work with my short tube header installed. And they dealer charged me 500+ for diagnostic fees. So, after 2+yrs of limping around and one emissions waiver I finally decided to sink $200 on a new PCM to see if that could be the issue. So...

I got a re-manufactured PCM from ebay for $200 bucks. I the PCM back and it said ACR on it!!!! I was like o great i have to send it back. But i tried it anyway. I tossed it in and to my amazement it works!!!!!!!!! NO CEL for 100miles so far!!!!! and I went from 18-20MPG to 30+!!!! Now i can pass emissions and get a renewed registration on my car next year!!!

The bad: I found out that the PCM at the time the dodge dealer had diagnosed my car that my car was covered under the federal 8/80. Meaning if they had gotten me a new PCM it would have been covered under warantee and it would have been FREEE!!!!

atleast now i can move on and keep up with the work on my car knowing that i don't have to get rid of it before the registration is up.

Speeder · Post by **Speeder** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:58 pm

looks good so far

jetas · Post by **jetas** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:05 pm

haha nice, It wasnt posted on egay as an ACR PCM?? lucky you and dam does the car look clean.

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:04 pm

no it was posted through an ebay online company that said they would provide the correct PCM when i ordered it. right on the label where the vin and software updates were it said ACR.

This is the ebay store:
http://stores.ebay.com/All-Computer-Resources

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:21 pm

TIME TO CELEBRATE:

4yrs later, $700 and 3 emissions tests later and i finally pass!!! Woot good for 2 more years!

Post by **racer12306** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:59 pm

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

slaw · Post by **slaw** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:32 pm

congrats!

Tam · Post by **Tam** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:20 am

Whats an emission test? lol

I feel bad for you guys.

Cabbs · Post by **Cabbs** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:23 am

You need side skirts bad.

Sykora · Post by **Sykora** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:24 am

same exhaust as me i believe

a little bulky, but i love it!

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:57 pm

while everyone was at Carlisle having fun me and Alex(asanti) were getting down to business.

Here are some teaser picks of what came off and will eventually be in my car

.

^oh, no cam something must be done about that soon

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:34 pm

List of parts needed for the head install:

cam
head gasket kit
Timing Belt
Timing Belt tensor
cam position sensor (already installed)

if i missed anything please let me know

slaw · Post by **slaw** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 6:14 pm

awesome! glad to see asantis parts go to good use

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:08 pm

Head Gasket and cam are on the way. I got an amazing deal at rock auto this week: Gates water pump, timing belt, and timing belt tensor for $92 shipped.

cam
head gasket kit
Timing Belt
Timing Belt tensor
cam position sensor (already installed)

looks like i got every thing, I just need to get that UDP off asanti's car and get a nice grounding kit to make sure everything is gonna run nice with the UDP on.

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:18 pm

Teaser:

I had my GF's dad look at the head (40+yrs experience as a mechanic) and it needs to go through a bath at the engine shop to clean it up. I have to make an appt. Hope it won't cost too much.

Speeder · Post by **Speeder** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 12:27 pm

sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:44 pm

Thanks to asanti again, I have another hi-po part for my car

. It only took 3hrs to peresude it off with the harmonic balancer puller

. We couldn't figure out how to stop the crank from spinning being auto and all so we took the oil pan off and jammed an old screwdriver in there to stop it from rotating.

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:58 am

Tamara's Dad showed me how to properly polish aluminum today and this was the result :

03blackrt · Post by **03blackrt** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 10:50 pm

When's the head going on?

neonslg09 · Post by **neonslg09** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 10:54 pm

03blackrt wrote:

When's the head going on?

x2! you didnt do a bad job at that polishing.

head needs on. now.