1999 DODGE NEON Timing

REMOVALÐTIMING BELT
(1) Remove accessory drive belts. Refer to Group 7,
Cooling System for procedure outlined in that sec-
tion.
(2) Raise vehicle on a hoist and remove right inner
splash shield (Fig. 41).
Fig. 39 Timing Belt SystemÐWith Hydraulic Tensioner
Fig. 40 Camshaft Timing Marks
Fig. 41 Right Inner Splash Shield
PL2.0L SOHC ENGINE 9 - 29
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

(3) Remove crankshaft damper bolt. Remove
damper using the large side of Special Tool 1026 and
insert 6827-A (Fig. 42).
(4) Lower vehicle and place a jack under engine.
(5) Remove right engine mount. Refer to procedure
outlined in this section.
(6) Remove power steering pump assembly and set
aside.
(7) Remove right engine mount bracket (Fig. 43).
(8) Remove front timing belt cover (Fig. 44).
CAUTION: Align camshaft and crankshaft timing
marks before removing the timing belt.
(9) Loosen timing belt tensioner fasteners (Fig. 46)
and remove timing belt and tensioner.
CAUTION: Do not loosen, tighten, or remove the
tensioner pivot bolt (Fig. 45).
CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT TIMING
PROCEDURE AND BELT INSTALLATION
ÐSOHC ENGINE
(1) When tensioner is removed from the engine it
is necessary to compress the plunger into the ten-
sioner body.
(2) Place the tensioner into a vise equipped with
soft jaws and slowly compress the plunger (Fig. 47).
CAUTION: Index the tensioner in the vise the same
way it is installed on the engine. This is to ensure
proper pin orientation when tensioner is installed
on the engine.
(3) When plunger is compressed into the tensioner
body install a 1.9 mm (5/64) Allen wrench or pin
Fig. 42 Crankshaft DamperÐRemoval
Fig. 43 Right Engine Mount Bracket
Fig. 44 Timing Belt Cover
Fig. 45 Tensioner Pulley Assembly
9 - 30 2.0L SOHC ENGINEPL
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

through the body and plunger to retain plunger in
place until tensioner is installed.
(4) Set crankshaft sprocket to TDC by aligning the
sprocket with the arrow on the oil pump housing,
then back off to 3 notches before TDC (Fig. 48).
(5) Set camshaft to TDC by aligning mark on
sprocket with the arrow on the rear of timing belt
cover (Fig. 49).
(6) Move crankshaft to 1/2 mark before TDC (Fig.
50) for belt installation.
(7) Install timing belt. Starting at the crankshaft,
go around the water pump sprocket and then around
the camshaft sprocket.(8) Move crankshaft sprocket to TDC to take up
belt slack. Install tensioner to block but do not
tighten fasteners.
(9) Using a torque wrench on the tensioner pulley
apply 28 N´m (250 in. lbs.) of torque (Fig. 51).
(10) With torque being applied to the tensioner
pulley move the tensioner up against the tensioner
Fig. 46 Remove Timing Belt
Fig. 47 Compressing Timing Belt Tensioner
Fig. 48 Crankshaft Sprocket Timing
Fig. 49 Camshaft Timing Mark
Fig. 50 Adjusting Crankshaft Sprocket for Timing
Belt Installation
PL2.0L SOHC ENGINE 9 - 31
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

pulley bracket and tighten fasteners to 31 N´m (275
in. lbs.) (Fig. 51).
(11) Pull tensioner plunger pin. Pretension is cor-
rect when pin can be removed and installed.
(12) Rotate crankshaft 2 revolutions and check the
alignment of the timing marks (Fig. 51).
(13) Install front half of timing cover.
(14) Install engine mount bracket.
(15) Install power steering pump assembly.
(16) Install right engine mount. Refer to procedure
outlined in this section.
(17) Remove jack from under engine.(18) Install crankshaft damper using M12-1.75 x
150 mm bolt, washer, thrust bearing and nut from
Special Tool 6792. Install crankshaft damper bolt and
tighten to 142 N´m (105 ft. lbs.) (Fig. 52).
(19) Install accessory drive belts. Refer to Group
07, Cooling System for procedures.
(20) Raise vehicle on hoist and install right inner
splash shield.
(21) Lower vehicle and perform camshaft and
crankshaft timing relearn procedure as follows:
²Connect DRB scan tool to the data link (diagnos-
tic) connector. This connector is located in the pas-
senger compartment; at the lower edge of instrument
panel; near the steering column.
²Turn the ignition switch on and access the ªmis-
cellaneousº screen.
²Select ªre-learn cam/crankº option and follow
directions on DRB screen.
Fig. 51 Adjusting Timing Belt Tension
Fig. 52 Crankshaft DamperÐInstallation
9 - 32 2.0L SOHC ENGINEPL
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

TIMING BELTÐWITH MECHANICAL TENSIONER
CHECKING BELT TIMINGÐCOVER INSTALLED
²Remove number one spark plug.
²Using a dial indicator, set number one cylinder
to TDC on the compression stroke.
²Remove the access plug from the outer timing
belt cover (Fig. 53).
²Check the timing mark on the camshaft
sprocket, it should align with the arrow on the rear
belt cover (Fig. 54).
REMOVALÐTIMING BELT
(1) Remove accessory drive belts. Refer to Group 7,
Cooling System for procedures.(2) Raise vehicle on a hoist and remove right inner
splash shield (Fig. 55).
Fig. 53 Timing Belt SystemÐWith Mechanical Tensioner
Fig. 54 Camshaft Timing Marks
Fig. 55 Right Inner Splash Shield
PL2.0L SOHC ENGINE 9 - 33
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

(3) Remove crankshaft damper bolt. Remove
damper using the large side of Special Tool 1026 and
insert 6827-A (Fig. 56).
(4) Lower vehicle and place a jack under engine.
(5) Remove right engine mount. Refer to procedure
outlined in this section.
(6) Remove power steering pump assembly and set
aside.
(7) Remove right engine mount bracket (Fig. 57).
(8) Remove front timing belt cover (Fig. 58).
CAUTION: Align camshaft and crankshaft timing
marks before removing the timing belt by rotating
the engine with the crankshaft.
(9) Inserta8mmAllen wrench into the belt ten-
sioner. Before rotating the tensioner insert the long
end of a 1/8º or 3 mm Allen wrench into the pin hole
on the front of the tensioner (Fig. 59). Rotate the ten-
sioner counterclockwise with the Allen wrench, while
pushing in lightly on the 1/8 in. or 3 mm Allen
wrench, until it slides into the locking hole.(10) Remove timing belt.
CAUTION: Do not rotate the camshafts once the
timing belt has been removed or damage to valve
components may occur.
Fig. 56 Crankshaft DamperÐRemoval
Fig. 57 Right Engine Mount Bracket
Fig. 58 Timing Belt Cover
Fig. 59 Timing Belt Removal
9 - 34 2.0L SOHC ENGINEPL
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT TIMING
PROCEDURE AND BELT INSTALLATIONÐ
SOHC ENGINE
(1) Set crankshaft sprocket to TDC by aligning the
sprocket with the arrow on the oil pump housing,
then back off to 3 notches before TDC (Fig. 60).
(2) Set camshaft to TDC by aligning mark on
sprocket with the arrow on the rear of timing belt
cover (Fig. 60).
(3) Move crankshaft to 1/2 mark before TDC (Fig.
62) for belt installation.
(4) Install timing belt. Starting at the crankshaft,
go around the water pump sprocket and then around
the camshaft sprocket.
(5) Move crankshaft sprocket to TDC to take up
belt slack.
(6) Remove the pin or 1/8º or 3 mm Allen wrench
from belt tensioner.
(7) Rotate crankshaft 2 revolutions and check the
alignment of the timing marks (Fig. 63).
(8) Install front half of timing cover.
(9) Install engine mount bracket.
(10) Install power steering pump assembly and set
aside.
(11) Install right engine mount. Refer to procedure
outlined in this section.
(12) Remove jack from under engine.(13) Install crankshaft damper using M12-1.75 x
150 mm bolt, washer, thrust bearing and nut from
Special Tool 6792. Install crankshaft damper bolt and
tighten to 142 N´m (105 ft. lbs.) (Fig. 64).
(14) Install accessory drive belts. Refer to Group
07, Cooling System for procedures.
(15) Raise vehicle on hoist and install right inner
splash shield.
(16) Lower vehicle and perform camshaft and
crankshaft timing relearn procedure as follows:
²Connect the DRB scan tool to the data link
(diagnostic) connector. This connector is located in
Fig. 60 Crankshaft Sprocket Timing
Fig. 61 Camshaft Timing Mark
Fig. 62 Adjusting Crankshaft Sprocket for Timing
Belt Installation
Fig. 63 Crankshaft and Camshaft Timing
PL2.0L SOHC ENGINE 9 - 35
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

the passenger compartment; at the lower edge of
instrument panel; near the steering column.
²Turn the ignition switch on and access the ªmis-
cellaneousº screen.
²Select ªre-learn cam/crankº option and follow
directions on DRB screen.
TIMING BELT TENSIONERÐMECHANICAL
REMOVAL
(1) Remove timing belt. Refer to procedure out-
lined in this section.
(2) Remove tensioner assembly attaching bolts
(Fig. 65).
(3) Remove tensioner assembly.
CAUTION: The timing belt tensioner is serviced as
an assembly. To prevent premature timing belt fail-
ure, DO NOT separate the tensioner pulley from
mounting bracket.
INSTALLATION
(1) Install timing belt tensioner assembly. Tighten
attaching bolts to 28 N´m (250 in. lbs.).
(2) Install timing belt. Refer to procedure outlined
in this section.
OIL PAN
REMOVAL
(1) Drain engine oil.
(2) Remove front engine mount bracket. Refer to
Engine MountÐFront, in this section for procedures.
(3) Remove powertrain bending strut.
(4) Remove structural collar from oil pan to tran-
saxle (Fig. 66).
(5) Remove transaxle lower dust cover.
(6) If equipped with air conditioning remove oil fil-
ter and adaptor. Refer to Oil Filter Adapter Removal
and Installation in this section.(7) Remove oil pan.
(8) Clean oil pan and all gasket surfaces.
INSTALLATION
(1) Apply MopartSilicone Rubber Adhesive Seal-
ant or equivalent at the oil pump to engine block
parting line (Fig. 67).
(2) Install a new oil pan gasket to pan.
(3) Install pan and tighten screws to 12 N´m (105
in. lbs.).
Fig. 64 Crankshaft DamperÐInstallationFig. 65 Timing Belt Tensioner AssemblyÐRemoval/
Installation
Fig. 66 Structural CollarÐRemoval and Installation
9 - 36 2.0L SOHC ENGINEPL
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)