If you’re installing an OEM MLS replacement gasket, spray both sides with the recommended sealer before installing it to improve its cold sealability. Once should be enough if the job is done correctly and an MLS replacement gasket is used. We’ve read numerous reports on the Internet from Neon owners who complain about having had their head gaskets replaced several times. A conventional gasket is cheaper but probably won’t hold up much better than the OEM gasket. Use the better MLS gasket as the replacement. Coolant in the crankcase can ruin the bearings and rings, so don’t forget to change the oil and filter when replacing the head gasket. If the head gasket has failed, it must be replaced to prevent further damage from occurring. Also, check the dipstick to see if there’s coolant mixed with the oil. Pressure testing the cooling system should reveal any internal coolant leaks via the head gasket. A compression check or leak-down test can be used to verify a compression leak in the cylinders. The OEM head gasket version requires a much smoother surface finish (30 to 40 microinches) to seal properly.Ī Neon that has a bad head gasket may be leaking oil externally, losing coolant internally (which may result in overheating), and/or losing compression in one or two adjacent cylinders.

One difference between some of the aftermarket MLS head gaskets and the OEM MLS gasket is that some of the aftermarket gaskets have a thicker surface coating that can seal a rougher surface (60 to 70 microinches). MLS technology proved to be the answer for sealing the Neon. A later bulletin (TSB 09-08-99) superseded the previous bulletin and described the installation procedure for the new head gasket.Īftermarket gasket manufacturers also responded to the Neon problem by introducing redesigned gaskets of their own for these applications. The same gasket also was released to replace the OEM gasket on older Neons, as well as 1995-’99 Avenger/Sebring/Talon models and 1995-2000 Cirrus/Stratus/ Breeze models. In September 1998, a redesigned multi-layer steel (MLS) head gasket was introduced for the SOHC 2.0L engine and then the DOHC 2.0L.Ĭhrysler issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 09-05-98) that described the new MLS head gasket and installation procedures. The first generation OEM head gasket was a conventional design that unfortunately did not prove to be robust enough for the engine. Many owners of 1995-’98 Neons have experienced head gasket failures at low miles, typically around 40,000 to 60,000 miles. Time will tell how the latest generation of Neons hold up, but one problem that has plagued the first generation Neons is head gasket failures. This much power can punch the SRT-4 from zero to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and allows it to achieve a top speed of 153 mph – which is fast enough to keep it in the company of other hot sport compacts such as Mitsubishi’s turbocharged Lancer Evolution, the Subaru WRX and the Nissan 350Z. of torque (some say it’s more like 245 hp at the front wheels!). The SRT-4 uses a larger 2.4L 16-valve DOHC engine like that in the PT Cruiser, which is conservatively rated at 215 horsepower and 245 ft.-lbs. Even Chrysler has recognized the “tuner” potential of the Neon and introduced a turbocharged high-performance version of the car called the SRT-4 in 2003.

2003 dodge neon drive cycle