How to Replace the Exhaust Manifold in a Plymouth Neon

Plymouth discontinued production of its Neon in 2001. The model still has its fans, and a 2001 Neon in mint condition is a great find for the used-car buyer. The following steps explain the procedure to remove and install the exhaust manifold on the 2.0L engine.

Instructions

Remove the Exhaust Manifold

1

Disconnect the negative battery cable and take out the wiring harness heat shield-to-exhaust manifold support bracket. Remove the exhaust manifold support bracket bolt and then the bracket.

2

Take out the exhaust flex joint-to-manifold flange fasteners. Push the exhaust system to the rear to clear the flange studs.

3

Remove the make-up air hose, the speed control vacuum reservoir, the oxygen sensor connector and harness clip. Disconnect the upper heat shield.

4

Loosen and remove the bolts to the exhaust manifold. Lift the exhaust manifold from the engine and discard the gasket.

5

Scrape the mating surfaces to remove any gasket material, dirt and carbon deposits. Wipe the surfaces with solvent. Check for damage.

Install the Exhaust Manifold

6

Install the exhaust manifold with the new gasket. Torque the nuts in sequence working out from the center to 16 foot pounds.

7

Place the upper and lower heat shields in position and torque to 95 inch pounds. Install the oxygen sensor connector and the harness clip. Replace the cylinder head cover, the speed control vacuum reservoir and the make-up air hose.

8

Set the cylinder head-to-exhaust manifold support bracket in place. Torque the bolts to 40 foot pounds.

9

Connect the wiring harness heat shield-to-exhaust manifold. Replace the support bracket bolt.

10

Reconnect the negative battery cable. Turn on the engine and allow it to run for several minutes. Check for exhaust leaks and proper engine operation.