|
|
Transaxle Tech
by Mike Ancas and Michael Carpenter
Neon Transmissions
 Neon transmissions are strong units that can handle a turbo upgrade with no problem. However, you may want to consider installing a limited-slip differential if you plan to do some racing.
I’ve got nothing against Chrysler automatic trannies. Unless you’re content to keep your Neon on the street, a car with an auto tranny is not the best car to start with. We’ve seen people spend literally thousands of dollars on all the bolt-on modifications, only to run about the same times at the strip that they would have with a manual transmission in a stock car. Of course, you can swap out your auto for a stick, but why bother? Neons are cheap, and the ones with automatic transmission are worth more on the used-car market. The real exception to this is if you are serious about turbocharging your car. The automatic works great for drag racing a high-torque car, as traction is easier to manage, and the auto helps keep the car in boost.
It may seem that there were a lot of different 5-speed configurations from 1995 to 1999, but in reality, there were only a few. Actually, from 1995 through 2000, all manual trannies had the same gear ratios from first through fourth gear. From mid 2000 on, first and second gear changed slightly. First went from 3.54:1 to 3.50:1, and second went from 2.13:1 to 1.95:1. The earlier cars had slightly lower gears, which means they got off the line with a little more gusto.
The first-generation cars basically had two different trannies. The base SOHC cars had a lower final drive (3.55:1) than all of the other cars. The lower final drive acts like a multiplying factor, and in this case makes it harder for a car to get off the line. Using this transmission is like pedaling your bike up a steep hill in fifth gear instead of first. But if you think about it, the base cars are light and the SOHC motor has great low-end torque, so when actually driving the car, you really couldn’t tell much.
All DOHC cars had a higher final drive of 3.94:1, which compensates for the small amount of low-end torque they give up to the SOHC cars. If you want to take full advantage of the low-end torque produced by a Neon powerplant, then the SOHC ACR is your best choice. They have the 3.94:1 final drive mated to their SOHC engines. For many local autocross courses that have a lot of turns and fewer straightaways, the SOHC ACR is your best choice. Even in road racing, when a SOHC and DOHC car are battling for a position and it comes time to shift into a higher gear, the SOHC car will get a slight lead just before the DOHC car catches up and passes it (not that I have ever experienced that).
All second-gen SOHC trannies also share the same first through fourth gears. The 2001–2003 SOHC Magnum cars have the best final drive for autocross, 3.94:1, while the 3.55:1 is found in all of the other cars.
If you turbocharge your Neon, or own an SRT-4, then all the recommendations made so far need not apply. The best final drive for you may not be the higher 3.94:1. Turbo cars don’t have a problem with low-end torque, so you may want to take advantage of a tranny that will keep you in gear longer. A lower final drive takes better advantage of gearing, but then you run out of gear sooner and have to shift. First-gen turbo cars can benefit from using the 1995–99 SOHC base tranny with the 3.55:1 final drive. SRT-4s come stock with a 3.53:1, which seems to prove this point.
For many Neon owners, it may not be worth buying one tranny and swapping it into your current Neon in order to gain any kind of advantage. There are a few instances, however, in which you may want to consider doing a swap. First, if you’re competing for a Solo II National Championship where the difference between a top-three trophy and a tenth-place finish is measured in one or two tenths of a second, then you may want to check your class rules and get the perfect tranny for your setup. The same applies for serious drag, Solo I, and road racers.
Second, you may want to consider a swap if the tranny that is in your current Neon blows up. Since you have to replace it anyway, you may as well get something good out of the process. Whenever any part on any of my cars breaks, I see it as fate, and look for a way to come out of it ahead in some way. Otherwise, you’ve spent time and money, and you aren’t any faster than you were before the break. Even if all you can do is clean the area surrounding the part you are replacing, do something just to make yourself feel better.
 There are several choices you can make regarding clutches. The stock Neon clutch (left) is still okay even after 100,000 miles. Since it was already out, we replaced it with a PT Cruiser clutch that has easier pedal effort and more holding power. The PT clutch is also a cheaper option than an aftermarket clutch. Mopar Performance Parts offers a kit to help you install a modular clutch assembly in place of your traditional clutch and flywheel assembly. Once you install a modular clutch with this kit, installing another modular clutch is as simple as swapping it in.
Aftermarket clutch discs and pressure plates typically help your tranny hook up better. Depending on what you want to do with your car, there is a perfect set-up out there for you. For street driving, you shouldn’t get too wild since the more radical the clutch, the harder it is to push down the pedal and the harder it will engage. (Howell Automotive) Lightened steel and aluminum flywheels should also be reserved for racing purposes only, as they can be a pain to deal with in a daily driver. But the lighter the flywheel, the less torque is required to get it to turn.
|
|
| Table of Contents: |
Click below to view samples pages from each chapter |
| PDF |
HTML |
Table of Contents |
| PDF |
HTML |
Introduction |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 1 Neon History |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 2 Suspension and Handling |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 3 Wheels and Tires |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 4 Braking |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 5 Intake System |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 6 Exhaust System |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 7 Ignition and Fuel |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 8 Camshafts and Heads |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 9 Body and Interior Modifications |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 10 Turbocharging, Supercharging, and Nitrous |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 11 Transaxle Tech |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 12 Engines |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 13 Modifications on a Budget |
| PDF |
HTML |
Chapter 14 Don't Just Sit There - Go Racing! |
| back |
Buy Downloadable Version of This Book
Click cart to order
|
|
Chapter 1 |
($6.00) |
(749 KB) |
|
|
Chapter 2 |
($6.00) |
(969 KB) |
|
|
Chapter 3 |
($6.00) |
(1.1 MB) |
|
|
Chapter 4 |
($6.00) |
(650 KB) |
|
|
Chapter 5 |
($6.00) |
(987 KB) |
|
|
Chapter 6 |
($6.00) |
(498 KB) |
|
|
Chapter 7 |
($6.00) |
(600 KB) |
|
|
Chapter 8 |
($6.00) |
(242 KB) |
|
|
Chapter 9 |
($6.00) |
(1.1 MB) |
|
|
Chapter 10 |
($6.00) |
(727 KB) |
|
|
Chapter 11 |
($6.00) |
(446 KB) |
|
|
Chapter 12 |
($6.00) |
(1.1 MB) |
|
|
Chapter 13 |
($6.00) |
(1.0 MB) |
|
|
Chapter 14 |
($6.00) |
(836 KB) |
|
|
Download all chapters |
($19.95) |
(10. MB) |
|
