have a 97 dodge neon with over 122000 miles car was running good till it got hot and has not run good since. had it checked with code scanner only said tempurature senser then 2nd oxygen senser, replaced both . now it leaks oil real bad on driver side in back and has a rough idle .in one week went through 3 sets of spark plugs and one set of new wires. it acts like its getting to much gas but the fuel pump is working fine. when you rev up the car you get a lot of black smoke out the exhaust pipes and it covers the spark plugs, also changed oil 2 times in one month because it was thin but no water was in it. plus no oil is getting into the radiator. it goes through a tank of gas within 3 days

I would say the other O2 sensor is bad. Or you failed to reset the computer after replacing the one you did. One way or another IMO your best bet would be to take it to a real mechanic. Otherwise your just going to start tossing money at it and prayin. But get it fixed ASAP running that rich will fry your motor in no time.

changed 02 senser car runs better at first then when you drive constintly for 30 min or so for motor to really warm up then motor lopes at an idle like it has a bad miss, if you turn car off for atleast 1 min. or so it will run like a new car again till its been driven a while. any suggestions. dont have a lot of money to take to a shop so my parents are trying to fix it for me.

now it leaks oil real bad on driver side in back and has a rough idle

This is typical of a Head Gasket failure: It usually cracks at the rear driver's side, and leaks oil onto the exhaust manifold, transmission housing, and into cylinder #4. Replace the HG with the newer MLS (multi-layer steel) gasket.

that was my guess to it does sound like the head gasket is blown i would change that and i would reset the computer.

This is typical of a Head Gasket failure: It usually cracks at the rear driver's side, and leaks oil onto the exhaust manifold, transmission housing, and into cylinder #4. Replace the HG with the newer MLS (multi-layer steel) gasket.

Not always. Is not the cam sensor also on the driver side? That is known to leak with the same looks as a head gasket. My suggestion is to check everything before running out for a new gasket. That saves a lot of cash in the long run.

Not always. Is not the cam sensor also on the driver side? That is known to leak with the same looks as a head gasket. My suggestion is to check everything before running out for a new gasket. That saves a lot of cash in the long run.


The original poster stated that oil is getting into his radiator (coolant). This is definitely headgasket failure. When the gasket fails or the car overheats to the point where the head warps, this will cause your oil and coolant to mix.

Black smoke is bad news. White smoke is from coolant/fluid getting into the combustion chamber. Black smoke is usually a sign that the piston rings are blown....making for a VERY expensive repair job unless you can do the work yourself.

This car is in VERY bad shape and should not even be on the road. This is why you need to check out your vehicle EVERY WEEK, not just once a month or here n there, or when problems arise. Anything can happen in the course of just one day! My car was near perfect for 96,400 miles then my motor just blew like that....water pump failure.

Froggy, if you have a lot of cash laying around or have parents/friends that can help you, I suggest getting a new motor from the junkyard. The expenses that it would take to make your current repairs necessary go beyond the cost of a junkyard motor that's still in working order.
A repair job would run $1800+ whereas you can get a motor anywhere from $600-1000 depending on mileage and condition.

DO NOT DRIVE THAT POOR CAR ANY FURTHER!!!!

Froggy..Black smoke is from too much fuel, white is from coolant, and blue is oil. You went thru 3 sets of plugs because of too much fuel. Your oil leak sounds like the cam shaft sensor, or maybe the valve cover gasket . Use carb cleaner to remove the oil and grime , have some one start the car and pay close attention to those two areas. As far as the spark plugs they are trashed (carbon fould) no matter how many times you clean them its just a temp fix. You can clean them with carb cleaner (remove the plugs clean and gap ) to run the car to find out what is wrong. clear memory on comp . hope this helps ,I got out of automotive in 85