This Saturday I’d like to get up to the new workshop home of rallynotes.com. My slot in the garage is a bigger then I expected. It’s about the size of two parking spaces. I’m excited to have my own place for tools, spares, wheels, etc. The first things on the list are: Replacing out the stock rear springs (way too soft) for the SRT-4’s and skidplates. I’m sure I’ll get some carbon fiber fabrication going on there as well.

We’ve been back for about three weeks now. The Neon has been quietly parked under her cover in the top parking lot. We took her out last weekend for a drive and the “little oil leak” was smoking a lot more then before. Still stumbling a little when idle. The oil pressure sensor wasn’t getting any better. (see: oil light off and on during our trip)

I’m thinking major repairs here. Did I mess up the head gasket some how? Do I have to take the motor out? Is the stumble more then just the o2 sensor?

I’ve also been worried about the fact that I couldn’t find a garage / shop to work on her. I’ve been trolling the search engines and I think I got real lucky yesterday. There is a garage with spaces for rent in L.A. that is basically a bunch of “carguys.” Access to lift, sandblaster, welder, parts cleaner, etc. For about what you’d pay for monthly parking in downtown Boston. Tine and I went up to check it out today. A handshake was made. Baring some final details and negotiations I will have a shop level garage that I can work on my cars.

When we got back I was feeling good about the Neon. So we changed into some grubby clothes and Tine and I had a look at where the oil was coming from. I can’t really see where it’s coming from but it’s dripping onto the right side CV joint and splattering everywhere.

Since it was bad anyway I decided to replace the oil pressure sender. This baby is buried on the back center of the motor. It’s a pain in the ass to get at, work on, remove, etc. I finally pull off the green plug for the sensor along with a puddle of fresh oil. * Lightbulb over my head. Wow. A known bad oil pressure sender was causing the oil leak as well… Could the fact that oil has been seeping out of the back of the thing have ANYTHING to do with it malfunctioning?!

The new oil pressure sender is in. No more dripping down the wire loom and onto the CV joint. I ran the car really hard on Sunday. A whole ton of oil smoked off the exhaust manifold and then cleared. No more drips under the car. I also have a feeling that having the o2 wiring soaked in oil may have been causing my occasional stumble.

Our goal is to have the car ready for a rallycross / rallyschool at the end of February. Project Rally Neon continues!

I just uploaded the last few pics from my camera when I came across this spectacular shot. This was taken on New Years Eve while heading to Tucson, AZ. I stuck my head and lens out of the car (you can see the fog lights in the foreground) and managed to get a fairly steady, long exposure shot.