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View Full Version : Maiden Voyage and some findings



Viper87
01-14-2019, 10:02 PM
Well, first thing first, my Viper passed state inspection which I was surprised since it's most likely been sitting for some time and the battery was weak when I got it. I ran during lunch to get a temp tag so I can actually drive it, an hour in line later and I was good to go. I left the Viper at my dealer, drove my daily home, met my wife and she drove me out to get it so I can move it to storage. I forgot to mention, before this, I filled the car up with some good Texas 93 octane. Luckily everything has been working great on the car, I previously drove/still own a mustang thats lowered about an 1.5" and wide tires front and rear (not as big as the Viper but most aren't) so I'm used to road noise/vibrations/etc. Surprised how well it really went down the road. I drove the Viper about 10 miles to the storage unit without an issue. I've been very pleased to see that my coolant temps, even idling for awhile, are at the third hash and slightly below when moving (it is about 45 degrees outside though so that helps I'm sure).

I do hear intermittent rear gear whine, normal? I hear some in the mustang too (3:55 gears) but nothing I'd say abnormal. Only thing that I've noticed that I need to address quickly is the damn shifter, not necessary the throw but mine is so loose! When I was doing the state inspection I was messing with it trying to tighten and the whole thing spins in the boot. I've tried spinning it to the right hoping it would catch and tighten but it wasn't so I thought maybe the base is left handed so I tried left and the whole shifter shaft came undone from the mechanism down in the trans tunnel... I thought I was in trouble but I was able to rethread it in. From photos it looks like the shaft isn't tightening on the arm that juts out, I'm assuming there's a nut on the other/bottom side? I've seen pictures of aftermarket ones and there is, the stock photos look like a oval type piece? I will eventually get a short throw the remedy all this anyways.

I haven't had too much Viper/V10 experience at all and was wondering if it's normal that the stock setup sounds like of like a mix or a chainsaw/chains pulling? Not in a terrible way but mainly in the low RPMS.

One other thing I noticed is that my RPMS stay pretty high at idle/when slowing down, I know there's this whole Idle Hang thing but I'm not sure to what extent or if what I have is "normal" and I'd be surprised that it was. Generally on first start up the RPMS will be about 1500+ and eventually come down and it feels like the engine runs a little rougher than expected because it seems to run around 500ish rpms (was thinking maybe because had old gas or battery was weak). No service light, no error codes, oil pressure good, coolant temp good. Also when driving the RPMS can hang close to 2k and at one point when I got close to my storage and in a neighborhood this thing would run close to or at 2k and I could drive it without using the gas pedal, it just stayed up high, again all gauges check out ok. Any ideas?

I appreciate any insight/help or comments about everything and look forward to absorbing knowledge and experience from everyone!

LifeIsGood
01-14-2019, 10:31 PM
Mine is a 2001. I have a locking nut...

36237

Get Mark Johnson's (IPSCO (https://www.ipsco.org/)) Short Throw Shifter (https://www.ipsco.org/Viper_files/Short%20Throw%20Shifter.htm).

https://www.ipsco.org/Viper%20Parts/Short%20Shifter4.JPG

https://www.ipsco.org/Viper%20Parts/Short%20Shifter3.JPG

Viper87
01-14-2019, 10:40 PM
Mine is a 2001. I have a locking nut...


I can move the boot down to there but it doesn't seem like thats it, seems like the entire shaft is loose on the black arm in the IPSCO picture. Is there a nut below it that it threads into?

dave6666
01-15-2019, 07:09 AM
Everything on the shifter is right hand threads. If you have the stock shifter assembly either the isolator could be loose on the shifter or the knob to the isolator. You may have to pull the console and the inner boot to access things.

Gear whine could be normal or not. When my pinion bearing went out it got loud. But I've diagnosed cars before from concerned owners and the conclusion is the rear end is noisy. Open the driver door and look to the back of the car. The diff is just right there, right?

Regarding the idle hang based on the fact you had a weak battery the PCM may have lost communication with the IAC. You can unplug it with the car off and it will have to relearn. I have based on personal experience gotten used to the IAC relearn taking many complete drive cycles to clear the idle hang. One thing you might want to do tho is hook up a scan tool and read your TPS % at 0% throttle input and 100% throttle input. Should be about 18% at 0% and 78% at 100%. They will vary some from car to car so those are just baseline.

You anywhere near Dallas?

Viper87
01-15-2019, 09:10 PM
Everything on the shifter is right hand threads. If you have the stock shifter assembly either the isolator could be loose on the shifter or the knob to the isolator. You may have to pull the console and the inner boot to access things.

Gear whine could be normal or not. When my pinion bearing went out it got loud. But I've diagnosed cars before from concerned owners and the conclusion is the rear end is noisy. Open the driver door and look to the back of the car. The diff is just right there, right?

Regarding the idle hang based on the fact you had a weak battery the PCM may have lost communication with the IAC. You can unplug it with the car off and it will have to relearn. I have based on personal experience gotten used to the IAC relearn taking many complete drive cycles to clear the idle hang. One thing you might want to do tho is hook up a scan tool and read your TPS % at 0% throttle input and 100% throttle input. Should be about 18% at 0% and 78% at 100%. They will vary some from car to car so those are just baseline.

You anywhere near Dallas?

I appreciate the insight, this weekend I may pull the panels to check the shifter out. I think the rear is just normal, like you said it's right behind me. I have only started the vehicle/driven less than 5 times so I may give the PCM a chance to straighten it out and if it doesn't I'll pull the IAC plug and try that or maybe just replace all together at some point since it's pretty cheap.

I actually live in Dallas

dave6666
01-16-2019, 03:55 AM
I appreciate the insight, this weekend I may pull the panels to check the shifter out. I think the rear is just normal, like you said it's right behind me. I have only started the vehicle/driven less than 5 times so I may give the PCM a chance to straighten it out and if it doesn't I'll pull the IAC plug and try that or maybe just replace all together at some point since it's pretty cheap.

I actually live in Dallas

I think you misunderstood me on the IAC. Or maybe I misstated it myself. Simply unplugging the IAC causes it to need to relearn. So if you do that you'll lose anything it has learned i.e. you'll start over again.

Viper87
01-16-2019, 07:40 PM
I think you misunderstood me on the IAC. Or maybe I misstated it myself. Simply unplugging the IAC causes it to need to relearn. So if you do that you'll lose anything it has learned i.e. you'll start over again.

Oh ok, I get it now. Thank you