2002 Dodge Viper RT 10 Questions New Owner

[Ralphie]

Hello! I recently purchased a 2002 Dodge Viper RT/10 that has 54k miles. Over the last nine years it was only driven about 1,000 miles total so it sat a good bit.

Anyway I have been driving it and have a water pump leak. I have secured a water pump and am having a mechanic change it. My question is what should I also have the mechanic change while he is in there and has the car on a rack?

The former owner (a personal friend of mine) did the following before I bought it:

1. Changed battery
2. Replaced pulley and serpentine belt
3. Lubed the chassis front and rear
4. New LUK clutch and slave cylinder
5. Spark plugs
6. Changed fluids (transmission, differential, power steering, clutch and brake)
7. He replaced the headliner
8. He gave me a new set of spark plug wires but they are not installed.

Anyway is there any known issues I should try and do preventive maintenance while it is on the rack?

Also, he put new o-rings on the A/C compressor but a few weeks later not blowing cold air anymore. Should I chase this issue and if so what should I have done first? I would like to have A/C for the Georgia summer.

Thanks!

RalphieViperCer07.jpgViperCer05.jpgViperCer01.jpg

[Steve-Indy]

Ask mechanic to change the rest of the O rings in the A/C system...and, inspect the high and low pressure A/C port Schrader valves for leak. If leaking, you can try to tighten them...or, replace them. Hopefully, this will help. Upon refilling system, I would add the fluorescent dye which may help you spot source of leak. In the meantime, you ca HOPE that it is not the evaporator.

[Bill W]

I had a similar situation with my 2002 RT/10. Sat for years like yours did. Like Steve says, hope it's not the evaporator core. I think I got the last one that was never used and still in the box from Jon B at Parts Rack last year. If it is the evap you will probably have to buy a used one. I also had to replace the compressor and a suction line. Just sayin' and I hope the best for you. It sounds like your friend did a lot of work that saved you a ton of money. When you replace the plug wires (highly recommended and Mopar wires are excellent if you have them) replace the plugs with Gen 3 plugs as well.

[City]

Age of tires?

[Ralphie]

Ask mechanic to change the rest of the O rings in the A/C system...and, inspect the high and low pressure A/C port Schrader valves for leak. If leaking, you can try to tighten them...or, replace them. Hopefully, this will help. Upon refilling system, I would add the fluorescent dye which may help you spot source of leak. In the meantime, you ca HOPE that it is not the evaporator.

Educate me on why I don't want to replace the evaporator coil? Due to price or difficulty of replacing it?

- - - Updated - - -

Age of tires?

I just bought new rear tires. Front tires are 6 years old. I will replace those within the next year.

[Steve-Indy]

Amount of labor and expense involved with evaporator replacement is the reason that one HOPES that any A/C leak is one of the more common, easily fixed leak sources. If it turns out to be the evaporator, so be it. So far, in the Vipers that we have (or have seen) , the leak is usually the "O" rings or Schrader valves...as I posted above. Also, there is more to the A/C system than just the presence or absence of R-134a in the system.

[Omahawg]

Not to derail and take your thread over, but does the viper use a specific schrader valve or is it just the generic ones you get in a repair kit from autozone? I replaced mine and they leak worse than before.

[Steve-Indy]

Omahawg, during the couple of times that I have replaced these valves on our Vipers, I used the A/C Pro kit from the parts store without any issues. On one other occasion, I got one from a loose assortment of valves that the parts dept guy offered. I matched the new one to the old one and it worked. The parts dept. could not furnish a MOPAR number to me at that time. Times have changed, so who knows now?

By the way, although there are specific tools and steps to take when changing these valves while under pressure, I would leave that step to the pro's. Those valves can come out like a bullet under pressure !!

[Patentlaw]

Not trying to be a harbinger of doom here. It may be AC expansion valve in the passenger side of the dash board. Some have been known to go bad. It is a really intricate job to be honest. A lot of interior would need to be taken out to get to it. Taking it all apart is the problem. Putting it back together is fairly easy and you would wonder why it took so long to get to it in the first place. Expect someone with no experience to get to the valve in 6 to 8 hours. Yes.... 6 to 8 hours.

[Steve-Indy]

Start with the things that are known to be frequent causes of a system leak and go from there. No need for new owner to get carried away with worry until the easier, more frequent failure spots have been addressed.

[Patentlaw]

I agree, but I am also taking him at his word. O rings have been replaced.

[Steve-Indy]

Yes, but there are several more "O" rings than just the two at the compressor.

Bottom line, a competent tech needs to evaluate this system, find the leak(s), and repair as necessary.

[Steve-Indy]

By the way, Omahawg...there is an A/C valve core part number through MOPAR if you need a couple:

05011346AA

[dave6666]

Yes, but there are several more "O" rings than just the two at the compressor.

The other o-ring locations are usually left out of the conversation because 1) someone fixed their Gen 2 once years ago by doing just the compressor o-rings and that fix became a cultural legend in the Gen 2 Viper world, and 2) some of the others like the condenser o-rings take way more effort and are out-of-sight-out-of-mind so why change them?

Bottom line, a competent tech needs to evaluate this system, find the leak(s), and repair as necessary.

Very few "techs" have ever laid hands on a Gen 2 Viper. We all know who they are but there are very few of them. Choose wisely before handing that job off to someone.

[Maxpower29]

Should look at the engine mounts also, I just ordered some for mine after reading and being told. Mine were not that great. I did the similar stuff to mine this year you did, basically everything the same I just need to do the clutch now. Drive it and love it

[Ralphie]

Should look at the engine mounts also, I just ordered some for mine after reading and being told. Mine were not that great. I did the similar stuff to mine this year you did, basically everything the same I just need to do the clutch now. Drive it and love it

Maxpower29 - Thanks for the info! I found one motor mount on RockAuto's website. You said you changed multiple motor mounts? Am I missing any?

[Ralphie]

Thanks to @Steve-Indy I was able to find my coolant leak! Steve is such a nice guy to talk to. Anyway this past Saturday a friend (the previous owner) and I were chasing the coolant leak and Steve told me to check the reservoir coolant in the fascia. He mentioned a bolt that protrudes near the bottom of the front bumper and if you bottom out your front bumper the bolt can poke a hole in the bottom corner of the reservoir. Sure enough that was my problem. I am still going to watch my water pump for leaks but I believe I might have my problem solved.

In the picture attached from the camera you can see the hole punctured by the bolt. On the bottom left corner you can see the tip of the bolt.

My buddy input a bolt in the hole along with a rubber grommet and RTV silicone. My next steps are to possibly replace the reservoir or watch the level in it to make sure the fix is not leaking. Also I am going to cut down the length of that bolt that is the issue as it is bound to happen again as I learn the car. This hole was already there as the previous owner always had the same problem as me. He thought he couldn't see the reservoir level because the plastic was so thick and solid that the light colored coolant was not visible. If you think this is the case odds are you don't have ANY coolant in the reservoir.

[Maxpower29]

Maxpower29 - Thanks for the info! I found one motor mount on RockAuto's website. You said you changed multiple motor mounts? Am I missing any?

I went with urethane ones and I also added the transmission one sorry forgot to say. That would make it three. I havent put them in yet but have heard its a good upgrade