LOUD NOISE...NOT GOOD???

[DEVILDOG]

Had the Viper out yesterday after installing some Dynomax 12" bullit racing mufflers for some high rpm, high speed sound testing. Re-entered my closed course test highway on an on ramp that I had not previously been on and ran 1st gear up to 5600 rpm for shift to 2nd at the crest of the ramp where there was a raised transistion seam (our tax $$$s at work) in the ramp right where my rear wheels were at the shift. Heard an extremely loud metal to metal bang. I have Unitrax extreme duty half shafts. The owner of Kinney's mufler shop was with me so we went back and put it up on the lift to inspect for any damage. I checked the rearend, halfshafts, mounting points, springs, etc. and did not notice any apparant damage (also have had the 998 frame recall done. Seems to run and handle fine, however, I'm still concerned I may have missed something as the noise was very loud and I have never heard anything like it before. Is there any explanation for the noise that would be normal in those circumstances that I need not worry about? Could it have been full spring compression? I was going too fast to notice any rear end squat. Thanks for any input.

 

[Casey]

Were you going straight or a curve when you heard the sound?

 

[DEVILDOG]

Going straight up a 30 degree incline.

 

[SylvanSRT]

shock bottoming out possibly?

 

[1 Bad Snake]

Are you still hearing the noise? If so, I would check to make sure that your mufflers didn't come loose. I had one of the clamps come loose when I first put my new system on and it made a pretty good bang when it came loose, you may also notice a small vibration that is what lead me to the problem.

 

[DEVILDOG]

No...mufflers were welded in no clamps and all exhaust hangers are intact. Thanks for the input though.

 

[DEVILDOG]

shock bottoming out possibly?

Possibly. I have never experienced this before so don't know. The odds of hitting a high rpm/tq shift right on top of a raised pavement seam while traveling up a 30 degree incline are pretty remote. Was wondering if anyone else had had that happen and experienced the noise.

 

[SylvanSRT]

*** hole? do you have those in texas?

 

[DEVILDOG]

*** hole? do you have those in texas?

No pothole. It was as I described. However, we do have potholes. Mostly we have steep incline entrances to driveways and from the roads to other public, business entrances and unbelievable dips in the roads especially at intersections. No way I'll ever lower my car even though I'd like to.

 

[Blue Pilot]

Why are our tax dollars funding your private road course?

 

[DEVILDOG]

Why are our tax dollars funding your private road course?

Trying to create jobs that can't be done in China or India.

 

[SapphireGTS]

I have had a loud clunk at downshift. The weld on the rear exhaust hanger was busted and it was the sound of the exhaust hitting the bottom of my car.

If it drives fine, doesnt smoke, and doesnt smell funny, its probably a fluke.

 

[Torquemonster]

MOst cars have rubber stoppers which still create a loud bang when a car is bottomed out - but if the sound was metal on metal I don't know - unless there are no rubber stoppers on the Viper - I've never checked.

Even one wheel hitting the stoppers can make your teeth fall out. Shouldn't damage anything though unless you were jumping it

 

[DEVILDOG]

MOst cars have rubber stoppers which still create a loud bang when a car is bottomed out - but if the sound was metal on metal I don't know - unless there are no rubber stoppers on the Viper - I've never checked.

Even one wheel hitting the stoppers can make your teeth fall out. Shouldn't damage anything though unless you were jumping it

Thanks. Makes sense. My teeth didn't fall out, however, it did scare the $hit out of me. Anyone know if we have rubber stoppers?

 

[Qualitywires.com]

devildog,

I don't think it was a case of bottoming out, I think you would have noticed scrapes under your car. I had something similar happen to me before. I was 1st gear one time and rev it about 4500 rpms and push in my clutch then shifted to 2nd real fast and I heard this loud "bang!" from the rear. I thought I had busted my transmission or shafts. I looked under the car and found no damage. I suspect the noise came from gears hitting real hard or something like that. I have had no problems ever since. When I did shift into second, I think I had a little wheel hop going and maybe when you shifted you got a little air too.

 

[DEVILDOG]

devildog,

I don't think it was a case of bottoming out, I think you would have noticed scrapes under your car. I had something similar happen to me before. I was 1st gear one time and rev it about 4500 rpms and push in my clutch then shifted to 2nd real fast and I heard this loud "bang!" from the rear. I thought I had busted my transmission or shafts. I looked under the car and found no damage. I suspect the noise came from gears hitting real hard or something like that. I have had no problems ever since. When I did shift into second, I think I had a little wheel hop going and maybe when you shifted you got a little air too.

ab,
That makes even better sense to me. Actually, I also thought it could have been the gears hitting hard too, however, I did not think that the spacing between the gears being engaged was big enough to allow enough travel before engagement to create that loud of a noise. That does explain my sense that it was a metal against metal impact that I heard. I'll tell you one thing for sure and that is if it was a gear to gear impact that I heard we have one tuff gearbox in our cars. That noise was damn loud! Can't believe I didn't break any teeth...gear teeth that is. Thanks for sharing your experience. I believe that was what happenned as I have a TNT short shifter and shift very quickly and probably did get some momentary wheel hop or got a little air at just the right instant while shifting due to the raised seam in the road. Guess I got away with no damage.

 

[Ray W]

I have made a loud bang in my GTS & RT/10.

The most common comes when the car does not fully engage a gear when shifting, it really bangs loud when it pops out of
gear.

The other is when I broke some teeth off of the spyder gears in the rear. You can usually go in a parking lot and
make left and right circles and you will hear snapping or popping noises if any teeth are broken.

 

[GCHDEALER]

I have had the same thing happen to me as ab stated. I do not think it will be anything to worry about.
C~

 

[Eddie N]

Maybe it was your ego popping and finally deflating?

 

[GCHDEALER]

Maybe it was your ego popping and finally deflating?

awe...harsh

 

[carguy07]

I have experienced that in my Viper and actually most of my RWD cars. Seems like if you hit a crack in the road at full throttle, one of the wheels will either grab it or jump a little and slam when it hooks back up. Have sworn I broke transmission mounts or teeth a number of times. Never found any damage later. Just scares the crap out of you when it happens. Of course Ohio roads fn ****!

 

[Viper Specialty]

I had an incredibly loud BANG in my car when I let a fellow Viper owner test out my shift light in my car... I swear I thought I left the diff in the middle of the road. almost sounded like the diff/trans bounced up and hit the bottom of the car. Since them I have replaced my half shafts, taken out my diff and inspected it while changing the fluid/putting in a drain plug, had my driveshaft out, etc... never did discover what the he!! made the noise, and nothing ever came of it again. the closest I have ever come to the sound again was durring wheel hop in some cold weather.

 

[Craig 201 MPH]

Maybe it was your ego popping and finally deflating?

10 points :rofl:

 

[joe117]

I had it happen one time. I believe it was wheel hop. Just a little hop and then back down and catch. Big clank. No problem.

 

[2BADD 4U]

Why are our tax dollars funding your private road course?

LOLOLOL

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

I think you are fine,but you probably answered your own question by discussing how you shift. A hard and jerky shift, could really engage your driveline hard and even with heavy duty halfshafts a independent rear set-up can have alot of driveline lash. You probably banged the gears a little on the unsmooth side ) we have all done that ) and the consequence was the Snake letting you know it didn't like that. Best of luck and hope all is well.

 

[DEVILDOG]

Thanks to all who responded with useful information. I appreciate your help.

 

[DEVILDOG]

Maybe it was your ego popping and finally deflating?

Imagine a VIPER owner having an elevated ego....who would of thought?

 

[Kurt 97 GTS]

Hey, DD, the guys at the four seasons wanted me to tell ya "hi"!!