Melting Sill......

[JonB]

Unless your car has aftermarket glass or plastic sidesills (sidepods) they cannot melt. OEM sills are aluminum!

Are you talking about the "door surround" piece atop the sidesill? The thing that has the sidesill bolt covers snapped in it? This piece is called the "Hockey Stick" by CAAP, since it looks like one. Black, it runs along the bottom and rear faces of the cabin entry area. It is GLUED on and DIFFICULT to raplace.

That is the most likley area to melt / "bubble" at the very front due to OEM cat heat.

Cover the area with aftermarket sill kits in carbon-look or colors $425 from PartsRack) Others from MGW.

Stop the melt: Install Hi-Flow cats and exhaust from PartsRack or one of the site sponsors here....

 

[Ulysses]

But wouldn't that be covered under warranty? I'ld get it changed out and then do the stuff that Jon suggests. It is a pain to remove judging from the procedure described in the shop manual. Says to grind out the part thats glued on. I imagine you can't do this too often.

 

[Doug Supercharged Vipers]

Jon's right.... Sounds like the door surround molding. You'll find it easier to change your religion than to replace it. Replacement requires cutting it completely down the center and heating the glue to over 200 degrees. I would take Jon up on the offer, change to better flowing cats and carbon sill moldings.

Also make sure the exhaust is properly insulated and not pressed against the molding.

Good luck,
Doug

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Side Sill Heat - Have had sill yellowing on a GT-2 and Silver ACR. Solution remove sills and make sure the position of the exhaust components and insulation are located properly. Paint the inside of the side sill with VHT 1500 paint. Your situation may also involve excess fuel burn off in the cats, a Viper tech can check the engine computer for proper function. To further cool the side sills open the front of the exhaust tunnel. Cover the new opening with a fine SS screen to keep excessive debris from collecting around the exhaust. Jon's idea of high flow cats may be worth while. The good news is this should be covered under warranty unless the exhaust has been modified. Good luck!

 

[Arthur R Davis]

The black panel that surrounds the door has melted on mine. A new one has been ordered, but has yet to get here. It is under warranty(1400 miles). Will tell how hard it is in a few days!!

 

[Supercharged Vipermad]

Guys I had it replaced..A word of advice, it is covered under warranty but they send your car to a private body shop to do this, and really not worth doing..I had my car sills bubble from the heat. Then I had them changed under warranty. They now have the same problem so this time im getting aftermarket sills installed to cover the look...

 

[Matt M PA]

This is the first I have heard of this problem. Dumb question. IS it the inside sill (hockey stick) itself, or possibly adhesive or sealer working it's way out?

 

[Ulysses]

installing Hi-flow cats is generally a cut and replace type of installation.

 

[2charmed]

On my 01 ACR the side sill at the Cat area gets very hot. It seems to get much hotter than the last two Vipers I had. I'm not sure though it may just be I'm more aware of the potential problem. I do have the Borla Cat back and that seems to help the rest of the sill stay cool. As for High Flow Cats, I bought a set only to return them when faced with literally cutting the exhaust to attempt the assembly

If you go the High Flow Cat route be prepared to find a good Viper Tech.

As for the Door Surround (the Hockey Stick per Jon B)melting,
that just *****!
Good luck,
Steve

 

[David Jenkins]

We've done a couple for the bubbles. We didn't replace them. My body guy sanded them flat and then repainted. No return complaints yet. It's been over a year. Don't let the car sit at an idle for any extended amount of time when hot. If you do, the quarter panel, between the wheel opening and the door opening, will even be hot to the touch.dj

 

[LTHL VPR]

This happened on the passenger side of my 2001 ACR w/ 600 miles on it. After realizing what's involved with replacing it, I decided to have them try to grind it out and paint it. In the end, it looked better than from the factory. It only took a few hours too! I would definitely recommend this!
Better than drilling out rivets, pulling fenders, using glue and epoxy to hold it, etc..
-Wayne

 

[Sean Roe]

No Viper Tech (unless he's also the dealerships best body man) is going to be the one to change the surround. Definite a bodyshop job. It would be better to do as has been suggested; sand, fill, paint. The farthest they'd have to go is removing the door.

Regarding installation of high flow cats, it's not difficult and only takes minimal mechanical ability. Remove the 10 screws holding the rocker cover on (8mm or 5/15" socket), unbolt the clamp holding the cat in the side sill resonator, cut the factory exhaust pipe just forward of the cat (takes about 1 minute with a $70 reciprocating saw), slide old cat out, slide new one in, get and install pipe and clamps as needed from Napa / Pep Boys / etc., put rocker covers back on, smile. Side sills cooler, engine sounds better, more power.

 

[Matt M PA]

Good thinking on having the sills painted. When I bought my '96 (new in '98) it had been on the showroom floor, and the black hockey sticks were really messed up from boneheads dragging their feet in and out. I sanded them and repainted them with a exterior black trim paint. It looked great when it was done. My body shop recommended exterior trim black as the color was correct, and they thought it to be more durable.

 

[Arthur R Davis]

I have got a melted sill, but it is melted at the rear of the door, right next to the rubber seal. I installed a set of Roe's cats and they GREATLY reduced the exhaust temps and also elliminated the drown noise.Car sounds better all around.