Pikes Peak trip

[Nashonater]

I took my 2002 RT/10 on a 1400 mile road trip this past weekend to visit my sister in Colorado Springs. I had always wanted a Viper, and I don't love near a track or many fun roads, so I jumped on the chance to take it out west. Literally only downside I found was the lack of cruise control. Doze off a bit and you find yourself doing 100+... sure there are squeaks and rattles and gear whine but hey. Racecar. But I averaged over 20 miles to the gallon at 70+ miles per hour, including taking the car up to the summit of Pikes Peak. I thought I would share a few pictures. It drove fantastic and turned heads the whole way up. At one point I came around a hairpin turn and a line of hikers had their phones out filming me as I drove by. I revved at them but it sounded a bit lackluster due to being at 13k feet of elevation, in my opinion.

 

[capevettes]

Wow! What a trip. That had to be a blast driiving that up Pike's Peak. Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

[BadAzp]

Pikes peak drive is awesome in anything let alone a viper

 

[Tom and Vipers]

Curious to know how fueling/timing behaved since there is only KEY-ON BARO input into the PCM. If you start at the base, that locks in the barometric pressure until the engine is shut off.

 

[Nashonater]

Curious to know how fueling/timing behaved since there is only KEY-ON BARO input into the PCM. If you start at the base, that locks in the barometric pressure until the engine is shut off.

That is good to know! I turned off to take pictures very frequently one both the way up and down, so I didn't notice the fueling being off per se. It didn't have a heavy fueling smell or anything like that, ran cool the whole time (helped that it was 25 degrees at the summit). Man it did feel anemic at the top. I tried to do some spirited pulls when exiting the hairpins, but the power just wasn't there like it is at home (1200 feet or so of elevation in eastern SD).

 

[BadAzp]

Why would they lock out the inputs? Every car in the world adapts its F/A as you drive, thats why fuel injection runs better than a carb set to one point. Even with a carb people have driven up pikes peak with no drivability issues

 

[Nashonater]

I don't have a service manual to read the design/operation of the system on the Viper but it's my understanding A/F ratios will be adjusted due to oxygen sensor readings, so it will pull back fueling as it reads more raw fuel in the exhaust as the result of less oxygen in the atmosphere. I figured the barometric reading is read with the key on engine off, because it would get a false reading with the engine running (air running passed the sensor due to engine vacuum).

 

[Tom and Vipers]

Yes, it records BARO the instant Key On before engine starts (and before it cranks I assume.)
From a distant memory, BARO is used for some exhaust parameter since the MAP needs no adjustment for altitude because it is "absolute pressure."

I've drive over 8000' and HP loss is around 100. HP loss up Pikes Peak is huge:

If GT where to re-introduce the pike's peak hill climb the effect would be even more noticeable as the rally ranges from 9000-15000feet which would result in a 25-45% powerloss depending on the on what height you are at. It seems too much of an important detail to miss.

 

[Nashonater]

Yes, it records BARO the instant Key On before engine starts (and before it cranks I assume.)
From a distant memory, BARO is used for some exhaust parameter since the MAP needs no adjustment for altitude because it is "absolute pressure."

I've drive over 8000' and HP loss is around 100. HP loss up Pikes Peak is huge:

If GT where to re-introduce the pike's peak hill climb the effect would be even more noticeable as the rally ranges from 9000-15000feet which would result in a 25-45% powerloss depending on the on what height you are at. It seems too much of an important detail to miss.

The plaque at the visitors center said 60% oxygen at the peak. I assume that means 60% power for a naturally aspirated engine. It sure felt sluggish.

 

[23Diesel]

I really kick myself for not going to this! I live 4 hrs away in grand junction. Would have been amazing to hang out with you guys and talk vipers.