Skip shift...

[radta7]

Will this work?
Is this the part everyone is using?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/93-05-Dodge-Viper-CAGS-Skip-Shift-Eliminator_W0QQitemZ8013556177QQcategoryZ33736QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Yep that looks like it

 

[Anaconda]

"Push in device" = bent resistor from Radio Shack that costs like 10 cents.

EDIT: But it also requires at least an inch of electrical tape. Add another penny for supplies there.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Or even cheaper than $0.12, just push the gas pedal a little harder before you shift out of 1st

 

[DrDJ]

Or even cheaper than $0.12, just push the gas pedal a little harder before you shift out of 1st

I know gas prices have dropped lately, but not that far!

The listing is actually very accurate, but look at the tiny picture - there's the part you would be buying, a small resistor that is "plugged" into the connector. The resistor is 2200 ohm (one gold band and three red bands.)

At least they refunded my money without any hassle.

 

[KHitman]

I haven't heard of this "skip shift" before. Am I reading that correctly that if you have the rpms blow a certain number that the car will shift from 1st to 4th instead of 1st to 2nd?

that seems odd, but I don't have a viper yet.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I haven't heard of this "skip shift" before. Am I reading that correctly that if you have the rpms blow a certain number that the car will shift from 1st to 4th instead of 1st to 2nd?

that seems odd, but I don't have a viper yet.

You actually have to shift the car into 4th yourself. 2nd and 3rd gear are "locked out" until you get the RPM's up. It was something Dodge had to do to improve gas mileage and be in line with emissions standards. Basically a bunch of government regulations BS. I just put a little more gas to it and shift to 2nd.

 

[PDCjonny]

For the life of me I can not see why this is even an issue, what RPM are you guys shifting at?

 

[Anaconda]

Read this. It is from the illustrated upgrades on this site...

http://www.viperclub.org/instructions/skipshift.html

EDIT: But you don't need to buy that connector thing. You just need the resistor.

 

[bth1]

The Skip shift feature was also on the last gen Camaro and Firebird. When I had mt camaro it was a real pain when stuck around traffic (which is always in NJ) or just driving more mellow--it always seemed to be going off and was kind of a hazard in my opinon.

Granted I just got my Viper but the Skip Shift has not been an issue.

If installing the skip shift just make sure you don't put the cap on the reverse lock-out which I believe is back further towards the rear of the car. I did that on the camaro the first time and it made it VERY difficult to put it into reverse until I figured out what I did.

 

[KHitman]

I see... Guess that will be one of my first mods, or i'll just keep the rpms up before I shift.

I have a sneaking suspicion i'll be driving the car pretty hard for the first month or two anyway.

 

[Johann]

For the life of me I can not see why this is even an issue, what RPM are you guys shifting at?

With the amount of low end torque available I sometimes (like in medium-slow traffic jams) find it more convenient to "short shift" which the skip shift prevents.

The $0.12 RS resistor gives me the choice.

 

[JonB]

The SkipShift is federally dictated on manual trans cars that have a high gas-guzzler tax, and that "feature" results in a smaller guzzler tax than otherwise would have been assigned.

KHitman, Ill bring one to the VCA meeting tomorrow.... you just need to show up.

 

[01sapphireGTS]

Order part number JET-61610 from Summit Racing. Made by JET Performance Products, around $30

 

[94RT10Ohio]

I had purchased one for my Formula a few years back and never installed. When I had my console apart on the Viper to install my shifter I used the Formula part on the Viper.... An interchangable GM/Dodge aftermarket part!!

 

[Anaconda]

Order part number JET-61610 from Summit Racing. Made by JET Performance Products, around $30

Why would you tell someone to spend $30 on a part, when they can do the same exact thing for well under a dollar? Do you work for JET Performance or something?

People, this is a part that you will never see. It's under your car!

 

[santo]

This is a question that I had. Does a shift from 1st to 4th actually save fuel? Seems to me you have to press the gas pedal harder to generate the torque to move the car in 4th when coming out of 1st. I figured that if you go through the gears at a very low rpm, THAT would be more fuel efficient, no?

Santo

 

[96GTS]

The skip shift solenoid prevents the operator from shifting into 2nd or 3rd gear during certain conditions. The PCM controls the skip shift solenoid. The PCM locks out 2nd and 3rd gear when all of the following conditions are met:

Engine coolant exceeds 41*C (106*F)
Vehicle speed is between 12 and 18 MPH
Engine operating above 608 RPM
The PCM verified first gear speed/RPM
Throttle position sensor signal is less than 0.068 volt above closed throttle (23% throttle opening)
The solenoid resets when vehicle speed drops below 2 MPH

 

[steel snake]

For the life of me I can not see why this is even an issue, what RPM are you guys shifting at?

My sentiments exactly. It's a Godd**m Viper. Romp on it. I've never even experienced skip shift.

 

[Randy]

For the life of me I can not see why this is even an issue, what RPM are you guys shifting at?

My sentiments exactly. It's a Godd**m Viper. Romp on it. I've never even experienced skip shift.

Telling someone to just "romp on it" is fairly useless advice in many situations. If you put many miles on your Viper it is likely that you might get stuck in traffic someday, and it only takes getting locked out of the gear you want to shift into *once* for you to want to disable the skip shift. I think it took 18 months for me to hit the skip shift the first time about 7 years ago, and I yanked the plug out of the transmission about 3 hours later (you can just pull the plug on Gen I's without installing any resister). When I did the inspection of my Gen II and had it up on the rack, I went ahead and put the resister in, rather than have the skip shift hit someday in the future.

 

[santo]

I hit the skip shift several times in the 5 or six times I've had the opportunity to drive the car so far. I know how to make it happen easily and how to avoid it. It goes something like this...

In my 2001 RT/10, as I accelerate in 1st, the shift light comes on. The light goes out after I accelerate further and get the RPMs up. After the light goes out, I can shift into 2nd. If I shift while the light is on, I am forced into 4th.

I really don't mind it but I can't see how this is saving gas as the engine is "lugging" to in low RPMs while in 4th, right after first. You have to press the gas pedal harder to get the RPMs up which seems to me to be more of a waste of gas. I'm sure my logic is flawed but I'm confused.

Santo

 

[Cop Magnet]

For the life of me I can not see why this is even an issue, what RPM are you guys shifting at?

My sentiments exactly. It's a Godd**m Viper. Romp on it. I've never even experienced skip shift.

Telling someone to just "romp on it" is fairly useless advice in many situations. If you put many miles on your Viper it is likely that you might get stuck in traffic someday, and it only takes getting locked out of the gear you want to shift into *once* for you to want to disable the skip shift. I think it took 18 months for me to hit the skip shift the first time about 7 years ago, and I yanked the plug out of the transmission about 3 hours later (you can just pull the plug on Gen I's without installing any resister). When I did the inspection of my Gen II and had it up on the rack, I went ahead and put the resister in, rather than have the skip shift hit someday in the future.

Exactly. Everytime this topic comes up, which it does a lot (hint: search function), half the answers are to buy the skip-shift, the other half are to "drive faster". If this were such a non-issue, 80% of us wouldn't have them on our cars. I'm glad everyone is so macho they can drive like they are at the drag races each and every day, but some of us do real-world driving also.

 

[Anaconda]

All I know is that it cost me less than a buck to make mine never possibly happen again, and not get a check engine light. It's an annoying "feature" and if it happens to you just one time, you will realize the time/effort/cost of removing it is well worth it.

Actually, if you can tolerate the check engine light being on, it's totally free to disable the skip-shift. Just unplug the harness.

 

[steel snake]

Well Cop Mag, Didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'll re-phrase: discretionary romping. And "macho" IS what Vipers are all about whether you're male or female. That's why God invented Miatas; so we'd know the difference. Fortunately, stop and go is behind me. Skip shift in that context would drive me nuts, and it's a short drive.

 

[DrDJ]

For anyone with an aftermarket exhaust, your neighbors prefer a disabled skip shift over "Romping on it" any day (or night.)

 

[PDCjonny]

Shifting above 2500 RPM is hardly "romping" on it.

 

[forensicsteve]

I drive my GTS to work (1.6 miles) and around town in mostly light traffic, daily. I keep my rpms mostly in the 1500 rpm range, often less. I have found that if I wait a second or two after the "skip shift" light has come on...the light goes off and I can shift into 2nd or 3rd without having to increase the rpms.

 

[Janni]

I hit the skip shift several times in the 5 or six times I've had the opportunity to drive the car so far. I know how to make it happen easily and how to avoid it. It goes something like this...

In my 2001 RT/10, as I accelerate in 1st, the shift light comes on. The light goes out after I accelerate further and get the RPMs up. After the light goes out, I can shift into 2nd. If I shift while the light is on, I am forced into 4th.

I really don't mind it but I can't see how this is saving gas as the engine is "lugging" to in low RPMs while in 4th, right after first. You have to press the gas pedal harder to get the RPMs up which seems to me to be more of a waste of gas. I'm sure my logic is flawed but I'm confused.

Santo

Bravo!

IMO - if you are hitting the skip shift in slow moving traffic - you are lugging the engine in 4th and not being particularly kind to your car. What's wrong with keeping the car in first????

 

[Anaconda]

Why don't you people just spend a dollar and like five minutes and remove it anyway, instead of arguing about it, because you think you are better than people who have hit the skip-shift????

 

[Cop Magnet]

The thing I love about my car most is the torque. I think we'd all agree on that. Asided from the obvious benefits of torque, it is nice to be able to ease away from a stop in slow moving traffic without needing to zing the throttle like a Ferrari driver. You can actually do almost anything in any gear, not that I'd recommend it.

Just because there are instances where you might like to shift at slower speeds, does not mean you are "lugging it in 4th". We are talking about 1st to 2nd. The skip-shift is what forces you to "lug it in 4th". What's wrong with putting it in 2nd if you feel like it? Certainly less than what's wrong with keeping it in 1st, which is almost nothing.

Dodge put this feature to save gas, so obviously some people are falling into that range of use. What's so wrong with my driving if I see the utility of getting rid of it?