SRT Engineering Chat HERE on June 21st!

[Marv S]

Once again the folks from SRT have generously offered to host a chat here for Viper owners (and prospective owners). It will take place here on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time (that's 4:00 Central, 3:00 Mountain and 2:00 Pacific).

Now this is your chance to chat directly with SRT employees about the Viper platform - be it old or new. Just understand that questions and comments about future product will be ignored if not deleted by our moderating staff first. Chrysler/SRT personnel are strictly forbidden from commenting about future product.

As always, we encourage you to start posting questions here immediately. Our web staff will consolidate those questions into one reply before the actual chat starts and SRT will review them beforehand as well. As stated above, we reserve the right to edit or delete those questions that SRT cannot answer due to company policy.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Michelin has released a new Pilot Supersport tire. Do you know anything about them, and would you consider them to be a appropriate tire for our various generation Vipers? Any suggestions or concerns.

Also, as our Vipers get older, do you suggest any specific suspension maintenance to help keep the handling performance on a par to when they left the factory?

And let me be the first on this chat to say thanks to you engineers for the fantastic work that you have accomplished by making the Viper such a fantastic driving experience.

 

[Bobpantax]

It had previously been mentioned that a fix for the window regulator/ body module problem was in the works. That was quite some time ago. What happened? Why does the window regulation on my 2009 Challenger work flawlessly and the system on my 2006 Viper requires frequent attention. Was a different vendor used for the regulator/body module in the Viper?

 

[EZ 2B Green]

Can you tell us what data is captured by on-board computers in the event of an air bag deployment in the Gen IV Viper? Also, is this data downloadable by insurance companies and/or law enforcement? I am assuming that the 2008-2010 models are the same. If there is a difference between the model years for data capture please describe those differences as well. Thanks!

 

[Art 138]

On one ocassion I heard a loud "bang" shifting from 1st to 2nd at high RPM (Gen IV ACR)......I noticed that someone posted a thread mentioning the same issue; some think it comes as a result of wheel-hop; Question: what drive train parts are making contact to cause this noise????

 

[Bobpantax]

How about having a button on the dashboard in the new Viper that allows one to clear out the adaptives in the computer? Same question for SRT8 models. I think that it is needed so that when someone else drives the car, the button can be pushed before he or she gets in so that the car does not respond to their input as if the regular driver was driving.

Also, will the small delay between throttle input and reaction be eliminated in the future? I have not driven a 392 so if it has ben eliminated there, I am not aware of it. My modded Gen III and my modded Lightning both have a mechanical throttle and I much prefer it over the electronic throttles in my Jeep and Challenger.

 

[EZ 2B Green]

I just attended the SRT Track Experience in New Hampshire. Everyone had a great time and several of us have a request. Would you please build an SRT Durango!
Please Ralph!

BTW: The SRT Track guys were a great bunch!

 

[Barrels]

Why is my battery on the driver's side?

 

[Chelseasnake]

are the srt guys going to go back to the ring soon with the 2010 acr?

 

[ACRsnake]

I was thinking of buying ACRx canards , will they make a difference in downforce ?My viper is a 09 ACR

Can i replace the rear battery heavy metal cover with a Carbon fiber one or is the metal one needed for crash protection?

Is it recommeded that after a 6 months stroage period the engine oil be changed (it had 1500 miles of use )?

Do you think upgrading the spark plugs to high end after market expensive ones would yield any more power or mileage ?

 

[BlknBlu]

I hear that the ACR-X cars that have been running in the Viper Cup have been having clutch problems and most of them have been replaced. Is this a known defect with the tranny and will spill over to the production GEN IV cars?

thanks
Bruce

 

[ViperGeorge]

You've probably seen threads on this site about ACRs and ACR-Xs having problems with strut brackets breaking loose on the rear hatch (mostly driver's side). Any update or plans for a service bulletin?

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

How do you guys feel about the new Corvette ZR1 taking the Ring record away from Viper? A re-match in the works?

 

[viperbilliam]

The gas tank capacity of the Gen IV was reduced to 16 gallons from the 19 in the Gen III. Why was that?

 

[MikeG]

Many VCA members have commented that they are experiencing issues with door hinge springs breaking, presumably because they are too weak. I think this is an issue with Generation I & II Vipers. I have a Gen II Viper and am consequently concerned, especially since this could occur at an inconvenient and inopportune time. Is Dodge aware of this, and is there a "Fix" for this? I would like to address the issue before it occurs, but do not really know what to do. Any thoughts or ideas?

 

[Schulmann]

Question on body roll on race track.

I have a stock 2006 Dodge Coupe that I use for club lapping. It is a very reliable car as it. It has the stock suspension.

When I take a tight turn the rear of the Viper has some tendancy to lift. The full weight of the car is on the front out side wheel.

I have also a race BMW. When I take the same tight turn the weight of the car is on the rear, I can transfer the weight to the rear, BMW runs on 3 wheels ...
I can't do this with the Viper, there is not enough grip.

What can I do to reduce this weight transfer and body roll ?
What are the most cost effective solutions ?

 

[challenger&viper]

Is installing power adders like S/C, turbo or nitrous possible or impossible for GEN 4 vipers??

Do you have any plan or think about making a MOPAR s/C system or nitrous kit for GEN 4 vipers ??.since you know the 8.4 engine very well


thanks

 

[Chelseasnake]

in my 2008 coupe i had both side windows blow out at differant times and sides .i know of other people that had the same thing happen to them. now i drive with the window down a bit ,what could cause this?

 

[Schulmann]

Question on down shifting resistance.

I have a stock 2006 Coupe.
Under very heavy braking (ABS is nearly on) I have noticed a resistance from downshifting from 4th gear to 3rd gear.
The engin revs 6000rpm in 4th gear then I brake very hard and down shift into 3th.

I have a very strange feel in the shifter, like if something was kicking back the shifter.
It is not the high rpm resistance ...

What is it ?

 

[TrackAire]

There is talk of a new ACRX lightweight clutch and flywheel assembly that's been approved for the Dodge Viper Cup this season. Can you speak on this?

Is the clutch for race only and is there a more streetable version for us regular Viper owners who want the performance advantages while maintaining civility?

Thanks in advance,
George

 

[bbirch]

For a 2006 Coupe in stock condition and not tracked, is there any need to upgrade the rear half shafts to solid shafts or make other changes to the driveline? Reason for asking is cool weather wheel hop during spirited driving and clunking/bucking of the driveline at certain low speed driving conditions such as going downhill in low gear off of the throttle. thanks in advance

 

[Bobpantax]

Motor and/or tranny mounts.

Question on down shifting resistance.

I have a stock 2006 Coupe.
Under very heavy braking (ABS is nearly on) I have noticed a resistance from downshifting from 4th gear to 3rd gear.
The engin revs 6000rpm in 4th gear then I brake very hard and down shift into 3th.

I have a very strange feel in the shifter, like if something was kicking back the shifter.
It is not the high rpm resistance ...

What is it ?

 

[Bobpantax]

It is my understanding that the 392 engine programming has an unprecedented number of protective algorithms in it. The Gen IV programming, to my knowledge, has not been cracked by any calibration house outside of SRT. Is this a trend to make more serious after market mods more difficult? If so, shouldn't Mopar step up to the plate with more available mods? I am not asking you to discuss new product - just your thoughts on the subject of Mopar offering more mods.

 

[Mambamike]

I have a 2006 coup with stock trans. I want to change the 5th and 6th gear to .80 - 5th and .64 - 6th like the 2010 Viper. Wondering if Dodge would be providing this gears to buy? I'm also going to change rear gears to 3.54 or 3.73... Question, What would be the pro and con on this set up over what I have stock now? (performance advantages) Will I lose top end and improve bottom end or lose bottom end and improve top end and what would happen to my high speed acceleration... Thanks Again

 

[Bobpantax]

Which brakes ( actually the discs) are more robust, those on the regular Gen III or IV coupe or the ACR discs. I am not asking which stop better. I am asking which discs last longer. Assume that they are both used for daily driving and an occasional track day.

 

[M_viper]

Is there a solution to tunning the GEN 4 vipers? or does the Mopar PCM the only tunning ability we could get for our GEN 4 vipers..

if not then will there be a solution now that the GEN 4's are no more..

 

[Chelseasnake]

i have a friend that has a 2000 gts, he wants to know can you swap out the gas and brake padels from a gts to 08-10 cars? the reason is he likes to use the heel to toe when he is on the track. he says it is not as easy on the 08-10 cars. has anyone tried to retro fit one yet?

 

[Canyon707]

I get an ocassional P0300 code after drag racing my car. My question is does the code activate instantly on the rev limiter or does it appear later on. After running a few timed runs I hit the rev limiter ( it happens) and the car seems fine but on the ride home driving normally I get a light. Does this have anything to do with the light? Does the light appear later than the incident? Or are the two not even related,

 

[VJR3]

Hi, Ive been looking for a solution. I have 97 GTS B/W, I just bought it last year with 9,680 miles on it. Within my first 3weeks of ownership the engine fan relay melted and damaged the relay box in the corner where it goes. So I installed a roe fan timer to have an opperation engine fan. The thing I want to fix is without that relay (which can't be put back in) is the check engine light is on. I just want to get the engine light off.
What can I do? Fan works great, I just want that check engine light off.

Thanks
Victor

 

[TrackAire]

Can SRT give an opinion regarding billet aluminum steering rack bushings on Gen3/4's. I've read on the VCA forum that the steering feel is increased and more precise, but one post stated they may be dangerous in that there is no "give" and may cause a steering failure if you hit a pothole at speed, etc.

What does SRT think of this modification from a safety viewpoint?

Thanks,
George