Valve train noise

[Moose82169]

my 2003 viper srt -10 has a noisy valve train. Does anyone else have this problem? What could possibly be wrong?

 

[quick2tr]

my 2003 viper srt -10 has a noisy valve train. Does anyone else have this problem? What could possibly be wrong?

Mine makes noticeable (but acceptable) lifter noise between 500-2000rpms after engine is warm.

Thought I remember previous threads indicating the lifters were draining to quickly. Also mention of heavier weight motor oil.

 

[Vipera Russelli]

How noisy is it? If it's going CLANK-CLANK-CLANK-CLANK-CLANK!!!, a rod may have come out of rocker cup. I've seen it before and the car was driven for over two hundred miles in that condition.

 

[BigCarrot]

Mine is noisy too. I think it's just the way they are.

 

[vegas guy]

Mine also..I think some of it is from the injectors.

 

[SCLSSRT10]

Most of these cars have this noise. When I first started driving it I thought I broke something in the valve train. The noise you are hearing is the injectors firing. But you should not be able to hear this when driving down the road. If you can take it to your dealer for service ASAP and or have someone else in the area with an SRT10 come give it a listen.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Just out of interest, Matt...do you KNOW for CERTAIN that your 03 Viper was or was not listed as being included in the valve recall ??

 

[Skip White]

When these motors are fully heat soaked, they do tend to have a somewhat loose sound. This is partly do to the unusual amount of valve stem clearance, and the engine heads are of very light aluminum casting, ten cylinders rather then eight. Do not run a heavier oil than what's recommended. This is bad for many reasons, regardless what others may think. Never over 30 WT, unless your engine is completly wore out, and your oil pressure is low, speaking of oil pressure, the SRT engine runs around 100 when cold, heavier oil could do severe damage to the engine when cold.

Skip White

 

[Viper X]

Listen very carefully to the sound. As SCLSSRT10 says, many of us first thought we were hearing valve train noises that turned out to be the clicking of the injectors. You'll get used to it.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Skip, I appreciate what you are saying ("Never over 30 WT, unless your engine is completly wore out, and your oil pressure is low, speaking of oil pressure, the SRT engine runs around 100 when cold, heavier oil could do severe damage to the engine when cold.").

BUT, with the factory fill in the 2005's being 0W-40, one can't help but wonder if there are indeed differences in the 05's vs. the 03's and 04's. Do you know of any such changes in the 05's ? Thanks, in advance!

 

[Skip White]

I didn't know they upped the weight range on the 05's I'm sure the clearances allow for this, and I wonder if they changed this. Really 40 is not to big of a junp. Ford is running 5w-20 and stricly warn against the use of heavy weight oil. It's said to cause serious damage.

Skip White

 

[scottcot]

I hear this "chatter" sound too. I hear it as my RPM climbs, especially obvious in 1st and 2nd gear from about 1.5k to 3k RPM. I took it to a viper tech in the area, we both used his stethoscope to listen to the ports and it all sounded normal to him. It's just another instrument in the symphony now

Now then, my transmission makes odd clunking sounds when I engage/disengage the clutch sometimes, whether I'm moving or not sometimes, but mostly it seems to be in response to load transfer and RPM mismatch on the shift. When I'm moving slowly through a parking lot in 1st gear and RPM starts to get low, the car starts to do that spasming "I need more juice!" motion, and sometimes shifting or giving it gas again will create a terrible sounding/feeling clunk. I think this is just me learning the nuances of this transmission, but I still wonder if there's a transmission issue. The same viper tech took the small flywheel cover off and used a screwdriver to rotate the flywheel, trying to see if there was anything obviously wrong, but didn't spot anything. It's just part of the fun.

 

[blonzz]

I hear this "chatter" sound too. I hear it as my RPM climbs, especially obvious in 1st and 2nd gear from about 1.5k to 3k RPM. I took it to a viper tech in the area, we both used his stethoscope to listen to the ports and it all sounded normal to him. It's just another instrument in the symphony now

Now then, my transmission makes odd clunking sounds when I engage/disengage the clutch sometimes, whether I'm moving or not sometimes, but mostly it seems to be in response to load transfer and RPM mismatch on the shift. When I'm moving slowly through a parking lot in 1st gear and RPM starts to get low, the car starts to do that spasming "I need more juice!" motion, and sometimes shifting or giving it gas again will create a terrible sounding/feeling clunk. I think this is just me learning the nuances of this transmission, but I still wonder if there's a transmission issue. The same viper tech took the small flywheel cover off and used a screwdriver to rotate the flywheel, trying to see if there was anything obviously wrong, but didn't spot anything. It's just part of the fun.

I just picked up a Copperhead on 06/11
I have the noisy injectors mentioned. I thought it was valve train as well.

I also occasionally have the spasmodic action you described when the RPM drops while slowly moving and decelerating in first.

Is this normal?

John

 

[SnakeEye]

John - The 3.07 miser gears and short driveshaft may be what is causing that 'spasmodic action' you notice at very low speed while in 1st gear ... this is not an uncommon drivetrain observation.

 

[Viper X]

It can take some practice to drive this car very slowly with the 3.07 gears - just like driving it very quickly. Wait till you add heads, roller rockers and some boost. You'll get used to it.

Dan

 

[Racer Robbie]

what you are really hearing is the fuel injectors which are quite loud