Viper Tech in Austin Texas

[Phil Lee 94 red RT]

Just had the head gaskets replaced on my Gen I by Chris Pharr of Atomic 4X4 & Perormance. Chris has been working on Vipers since 1995. The service was great.
Chris has a very high standard of quality. I watched him for hours, paying attention to every detail. His rates are more than fair, and I feel he didn't charge me enough for all the work he did. It's nice to know that there's someone that can service your ride that loves Vipers as much as you do. Thanks Chris for getting me going again.
Any Viper owners in the Austin area should give Chris a call if you need any work done. His number is 512-215-1720 or 512 310-5875.

 

[mit]

I second the recommendation on Chris. Great guy to work with.

 

[got one]

Well, I will have to second that one. Chris was trained by the best (you know who you are) and is only 12 minutes away from my house in Round Rock, Tx. I as well watched as he
1. Replaced my entire exhaust system
2. Changed my oil and clutch fluid
3. Stopped a slow dipstick tube oil leak
4. Replaced my u-joint loops
5. Did a full check on the car to see if anything looked out of place

All the above with no grease marks, fingerprints or any sign of dis-repsect to the car...now that is rare!

Chris is convenient, fast and his prices enable me to still be able to afford to keep it on the road.

I feel a tech session coming on...

 

[getbit]

David Weaver at has always exceeded my expectations.
He is located right off of I35 at American Racing Technologies owned by Cody Whitehead in Buda, TX...great location for us South Austin guys!

I haven't used Chris but it is great to have a well recommended alternative in Austin. Thanks for the info!

 

[Phil Lee 94 red RT]

David and Chris worked together at Maxwell Dodge until that dealer stopped working on Vipers.

 

[viper spray]

I know both of them and they both worked on my car together. Great guys doing great work.

 

[nicholas8]

Does anybody have any recent recommendations for a Viper Tech in the North Austin/Round Rock/Georgetown area?
Took my car to a dealership saying they can work on it only to call me back to saying they changed the oil but couldn't do anything else. I am hesitant to take it to another dealership without a tech working there.
Thank you!

 

[GTSnake]

Thanks for digging this up. I'm looking for one around ATX too. I'm guessing that Chris isn't around anymore?

 

[GTS Dean]

Calvo Motorsports. They are more into Gen 4-5. Depends on what you're needing done.

 

[nicholas8]

Thanks for digging this up. I'm looking for one around ATX too. I'm guessing that Chris isn't around anymore?

I called both the numbers listed above from 2007 just to see if by chance still his number. 1 number was disconnect and the other was generic voicemail and didn't leave a message.

Calvo Motorsports. They are more into Gen 4-5. Depends on what you're needing done.

Thank you! I will contact them and see if they will do service or just performance upgrades. Hard to tell by their website.

I will report back when I find somebody.

 

[GTSnake]

I tried them. They don't roll out of bed for anything under $10k. They only do big jobs.

 

[nicholas8]

Thank you for the heads up about Calvo.

I called a shop that specializes in classic cars but said he can work on the Viper and will do service work. Change fluids, new rotors and brakes, etc... Not a Viper Tech but he seemed very knowledgeabIe. I will keep you posted if I decide to use him.

Mac Haik in Georgetown said they don't have a Viper Tech but again somebody there that can work on them. The service manager I talked to said he has a Viper and this particular guy at Mac Haik does the work on his.

We'll see. As nice it as it would be to have a Viper Tech it looks like that might not be an option here locally.

 

[GTS Dean]

The Viper is just a Dodge, with all systems designed, engineered, manufactured, installed and serviced just like any other Dodge vehicle. The Gen 1 and Gen 2 cars were all, literally, as easy to figure out as a base model stripper RAM pickup.

 

[GTSnake]

The Viper is just a Dodge, with all systems designed, engineered, manufactured, installed and serviced just like any other Dodge vehicle. The Gen 1 and Gen 2 cars were all, literally, as easy to figure out as a base model stripper RAM pickup.

Yes and No. Sure it's an ICE car just like everything else out there but Vipers are basically hand built low volume craft cars. So there are many systems unique to Vipers such as engine controllers, body packaging, not to mention 2 more cylinders. How many other cars have an 8+ liter V10? That's another whole can of issues.

 

[GTS Dean]

The engine uses Chrysler family architecture on the ECM. The V-10 is a V-8 with 2 more cylinders hung on one end. It's a double-wishbone suspension at both ends, which is the same configuration as the Challenger and Charger. They are nothing to be afraid of, but you would do well to own a service manual or CD set for it. I know more about my car than even the Viper Techs did at my dealer.

 

[nicholas8]

That was my initial thought too... it is just a dodge.

But after the getting told from the dealerships they won't do basic service requests, it had me questioning.

But I agree, I am sure it is not difficult to work on it and I could figure it out on my own, it would just be nice to be able to take it to someone that I know will do a good job and it won't be their first time working on one.

There are certain things I enjoy working on and will do myself, but other things would rather have someone else take care of.

And perhaps your point is don't be scared to find somebody that is not a Viper Tech to work on it.

 

[GTSnake]

The engine uses Chrysler family architecture on the ECM. The V-10 is a V-8 with 2 more cylinders hung on one end. It's a double-wishbone suspension at both ends, which is the same configuration as the Challenger and Charger. They are nothing to be afraid of, but you would do well to own a service manual or CD set for it. I know more about my car than even the Viper Techs did at my dealer.

Chrysler engineers would have stroke if they read this. lol

 

[GTSnake]

That was my initial thought too... it is just a dodge.

But after the getting told from the dealerships they won't do basic service requests, it had me questioning.

But I agree, I am sure it is not difficult to work on it and I could figure it out on my own, it would just be nice to be able to take it to someone that I know will do a good job and it won't be their first time working on one.

There are certain things I enjoy working on and will do myself, but other things would rather have someone else take care of.

And perhaps your point is don't be scared to find somebody that is not a Viper Tech to work on it.

I have the same mentality. I've had to do most of the work myself but some times you just wish there was somebody you can trust to do the job.

 

[SA HEAT]

Depending on what you want done, taking it to Tomball Dodge / Viper Exchange and their Viper Tech Morgan may be a good option for you.

 

[nicholas8]

I just wanted to follow up on this in case anybody needed a good honest shop in the Austin/Georgetown area that will work on Vipers. I have been taking my Viper to H&H Auto Repair in Georgetown on N Austin Ave. They have changed trans and axle fluids, replace ball joints, sway bar end links, brakes, etc. It's a great shop!

 

[GTSnake]

Have they done anything Viper specific besides maintenance? I'm looking for someone to work on my fuel canister.

 

[GTS Dean]

What do you need done to it?

 

[Goggles Pizano]

I laugh at threads like this as I read them. People thinking the Viper is some super secret complex special engineering. Standard suspension, brake, drive train, cooling, etc design. Crap the prowler built in the same time frame was mor complex with pushrod suspension.

Like Dean stated, there is nothing complex.

The reason dealers don't like touching them is liability as no parts are available. If they break something, which the probability increases as older it becomes as plastics degrade with age, they are stuck holding their d's in they hands. They can neither pass on the cost to the customer nor step up and absorb the cost if they are honest about something they broke.

 

[GTSnake]

What do you need done to it?

Well I kinda need it rebuilt. The shop that convinced me to use an in tank pump put in pumps too large and now it sticks out a little too high. So the screw cap doesn't seal completely so I get fumes leaking out. It's so bad if the car sits for a few months the tank would evaporate by a quarter tank.

 

[Goggles Pizano]

So you need the fuel pump assembly rebuilt?

What pump(s) did they put in?
Why did you replace pump(s)?
What year is your car?

They are options to use the same hanger or buy the RSI hanger or Gen3 or 4 (can't remember what modifications are needed for gen3/4 assembly but i think i remember someone doing it)

 

[GTSnake]

My car is in my signature.

I used to have a huge Barry Grant in line pump that was pulling from the tank. They convinced me to get two pusher pumps to be inside the tank which does make sense. However the pumps they used were a little too tall.

I've seen the RSI assembly and was looking to get that but I just need someone to install it. I'd really prefer to keep the stock fill cup for when the car is shifting around and not get fuel starvation. But with my flow requirements I don't think I can use the cup.