Need troubleshooting help

[KenH]

My Viper has developed an intermittent problem. Sometimes when giving it some throttle either from a stop or on the open road, it starts bucking like it is getting a complete power cut which is coming and going about once a second. Backing out of the throttle causes it to run OK.

It may be RPM dependent. Once when it was acting up, each time I slowly increased RPMs to a little over 3000RPM, it would start bucking. When it did. the WBO would read about 11:1 instead of the normal 14.7 A/F. It makes me think that I am getting an electrical cut of some kind. When I would let off the throttle, it would run OK. I have only noticed the problem at part throttle.

I checked the TPS and it seems to read smooth over its range. I'm thinking perhaps something like the crank position sensor or coil pack. I know if I just take it into the Tech, it will run fine.

 

[plumcrazy]

sounds like a problem i had on my ram truck when the crank sensor was going

 

[dave6666]

It sounds like it works fine WFO. So drive WFO. I mean shucks, it is a Viper, drive it like one!

 

[RTTTTed]

Sounds like it could be a bad connection. Pull connectors and re-install them a few times and see if that helps, before paying a mechanic to do it. No codes in the computer?

Ted

 

[CROM]

On another car I had a primary 02 sensor go bad. The symptoms were the same as you describe above. Might be worth a check. Granted you would assume the car would throw a code..but these cars are quirky.

 

[KenH]

No codes. I'll try reseating the main connections as suggested.

I am driving it to see if I can get any more clues. I may just swap the O2's in an effort to shotgun the problem.

 

[Purdue_Boiler_Viper]

If you are going to pull the connectors, clean them up with electronics lube / cleaner. You can get it at RadioShack. I had a TR7 once that did this. Turned out to be the electronic ignition module intermittently failing. It finally failed completely, of course while I was trying to pass someone on the highway.

 

[Madduc]

Haaa a TR7, the car I learned how to drive a manual when I was 17.

 

[Purdue_Boiler_Viper]

Haaa a TR7, the car I learned how to drive a manual when I was 17.

It was a good looking car, but what a piece of junk. I had the ignition problem, synchro problems in the transmission, and the car overheated and warped the head on the previous owner. Chicks dug it though.