5th & 6th Gear Thump????

[viperbob]

I was going to post this tonight but so to not waste time, let's try it here first: When I am driving in 5th and 6th gear at about 70 MPH, if I give it more gas I hear/feel a slight thump from behind – is this normal? Otherwise, the car seems to shift and sound normal.

 

[Racer Robbie]

You need to drop down a gear or two and you will most likly find the thump will go away. I run my viper in 4th up to 60-65 mph and then in 5th. We can not go fast enough here in CT to use 6th..

Hope this helps.

 

[viperbob]

Yeah, it was not doing it in 4th (or below). Still, is that normal for 5th and 6th? I ive in FL and routinely run triple digits...actually every time I take the Viper out.

 

[Yellow_OC_Viper]

Same thing happens on my genII. In 5th / 6th the drivetrain has very little tension wound up in it. You are on the borderline between acceleration and coasting. Try going downhill, 65mph in 6th gear....every time you gas it there will be a thump; At this speed/gear combo the thump is caused by the "slack" in the drivetrain. Shifting to a lower gear, 4th, will solve the problem. Our cars are geared to go faster than we drive. Funny things happen when we drive them in high gears at low speeds. I've not done any testing but I'm curios to know the fuel economy difference between 5th and 6th gears at 65/70mph.....I bet it's very little. I find that I also drive in 6th on the freeway because I'm trying to save gas but in reality I don't think we really need 6th until we get to 100mph+.
my2cents

 

[YellowViperSRT10]

Thank god it seems normal. I have it too and thought it was because i am not going fast enough, just wasn't sure. I normally just put it in 5th or 6th if i am going straight in strady traffic for a while. I too would just be curious to know how much better you do on gas in 5th or 6th gear.

 

[viperbob]

This was confirmed as being normal by the SRT Engineers last night on the thread.