can any viper drive silky smooth at low revs ??
- Thread starter madbrian
- Start date
Malu59RT
Enthusiast
Mine drives smooth all the time.
They should all be silky smooth, even the troublesome g1.
Bad wires and plugs are the usual culprit, unless Gen one. Then throttle body synchronization is the number one culprit, plugs and wires second-place.
Other culprits can be throttle position sensor, and even a bad battery !!!!!!
Bad wires and plugs are the usual culprit, unless Gen one. Then throttle body synchronization is the number one culprit, plugs and wires second-place.
Other culprits can be throttle position sensor, and even a bad battery !!!!!!
CitySnake
Enthusiast
It's the only car I've ever been able to drive in traffic without shifting. 1st gear in severe traffic and 2nd gear in heavy trraffic. Enough tq so that it never stalls on uphills. Smooth at idle in both those gears. Sort of traffic cruise control.
AviP
Enthusiast
Throttle sync! Unless the roads you drive on are bumpy, which can cause slight movement in the accelerator pedal to feel like surging.
Head and cam cars can be tough... but stock cars should be smooth, other than the occasional first gear parking lot buck.
VENOMAHOLIC
Enthusiast
Deactivate the skip shift and low speed driving will improve 100%.
agentf1
Enthusiast
Smooth as silk... 
SilveRT8
Enthusiast
Smooth for sure but smoother since I replaced the suspension with KW2 coilovers set at #10 of 18 firmness settings
Edward 96GTS
Enthusiast
-how do you replace/deactivate the skip shift? what is the part?
-how does a throttle sensor go bad? easy to replace? part #?
tia
-how does a throttle sensor go bad? easy to replace? part #?
tia
Search for the skip shift eliminator threads. In one thread I asked the resistance of the resistor I was to instal in the connector. I got answered and went to radio shack and bought a couple. Illustrated Upgrades has instal instructions and pics for a $50 kit/resistor.
Ebay often sells the resistors as a 'kit' for $15.00 plus shipping. Definitely a huge improvement over the "Gas Mileage trick" of skip shift. I presume that the retarde skip shift was invented partly in answer to all the ridiculous Gov rules on mileage, contents of SFI oils, etc. - but I absolutely hate the thing.
Smooth? my 2000 ACR Paxton is esceptionally smooth and mild mannered with no bucking. As stated earlier ...boring. Although it has Corsa Catback and sounds "nice" it has no threatening noise levels and not many people comment on the nice smooth exhaust.
Bucking and jerking? My 2001 has a Roe Supercharger and rumbles. It shakes at idle. It bucks and jerks under about 1200rpm and sounds like the 9 sec car that it is. Everywhere I go everyone likes to ocme over and tell me how tough and how extreme my GTS sounds. It has headers, cat delete and Corsa 3" race exhaust. Check out the exhuast thread.
$.45
Ted
Ebay often sells the resistors as a 'kit' for $15.00 plus shipping. Definitely a huge improvement over the "Gas Mileage trick" of skip shift. I presume that the retarde skip shift was invented partly in answer to all the ridiculous Gov rules on mileage, contents of SFI oils, etc. - but I absolutely hate the thing.
Smooth? my 2000 ACR Paxton is esceptionally smooth and mild mannered with no bucking. As stated earlier ...boring. Although it has Corsa Catback and sounds "nice" it has no threatening noise levels and not many people comment on the nice smooth exhaust.
Bucking and jerking? My 2001 has a Roe Supercharger and rumbles. It shakes at idle. It bucks and jerks under about 1200rpm and sounds like the 9 sec car that it is. Everywhere I go everyone likes to ocme over and tell me how tough and how extreme my GTS sounds. It has headers, cat delete and Corsa 3" race exhaust. Check out the exhuast thread.
$.45
Ted
How would the skip shift effect this? Isn't that just for shifting from 1st to 2nd?
We may be overlooking driving technique (no offence meant). When you get to a certain point you will need to step on the clutch pedal. I generall shift to neutral so as not to ride the clutch.
We may be overlooking driving technique (no offence meant). When you get to a certain point you will need to step on the clutch pedal. I generall shift to neutral so as not to ride the clutch.
yea, you guys make me nervous on 2 accounts... i've got the skip shift eliminated and still feel like my car bucks some! so it's either my car or...the driver!
my thinking has always been that these cars like to be driven hard and that any "race" engine will always be much smoother at speed... (I'm comparing it to a 106" v-twin motorcycle I also ride)... I push the clutch in on the snake when I get around 1,500 rpm but it can still buck some around this speed/rpm.
must be that I'm not as smooth on the clutch/gas as I think or is there really something to be looked at?
if it matters much I put 3.55 gears in my '09.
my thinking has always been that these cars like to be driven hard and that any "race" engine will always be much smoother at speed... (I'm comparing it to a 106" v-twin motorcycle I also ride)... I push the clutch in on the snake when I get around 1,500 rpm but it can still buck some around this speed/rpm.
must be that I'm not as smooth on the clutch/gas as I think or is there really something to be looked at?
if it matters much I put 3.55 gears in my '09.
The 09s run the smoothest of all Vipers. Dodge received awards for the cam-in-cam technology that allows the engine to run smoothly and pass emissions.
Your post sounds like your "other cars" are automatics? Practise will make perfect if your car only bucks when shifting or clutching, then it's the driver.
The skip shift keeps the rpms well below a reasonable speed and can cause low rpm bucking. For me it's mostly frustration and perhaps a little embarassing when I have to feel around to find the gear, or move the shifter all over the place then back to get it into second gear - that makes me Buck it sometimes, lol.
Edward 96GTS
Enthusiast
are there instructions for the skip shift deactivation process?
ebay link to skip shift resistor kit specific to the 96 gts ?
ebay link to skip shift resistor kit specific to the 96 gts ?
No one seems to be addressing the issue, so I will.
True, the Gen IV Vipers are MUCH improved from earlier versions in terms of low-rpm, low-gear drivability.
However, the Gen IV Vipers have a very stout, and somewhat chunky drivetrain. For example, if you are in a parking structure with periodically placed speed bumps you will be going slow in 1st gear and clutching often. If your timing is not right, then you will have a bit of a "clunk" and "****" as you get back in sync with the clutch, gas, etc. Nothing is wrong with the car, it is just a 600 hp car with a big drivetrain and a clutch.
That said, I am sure there are some who NEVER experience any lack of smoothness under any circumstances!
True, the Gen IV Vipers are MUCH improved from earlier versions in terms of low-rpm, low-gear drivability.
However, the Gen IV Vipers have a very stout, and somewhat chunky drivetrain. For example, if you are in a parking structure with periodically placed speed bumps you will be going slow in 1st gear and clutching often. If your timing is not right, then you will have a bit of a "clunk" and "****" as you get back in sync with the clutch, gas, etc. Nothing is wrong with the car, it is just a 600 hp car with a big drivetrain and a clutch.
That said, I am sure there are some who NEVER experience any lack of smoothness under any circumstances!
You will need to learn how to feather the gas peddle and intervene with the clutch once bucking starts. If you car has shorter rear gears and maybe a lightweight flywheel, it will buck a bit more at that point. Once it starts to buck, just ease into the clutch a bit, then ease back onto the gas peddle. It will smooth out at that point.
Sometimes the price you pay to go with shorter rear gears. Drive around in a higher rpm range and it will never happen again.
Sometimes the price you pay to go with shorter rear gears. Drive around in a higher rpm range and it will never happen again.
Olddudesrule
Enthusiast
I just don't understand this issue, unless you have a very radical cam? 
I think my car is one of the smoothest I've ever driven (mainly stock 01 ACR), skip shift and all. To eliminate the skip shift feature, all I have to do is raise the rpm level above @ 1500 or so. This doesn't have any discernable affect on the smoothness of the engine/clutch/trans operation. I've been stuck in LA stop and go for hours in summer heat with no "bucking" or "surging" issues. I can let the clutch out in first or even second with little or no throttle, and not have any issues. With all the torque this motor has, that's the way it should be.
I think my car is one of the smoothest I've ever driven (mainly stock 01 ACR), skip shift and all. To eliminate the skip shift feature, all I have to do is raise the rpm level above @ 1500 or so. This doesn't have any discernable affect on the smoothness of the engine/clutch/trans operation. I've been stuck in LA stop and go for hours in summer heat with no "bucking" or "surging" issues. I can let the clutch out in first or even second with little or no throttle, and not have any issues. With all the torque this motor has, that's the way it should be.kllymartin
Viper Owner
PhoenixGTS
Enthusiast
I believe this is what he is talking about.
Asp Man
Enthusiast
Your "Viper card" should be taken.
(Too easy.
So I'll refrain.)As mentioned in above posts, bucking has several causes. Perhaps you could be more specific; year of car, modifications (allum. flywheel?), specific conditions etc.
You can try the above remedies, most of them are low-buck. But do it one at a time, ie: throttle sync first, then new plug wires, etc. Enlist some help from VCA members in your area, that should be step one.
Good luck, and have fun!
kblake905
Viper Owner
I found if I let the RPM drop below 1200 in second gear it will buck, so I just avoid that scenario, feathering the clutch also helps, but I would rather just drop down to first gear
This is it right here. I think this is what the problem is when people ask about surging or bucking. My GTS was this way and the SRT is the same way, less than ten mph and you will get this especially if for some reason your on rough pavement and your foot quickly comes off the pedal then back on without even knowing it your making the bucking worse foot keeps coming on and off. Remedy depress the clutch.
White 04 Mamba
Viper Owner
I usually get this when driving slowly down my street and in parking lots. Since I live in a neighborhood with young kids around, I will not speed down the street. I know that pushing the clutch in remedies it but it kind of ruins the drive and is a bit embarrassing. I have never had a clutch car buck like this before at low speeds.
