Nadine UK GTS
Enthusiast
Starter Motor shorting out...
Hope this never happens to you...just thought I'd warn of what has happened to my beloved...
Some of you may know, for over a year my Viper has been intermittently cutting out under hard acceleration, no matter what the speed...not nice to say the least! I have spent hours and hours trying to find the fault. (Thanks to all of you that have been helping me too). It's had new fuel pump, battery, idle air motor, intake gaskets, and still did it! It cut as I overtook on one occasion, and I spun at speed, thankfully narrowly missing others on the road, and luckily only resulting in light damage (but I still cried!).
After over a year of heart-ache and head-aches, I have got to the bottom of my Vipers driveability problem. I've found it! Phew, what a relief, I am looking forwards to having my snake back full throttle soon!
Considering the Vipers high build quality I was shocked to find the fault. I was convinced it was computer or electrical, not being a computer **** (and you can't tinker with the PCM anyway), I set about testing all the electrical circuits (having checked all the sensors). All the earth connections were fine, and I'd cleaned up the wiring connections one by one, as I checked all the wiring. Then, I found a loose wire onto the starter motor (But, my Viper has never had a problem starting!?!)! It's the main one from the battery and ignition (positive supply); where it connects onto the bolt connector that passes through an insulation shroud, through the main body of the starter motor (still with me?!). The insulation shroud was melted to the side of the starter, and the connection bolt was rattling around in the hole it passes through, and when it touched the edge of the 'hole', it shorted out against the starter motor casing (in a shower of sparks). The edges of the hole it passes through are all splattered and burred from molten starter motor casing, where it's been shorting out for some time. It's nothing short of a miracle that the Viper didn't ever catch fire, and disappear in flames (can't even bear to think about it). Obviously under the torque of the engine during WOT, the rattling terminal would move over and short out, cutting the car out! I can't understand how this damage even happened to the connector in the first place, as the terminal is protected by the chassis rail running under it? Took me 2 hours to remove, as I couldn't undo the electrical bolt connector because it was rattling around, and there isn't a lot of room there even for my small hands, to get in and grab it to undo the nut which had welded itself to the bolt!
Anyway, after over of year of Chrysler UK dealers looking into the mystery fault, I rode my motorbike right on into the middle of my local dealers show room, and presented them with a very dangerous starter motor, politely asking them for a new one please (still under warranty)!
Looking forwards to having my snake back to full fitness soon, (he's perched on blocks in my garage at the moment awaiting the new starter motor!)
Happy Vipering,
Nadine and '97 GTS.
Hope this never happens to you...just thought I'd warn of what has happened to my beloved...
Some of you may know, for over a year my Viper has been intermittently cutting out under hard acceleration, no matter what the speed...not nice to say the least! I have spent hours and hours trying to find the fault. (Thanks to all of you that have been helping me too). It's had new fuel pump, battery, idle air motor, intake gaskets, and still did it! It cut as I overtook on one occasion, and I spun at speed, thankfully narrowly missing others on the road, and luckily only resulting in light damage (but I still cried!).
After over a year of heart-ache and head-aches, I have got to the bottom of my Vipers driveability problem. I've found it! Phew, what a relief, I am looking forwards to having my snake back full throttle soon!
Considering the Vipers high build quality I was shocked to find the fault. I was convinced it was computer or electrical, not being a computer **** (and you can't tinker with the PCM anyway), I set about testing all the electrical circuits (having checked all the sensors). All the earth connections were fine, and I'd cleaned up the wiring connections one by one, as I checked all the wiring. Then, I found a loose wire onto the starter motor (But, my Viper has never had a problem starting!?!)! It's the main one from the battery and ignition (positive supply); where it connects onto the bolt connector that passes through an insulation shroud, through the main body of the starter motor (still with me?!). The insulation shroud was melted to the side of the starter, and the connection bolt was rattling around in the hole it passes through, and when it touched the edge of the 'hole', it shorted out against the starter motor casing (in a shower of sparks). The edges of the hole it passes through are all splattered and burred from molten starter motor casing, where it's been shorting out for some time. It's nothing short of a miracle that the Viper didn't ever catch fire, and disappear in flames (can't even bear to think about it). Obviously under the torque of the engine during WOT, the rattling terminal would move over and short out, cutting the car out! I can't understand how this damage even happened to the connector in the first place, as the terminal is protected by the chassis rail running under it? Took me 2 hours to remove, as I couldn't undo the electrical bolt connector because it was rattling around, and there isn't a lot of room there even for my small hands, to get in and grab it to undo the nut which had welded itself to the bolt!
Anyway, after over of year of Chrysler UK dealers looking into the mystery fault, I rode my motorbike right on into the middle of my local dealers show room, and presented them with a very dangerous starter motor, politely asking them for a new one please (still under warranty)!
Looking forwards to having my snake back to full fitness soon, (he's perched on blocks in my garage at the moment awaiting the new starter motor!)
Happy Vipering,
Nadine and '97 GTS.
