Frankster
Enthusiast
Just bought my 96 Hennessey Viper SN 15. Love it!
Here's the problem........ I've experienced the same hard shifts at higher RPM that seems to be such a common thread in this forum.
There's already an upgraded shifter installed so I think that's only part of the answer. Also, I think I know the cure but want to run it by the more experienced Viper owners and mechanics available in this forum.
Consider..................
The Borg-Warner T-56 uses Dextron II-E. At best guess this is maybe a 10 weight fluid. There are two shafts in the T-56 with 6 or 7 gears on each of the two shafts. Add up the bearing surface of about 12 gears running on 10 weight oil and we could be looking at a viscosity VS bearing surface issue causing the hard shifting.
My thinking is that even with 10 weight fluid the viscosity resistance adds up with so many gears spinning around at higher RPM. There's also a lot of inertial mass the synchros have to overcome.
For example, when I try shifting from 3 to 4 at high RPM it does not want to go into gear. But as the RPM drops down while I hold pressure on the shifter it will eventually go into gear. It seems the gearing has to catch up to speed to syncronize and go into gear. The 10 weight viscosity Dextron II-E is slowing down the works.
Could the 10 weight trans fluid through 12 gears add up to hard shifting at high RPM due to viscosity resistance? My guess is the answer is "YES".
I'm thinking of using a high quality, ultra thin, synthetic oil to see if it will cure the hard shifting problem. I'm just not sure of all the implications in doing that.
Reasoned comments are encouraged.......................
Here's the problem........ I've experienced the same hard shifts at higher RPM that seems to be such a common thread in this forum.
There's already an upgraded shifter installed so I think that's only part of the answer. Also, I think I know the cure but want to run it by the more experienced Viper owners and mechanics available in this forum.
Consider..................
The Borg-Warner T-56 uses Dextron II-E. At best guess this is maybe a 10 weight fluid. There are two shafts in the T-56 with 6 or 7 gears on each of the two shafts. Add up the bearing surface of about 12 gears running on 10 weight oil and we could be looking at a viscosity VS bearing surface issue causing the hard shifting.
My thinking is that even with 10 weight fluid the viscosity resistance adds up with so many gears spinning around at higher RPM. There's also a lot of inertial mass the synchros have to overcome.
For example, when I try shifting from 3 to 4 at high RPM it does not want to go into gear. But as the RPM drops down while I hold pressure on the shifter it will eventually go into gear. It seems the gearing has to catch up to speed to syncronize and go into gear. The 10 weight viscosity Dextron II-E is slowing down the works.
Could the 10 weight trans fluid through 12 gears add up to hard shifting at high RPM due to viscosity resistance? My guess is the answer is "YES".
I'm thinking of using a high quality, ultra thin, synthetic oil to see if it will cure the hard shifting problem. I'm just not sure of all the implications in doing that.
Reasoned comments are encouraged.......................
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