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1st gear acceleration problem

3477 Views 32 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  viper spray
Hi all!!!

I am a new Viper owner, as I just purchased a 2001 Yellow, black stripe, GTS, 4000 miles. I have noticed that occasionally while accelerating in first gear I get a bucking horse effect, the car seems to hesitate and surge, and will not go smoothly until I shift into second. It seems to happen most if I let off the accelerator and then hit it hard again, and only seems to happen in 1st gear, is this normal, any input would be greatly appreciated.
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01BEE said:
Hi all!!!

I am a new Viper owner, as I just purchased a 2001 Yellow, black stripe, GTS, 4000 miles. I have noticed that occasionally while accelerating in first gear I get a bucking horse effect, the car seems to hesitate and surge, and will not go smoothly until I shift into second. It seems to happen most if I let off the accelerator and then hit it hard again, and only seems to happen in 1st gear, is this normal, any input would be greatly appreciated.
Definitely not normal.
I'm assuming that it's under hard acceleration....

Sounds like wheel hop to me. That's when the tires bite, spin, bite, spin, etc.. You get the idea. The suspension is loading and unloading and that is pretty hard on suspension and differential. You can play around with rear tire pressure. You'd be surprised how much one or two lbs. will make.

The long term fix for this is better half shafts that don't bind. UniTrax makes some that work great and are much beefier than the stock ones anyway.

If this is happening under easy acceleration (almost idling), it's just normal bucking and is pretty normal. Alter your rpm in that situation.
Not wheel hop, it is happening under moderate acceleration, the wheels are not losing traction but the car just kind of bucks, don't know how to describe it any better. Does not happen if I just accelerate hard from a stop, but if I start off hard, ease off, then hit it again it happens, or if I even start off slow, and apply moderate pressure too quickly it happens.
VEC-1 helps that. You may want to have your dealer or Viper tech run a diagnostic on it too.
What is VEC-1? How does it help this? Thanks all.
That's not right. Have a knowledgeable viper tech look at it. VEC-1 is an aftermarket ECU programming device ... that's not what you need now. If it'
s not wheel hop then something's wrong with your ignition/fuel system.
I thought you meant under hard acceleration. My bad. What your seing is pretty normal. That is, bucking that occurs under light acceleration. In my Viper, this happens when the car is cold but usually straightens out when it's warm. Like I said in my previous post, try altering your RPM and see if that doesn't help. Lotsa torque with 488 cubes. That puppy wants to gettyup and go.

Cornholio is referring to a fuel management system made bt ROE Racing. I also have the VEC-1 on my car and I still get it from time to time. The VEC-1 may have reduced it some and I just don't remember. Regardless, alter the RPM and make sure it's warm and I think you'll get over that.

BTW, congrats on the bumblebee Viper. That's a GREAT color combo.
01BEE, you are talking about very, very light acceleration, right? Like almost idling?
No, I would say moderate pedal pressure, mostly a problem when I start accelerating, let off and then get back on, seems tranny or clutch related, not engine. I can best describe it like riding a bucking horse, not that I ever have, but I imagine it would feel like this. I can get on and off the gas in second or third with no problem, only first seems to have the problem.
This sure sounds like the low rpm bucking that we have all experienced. Again, when the car is warm, try altering the rpm and see if that doesn't help.
The problem occurs when warm or cold, what do you mean by altering the RPM? The problem gets worse as you accelerate, the only way to stop the bucking, once it starts, is to back off the gas and change into second
Once it starts bucking and you accelerate hard (not on the wood but pretty hard), will it quit then? It should. If it doesn't, I dunno.

I know that once mine starts bucking I will normally lift and shift to second or just accelerate harder and it will stop.
On mine, once it starts bucking if I accelerate harder it just gets worse, only shifting to second makes it go away.
If once it starts, you can't make it stop by accelerating hard, you might want to let your Viper Tech take a look at it. But I swear, it sounds like low rpm bucking to me but again, if accelerating hard doesn't straighten it out, something else is wrong.
I guess I will have to take it in, I need to find a new Viper Tech, the one dealer that I took my car to did not impress me. Does your bucking only occur in first, PaulB? Flooring it makes it go away?
I have this too, however...

I get this only if I try driving down the back alley behind the house at 10mph or so in first gear. No other time though. Just very slow, constant speeds at less than 15mph or so I'd say.

If ya gotta drive really slow, get up to speed and coast out of gear or put her into 2nd gear.

(or install lower gears)
Cmon, guys ..Are you all talking so much smack and shit in the alley you can't help a poor guying trying to get his car running right????
Have you lost sight of knowing how to turn a fucking wrench? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

If your experiencing bucking or jumping in 1st gear. It most likely is your Throttle Bodies are out of synch. You really feel it in first gear because your car is EXTREMELY touchy and tourqey in first. The slightest "hiccup" and you're car will feel like it is in a rodeo....

I hope this helped.. to adjust read below..

To adjust your throttle bodies, loosen the locking nut on the passenger side throttle body. Loosen or tighten it to have the driver side throttle body LEAD the passenger side throttle body by a nats ass. VERY IMPORTANT, by a nats ass..!

I hope that helped.. If that's not it, do your usual. Check plugs, wires, connections.. But I'm betting your TB's are slightly out of alignment..

Gerald
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01BEE said:
I guess I will have to take it in, I need to find a new Viper Tech, the one dealer that I took my car to did not impress me. Does your bucking only occur in first, PaulB? Flooring it makes it go away?
Yes and Yes.
I will check now and advise after I drive tomorrow. Thanks!!
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