[Simms]

First \"official drive\"

Monday night I got plates for the car and last night I finally took the car to get inspected.

The first drive went VERY WELL. The car ran awesome, and I was quite surprised on how smooth the power seemed! My wife was with me and I didn't want to hammer the car, but I quickly took it up to 100 and then slowed down. I gentley went threw the gears, but let the car go through the rpms. I was very surprised how fast 100 came in such a short distance without power shifting, and my wife loved the way the car "pushed her back in the seat".

Other than that, I drove the car easy and pimped around for a few miles. The skies looked like rain so I QUICKLY took the car home.

I was surprised on how close the pedals are together, and how much heat you can feel on your feet. Also, the car seemed to run hotter than I expected. What temps do you guys run at? The biggest surprise was how much attention the car gets. I even had a guy in a Vette and a guy on a GSXR give me the thumbs up sign.

:newbie: :burn:

 

[Snake Bitten]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Remove the cats...heat goes away...

 

[Super Squirrel]

Re: First \"official drive\"

does removing cats affect sound and warranty? May be a stupid question, but I'm stupid when it comes to these things....I'm learning though...LOL

 

[Snake Bitten]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Doesn't effect your warranty...and the exhaust is only marginally louder...as long as you still have mufflers...

 

[Simms]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Remove the cats...heat goes away...

Are you refering to the heat on my feet?

 

[Jamie]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Have someone take a pic of you doing a burnout and post it here.. That would drive Toby nuts /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Snake Bitten]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Remove the cats...heat goes away...

Are you refering to the heat on my feet?

yep...ditto on the massive burn out pics

 

[Toby]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Welcome to having "hot feet" /images/graemlins/laughing.gif

Ian...I would suggest doing a flush this winter (that's what I was going to do) and adding a coolant additive to help keep the temp in check. The car never overheated for me (even in 90+ deg heat in traffic) but I always watched the gauge..it's amazing how much that temp gauge moves.


Ask around here and the VCA and I am sure someone can give you the details on upgrading the radiator fan unit, coolant flush procedure and which additives that work the best. Either way even if you only do a flush..you still should be ok. Do whatever you need to do to give yourself peace of mind. :nod:



Be careful with the pedals...it took me a while to stop hitting the gas pedal when braking. Don't forget you can adjust the pedals...there is a dial just under the steering wheel. When driving this beast...using your head at all times will keep you out of trouble. It did for me.

oh yea..the oil has about 600 to 700 miles on it so you should be ok for a while. :thumb:

 

[Toby]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Have someone take a pic of you doing a burnout and post it here.. That would drive Toby nuts /images/graemlins/smile.gif

like this?


/images/graemlins/laughing.gif /images/graemlins/laughing.gif

(simms...thats not your GTS by the way) /images/graemlins/supergrin.gif

 

[City]

Re: First \"official drive\"

You can also go with high flow cats (Roe Racing or Random Tech) rather that removing them all together (SnakeBitten's tendency is genarally a bit on the drastic side /images/graemlins/laughing.gif ). Has Toby installed a 180 degree thermostat? It helps a bit. You'll run cooler at speed and just a little cooler in traffic. The fan unit is a must change if you've got the original. The replacement makes a big difference. :twocents:

 

[Simms]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Great pic Toby! I'm sure that wasn't my car, there isn't even any dust in the fender wells of that thing. Unless you cleaned and disposed of all the evidence. :devil:

Feet definately get toasty. I had thin leather work shoes on, so the heat was shooting right in. The car was running around 205ish, maybe a tad more. No where near 250, but just hotter than I expected. I'm assuming these cars have a 190 or 195 thermostat? But a flush is definately in the plans for the winter, which seems to be coming fast here with the cold crapy weather.

I agree, especially around here you have to drive with a level head. For one, we have pot holes that can swallow your front end, he have ground hogs and posseums that look like they weigh 30 pounds, and the car attracts way too much attention to act like an idiot.

The clutch petal seems real close to the side of the car, I kept hitting the brake when I pushed in the clutch. But maybe moving the pedals around will help out. I'm guessing you were over 6' because you were a lot taller than me and I am only 5'10. So I already had to do some adjustment.

Speaking of adjustment, where is the adjustment on the side of the seat to adjust the back of the seat?

 

[Simms]

Re: First \"official drive\"

You can also go with high flow cats (Roe Racing or Random Tech) rather that removing them all together (SnakeBitten's tendency is genarally a bit on the drastic side /images/graemlins/laughing.gif ). Has Toby installed a 180 degree thermostat? It helps a bit. You'll run cooler at speed and just a little cooler in traffic. The fan unit is a must change if you've got the original. The replacement makes a big difference. :twocents:

Thanks CitySnake. Got any info on where I can get one of these fans?

 

[Toby]

Re: First \"official drive\"

good question...I don't think I ever adjusted the seat. /images/graemlins/laughing.gif

its amazing what a coat of wax and a good washing will cover up...

before giving it a good scrub... /images/graemlins/laughing.gif

 

[City]

Re: First \"official drive\"

good question...I don't think I ever adjusted the seat. /images/graemlins/laughing.gif
its amazing what a coat of wax and a good washing will cover up...
before giving it a good scrub... /images/graemlins/laughing.gif

Toby = :devil:

simms, call Chuck Tator 914 763.3136. Tell him I told you to call.

 

[TomH]

Re: First \"official drive\"

[Speaking of adjustment, where is the adjustment on the side of the seat to adjust the back of the seat?]

On my 97' there is a small switch on the front of the seat to the left side that will adjust the seat back angle, hard to find if you don't know where to look. Tom

 

[Toby]

Re: First \"official drive\"

good question...I don't think I ever adjusted the seat. /images/graemlins/laughing.gif
its amazing what a coat of wax and a good washing will cover up...
before giving it a good scrub... /images/graemlins/laughing.gif

Toby = :devil:

simms, call Chuck Tator 914 763.3136. Tell him I told you to call.

:devil: /images/graemlins/laughing.gif /images/graemlins/laughing.gif :devil:


yes...call Chuck! He knows me and my car a bit too. He should have a file on me. Chuck is a dealer owner/Viper tech in NY if you are wondering who he is.

 

[Simms]

Re: First \"official drive\"

good question...I don't think I ever adjusted the seat. /images/graemlins/laughing.gif

its amazing what a coat of wax and a good washing will cover up...

before giving it a good scrub... /images/graemlins/laughing.gif

OUCH!!!! Where did you get that photo?

Thanks Toby and CitySnake, but is Chuck going to know who I am talking about when I say "CitySnake"?

 

[Simms]

Re: First \"official drive\"

[Speaking of adjustment, where is the adjustment on the side of the seat to adjust the back of the seat?]

On my 97' there is a small switch on the front of the seat to the left side that will adjust the seat back angle, hard to find if you don't know where to look. Tom

Thanks Tom, I'll give that a shot.

 

[Smokin]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Your car is going to run hot, all Vipers do. I would expect the needle to be between the 190 mark and 225 pretty much all the time depending on how hot it is outside and if you are sitting in traffic. The 180 degree T-stat will do little or nothing to your running temps. Youll need to upgrade your radiator and even then youll only notice a slight difference in running temps at speed. There are some modifications you can do to a 180 or 160 degree T-stat that will drop your freeway operating temps well into the 170's, but your car may have trouble reaching healthy running temps in the winter then if you live in a colder climate. If you plan on getting headers, your footwell temps will get even hotter. Thats just the nature of the beast wtih the viper, they are toasty inside. Remove the cats, and it will help a bit, but its still warm if its warm outside.

 

[Simms]

Re: First \"official drive\"

Your car is going to run hot, all Vipers do. I would expect the needle to be between the 190 mark and 225 pretty much all the time depending on how hot it is outside and if you are sitting in traffic. The 180 degree T-stat will do little or nothing to your running temps. Youll need to upgrade your radiator and even then youll only notice a slight difference in running temps at speed. There are some modifications you can do to a 180 or 160 degree T-stat that will drop your freeway operating temps well into the 170's, but your car may have trouble reaching healthy running temps in the winter then if you live in a colder climate. If you plan on getting headers, your footwell temps will get even hotter. Thats just the nature of the beast wtih the viper, they are toasty inside. Remove the cats, and it will help a bit, but its still warm if its warm outside.

Thanks Smokin, that is about where my needle was. If its normal for these cars I am not concerned. The toasty feet doesn't bother me, I was just surprised. If my feet have to be on fire to have a Viper, that is fine with me. /images/graemlins/supergrin.gif I do plan on headers and no cats, so maybe they will balance themselves out a bit.