Vmax xtc 1997
Member
Hi,
I purchased a 2002 viper sx with the middle piston damaged. A new project for me that I have no experience with yet! I read many threads here and I agree that if I am to rebuild it I should find what caused the failure. By looking at the pictures, any input as to what may be the cause...? I know that the cylinder and piston are no longer good, but the head? if you look close at the picture I circled in red a tiny area where a small hole as formed, does that make the head destroyed or it can be saved?
Sorry, I dont know why but come pic upload and others not......
hope those can be of assitance
Thank you
I purchased a 2002 viper sx with the middle piston damaged. A new project for me that I have no experience with yet! I read many threads here and I agree that if I am to rebuild it I should find what caused the failure. By looking at the pictures, any input as to what may be the cause...? I know that the cylinder and piston are no longer good, but the head? if you look close at the picture I circled in red a tiny area where a small hole as formed, does that make the head destroyed or it can be saved?
Sorry, I dont know why but come pic upload and others not......
hope those can be of assitance
Thank you
RXMax
Member
Dirty carbs or bad fuel caused detonation. Head should clean up fine.
X2 agree, and dont run regular fuel only premium.
Vmax xtc 1997
Member
Great, thank you.
but i'll try to post a proper picture of the head tonight so you can see the tiny hole I am talking about. The size of the picture might just be to big.....
but i'll try to post a proper picture of the head tonight so you can see the tiny hole I am talking about. The size of the picture might just be to big.....
shaggyzr2
Active member
Those vipers run hot, raise the clips on the needles up one notch, add a rear heat exchanger and add the opticool headgasket.
Vmax xtc 1997
Member
Great thank for all the advice! Truly appreciated. I was finally able to upload a picture (not the greatest...) but if you look at 10 o'clock on the edge of the dome and where the gasket seat, a tiny hole, 1/16 in diameter and approximately the same in depth. Should I be concerned by that? not? or have it filled somehow by welding....
thank you
A couple of bucks
VIP Member
Personally..... I'd just buff it somewhat smooth.
Vmax xtc 1997
Member
buff it so that the tiny hole disappear or just make the edges of the hole smooth?
I purchased today a used cylinder and piston. I was so confused with all the forums search on aftermarket piston spi/wiseco.....OEM$$$. That I decided to go with used, still in good condition OEM piston and cylinder.
A couple of bucks
VIP Member
Just make sure there are no edges.
Vmax xtc 1997
Member
perfect will do !
super1c
Super Moderator
X3 on bad gas, dirty carb. Raise needles, optical head gasket, and rear heat exchanger will prevent this from happening again. Give carbs a real good cleaning, clean and adjust PV and should be good to go.
Vmax xtc 1997
Member
Yes sir will do! I got the manuals via email this morning and will apply all the good advice I am getting from all the guys here, but as for the rear heat exchanger...? you are not the first one that mentioned that. I guess more surface to dissipate/extract the heat from the coolant. I achieve that by adding one? does it have to be a specific one and is it just a matter of making fit under the tunnel at the back and hook up to the cooling system or it involve more?
shaggyzr2
Active member
Most people use the SRX cooler but I think you can also use one from other proaction sleds, vmax, sxr, venture etc. You just need to remove the cross over tube in the back and the cooler goes in it's place, rivets in. Don't forget to bleed the cooling system after you do that. I'm not a viper expert but I think the vipers had rear coolers starting in 04.
Vmax xtc 1997
Member
perfect thank you very much! mine is a 2002.
super1c
Super Moderator
Yup, SRX cooler is the one. The others will work but are smaller.
Vmax xtc 1997
Member
Hi, I just look under and there is a rear cooler. I also look at the part diagram for a 2002 viper like mine and it does not show a rear cooler....Am I ok to assume that one of the previous owners had already done that modification previously?
and I found a picture in that tread https://totallyamaha.net/showthread.php/105393-Years-with-Yamaha-SXViper/page2
which is exactly the same as mine. Is the an SRX cooler or it would be bigger and better?
Thank you
That picture shows a srx cooler.
