03 Viper Cold Start Electric Issue?

firehawk275 · Jan 2, 2009

Hey Everyone,
I'm an old member, but under a new name now, but anyways, I got a problem with an 03 Viper I just bought. On a cold start, no matter what the outside temp is, the sled fires right up, but the headlight is super super dim, no dash lights/speedo/tach. Plus the sled is acting like it is missing on a cyl or 2, and sputters and pops and won't get above 5-6k rpms and is just barely enough to engage and move the sled. But as it starts to warm up, the headlight will momentarily kick on, along with the dash cluster and runs like the beast it is, but it keeps doing that for quite sometime until it stays on. I don't want to keep trying this due to the fear of burning things out that aren't burnt yet. I hear there are some probs with the stators on these, but I was thinking maybe that or a CDI box possibly???? Maybe a ground?? I checked all my connections and looked for loose/worn wires with no luck. :o|

To the best of my knowledge, electrical problems get worse as something gets warm, my prob is the opposite. Weird, huh? I figured I might ask here in case someone has run into a similiar issue. Any and all help is very appreciated. The sled has no elec start, but has a bunch of mods, none to the elec system though.

Thanks very much,
Mike

theblues · Jan 2, 2009

firehawk275 said:
Hey Everyone,
I'm an old member, but under a new name now, but anyways, I got a problem with an 03 Viper I just bought. On a cold start, no matter what the outside temp is, the sled fires right up, but the headlight is super super dim, no dash lights/speedo/tach. Plus the sled is acting like it is missing on a cyl or 2, and sputters and pops and won't get above 5-6k rpms and is just barely enough to engage and move the sled. But as it starts to warm up, the headlight will momentarily kick on, along with the dash cluster and runs like the beast it is, but it keeps doing that for quite sometime until it stays on. I don't want to keep trying this due to the fear of burning things out that aren't burnt yet. I hear there are some probs with the stators on these, but I was thinking maybe that or a CDI box possibly???? Maybe a ground?? I checked all my connections and looked for loose/worn wires with no luck. To the best of my knowledge, electrical problems get worse as something gets warm, my prob is the opposite. Weird, huh? I figured I might ask here in case someone has run into a similiar issue. Any and all help is very appreciated. The sled has no elec start, but has a bunch of mods, none to the elec system though.

Thanks very much,
Mike

First off, Hi & welcome back...if you just got the sled...then I would check, the plug behind the g/pod,then the under engine rub through & in my case a rear light lead rub through, under (tank...thanks to mrviper700),also in some cases the rear light bulb socket get real corroded & shorts out when brakes applied...but dim headlight is indicative to a week stator or rusty flywheel pick up...I would pull the recoil off, then the flywheel & see if there is a burnt spot on the stator or excess rust on the flywheel pick up...if the stator looks good & the flywheel is rusty, just sand & then spray with dry graphite & sand off the pick up area again...reassemble & try it out...post back please...cheers

firehawk275 · Jan 2, 2009

I will check and try all of those things and post a reply on what the results were. Thanks for the help, it is very appreciated!

firehawk275 · Jan 3, 2009

Well, I tried checking the tail light bulb sockets, they are like brand new. I pulled the seat off and looked at the harness, which was in great condition, no rub through. I re-checked all the connections and grounds. Then I pulled off the flwheel and stator. The flywheel was gunked up a little bit, nothing too bad. So i cleaned that up. There was very minimal rust on the outside tabs, but I cleaned them up anyways. I also checked the pick-up, which was like new. I cleaned up the surface of the stator too, which wasn't very dirty. All of the wires coming from the pick-up and stator all look in very good condition. I put it all bavk together and........ #$%&*

it was still doing the same thing! I happened to talk to my dealer earlier today before I did any of this, they said it could be a voltage regular, stator, but doubtfully a cdi. Weird thing is, the sled did not do this when it was put away for the summer. It just started doing this. It's driving me nuts and I don't want to start dumping a bunch of cash into "spare" parts I don't need. If anyone has any ideas, I greatly appreciate the help. Thanks again.
Mike

crewchief47 · Jan 3, 2009

Did you check for the under engine rub through?

Millinocket Rocket · Jan 4, 2009

Yep, very common on Vipers and def. worth checking. My harness was rubbing through where it rests on the aluminum behind/below the carbs on mag side. You have to unplug it where it connects to the headlight/cowling, unbend all the clips going under the motor that hold it, follow it back and pull it up through behind the motor. Inspect and repair any damaged wires if you find any then put plastic wire loom on or electrical tape the crap out of it so it won't happen again. Here's a couple pics--

Millinocket Rocket · Jan 4, 2009

Forgot to add-- makes it easier to pull back under the motor when you're done if you tie a piece of string to it.

theblues · Jan 4, 2009

firehawk275 · Jan 4, 2009

Wow, Thank you everyone for all the help! I am going to take a look at all of this stuff, hopefully my problem lies somewhere in there. I won't be able to check this stuff for a day or two since I am heading down to an AC/DC concert tomorrow :rockon:

So I will do some checking on this as soon as I can and will post my results. Again, thanks very much for all this help, I love this forum!

firehawk275 · Jan 11, 2009

Nothing found! All of the harness looks very good, no breaks or burn-through, or rub-through. I'm really running out of ideas, I think it might be time to start buying some spare parts to try.

Does anyone know if a voltage regulator will fit and 03 Viper, from an 01 SRX, as in will it work as a temporary parts swap to help me diagnose if that is the prob or not? . I know the part numbers are slightly different, but sometimes stuff works. My brother has that SRX and is more than willing to let me use his parts to try, but I don't wanna cook something of his in the process. I figured if the head lights come on, and maybe my elec gauge pod doesn't, I will know that could be my problem.

mod-it · Jan 11, 2009

Sure sounds like stator issue to me, since you've eliminated rub through issue.

firehawk275 · Jan 11, 2009

Yea, I was thinking that too. That or a voltage regulator. It's leaning towards stator tho.

firehawk275 · Jan 20, 2009

Fixed it! It was the sta-sta-sta-sta- STATOR! Working good now, thanks very much for all the help from everyone in diagnosing this problem. Maybe this can help someone else out in the future. Time to roost some snow!

YAMAHIZAL700 · Jan 20, 2009

Good for you! Great job and have fun.

03 Viper Cold Start Electric Issue?

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