viper piston scuffing

S

shorty

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Joined
Jan 4, 2011
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Age
48
Location
Nelson, MN
I just did a full rebuild on my 02 Viper late last winter. I put about 400 miles on it. New crank (midwest rebuild), 3 new cylinders and pistons. All new seals and gaskets. I installed a rear srx cooler. Sled ran great! I ordered a Opti cool head gasket for this year and when I took the head off all three cylinders are scuffed up. Up and down lines all around the circumfrence. No aluminum transfer though, and not scored. My question is would it be a good idea to run the SRX base gasket with the opticool gasket? Motor is stock except V force reeds. I will richen up needles also. I have rebuilt alot of engines and never seen this before. All 3 cylinders are scuffed exactly the same. Having them Diamond honed now.
 

shorty said:
I just did a full rebuild on my 02 Viper late last winter. I put about 400 miles on it. New crank (midwest rebuild), 3 new cylinders and pistons. All new seals and gaskets. I installed a rear srx cooler. Sled ran great! I ordered a Opti cool head gasket for this year and when I took the head off all three cylinders are scuffed up. Up and down lines all around the circumfrence. No aluminum transfer though, and not scored. My question is would it be a good idea to run the SRX base gasket with the opticool gasket? Motor is stock except V force reeds. I will richen up needles also. I have rebuilt alot of engines and never seen this before. All 3 cylinders are scuffed exactly the same. Having them Diamond honed now.
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shorty, what did you use for pistons?
 
Dont yell at me, SPIs. I have used them for years in many other brands with no issues. The local dealer said they use them all the time also. They have the teflon coating on them, or they did.
 
shorty said:
Dont yell at me, SPIs. I have used them for years in many other brands with no issues. The local dealer said they use them all the time also. They have the teflon coating on them, or they did.
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no yelling lol. can't give any feedback on the spi's, if you said wiseco's I'd think it could be from improper warm up. maybe same with spi's, someone with personal experience with them will surely chime in.
 
It almost looks like the teflon coating is what scuffed up the cylinders. Some of the scuff marks are black. There is a few fine scratches, can feel them with fingernail, on the pistons, but hardly if any aluminum transfer. The only time it might have got hot was during the first bleeding cycle, maybe thats all it took??
 
Thanks, I guess I kind of went off track with my question about the SRX base gasket. I thought it may have had something to do with the piston scuffing.
 
Ok, I got the cylinders honed and they look like new again. The cylinders and pistons measure just like new. The only thing that I can guess is when I first started it, during the bleeding procedure, it got hot and the teflon coating stuck to the cylinders. It didnt seem to affect the performance of the engine. So since I have the cylinders off, do I install the SRX base gasket or run with the stock Viper base gasket? Now would be the time to do it. I have the opticool one also. Im way too stressed and paranoid!!! Im doing alot of Skid work to this thing too (shocks, bushings, trailing arm), and didnt expect this engine issue.
 
I personally would use the SRX gasket, if it were my sled. I used one on a viper last year, but that one has tripple pipes on it, & the head machined.
 
Wow makes ya think wether the coating on the pistons would be the cause. Now unless a guy either did a tear down just to inspect after a rebuild you would probably never give it a second thought that the coating would cause this scuffing. Certainly something to look into.
 
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