Srx base gasket or opticool head gasket?

barkerman77

barkerman77

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Nov 7, 2013
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Age
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Location
Madoc, Ontario, Canada
I have an all stock 02 viper. I saw the red light alot last year so I bought a srx rear cooler for the viper. I have heard people are running srx base gaskets. Which is better to use the opticool head or the srx base?
 

A lot of guys swear by the opticool on this site. I run a rear cooler on my stock viper and have never had the temp light come on in the 8000 miles since. If you are still getting a temp light with a rear cooler i think you may have some other problems that need to be addressed.
 
IMO:

If you needed to disassemble the engine for some reason, I would install both an opticool head gasket and a SRX base gasket during reassembly.

But if the engine is in good shape and does not need to come apart the SRX style larger rear cooler will be a big cooling improvement and should be sufficient for most stock engine's cooling needs.

JM.02c
 
barkerman77 said:
Side show Bob it's apart right now. It needed rebuild.
Click to expand...

You have to buy gaskets anyway...might as well upgrade them to SRX base and Opticool head gaskets.

Lots of info on the forum on upgrades to the SX Vipers to keep them alive and reliable but I think proper cooling is the most critical along with the jet needle positions and of course good fuel.
 
There's a couple of passages into the base where coolant flow is restricted a little by the stock gasket where the SRX base gasket is cut larger in that area and allows the coolant to flow freer.
 
Seeings how your into the rebuild now you should be proactive and raise the needle jets in the carbs now to allow more fuel,especially in the mid range which is where the Vipers seem to be most susceptible to lean burn downs.All you need to do is lower the e clip on the jet needle a notch,this effectively raises the needle.
 
I've been into the carbs to clean them. The opticools are expensive to get shipped to Canada. Would I be fine with srx base and viper head with the srx rear cooler?
 
I might be wrong but I think the big advantage to the Opticool gasket is increased coolant flow by having the passages opened up better. You may be able to take your stock gasket and "port" it to allow a better unrestricted flow. I put one of those on a buds Viper a couple years ago but never took notice to what all was different about the two.
 
Actually the opticool restricts the flow of coolant. Slows it down through the head allowing the coolant to pick up more heat as it goes through the head. Hard to remember exactly how but here is a pick of the two. You can clearly see the opticool restricts the coolant. http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/...roject!!/page6?highlight=opticool+head+gasket Like half way down there is a side by side pick just past the torque pattern pick.
 
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