Messages

Clutch life depends on how the car is used and the driver.

With normal use the clutch on the new Model Viper should last about 30,000 miles or more with no issues.

If you run hard or drag race, the clutch could fail with any mileage.

There are numerous tips to improve the life of your clutch, feel free to call me. 310-841-6996.

Dan

We have always been a company that has embraced tuning solutions and fixing problems that other shops have seemed to give up on. Our involvement with the Viper goes back to 1992 and since then we have been very involved in making these cars run right. Much before any calibration software was available we were creating tuning solutions for modified Vipers.

Many tuning companys new to SCT or related software for the 1996-2006 Dodges offer discount tunes and quick solutions for your car. I am not refering to any vendor or particular company, but be aware that we at DC Performance have learned from years of experience about what seems to work and what really does. Over time, most users see the limitation to the tunes they buy and understand that the more developed the tune, the best it performs under many conditions.

Here is a link to some information our calibration technician Chris Jensen, who developed this, has prepared to put this in perspective.

http://dcperformance.blogspot.com/2011/02/nobody-does-viper-speciality-tuning.html

This new product has been quite a development project for us lasting about a year. The results are spectacular and well proven.

Some history here. When the Generation 4 Viper came out there was quite a bit of buzz about it's new Sach's double disc clutch assembly. Lighter pedal, better engagement and more holding power were the design features of this new clutch. Dodge did a good job on this, but the product reflected a cost saving approach.

We at DC Performance, soon found there were some limitations to this clutch under hard use or high hp applications. With the introduction of our Generation 4 performance engine package and up to 700hp on demand, the clutch was soon becoming the weak link. At the first race of the ACRX series there was lots of smoke at the starting line, it was not tires but the clutches! It was then we knew that a better clutch was really needed for higher performance applications.

Quick to respond was our in house performance consultant Lyle Larson, when it comes to clutches and performance applications he knows the industry. He enlisted Mc Leod Industry's for a new product. In the past Mc Leod was the only company who could handle our clutch needs for 1000hp Vipers. The criteria was smooth engagement light pedal effort and extreme durability for the Generation 4 Viper.

Mc Leod produced the product, we tested and went through quite a learning curve. Our test vehicle was the new ACRX and we put 2 revisions of the new product through a torture test. The results were a spectacular modular clutch that is great for a street car or a race car.







MC Leod RXT Clutch for the 2008-2010 Dodge Viper

This new RXT Street Twin Clutch Assembly is the solution to extreme street car and race car horsepower. The RXT can handle up to 1000hp while still maintaining light pedal effort with no chatter. This modular assembly bolts directly to your stock flywheel, there is no need to purchase a new flywheel, which considerably lowers the cost of adapting to a high quality clutch assembly.

* Sprung Hub disc with excellent release quailities
* Lighter than stock pedal effort
* Premium ARP hardware
* Performance tested in ACRX

DC Performance introductory price: $1309.34

We have done some builds on the new SRT line, my favorite platform is the Jeep SRT 8. The AWD system allows for some awesome launches.

I would love to do a full build on one of these Jeeps that would include powertrain, driveline, brakes and suspension. It would be a supercar sleeper.

With a Vortech Supercharger the Jeep SRT 8 goes from mild to wild. Here is a short video of a build we did recently.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50BOupsEt6Q

Hi All,
I will be flying out Wed night with my partner Aaron, if anyone needs help please feel free to contact me on my cell phone 310-597-6295. The shop will be open during my absence so we can ship anything you may need to the hotel.

Dan Cragin
DC Performance Inc.
310-841-6996

I have contacted the transportation company for VOI about rates for shipping your vehicles. Several folks have requested a one way trip back from VOI.
If you are interested please call John Scharff at 314-703-8449 he has quoted a price of $490 for groups of five to six cars.

If you have any additional questions or need your vehicle prepared for the event, feel free to call us.

Dan Cragin
310-841-6996

Can I damage my engine if I track my car?

Over the years I have seen some Viper engine failures at the track and understand why many owners might have second thoughts about using their cars in a track environment.

First off, everyone should have a chance to see what the Dodge Viper can do on a road course in a controlled environment. With lots of torque and some of the widest performance tires available
in the market today you will never see the limits of your car on the street. Track time makes you a better driver and gives you new respect for your car.

In another installment I will give some more specifics about the track and how to properly check and prepare your car. For this discussion I would like to give you some understanding of why engine lubrication related failures have happened to some folks and what you can do to prevent this.

The Viper has gone through 4 generations of change from 1992-2010. Although the car has changed dramatically it's basic design has remained the same. A big displacement pushrod engine, six speeds and race inspired suspension. The Viper excels in its simple, old school race design, but in it falls behind most exotic cars in engine lubrication. Without getting technical here is how it works.

The engine we love is what we call a "wet sump" engine, common to most all passenger cars and trucks. The sump is where the engine stores it's oil supply, in our cars it's the oil pan that sits below the engine. Oil is used to lubricate the engine and cool it.
The Viper has a large oil capacity from 9-11 quarts depending on the year model. This lubrication system is simple and compact; the oil is drawn from the oil pan by the oil pump and is supplied to the load bearing components in the engine.

Many exotic cars like the Ford GT, ZR 1 Corvette, Ferrari etc.
Use a "dry sump" engine. This engine keeps its oil supply separate from the engine in a tank located above the crankcase of the engine. Oil is pumped directly from the tank to the load bearing components of the engine and scavanged back to the oil tank by a separate suction pump. The reason this is done is to keep the oil cooler, to reduce losses of power from the crankshaft contacting the oil and to keep the oil supply from moving around during high cornering and accelerating G Forces. In a "wet sump engine" like the Viper the oil in the sump (oil pan) can move away from the oil pickup in the pan under hard cornering and acceleration and under certain situations starve the engine from lubrication. Now understand, this can only happen in very extreme conditions and there are ways to prevent it.

When I first started taking Vipers to the race track back in 1993-1995, we never had any lubrication related problems. We heard that high G loads and lower than full oil levels could cause oil starvation on the track, but never saw this happen. We ran slicks and modified our engines and had no issues. The Gen 1 Vipers had a big oil pan, shrouded oil pickup and the oil stayed where it needed to be.

When the Gen 2 Viper came out we started to see some issues. Turn 9 at Willow Springs flat out in a GTS with a pro-driver a piston rod let go. The changes to the new Viper made it faster than ever, but the diet Dodge put the Viper on reduced the oil capacity and size of the oil pickup in the pan, that combined with more power, lighter and better suspension and new sticky Michelin tires, the increased G-Loads achieved forced the oil right out of the pan. A market opened up for modified oil pans that used baffles to keep the oil around the oil pickup and in 1999 The Viper received a deeper oil pan and increased oil capacity. The hard-core racers went to dry sump systems.

While the Gen 3 Viper was just coming out I had the opportunity to be involved in a new car, the Viper Competition Coupe. Tommy Archer had done all the initial testing of the Car and it was fast. I was puzzled to find that the oil pan was very simple with very little to keep the oil in place. There were no oiling issues during Tommy's testing. Before the release of the new Comp Coupe several novice club racers were allowed to test this new car.
After a few laps several drivers came in with complaints of loss of oil pressure in the corners. The final diagnosis was that Tommy was such a smooth driver he never upset the oil in the pan, but the novice drivers high-speed turn in technique did. Immediately a new oil pan and "swing oil pickup" were designed to correct this.
This became a "must do" for all the serious Gen 3 club racers as well.

In 2005 I had the opportunity to be the crew chief on a new type of racing for Mopar "Drifting".  We campaigned a Viper race car with an exceptional driver, Samuel Hubinette. We used the latest swinging oil pan and a special lubricant. After a few sessions we lost an engine- oil starvation. The extreme sliding forces of drifting just disturbed the oil too much. We did not have a budget for a dry sump, so we asked the advice of a top Dodge engineer. Just overfill it with oil! We placed 2nd overall that year.

With the advent of the Gen 4 Viper the best of the wet sump systems was created, utilizing a swing oil pump pickup special pan and oiling system, these types of failures have almost been eliminated.

For all you novice drivers, these lubrication issues should never arise if you keep your engine full of oil, use stock tires and do not drive over 8/10ths. For those of you that are competitive or run racing tires, modified oil pans are mandatory.  You should also slightly overfill you oil level.

Hope this helps,

Dan Cragin

Mike,
You currently have a billet check valve installed in your system, another is not needed.

Dan

Open house, Meet and Greet at DC PERFORMANCE
Saturday May 1st, 9:00am to 5:00pm


We invite everyone to come out and be with us on May 1st. We will be featuring some very unique sports cars. All types of cars are welcome but we expect a good combination of Vipers, Viper trucks, Late Model "Hemis", Ford GT's, Street Rods and European Exotics. A free BBQ lunch will be served with refreshments.

If you like, we will be "Dyno" testing all day for $60 a test. This will include
Three pulls and a dyno sheet. It's, first come first serve and we need you to sign up. So please give us a call. Expect to see some 1000hp cars. All are welcome and there is no charge just to attend!

For those of you who have not met our team or visited our shop, this will be a great time to hang out and meet us. Just come and socialize.

Our official Viper Club Dyno Day will be in July, so if you want a sneak peak at your dyno results this could be your chance.

I look forward to seeing you!

Dan Cragin
President
DC Performance Inc
310-841-6996

[Winter is here and DC Performance has some great holiday parts and service specials. What better time to give your car a holiday gift or winterized service.]

Winter is here and DC Performance has some great holiday parts and service specials. What better time to give your car a holiday gift or winterized service.

PRODUCT SPECIALS:

Billet steering rack bushings
Improve steering response, turn in and road feel with these performance steering rack bushings. Developed for the competition Viper these solid billet aluminum bushings replace the failure prone rubber bushings used by the factory. Great for street or track use. Fits 1992-2010 Models.

Sale Price: $75.00      Installation: $165.00

Performance Side Exhaust
Make your Viper sound like a Viper should with this performance side exhaust system. Developed in conjunction with Belanger exhaust for DC Performance, this exhaust gives your Viper a deep, tuned sound. The system was designed for owners who want an aggressive sound without being too loud. Fits 2003-2010 Models.

Sale Price: $1400     Installation: $330.00

Performance Programmers
Give your car the best possible power and economy for your performance modifications. Stock or modified, DC Performance can make your car run better with a performance calibration. Our programmers allow you to download your program for track use and change back to stock. Requires 170-degree thermostat. For " off road use only".

Sale Price: $599     Thermostat: $68.00

SERVICE SPECIALS:

Winterized Service
Winter service special includes the replacement of all your vehicles fluids with approved or better lubricants. Your cooling system is serviced and an anti-corrosive is added, the battery is tested and a complete vehicle inspection is performed.

Sale Price: $799.00


Alignment and Wheel Balance
Over time bushings in your cars suspension settle in and your tires begin to wear, the result is reduced stability and high-speed vibration. A proper 4-wheel alignment and tire balance will make your car handle and ride better.

Sale Price: $289.00   Ride height adjustment extra.

^12

There most likely will be four of us, Lyle, Patti, Teresa and Me.

I sent the registration in on the website.

See you there.

Dan Cragin

We will be fitting a new breather system to Paul Poizner's car in few days. I will let you know how it works!

Dan

Hi all,
Just want to let everyone know that we have our dyno day video wrapped up and should be posting it soon!

Dan Cragin

Hi Guys,
I will be showing up for this event. If I have something interesting to test drive (with the customer's permission of course!) I will do the drive. If not I will be in Ojai for the lunch!

Dan Cragin

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for a great turn-out and some awesome cars. It really enjoyed talking to all of you. We will post all the dyno numbers and have a video of the up shortly.

Dan Cragin
DC Performance