Why shouldn’t a Viper engine contain 10 pistons?
The Dodge Viper has been a car icon for many reasons, including its powerful V10 engine. This video shows the powerplant that has been through worse times.
Eric, from Importapart, purchased this V10 from an Importapart viewer. The guy informed Eric that the engine had a bad piston. This was just the tip of an iceberg.
Early signs point to trouble ahead, as one bank of cylinders is missing a gasket. One of the sparkplugs has become twisted. Turning the crank causes a love affair with the valvetrain and pistons. There are many horrors ahead.
The intake manifold can be removed to get a view into the cylinders. You can see a lot of metal debris, with one having a cobweb.
Things get worse when the valve covers are removed. Now the oil has turned to a sludgy, mucky color that’s similar to coffee with a little cream.
When the cylinder head is removed, the bad news becomes clear. One of the pistons has been essentially destroyed. One small piece remains in the cylinder. The rest of the metal is dispersed in the oil pan. Deep marks are found in the cylinder wall, and there is damage to the valve seat.
However, things continue to worsen. The person who worked on the engine had previously broken the crank bolt and then tapped in a smaller fastener. For some reason, the person used a grinder to grind the crank’s end.
Eric can’t remove the bolt. Eric uses a tool to remove the bolt, but some threads refuse to come out.
Eric believes that some components of this engine can be salvaged, but he suggests that the block will probably become a coffee table. Let’s all hope that the Viper owner of this V10 was able to enjoy a lot before it met its tragic end.