Neighborhood Yard Find for me!

[GM Powertrain]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Awesome find! Make sure you get some Michelin PS4 tires for it and throw away the Poorellis if they are still on the car. The Michelins are THE go to tire for these cars and can handle the horsepower with predictability. The Pirellis are fine for a 300 horse car but not a 700-800hp car. Totally unpredictable in their traction and handling characteristics at higher power levels.

That's the plan along with taking the necessary safety precautions necessary to avoid the car from being stolen (not that it's going to be out of my sight when it's out.) Sadly these cars are dwindling in numbers due to theft and crashes. Get 'em now while you can.

[njsteve]

Here is the 2015 TSB on the RF Hub lockout procedure that blocks any future keyfob cloning (the current easiest way they steal them) that applies to your car. The thieves plug into the dash and with a laptop and then add a new key to the system that starts the car. With the TSB done that ability is forever blocked. The downside is that if you ever lose your keys they have to replace the RF Hub module and keys and charge you around $500 plus the cost of each keyfob. You have to sign a waiver when you have this done that you are aware of that possible future cost not covered by warranty.

You also need to get some RFI blocking pouches (mini Faraday bags) to carry your keyfob in (and the other keyfobs stored in your house). This is the other way they steal them: with an antennae that captures the signal your keyfobs are putting out 24/7 and they then clone your keyfob. There are Youtube videos of people walking around houses where hellcats are parked, while holding up a big metal ring. All they have to do is walk close to your front door, where you have the key hanging on a hook inside and they can capture the signal. The Faraday pouch blocks the signal from going out.

These are the ones I just got. And make sure you test them. If you can sit in the car with the keyfob in the pouch and the car refuses to start and says "no key present", then they are working. I bought another brand set and one of the four pouches allowed the car to start while the fob was inside. I immediately threw that one in the trash. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, make sure you turn off the option for "keyless entry/auto unlock on approach". That reduces the amount of signal being bounced up and back between the car and the keyfobs.

Oh, and one last thing. DO NOT let any dealer try to charge you for the TSB repair. And they will sure try! Simply tell them that this was a known defect when the car was within its 3/36 warranty but Dodge did not have the fix created until 2022, seven years after the car was produced. Therefore, it could not have been done in the original warranty period. It's like having the transmission on your new 2022 C8 blow up under warranty and Chevy not being able to provide you with a new warranty transmission until 2025 because they are all on backorder. Does that mean that suddenly you are on the hook for the cost in 2025 when it is replaced beyond the 3/36 timespan? If you need to find a dealer that can do the TSB reach out to me. 90% of the service departments have no clue how to access it and will just say "Oh, the programs were all updated automatically when we plugged it in." Nope. There is a specific procedure that a knowledgeable tech has to go through to get to the RF Hub module programming lockout page in the computer. If they still insist it was done, then demand they show you the mandatory waiver from the prior owner who requested it. It will be in Dodge's digital warranty record for the car. If they cant show it, that is proof it wasn't done.

Oh, and there is a really good website for hellcat enthusiasts: https://www.hellcat.org/whats-new/posts/3514739/. I'm on there under the same name as here.

:-)

[GM Powertrain]

Thanks for the great information Steve. I truly appreciate it!

[Andy]

Nice find on the Challenger! I miss my 2013 R/T 6 speed so much! Sold it in 2020 with 26K miles. I special ordered it in the spring of 2013 due to the limited relaunch of the hemi orange color. I ordered the super track pack, 20" wheels and ordered the pistol grip hurst 6 speed shifter and corsa exhaust from the mopar performance catalog.

Maybe I'll be able to get a hellcat one day.

[njsteve]

Nice! How was the angle of the pistol grip in your hand? Was it awkwardly forward or does it fit the hand position properly. They look like they angle too far forward in 1st, 3rd and 5th.
(Thinking about Fathers Day Gifts).

[Andy]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Nice! How was the angle of the pistol grip in your hand? Was it awkwardly forward or does it fit the hand position properly. They look like they angle too far forward in 1st, 3rd and 5th.
(Thinking about Fathers Day Gifts).

I liked it. I didn't have any issues with hand position. Was it perfect, no, but I did enjoy it alot! I replaced the polyurethane bushing that came with the shifter with a factory rubber one due to the vibration/noise it transmitted into the cabin. I sacrificed some firmness of the shifter for noise reduction, but it was a tradeoff I was willing to make. I will say that the Barton shifters are the cat's meow with the 6 speed. They are much tighter than the Hurst and throws are shorter. In my opinion, the perfect setup would be a Barton with the hurst pistol grip handle for that visual appeal.

[njsteve]

I put the R/T up on jack stands and drained and refilled the 6-speed. It took exactly 4 quarts of AT+4. Then I installed the skip-shift eliminator jumper. Also took a sample of the trans fluid and sent it off to Blackstone for analysis. So they now have the engine, manual trans, and rear diff fluids to test. This way I have a baseline for any future testing of the original 24,000 mile fluids (not the engine oil of course).

And the driving lessons are going great. The boy drove all around on local roads for around 20 minutes at dusk. Other than a couple dozen deer trying to commit suicide, it was uneventful. He's doing great. The deer actually made him think about stopping, downshifting, and using horn all at the same time.

Tomorrow we are going to try to drive up to Dover Dodge to see if they can order a copy of the original window sticker. According to Dodge Help line, only the original selling dealer can do this. Sounds fishy to me but what the hey, the kid needs seat time.

[Andy]

One thing I forgot to mention, I would recommend removing the clutch delay valve. It is a little plastic orifice that restricts flow of hydraulic fluid to the slave cylinder. I found that on high RPM shifts it was difficult to shift, often resulting in missing a gear due to it just not wanting to go in. After I removed this from the line, it was night and day difference. No more problems. Good luck on getting your window sticker. I still have mine!

https://www.challengertalk.com/threa...emoval.552705/

[njsteve]

I did notice a "weirdness" to the shifting/clutch engagement at higher RPMs. It is like the throttle sticks for a millisecond and the revs go up ever so slightly like you were slipping the clutch. I believe that is the exact symptom that the stupid valve causes, right?

[njsteve]

We drove up to Dover Dodge this morning and amazingly enough, they were able to order the a reprint of the Monroney for our car. They said it takes around 4 weeks to arrive from HQ.

After that we paid a visit to the part department to get the part number for the instrument cluster. It has the standard defect that curses all of the early generation Challengers, Chargers, 300's and Magnums. The Electroluminescent Light Display (ELD) stops working in places. It looks like a creepy assortment of fingers behind your gauges at night that move or spread according to how bright or dim you set the lighting. It is a fatal defect and eventually the entire lighting dies out.

I reached out to one company that repairs them. They said I needed the part number and that a dealer can get it based on your VIN.

When I sent the info back to the repair place they said "OUCH". That is one we don't repair and have to replace entirely and of course they are not available and any used one you get will have the same fatal defect.

Of course the manual trans cars have their own part number: 68066768-AF Cluster I 08037162 in case any of you have one sitting on the shelf.

UPDATE: I reached out to UpFix, an instrument cluster repair specialist and they said no problem. It's $250 to fix with a 3 day turnaround. https://www.upfix.com/product/dodge-...el-icp-repair/ Anyone have any experience with them?