40th Anniversary It finally happened.... the opti went south...

[CLABORN1960]

3 weeks ago I was driving back to work, going up a hill and the car just stuttered then stopped. Couldn't restart it, it would start and then just "pant" couldn't give it gas then it would cut off. Had it flatbedded to my mechanic.

Initially he indicated that it had jumped time but wasn't sure why. He checked the computer, speculated that maybe the timing chain might be the problem. He was finally got the front off, and discovered that the waterpump had been leaking for some time into the opti.... eventually there was enough moisture to cause it to jump time and stop the car. He indicated that from the looks of the opti it had been getting water from the waterpump for 6 months or longer....

It was the original opti..... the car has 185,000 miles on it..... here's hoping for another 185k on the new opti....

 

[bossvette]

My Wife's Impala SS just was flat bedded home last night and I suspect the Opti but will settle for fuel fillter or pump. It is doing the same as yours was.
Autotap shows no codes I will be putting a fuel pressure gage on it before tearing into the opti. Will you be going with a stock opti or one of the newer aftermarket ones?

ps 185000 I love it when someone drives their Vette and is not afraid of putting miles on it

 

[CLABORN1960]

my mechanic believes in genuine GM parts unless there is a reason not to go that way... so since its just opti #2, I am going to follow his recommendation..... btw I think the waterpump that went bad was a rebuilt one I had another mechanic put on about 2 yrs ago.... no wonder the price for that was cheap....

 

[bossvette]

I don't think mine is the opti I replaced the filter and it starts but I still don't have proper pressure. My problem is my hearing is not good enough to hear the pump running :L so I have to wait for my Wife to come home for further tests.

My Wife buys gas by price lowest price doesn't matter if its no name crap I use Sunoco 94 in my Vette; the only problems with her car have been fuel related :L no wonder

 

[Vanity Plate Bob]

Grandaughters Cavalier carried on. Start stop go no go.
After crank balancer? and a new fuel pump it was discovered the ignition was bad. Only getting 6 volts at times. $700. latr it's ok.

 

[93Rubie]

Gotta, love it, when not leaked upon the Opti-Spark that everybody hates keeps kicken till 185K, that LT1 and Corvette Durability for you.

I second going with GM parts on this, I think GM Junkie recommends this as well, b/c some of the aftermarket units have been known to give trouble. The ACDelco units rarely give trouble.

 

[CLABORN1960]

Just got the original starter replaced last week..... 256k on the clock and still going strong....

 

[tcxd40]

Gotta, love it, when not leaked upon the Opti-Spark that everybody hates keeps kicken till 185K, that LT1 and Corvette Durability for you.

I second going with GM parts on this, I think GM Junkie recommends this as well, b/c some of the aftermarket units have been known to give trouble. The ACDelco units rarely give trouble.

Correct me if I'm wrong, GM no longer makes the optispark unit, at least according to my dealer, out of production for several years.