Help! New Vette owner-Optispark a deal breaker??

[kiwiPhil]

Thanks to all those that gave advise about purchasing my first corvette,it seems from many relies that I should not be put off a LT1 engine just because it has optispark ignition,am I being over cautious regarding optispark or should I just buy a late C4 and enjoy it.
Thanks again--Phil

 

[Huskerman]

C4's are very affordable now and very nice cars. I have had several. I now have a C5 and it fits me better, I am 6'2", and think that this is the best Corvette I have ever owned. If you are in the market for a Corvette the C5's are very affordable and the LS 1 engine is a masterpiece....

Also there are 1200 less parts in a C5 over the C4 which is something to consider as these cars get older....That is my .2 cents worth.....Again I loved my 90 C4 but there are so many things I really like about the C5....Good luck to you in your hunt.

 

[93Rubie]

I would not let the Opti-Spark be a deal breaker. If you can find a good deal on a late C4 and you have good parts availability in New Zeland I would not hesitate. The best known unit to me is the one by Petris Enterprises, Inc. - Opti-Spark Info if mine ever goes that is the unit I WILL be installing. The LT1 is a great engine, the only down fall is the Opti-Spark. NO deal breaker.

Huskerman, makes a good point. In the last year or so I have watched C5's start to fall in price. Even nice used lower mileage (less than say 75K) Z06's are going to about 20K or less if you play your cards right. Very tempting, especially with 405HP for less thank 20K. You cannot be that.

 

[vigman]

At about 75K Opti spark becomes an issue

Or the first time the engine is steam cleaned.....or bathed....
But at that point is water pump time anyway... so I would get ahead of the curve and replace it BEFORE it leaves you stranded..
IMHO it's a lame design... but nuttin more than a KNOWN PITA...

Mike

 

[KANE]

Thanks to all those that gave advise about purchasing my first corvette,it seems from many relies that I should not be put off a LT1 engine just because it has optispark ignition,am I being over cautious regarding optispark or should I just buy a late C4 and enjoy it.
Thanks again--Phil

I've owned three LT1 cars. They are no scarier than any other used car.

Besides- all parts eventually fail and C5s have their own issues. An example in my experience was the two fuel level sending units on my '97. It had a tendency for the "check gauges message" to come on and the gauge to drop to zero when one sending unit reported a different level.


If it is good shape and you have reason to believe it was well maintained (no OBD codes!)... then go for it.

 

[air1jpg]

The 95 and 96 models have an improved opti design that is not as nearly as sensitive to moisture as earlier designs. I have heard of opti-sparks lasting well over 100k, but you do have to watch the water pump. My vette has 74k on it and I have not had any trouble with the opti.

 

[kim]

I'v got 126k on my opti.

 

[helphos]

Optispark

I replaced the Opti in my 93 vert by myself. Now that it's done the car performs great! I bought one from Chandler. You can pay somebody or use the great information available on the forums to do it yourself. Once it's done you're good for 5 years or more. I wouldnt let that kind of repair stop me. I love the styling, the performance and everything else about the LT1 Corvettes.
I have no regrets about buying an Optispark equipped Corvette. None of the parts are hard to find.

Good luck!!