Opti Spark Repair Article

[Corvette-Pilot]

Thought this might be of interest if your Optispark goes bad.
http://www.corvettefever.com/editorial/article.jsp?viewtype=text&id=16758

This may have been posted before but just in case

 

[Steve92LT1]

That is a really interesting idea, and looks like it would work pretty good. It basically gives the pre-1995 opti the benefits of the later model. To change to the later opti, you have to change the timing cover and etc... This way you don't.. Cool idea..

 

[RLD92]

I used this article to change my 92 opti to the vented version it works well 1 1/2 yrs now. Instead of modifying my new opti I purchased a 95/96 cap kit and used it they are interchangable.

 

[fastglass95]

Looks like they removed that article from the website.
I get file 404, not found crap!

 

[ramrod]

Opti

Did the article basically suggest installing a 95+ Cap & Rotor ?

I had to replace the Opti on my 94 Buick Roadmaster and it was definately NO fun ...

 

[dburgjohn]

Opti-Spark

There is a good how-to on this site

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/c4/optispark.html

 

["94 Sixspeed]

Question

I read the article, and it sounds like a good cleaning will correct many of the failures.. But there is a lot of labor to remove and replace the unit... Is there a way to go back to a normal distributor and ditch this failure prone unit?? Is it posible to mate the existing computer setup to another distributer? Is this a bad idea??

 

[VetteRon]

Optispark troubles

I had a leaking waterpump take out my optispark on my 93'. I replaced the distributor, coil, module, plug wires & waterpump. It fired right up & ran great for about an hour & an half. Then it started missing & dying. After 3 restarts that was it. There are no codes present. There is spark from the coil but nothing out of the distributor. I also installed a moisture eliminator kit from Mid America. Any ideas as to what maybe the problem. It looks like the optispark died again to me, but why?

 

[Corvette-Pilot]

I have to assume you replaced the water pump while in there?

Also need to mention the article I mentioned in the start of this thread is no longer active.

 

[Robertwav1]

Article website....

http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/16758/

Opti spark Options are listed here...!

 

[bogus]

The opti is one topic that has been beaten to death everywhere in the C4 world!!!

It is a POS. Lets agree to that.

now... converting to the late model is an improvement, but a company, DynoTech Engineering, that has built a new and improved optispark.

Check out the details.

www.dynotech-eng.com

The problem with the early opti's is bearing failure. cleaning will help, some, but not enough. They are water sensative, but not fatally so. What kills them is antifreeze!!!! that will eat the bearings up in a heartbeat!! well... not THAT quick, but pretty fast.

Also, run a bead of RTV around the edge where the cap and the opti body meet.

Important - later caps will NOT fit on earlier opti's.

What DTE did was take a 2nd gen opti, improve it, then apply the changes to a design that will fit 1st gen opti's.

The concensus is to not use the Mid-America opti vent. It is only 1 way. The GM unit, about $10.00, is cheaper and better. It creates a pressurized air flow.

I hope this clears up some of the misconceptions of the opti...

 

[VetteRon]

Yes I replaced the water pump & hoses. I read somewhere that a few people have found the rotor mounting screw has fallen out & allows the rotor to slip. Would explain my situation. I guess tomorrow I'll pull it out again & see if thats the case.

 

[VetteRon]

Thanks for the info. I will check into the dealer moisture eliminator kit, since I'm going to have the distributor out again. Would you know the part # of the kit ? Thanks again!

 

[bogus]

Thanks for the info. I will check into the dealer moisture eliminator kit, since I'm going to have the distributor out again. Would you know the part # of the kit ? Thanks again!

12556174

When I got it, the list was about $13.00.

You will have to modify the cap and body to accept the hoses. The article listed elsewhere, has the details.

 

[Corvette-Pilot]

Re: Article website....

http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/16758/

Opti spark Options are listed here...!

Ya, that's the article !

Thanks for finding it !!
Looks like they just rearranged their site on me.

 

[vettepilot]

VetteRon,
Check to make sure that the connector that plugs into the opti-spark didn't pop off. The heat in that area damages the plastic connector housing, and the clip could fail and break off. This allows the connector to loosen and pop off. If it has lots of silicon grease on the connector it is too slippery, wipe it clean and reinsert it. If that wasn't the problem to begin with, as you dig deeper towards the opti-spark, check to make certain that it was seated flush against the front of the engine, there is a notch that will correctly position it. If it was not flush, the drive may not have been completely seated in the splines either, this could slip and cause an out of time condition in just a short run.
Don't forget, (I'm sure you noticed or knew) there is a master spline on the distributor shaft, I looked at one for a friend that had put the dist. on, but not aligned to the master spline, then cranked the housing on without checking to make certain everything was seated. It pushed the shaft forward, which in turn pushed the rotor, and everything that rotated. Wasn't pretty.
Those are the only things that come to mind right away, if I still had my C4 here I could stick my head under the clamshell and get more ideas for ya, but alas, it's gone.
Oh, one more thought came to mind... I had my coil wire to the opti-spark pop off because I didn't get it seated correctly on the opti-spark tower, the airpressure under it caused it to push off. Luckily this happened when I checked to make sure it would start, before I put everything back together.
vettepilot

 

[VetteRon]

Opti Spark Troubles

Thanks for the info! I removed the distributor yesterday & heard the problem. There were loose pieces inside that as I turned the unit over in my hands I could hear falling. I didn't take it apart. I was planning on doing that at the Dealership Parts Department. I returned it today & expected a fight to get it replaced. I was pleasantly surprised when the partsman returned with a new distributor. He didn't want to take it apart, so I can only guess that the screws from the rotor fell out & the rotor wasn't turning. One of the other partsmen commented about his LT-1 & the Opti Crap, as he called it, in his Camaro. So I guess it's a well known problematic piece. I removed the 2 screws from the rotor & loctited them back in place. I also will put silicone sealer around the edge of the cap. I'm considering drilling a hole in the cap ( instead of melting a hole in it with a soldering gun ) to run the air vent line to the intake snorkel, like in the article mentioned in the earlier post. I'll let you know how it turns out.