optispark troubleshooting and replacement

[suerto]

Okay, I was running my 96 CE hard up to, well, exceeding the speed limit running from an irritating little 350Z and when I let out of it the car was dead. Never could restart... After troubleshooting today, (worried about jumped timing chain, 173,000 miles) so, checked timing with timing light on #1 plug. No light flashing. so I pulled #2 plug cuz it was easier to get to, saw fire. Assumed timing light was broke so pulled #1 plug to manually check timing and no fire. Then saw that #2 was firing intermittenly.
Here's my questions, would the opti go out on one plug and then intermittenly fire on the other? Also, (after the fact, I was told that it is a BAD thing to pull the plugs old school to check for spark)... is it really detrimental the the system and how so?

Last question... with all the "improved" options for the opti (delteq, LTCC, msd opti.. etc..) what would ya'll recommend as a replacement? Currently just trying to maintain the car until I have my shop built, then shooting to rebuild it as a 500hp naturally aspirated engine, would like to upgrade to something that could be transferred over to a high performance engine with everyday reliability.. (everybodys dream)...
Thanks,
Brian
Lafayette, LA

 

[Louis Bartay]

You can purchase a rebuild kit for the LT4 Opti spark (saves money but the after market billet until is really trick)and make sure you use a good sealer to help the gasket keepmostiure out and check that the vent hole with the vacuum line is in good shape. I have 72,000 trouble free miles on my stock LT4 but on my wifes 94 LT1 TA it had theolder model opti spark that was NOT vented and a bad plug wire will KILL a opti spark really fast. I replaced the water pump, plug wires, opti=spark and the vent kit upgrde and new Bosh Platium Four plugs and have had several years of trouble fee driving. Do not use the GM stock LT4 plugs as the dics will burn off really fast and the plug gap will be way too thick.

 

[compyelc4]

I'd go with the stock replacement opti. gmpartsdirect is your best bet!...... and CHECK FOR VACUUM ON THE OPTI VENT SYSTEM!

 

[Chesh]

I replaced my 92 Opti with the one from gmpartsdirect. With that kind of mileage, I would do it all......opti, water pump, wires, and plugs. Mine took a crap after 14,000 miles, so concider yourself lucky.

 

[compyelc4]

Mine crapped at 15K! Leaking water pump caused by the car sitting in a barn for a year, coupled with pinched Opti-Spark vacuum line about 2" from where it attaches to front of intake manifold (its main vacuum source). If the vacuum had been pulling in fresh air to the opti I don't know if the opti would have crapped out so soon. As the antifreeze weeped into the opti it vaporized due to the high voltage arcing and coated all internal surfaces with a pasty turquoise goop (looked like copper sulfate paste). That pretty much killed it!

You can bet I check the pump weep hole for leakage AND check the vacuum on the opti vent line where it attaches to the intake plenum. I do this about every week. It made me paranoid. :ugh