ever wonder if you can save your opti?

[9302z28SS]

You guys ever wonder if you can save your optispark when it suddenly goes to hell?

And i mean without spending anything more then a few hours of time and about 10-15$?

Well i found out recently that if youre not getting any spark
But your coil and icm along with opti-coil wire are all good that
Inside and i mean deep inside your opti is probably the cause.

Well i had the same issue. I power washed my engine twice on
My camaro. (Non vented style opti 1993)

The second time about a day later i noticed my car had a very
Rough idle like an untuned cammed car would have.

I had no power and was backfiring. Kind of acting like i had no gas.

I had to two foot it at red lights. Pop it into N and keep my
Foot on the gas to keep it running. Ect ect.

Well it finally went on me, luckily i was 10 feet from my garage
About to pull it into it to dig into it and fix it.

So i took the opti off and apart, using the long nose E4 torx socket(a short
Nose will not fit)

I opened the case and found the what was supposed to be rubber
Seal was as hard as abs plastic. And missing chunks.

Well i dug into it deeper and found every metal part in the opti
Was rusted badly. It looked like a 1957 bel-air that had been
In a barn for 30+ years not touched.

So i carefully pulled everything apart. Down to the foil disk
That runs thru the optical sensor. Be very careful not to tear this
It does come off. And take pics and lots of them before you pull
Each item off.

I wire wheeled everything that was metal until it looked. Silver again.

I also sprayed brake cleaner on the inside and used an old tooth brush
To clean off dirt and dust.

I also used 80 gritt sand paper of each prong on the cap then whire wheeled
The metal points on the rotor button.

After cleaning everything and putting it all back together
I got into the car hit the key and started right up and had no
Previous signs of issue.

I then bled the cooling system and took it for a ride.

It laid down rubber for as long as i could hold the gas down.
And its been running great ever since. Thats been about a month ago.

Just be sure you use high temp non conductive black RTV
When putting it back together. Or everything you just did will be in vein
Just alittle while later.

If you have any questions PM me ill gladly help.

Ive delt with opti-shits for 6 years.

Sorry i would include pics but i didnt take any.

[9302z28SS]

Sorry forgot list of things needed and prices

E4 torx socket $2.99 autozone
Black RTV $5.99 autozone
(2) lt1 water pump gaskets ¢99 each autozone

And maybe anti freeze if you need/want it.
I was able to reuse all of mine

[hoogiesngrinderz]

Glad to see someone tear into one. They aren't too bad to service. The only time they get expensive is when the optical sensor itself craps out.

Did you coat any of the parts you wire wheeled?

[9302z28SS]

no

No i didnt coat anything.

I think the metal parts have some kind of conductive trait
To them that helps with it working properly.

[93formulalt1]

Hate to be negative, but I did the same thing to mine about 6 months ago, and the problems recurred just a few months after doing so. All this even considering the car never moved when the roads were wet or any kind of rain/snow was falling. The only fix for a bad opti is a quality replacement, anything short of that is simply a temporary fix to a permanent problem. I'm going to be replacing my opti with a new Delphi unit this spring, as well as going through the rest of the ignition system.

Best of luck, hopefully your fix lasts longer than mine.

[9302z28SS]

reply

Yeah i wouldnt intend this as a permanent fix.
Just use it as a temp fix until you can afford the
New cap/rotor or new opti all together.

I was lucky everything in my opti still works.
Ill drive on it till it drops and let you guys know
Just how long mine lasted.

Mine does go out in the rain and show also.
So it is a gamble but if you really cant afford to
Spend the money for a new unit this could make
You by till you have the cash to replace it

[hoogiesngrinderz]

No i didnt coat anything.

I think the metal parts have some kind of conductive trait
To them that helps with it working properly.

Nope, the opti disc doesn't conduct. I have a zinc plating setup to do this. Do not coat with paint!

I lightly coat the rotor and cap with dielectric grease.

[93formulalt1]

Nope, the opti disc doesn't conduct. I have a zinc plating setup to do this. Do not coat with paint!

I lightly coat the rotor and cap with dielectric grease.

That's what I did with mine. Well, not the zinc plating, but dielectric grease on all of the electrical contact points, and when I put it back together, I sealed everything with a bead of black RTV silicone. Will likely do the same with the new one before it goes in, the stock rubber gasket in the opti tends to dry out and crack, before eventually crumbling, so I'll use RTV to seal everything up.


BTW, a new GM Performance Parts Opti (Delphi unit marketed under GMPP brand) is available for $299+shipping at Summit Racing. That's where I'll be going to order mine.

[hoogiesngrinderz]

I didn't use RTV. I used the Permatex silver stuff I use for sealing crankcase halves on the dirtbikes, quads, snowmobiles, etc.