OptiFAIL?

[Will]

So I was at the Downriver Cruise, at a stoplight and my car stalled out. It took a few minutes to get it running again, and now it's missing all the time and backfiring constantly. My question is: is this symptomatic of a failed Opti or maybe something else I should be looking for? It's getting fuel, and it idles ok. Only when I try to accelerate does it crap out. Any suggestions?

[s.reef]

how many miles on the opti?

[MP81]

Opti FTL!!!!

[ITSSLOW]

It's getting fuel, and it idles ok. Only when I try to accelerate does it crap out. Any suggestions?

Sounds like an opti to me.

[meissen]

I thought it sounds like EGR.

[Will]

Well, the EGR is coming off anyhow, I've already got the cover-plates. I'll do that first and see if it runs better. I'm not getting my hopes up though.

[JoeliusZ28]

EGR will mess with a car, but not that bad.

Im not 100% sure if my opti was my problem or not but I will be finding out soon. here is what mine sounded like before it came apart, and this was before it even got that bad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVFakrFLVV0

[Will]

mine sounded way worse. I could barely get it past 1k rpm. Anyhow, while I was taking the egr off, I found a leak in it, right where it connects to the header. I think what happened is the O2 sensor saw this leak as the motor running lean, so it dumped a bunch of gas in. Since it wasn't actually running lean (the o2 was coming after firing) this resulted in a lot of extra gas, and incomplete combustion, and fouled plugs. Every one I took out was black and reeked of gasoline. I'm changing them tomorrow night, and I hope it runs better. Taking the EGR off was easy, and it didn't backfire after, hopefully a good sign, but we'll see tomorrow.

[96BlackBetty]

Mines doing the same thing and it just got a lot worse. Now when u say opti do u mine the whole thing or just cap and rotor?

[shawnc16]

egr would make it stall out from idle.. rough idle it would run fine at cruising speeds.. lack of power at WOT.. I'd go with opti, a fuel problem.... you could have a weak pump... check fuel pressure while driving if you can.

[lozanoa11]

mine sounded way worse. I could barely get it past 1k rpm. Anyhow, while I was taking the egr off, I found a leak in it, right where it connects to the header. I think what happened is the O2 sensor saw this leak as the motor running lean, so it dumped a bunch of gas in. Since it wasn't actually running lean (the o2 was coming after firing) this resulted in a lot of extra gas, and incomplete combustion, and fouled plugs. Every one I took out was black and reeked of gasoline. I'm changing them tomorrow night, and I hope it runs better. Taking the EGR off was easy, and it didn't backfire after, hopefully a good sign, but we'll see tomorrow.

thats acctualy a good diagnosis. does it act up when cold or just warmed up?

[Will]

Usually only after it's hot, ie when the O2 is in the loop. Now that the plugs are all nasty, it's not running much at all, but like I said I'm gonna fix that.

[ITSSLOW]

Mines doing the same thing and it just got a lot worse. Now when u say opti do u mine the whole thing or just cap and rotor?

The optispark is your distributor or "cap and rotor" as you put it. On these cars, its one sealed unit. You can't replace separate parts like on the old SBC's

[MP81]

Another reason why Opti is FTL.

[JoeliusZ28]

The optispark is your distributor or "cap and rotor" as you put it. On these cars, its one sealed unit. You can't replace separate parts like on the old SBC's

actually you can, however since it is a sealed unit, opening it up and replacing those seperate parts is not the preferred method. The cap and rotor is also 75% of a new opti's cost.

Another reason why Opti is FTL.

right, but for $500-600 you can buy a dynaspark and be completely done with ALL ignition problems as long as your wires are good. You can take it a step further with a coil pack conversion as well.