Should I be worried? (Optispark questions)

[SlipStreamZ28]

So, I am trying to slowly do what little things I can to get my Z road worthy again.

With the wedding coming up and a car payment, It's going to take a while, but I was thinking that I have had this car for about 10 years now I have never done anything to the optispark system. I always hear how they fail and so forth, granted I have a 97' so the thing is vented but with a 160,000+ miles I have never so much as changed the cap and rotor.

To the best of my knowledge I don't have any ignition issues and I thought that the optispark was one of those things that either they work or they don't.

So am I just lucky or am I missing something? Should the cap and rotor be changed every so often like a normal distributor?

[98blackbeauty]

If its not broke don't fix it! I think most opti's go bad because of 1. over rev'n and 2. water pump leaking on them. Some people may argue this point but if your car is running good and not missing I would not touch it. If it starts to miss I would do plugs and wires before touching opti.

[prorac1]

I know a lot of people have had problems with there optis, but I agree with Larry. I got 145,000 miles out of my last opti, and only replaced it because i had the motor out of the car. But it is an expensive part to replace.

[SlipStreamZ28]

Ok thats what I thought, kinda funny since I think I've gone through like 4 water pumps, damn things are leaking more then not, but no misses so I 'll leave the opti be lol. Just thought that after a while the rotor might start to get pitted or something.

[JoeliusZ28]

ill 3rd larry on that one. they will last along time as long as you keep the stock rev limiter and dont get it wet. sustained high rpms will kill them too.