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I would try to convert to the newer vented Opti-spark. That requires a newer timing chain cover and a longer pin in the cam, besides the Opti that is.
Delete VATS. You can do it, as well as any other tuning you want, with free PC software and a USB to serial converter that costs about $3. If you're deleting the charcoal canister purge or EVAP you need to change a few other things in a specific way. Do it wrong and you get stuck in BLM cells 16-18 and the fuel trims don't work right.
Can you elaborate on the changes required and the specific way to do them?
Red Dragon 79
Here is the coolant diagram I used for my installation.
there is a circuit missing from this diagram there is a vent on the bottom of the water pump that sprays coolant on the optispatk distributor. i guess GM figured it would overheat without coolant dripping on it...
Yes and no. It is the biggest fail point of this engine series. Now a swap probably isn’t gonna get 10 years and 130k no-service miles like a new car, but this has to be looked out for.
The hole you are talking about is the water pump weep hole. It is designed to prevent coolant from entering the engine crankcase if the water pump seal goes bad. It leaks only if you have a bad seal in your water pump. You should replace the water pump if there is moisture at the hole.
Yes, what I posted was EXACTLY true. "The intake" means the intake that comes on the engine which DOES NOT come with a distributor hole. The rest of the question I answered was about putting a Vortec distributor into the intake and then using it for the LT1 ECM instead of the OPTI which DOES NOT work. See below for both the question and my answer you decide to quote to "prove" I wasn't posting entirely true info.
Originally Posted by derekderek
would a 96-02 5.7 vortec distributor fit and be able to run with that efi and ecm? it is trouble free compared to the opti spark. and i think if it fits most distributors will play nice with most ecm's. at least factory ones from similar era.
Originally Posted by lionelhutz
No, there isn't even a distributor hole in the intake and it wouldn't work if there was.
You could cut a distributor hole into the intake if you really wanted to, or replace the intake with one that has a distributor hole. But, you'd have to run the engine with another ECM because none of the LT1 ECMs will work without the unique OPTI high and low resolution signals.
For someone who absolutely hates the opti spark there is a coil over plug conversion which uses LS1 components. It's expensive but looks and works great. The procedure is in this book
Last edited by trower; Dec 10, 2022 at 09:51 AM.
Reason: add more info
