Water Pump/Opti...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 905
Likes: 0
From: Started out together Now we're both retired
St. Jude Donor '06
Water Pump/Opti...
Had my 96 vette LT1, 73000 miles, into the Chevy service today for a oil/filter change, and inspection. I mentioned to them to take a look for the source of what might be an anti-freeze leak, as I had been noticing stuff showing up on the garage floor. He comes back and tell's me that the leak is coming from the water pump, which of course is right above the opti. This leak has been going on for awhile, but the car continues to run fine. He says that they would have to replace the pump and the opti also. He's giving me a price of around $1500. I know from the forum that this is an expensive job to have done. If the car is currently running ok, does the opti automatically have to be replaced anyway? TIA.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
No, it can be taken apart and cleaned if need be and since your car is running fine you most likely could get by with just taking it apart for inspection and cleaning. The dealer service department is recommending the best procedure from their standpoint which means they will have to guarantee their work afterwards for 90 days or whatever it is there. What they are recommending is probably the best procedure for a Corvette waterpump leak but it is also the most expensive one. They probably well remember replacing waterpumps only on other Corvettes in the past and have had it bite them when the car comes back on the hook a couple of days later when the moisture that got inside the Opti eventually corrupted the optical sensor over time. The 96 has the best Opti which was revised to include a positive venting system. It is highly possible your's would just dry out by driving the car right away for a while and be OK but there are no guarantees on that. A new Opti at the dealership will be pricey too. New AC Delco Optis are available on the Internet for less than $300 if you need one. I would contact the local Corvette club to see if they can recommend a Corvette specialist who is familiar with these cars and wouldn't mind trying to save you some money.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 905
Likes: 0
From: Started out together Now we're both retired
St. Jude Donor '06
Thanks for the good words. I saw in a previous post where you did this repair on your own 96. I know someone locally who works vet's. I will contact him and run it past him. I've owned the car a little over 3 years and have had zero problems with it. I was hoping to escape any, and am planning to sell the vet come spring. Unfortunetly some nagging infirmaties are making it more difficult to drive it. Thanks again.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,262
Likes: 0
From: E. Amherst NY
If I were in the market to buy a 'vette with an LT1/LT4, if the current -- soon to be previous -- owner could give me receipts for having had the opti and water pump replaced recently, that would be a HUGE plus. Whenever I look at these cars with the optis, I always keep in the back of my head that I'd be tearing it apart within the first year to replace the opti and waterpump, regardless of mileage.
JMO.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,564
Likes: 6
From: Woodstock Georgia
That is the normal dealer price range and is way high for an 8 hour job involving less than $500 in retail parts. The pros and cons on doing the opti have been well presented to you already. Water pump is indeed easy to do. The opti is a PITA because of the crank pulley. I like the suggestion on finding a local vette club and a better/cheaaper shop.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 905
Likes: 0
From: Started out together Now we're both retired
St. Jude Donor '06
I know this will not be what you want to hear, but...
If I were in the market to buy a 'vette with an LT1/LT4, if the current -- soon to be previous -- owner could give me receipts for having had the opti and water pump replaced recently, that would be a HUGE plus. Whenever I look at these cars with the optis, I always keep in the back of my head that I'd be tearing it apart within the first year to replace the opti and waterpump, regardless of mileage.
JMO.
If I were in the market to buy a 'vette with an LT1/LT4, if the current -- soon to be previous -- owner could give me receipts for having had the opti and water pump replaced recently, that would be a HUGE plus. Whenever I look at these cars with the optis, I always keep in the back of my head that I'd be tearing it apart within the first year to replace the opti and waterpump, regardless of mileage.
JMO.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 6,715
Likes: 2
From: Santa Teresa New Mexico
$1,500 isn't bad for that job.
Is the vented opti better than the non-vented opti? The jury is still out on that one. The vented opti, sucks in crap.
1992 to 1996 all the optis are prone to faliure. Its a design flaw.
Corvettes usta be a fix on the road car, but once the government got into the car business thats a thing of the past.
GM was trying to placate the government, the result in an unreliable igntion system.
But not all is lost the problem was solved in 1997. Replaced by a un-reliable steering wheel lock out.
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Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,691
Likes: 71
From: Phoenix Arizona
Since you're paying some one to do the job, it makes more sense to have the opti done now too. The opti is not a magic or devil box, it merely is a distributer cap, rotor, and cam sensor, granted in an inconenient position. The water pump is actually a very quick and easy job.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
From: Wilmington NC
I would go ahead and replace the opti if the water pump is coming out. I can almost guarantee you'll be doing it any way sooner than you think. The later optis are better than the earlier versions but they still go bad. It'll be a whole lot cheaper now than later, you're already paying for most of the labor to get to it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,068
Likes: 6
I would go ahead and replace the opti if the water pump is coming out. I can almost guarantee you'll be doing it any way sooner than you think. The later optis are better than the earlier versions but they still go bad. It'll be a whole lot cheaper now than later, you're already paying for most of the labor to get to it.
I've got a 93LT1, and just replaced the water pump/opti, radiator, hoses, etc, etc! The price seems to be in line with what I paid for the opti/water pump replacement. Definitely worth the piece of mind!
