Now ya know that will teach

 

I'll air it out a bit, in the mean time i can upgrade the radio.

 

Sorry to hear, hope everything works out for you.
Keep us posted

 

you drowned the Opti. While your pricing a new opti I suggest you replace water pump as well. Its a while you are there kinda of deal that will save you trouble later. Sucks bro good luck

 

L98's are easy to wash

 

I don't mean to hijack this thread but maybe a bunch of us can learn something here. I washed mine a while back, started it up and it ran like hell! Farting, backfiring, poor idle - the whole thing! I figured that it was the Opti and ran it at idle for about 1/2 hour until it began to get better and I dared to take it for a drive. After about an hour's drive, it seemed fine and I put it away (weather's still not really great here for driving it anyways). Next week it was fine. Drove it yesterday (it's been about a month since "the bath") and it had a lumpy idle and sputtered a bit at times... Is this the classic sign of an Opti that's about to go south? If so, how long do I have to live before it quits? This car is new to me, so I haven't got any experience with these Opti's. If I have to replace it on my '92, can I go with a vented one from a later year? What can we do to lessen this from happening again (short of never getting our cars wet)?

 

There are several threads on here that give different opinions on cleaning your engine. One idea I thought made a lot of sense was soaking rags in kerosene and stuffing them around the opti to help keep the water out. But even with that it's just not a good idea not to wash these engines with pressureised water. A method I use that works pretty good for a quicky clean and is waterless is to use Armorall Foaming Tire Cleaner. It highlights all the rubber parts and generaly does a good with other parts as well. Apply it on a warm engine (not hot) and walk away. You'll be amaized at the difference! Takes about 2 cans to do under hood and engine.

 

If you do wind up replacing the opti avoid the temptation to buy a cheapie unit on ebay. I bought one of those units and immediately after installation my engine threw a crankshaft position sensor code. The offshore opti wasn't built all that well and it wouldn't syncronize with the crank. I have a '96 LT4 the year of the crank position sensor and OBDII. I wound up getting an MSD distributor and a new waterpump. There isn't much room in the engine compartment when you R & R the distributor and removing the inertia ring from the crank damper assembly is a real lesson in patience. Hopefully your distributor will dry out. Since changing to the MSD my car runs very well. The engine is very smooth and accelerates nicely. Plus the MSD is a sealed unit, and the wiring harness is integrated, so the connector at the distributor has been deleted. They also moved the fresh air vent to the top of the distributor. It's also supposed to be waterproof so if my waterpump springs a leak I won't be getting another distributor.

If you do a late model vented opti, you'll need to swap your front cover and internals to the late model parts. I also recommend new seals for the distributor and waterpump drive seals. Felpro makes a set TCS 45956 that give you everything you need for a late model front cover. My distributor drive seal was pretty bad and was leaking and I wound up swapping out my seals and eliminated another leak.

Larry

 

I wish it was that simple!, but it's not.If you want to go to the newer style opti, then the front cover and drive assembly (where it attaches to the cam) must be changed as well. I'd suggest that you go with the MSD unit (wish I had), as they are supposed to be much more robust and better sealed.

 

CARGUY604
Your opti is probably corroding inside and might quit at anytime. Get AAA with free towing and hope for the best. The vented GenII opti will not fit on yours without alot of other modifications (not worth it). Check out the MSD vented opti for your year.

 

 

On one of my cam/head intake R/Rs I bought a new opti from the partsladi on ebay. Inexpensive quick shipping and new in a GM box. But I have a 95 (the good opti)

 

HI
Havent washed mine - but brought up question

Getting ready to put on long tube headers , all new exhaust to the rear. While at it replacing plugs, wires, belt, 64k LT 1 95 6 sp. Also new distributor cap, and rotor -- understand they are a bear cat to install --

Any secrets on the headers (Stainless Works) - and most importabaly the distributor cap, and rotor, see some washers in there, checked forum - most agree that's all required --any special tools required, besides 3 ole gear heads, have convinced them these newer cars read directions 1st dont need that on our older none electonic ones
-
I get horrible gas milage - when testing and not all over it the best I can get highway at 70,15 to 16 rpm is about 20 to 21 MPG, around town when testing and lead out of foot is about 12 to 15 - any ideas -- runs sharp, crisp, 93 oct, idles well. I use the math not the gauge

Wish this had spell check

Oh well any help you can provide would be appreciated on all of the above would be appreciated -- sorry profile doesnt show this car - my 91 was sharp also

Len

 

Disconnect the wire connector that goes to the coil. I had the same issue after I washed mine. It was misfiring for 2 days. I was about to start taking the opti out to get replaced, and while disconnecting the coil, I noticed that the connector was wet. The seal around the connector didn't stop all the water. I dried the connector and the car has been running fine since then. This was sometime last year.

 

I just replaced my vented 95 opti with a GM one, but if I had an earlier one, I probably would have gone with the MSD unit. Then you get a vented opti without changing the timing chain cover and associated parts.

 

Just wanted to post an update, I tried drying it out a few days, still ran rough on start up. Tried blowing it out with keyboard cleaner, still ran rough on idle. Solution (short term till i get a few sunny days), I drove it like it was stollen to work and back and the missfirring went away. I have the MSD in hand to replace the opti and plugs and wires, just waiting for sun now.