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Optispark from Ebay

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Old Jan 12, 2009 | 09:13 PM
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Default Optispark from Ebay

I purchased one of the $100.00 optispark units from Ebay, what a piece of junk!! Vette would only fire once in a while, then die instantly. Today I took it apart and compared the opti wheel timing to the original one, and it was off by a 1/4" or so. The shaft is machined with the rotor and opti wheel base, so no interchange possible with the original unit. I re-installed the original base with the new cap and rotor, fired up instantly and purred like a kitten. I have now decided to cut my $100.00 loss and ordered a GM Performance unit from Summit. Word to the wise, only purchase quality parts, you get what you pay for.

1992 Coupe, 137,000 miles, original optispark unit.
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Old Jan 12, 2009 | 09:30 PM
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Originally Posted by 66mule
I purchased one of the $100.00 optispark units from Ebay, what a piece of junk!! Vette would only fire once in a while, then die instantly. Today I took it apart and compared the opti wheel timing to the original one, and it was off by a 1/4" or so. The shaft is machined with the rotor and opti wheel base, so no interchange possible with the original unit. I re-installed the original base with the new cap and rotor, fired up instantly and purred like a kitten. I have now decided to cut my $100.00 loss and ordered a GM Performance unit from Summit. Word to the wise, only purchase quality parts, you get what you pay for.

1992 Coupe, 137,000 miles, original optispark unit.
You can try the Partsladi on ebay. I don't know whether they have the best price for a 92-94 OPTI but they have the best price on vented OPTIs and they are GM one I bought a couple of years ago was Delco, one I bought last summer as a spare Delphi.

Sorry you got sucked into the crappy aftermarket opti scam.
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Old Jan 12, 2009 | 09:31 PM
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Can you post a pic of the junk opi?
Interested in seeing the difference.
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Old Jan 12, 2009 | 09:53 PM
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I've wondered about those... I'll buy an MSD sometime.
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Old Jan 12, 2009 | 09:55 PM
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Default ebay

You can get a refund if you persue it.
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Old Jan 12, 2009 | 10:09 PM
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I may try to get a refund, but the cap and rotor are worth keeping. I will also tryo to take some pics, but they are both gutted completely for now. The unit came in an unlabeled box, and no manufacturer info stamped or stickered on the unit. It threw the 16 code instantly upon the first start up.
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Old Jan 13, 2009 | 12:16 PM
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I went with thepartsladi opti. If you search for ebay opti on the Z28 forum or this one you will come across a ton of warnings and complaints. Most don't last more than a few months.
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Old Jan 13, 2009 | 03:36 PM
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My first LT1 Vette, I will do my homework from now on.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 12:59 AM
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Does the junk opti look like this?

http://www.allworldautomotive.com/au..._ots12578.html

Last edited by James93LT1; Jan 14, 2009 at 01:08 AM.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 11:12 AM
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yes it does, notice how the alignment pin on the back is squared off. The GM units had a sort of chamfer on them, an angle on each side for better alignment.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 12:06 PM
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I bought one for 150 off ebay once, worked like a charm.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 12:26 PM
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Originally Posted by James93LT1
$35 a piece for estimate resale @ $175 talk about profit margin
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 03:31 PM
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Originally Posted by rickreeves1
I went with thepartsladi opti. If you search for ebay opti on the Z28 forum or this one you will come across a ton of warnings and complaints. Most don't last more than a few months.
I also bought one from the partsladi (Delphi) and also bought the GM water pump too. Installed - not a problem - my '93 runs great. Price MAY not have been the best - but I knew I was getting new GM parts. My mechanic would not install anything but new GM parts.

BTW - my original Opti failed (at 67,000 miles) due to leaking oil seals on the water pump shaft and the Opti spark shaft. The water pump hadn't started leaking . . . yet.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 03:40 PM
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I saved my $$$ for the MSD and have no regrets.
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