View Poll Results: Replace working Optispark when replacing Water Pump?
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 24. You may not vote on this poll
Poll.. Replace working Optispark when doing Water Pump?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 231
From: Hawthorne CA
Poll.. Replace working Optispark when doing Water Pump?
When doing the water pump it is said that you should do the Opti "while your in there". This would basically mean replacing a functional and working Optispark..
Is it worth it?
Yes or No..
Is it worth it?
Yes or No..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,064
Likes: 89
From: Kingwood Texas
I personally wouldn't A good optispark is pricey just becarfule not to get it wet when removing the water pump.I forget which bolt it is but even after you think you have everything drained there is one bolt in the water pump were fluid pours out when you remove it.
Last edited by MRPVette; Apr 26, 2015 at 06:38 PM.
Team Owner
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I would if yours is a 92-94 non-vented opti.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Park City Utah
For the most part. Additionally, based on the plethora of "opti" posts on here, a replacement is not guaranteed to outperform an older, but working unit. HOWEVER, I would for sure, remove the opti, clean the inside out good, and check the bearing and replace (the bearing) if necessary.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Salt Lake City Utah
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For the most part. Additionally, based on the plethora of "opti" posts on here, a replacement is not guaranteed to outperform an older, but working unit. HOWEVER, I would for sure, remove the opti, clean the inside out good, and check the bearing and replace (the bearing) if necessary.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 231
From: Hawthorne CA
It is indeed a non vented original Opti with 130k miles. Seems reasonable to be needing to be replaced with it being 22 years old.. But theres nothing wrong with it at the same time. I think I will just remove and clean it out and replace the bearing as suggested.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 462
Likes: 30
From: Riverside California
Just did my 93 a few months ago, don't forget to replace the oil seals on the WP and opti. I only replaced my rotor and cap, (65k),used the vented kit from MDS, opti was clean inside. Runs great.
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Team Owner
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From: Park City Utah
No. My car's original lasted until 155k. BUT, I'm good at, and enjoy wrenching, so for me, pulling the pump to get the the opti again, wouldn't be a big deal at all. 2 hours work at most. As unreliable as new opti's seem to be, if I had a good working one in my car, I'd inspect, clean, and keep running it. For people where the work far out weighs the cost of an opti, it would likely be worth replacing "while in there". And for anyone paying for labor on a water pump, it would definitely be worth it.
Race Director
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From: Salt Lake City Utah
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No. My car's original lasted until 155k. BUT, I'm good at, and enjoy wrenching, so for me, pulling the pump to get the the opti again, wouldn't be a big deal at all. 2 hours work at most. As unreliable as new opti's seem to be, if I had a good working one in my car, I'd inspect, clean, and keep running it. For people where the work far out weighs the cost of an opti, it would likely be worth replacing "while in there". And for anyone paying for labor on a water pump, it would definitely be worth it.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 698
Likes: 162
From: Huntington WV
Its common knowledge here that the aftermarket optis are not as good as originals, so why pull a unit thats better than what you can replace it with? If you must mess with it I'd do what jph46 did and just put the MSD vented cap and rotor on it. Most likely that will last longer than any aftermarket unit you put in there. My 94 has the original opti and 54k miles but I'm not gonna touch it until it gives me a reason to.
Last edited by Polo Vert; Apr 27, 2015 at 12:10 AM.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Park City Utah
I'd be happy to! I doubt you'd find a better value for that work anywhere. PM me if interested, I can give you rate, etc.
Race Director
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From: Salt Lake City Utah
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Do you wrench? If so we may have met as there's very few mechanics in Utah I don't know through my time at CARQUEST, Mac Tools and Factory Motor Parts.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Park City Utah
I don't know if we've met or not, but I ran the Veh Maint shop at Canyons resort for 15 years....now I run a small shop out of my garage. Only place our paths may have crossed would be Park City Car Quest (when it was going), and MAC tools, but we never had much MAC service at Canyons.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 15,118
Likes: 283
From: Salt Lake City Utah
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (stock)
I don't know if we've met or not, but I ran the Veh Maint shop at Canyons resort for 15 years....now I run a small shop out of my garage. Only place our paths may have crossed would be Park City Car Quest (when it was going), and MAC tools, but we never had much MAC service at Canyons.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,072
Likes: 48
From: Henderson Nevada
I'm generally of the don't fix what ain't broke mentality, and for me that applies to this as well, so long as you keep the Opti out of harms way.
Yeah. I'm newer to wrenching (started more seriously about a year ago) and I just did my WP/t-stat w/o Opti and it went well. Took way longer than it needed to, but now that I've done it I could see pulling it off in a few hours myself, and like I said I'm just a shadetree mechanic at best. Having to "do it over" doesn't intimidate me in the least if the opti were to go at some point.
And like you said, if you're paying for labor... yeah. Definitely want to consider opti as well in that case. But that still pushes the parts cost up significantly.
No. My car's original lasted until 155k. BUT, I'm good at, and enjoy wrenching, so for me, pulling the pump to get the the opti again, wouldn't be a big deal at all. 2 hours work at most. As unreliable as new opti's seem to be, if I had a good working one in my car, I'd inspect, clean, and keep running it. For people where the work far out weighs the cost of an opti, it would likely be worth replacing "while in there". And for anyone paying for labor on a water pump, it would definitely be worth it.
And like you said, if you're paying for labor... yeah. Definitely want to consider opti as well in that case. But that still pushes the parts cost up significantly.