I'm reading on this forum, several comments about Water and, OptiSpark, being a No-No! I'm thinking, I've just been very lucky over the years, cleaning the engine (Aluminum) surfaces with an Aluminum Cleaner, and a Hose....!

What do you fellas use to clean the engine and component surfaces, if no water is used? Because we live on the coast, and the car sits in the garage all winter, the aluminum surfaces have a tendency to oxidize somewhat, primarily due to the Ocean moisture, and that 110" of rain outside every year... :nopity

Would appreciate any comments.
Thanks
Nav

 

I have used some simple green and a mild wire brush on the intake of my car. it takes a little work if it has a lot of build up.

I just take my time when cleaning under there

 

Doesn't the '94 have the vented opti? Or was that done in '95? If it does have the vented opti, then it is not as susceptible to water as the older design.

 

'94 has the old style opticrap. You just have to be really careful not to soak it wet...otherwise, you should be okay with the hose method. I've gotten mine wet once or twice accidently. I've left the hood up to help it dry out afterwards. I'm starting to think all this opti talk is an old wive's tail ;).

 

Simple Green and some rags.

 

Trust me, not an old wive's tail. Mine use to sputter everytime I took it to a car wash and I had no idea why. Apparently those undercarriage jets don't have any problem finding the opitcrap. :mad I made sure when I rebuilt it, to go to the newer vented style.

 

:iagree: :D

 

Simple Green, rags, towels, q-tips, and alot of patience. Once its clean and how you like it, its easy to maintain.:)

 

Hey navigate, Is that a copper colored 94 that you have?
:eek:

 

:iagree:

:steering:

 

Get out of the habit of squirting with the hose. You play Russian Roulette too long, you're gonna lose eventually. Just get in there, sit on your front tires, and clean a little at a time. It's alot of work, but it'll come out nice.

 

I use simple green, and rinse with faucet water....no problems so far... :party:

 

I used to place a bunch of rags and plastic bags above and around the opti. I also don't use high pressure water on the motor, and also try not to concentrate water flow over the top area of the motor above the opti/water pump. This was on my previous '94 TransAm.

I'll be looking to do something similar with the '94 Vette I just bought last weekend.

Oh!!! regarding a post here that mentions the non-vented '94 opti. Here's an article I scanned a while back from the "Corvette Fever" mag on how to modify a non-vent opti to vent-type. That way you don't need to also change out other components that are used with the vented optis.

non-vented opti mod

 

Gab et al:

Thanks for the input gents.......I did clean it up, AFTER ordering a new set of ZR-1 Polished rims.................let her sit for two days...........not the darn thing won't start....! :cry

I have a fan running over the top of the engine, will let it set for a couple days, MAYBE, I'll be lucky and it will dry out ok...keepin' my fingers crossed. Can't even get the car to a shop to have the wheels changed over right now.

Gab...yes sir, she is a 1994 Coppertone Coupe, 6spd., 22K. I've babied this car like no other I've ever owned, and what does she do....spits in my face!

Thanks for the link to the article....IF it's the OptiSpark, and will not correct itself, after looking over those pages, I think it would do me well to find a good mechanic somewhere. Unfortunately, the local Chevy Dealership in Astoria, Oregon has a bunch of idiots working as mechanics.....been there, ONCE...will not go back.

I just do not have the equipment to tackle something like this project so again, I'm hoping for the best.

Wish Me Luck!
Nav :rant:

 

Maybe..............when you say it won't start, are you saying it won't turn over? Won't do anything? Or it turns over and just won't start? If it's not doing anything at all, could you have possibly run down the battery? If you didn't disconnect the hood lights while you were detailing, that would easily take the battery out. Just a thought. Would be much better than the opti being gone.

Good luck!

 

Yes sir, WON'T Start. The battery is up, fully charged. She turns over fine, but sounds as if the distributor is wet. She'll catch, almost to the point I think it's going to start, then "pops" maybe is the word, I can nearly SEE the sparks jumpin' around inside that housing.

Boy or boy, I was under the car this morning, after running a fan on it all night, hoping, just hoping, it might dry out. But, again this AM, no go. I've placed an electric heater under the front of the engine, closed down the garage, checked with my Insurance Agent...making sure the coverage is in order.......there just is no way to gain access to the bottom of the distributor housing.

I thought, maybe I could get a small vacuum under the unit, SUCK the moisture out, but it is not accessible at all, from under the car.

The part that bugs me about this entire affair, is, the car as but 22k. Not long after we bought the automobile, I had some ignition problems, and was told, GM replaced the OptiSpark with a new unit, under warranty. This was after the car was approx. 2 yrs. old. I figured, maybe, they had replaced it with the newer 95-96 setup, with the vacuum attached, but it doesn't appear so.

Reading the article above, it looks like it is not just a simple replace the '94 with a newer unit, other changes to the timing cover etc. are needed also. So, I've ordered a new unit from one of the guys in this forum, will have it modified BEFORE it's placed on the car.

We move on......but it's hard to explain to the wife!

:mad

Nav

 

I hate to say it but sometimes they just don't understand...

Hope everything works out for you. :cheers:

 

:iagree: