optispark woes
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: Springfield Missouri
optispark woes
well, it's 150000 miles and the factory opti gave up the ghost. the car started having a random missfire, then it died on me a couple times on the way to work. then it could start back up after it had sit for a while, but die once the temp got up. then it wouldn't start at all.
so I went and bought new plug wires and a capand rotor rebuild kit from the parts store. I started taking it apart last night and made great progress. Got all the way down to pulling the harmonic balancer.
and now i'm stuck.
In the write-up I got, it said to "gently" pry the HB off with 2 screwdrivers. well, I tried that and the plastic optispark cap was crushed to bits. Then I tried using the HB puller, also to no avail.
3 bolts hold the balancer on, and then there's the crank bolt.
WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!?! I can not get the thing off!
so I went and bought new plug wires and a capand rotor rebuild kit from the parts store. I started taking it apart last night and made great progress. Got all the way down to pulling the harmonic balancer.
and now i'm stuck.
In the write-up I got, it said to "gently" pry the HB off with 2 screwdrivers. well, I tried that and the plastic optispark cap was crushed to bits. Then I tried using the HB puller, also to no avail.
3 bolts hold the balancer on, and then there's the crank bolt.
WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!?! I can not get the thing off!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,385
Likes: 534
You may need a harmonic balancer puller for the job instead of using two screwdrivers to "gently" pry it off. Never have I seen in a manual to use screwdrivers in place of the puller. What kind of write up is this that you have?
EDIT: Whoops, I'm half asleep here. So you did use the puller. Hmmm, well....I'll go research it right quick. Be back with something in a few minutes. Hopefully for you, somebody will post up some good information before then.
EDIT: Whoops, I'm half asleep here. So you did use the puller. Hmmm, well....I'll go research it right quick. Be back with something in a few minutes. Hopefully for you, somebody will post up some good information before then.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 599
Likes: 0
From: Tampa,FL
I hope someone answers this for you...sounds like a royal PIA! I've got the opti and WP in a box waiting to go in. Although I did here from someone that you only needed to remove the 3 pulley bolts/remove the pulley but no need to remove the HB hub to remove the opti? I guess this is false 
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,385
Likes: 534
Okay, I only found steps to removing the harmonic balancer from the the LT1 F-bodies but I'm assuming the setup is the same as far as bolts holding on the hb are concerned. According to the manual, unscrew the primary three bolts to the hb and it should come off after that with proper use of the hb puller. Doesn't say anyting after that. So maybe yours is really on there and just requires a little extra effort? One thing the steps to removing the hb made clear was to NOT remove the center bolt.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 118
Likes: 1
From: Plano TX
You can't use a puller on the HB. The HB bolts (3 bolts) to the "HUB". The hub is bolted to the crank (1 bolt in the center). If you try to use a puller...you are threading it into the hub (not the ballancer) and the hub is obviously still bolted to the crank. You have to "pry" the ballancer off of the hub and then you can remove the opti. since the opti is alrady crushes...keep at it. Since it's been on there for a decade and 150K...it's going to be a mother to get off. When you finally get ready to put it back on...clean it very well and it should slide back on easily. I take mine off at least 2 times / year (not by choice), and it gets easier every time. Not the news you probably wanted to hear...but keep at it. Again, after you get the 3 bolts off of the ballancer, it only has 1/2 inch to pop off of the hub. Hope this helps.
My bad....you CAN use a 2 jaw puller. I was visualizing a different puller & thought you were threading bolts back into the HUB and trying to pull the whole thing off.
My bad....you CAN use a 2 jaw puller. I was visualizing a different puller & thought you were threading bolts back into the HUB and trying to pull the whole thing off.
Last edited by greggo's 94LT1; Apr 3, 2005 at 12:07 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
you really need to remove the HB/Pully, 'cuz it would be a major PITA aligning the Optispark guide pin back into the front of the engine. If the HB/Pully is not removed, then you will have a hell of a time lining up the guide pin... Man, I hate prying stuff, or banging stuff with 2X4's !!!
a 2-jaw puller will do the trick for you. A 4" works great. You do need to use a long socket on the center part of the puller so it can reach into and press against the crank bolt...(crank bolt does not need to come off for this job. Also when putting the HB/Pully back ON, you will need 2 sockets, one on the crank bolt and the other socket to tighten the 3 bolts that hold on the HB/Pully. You need the socket on the crank bolt so the engine won't turn over when tightening the 3 bolts.)
a 2-jaw puller will do the trick for you. A 4" works great. You do need to use a long socket on the center part of the puller so it can reach into and press against the crank bolt...(crank bolt does not need to come off for this job. Also when putting the HB/Pully back ON, you will need 2 sockets, one on the crank bolt and the other socket to tighten the 3 bolts that hold on the HB/Pully. You need the socket on the crank bolt so the engine won't turn over when tightening the 3 bolts.)
Last edited by MikeC4; Apr 3, 2005 at 12:07 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 7,805
Likes: 0
From: If you read this, you'll go blind
If you just need to ge the pulley off the hub, you can use this trick. Mark the pully so you know how to put it back on. Remove the 3 bolts. Get a 1 to 1-1/2" dowel rod, cut to about 12-14". From underneath and behind the pulley, you can use the dowel rod and a hammer to tap or push the pulley of of the hub. You just slowly tap all around the back of the pully until it comes off.
It worked good for me. I think this process is documented in the Tech Tips section.
It worked good for me. I think this process is documented in the Tech Tips section.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: Springfield Missouri
Originally Posted by MikeC4
you really need to remove the HB/Pully, 'cuz it would be a major PITA aligning the Optispark guide pin back into the front of the engine. If the HB/Pully is not removed, then you will have a hell of a time lining up the guide pin... Man, I hate prying stuff, or banging stuff with 2X4's !!!
a 2-jaw puller will do the trick for you. A 4" works great. You do need to use a long socket on the center part of the puller so it can reach into and press against the crank bolt...(crank bolt does not need to come off for this job. Also when putting the HB/Pully back ON, you will need 2 sockets, one on the crank bolt and the other socket to tighten the 3 bolts that hold on the HB/Pully. You need the socket on the crank bolt so the engine won't turn over when tightening the 3 bolts.)
a 2-jaw puller will do the trick for you. A 4" works great. You do need to use a long socket on the center part of the puller so it can reach into and press against the crank bolt...(crank bolt does not need to come off for this job. Also when putting the HB/Pully back ON, you will need 2 sockets, one on the crank bolt and the other socket to tighten the 3 bolts that hold on the HB/Pully. You need the socket on the crank bolt so the engine won't turn over when tightening the 3 bolts.)
YES!!! THAT IS THE TOOL I NEED!!!
I was trying to use the bolt-on puller to do it before, but THIS is whatI need to find...
question though- I thought that the LT1 dampner was rubber insulated. If you pull real hard on it like with a puller, won't it break the rubber?
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 65,811
Likes: 71
From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by crkemppainen
YES!!! THAT IS THE TOOL I NEED!!!
I was trying to use the bolt-on puller to do it before, but THIS is whatI need to find...
question though- I thought that the LT1 dampner was rubber insulated. If you pull real hard on it like with a puller, won't it break the rubber?
I was trying to use the bolt-on puller to do it before, but THIS is whatI need to find...
question though- I thought that the LT1 dampner was rubber insulated. If you pull real hard on it like with a puller, won't it break the rubber?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Originally Posted by crkemppainen
YES!!! THAT IS THE TOOL I NEED!!!
I was trying to use the bolt-on puller to do it before, but THIS is whatI need to find...
question though- I thought that the LT1 dampner was rubber insulated. If you pull real hard on it like with a puller, won't it break the rubber?
I was trying to use the bolt-on puller to do it before, but THIS is whatI need to find...
question though- I thought that the LT1 dampner was rubber insulated. If you pull real hard on it like with a puller, won't it break the rubber?
I got a set of 3 2-jaw pullers from Harbor freight tools for around $12. The set comes with 2" , 4" and 6".......I used the 4" on this job....
