NEED HELP QUICK!! OPTISPARK Changed Today!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Stuttgart
NEED HELP QUICK!! OPTISPARK Changed Today! (FIXED!)
I just finished installing the MSD Pro-Billet Opti. Re-Attached everything...go to start her, and all she does is crank, she wont start up. I check the coil wire...and there is spark...checked some of the plugs...no spark. Can anyone tell me where to begin to figure out what is wrong. I ask for quick help because my baby is sitting at the self-help garage (I am in the military and stationed in Germany). and I am going back tomorrow. She is a LT4. Is there something I overlooked?
Last edited by meffordg; Feb 25, 2007 at 10:02 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: San Pedro CA
are you 100% sure the coil wire is clicked into the opti?
Is there a rotor in the opti? If there isn't spark making it's way out, I wonder if the rotor is bad/damaged.
If you have spark at the coil, I would expect spark at the plug. Otherwise, it's a mechanical issue. The opti tells the coil to fire (indirectly, but you get the point!). Is there spark at the end of the coil wire, or at the end of the coil? Is there a chance the spark at the coil isn't hot enough?
Is there a rotor in the opti? If there isn't spark making it's way out, I wonder if the rotor is bad/damaged.
If you have spark at the coil, I would expect spark at the plug. Otherwise, it's a mechanical issue. The opti tells the coil to fire (indirectly, but you get the point!). Is there spark at the end of the coil wire, or at the end of the coil? Is there a chance the spark at the coil isn't hot enough?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
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From: Stuttgart
Bogus,
When I installed the new unit it looked great, rotor spun freely, and cap looked perfect...the spark from the coil is from the wire. I will say that its not what I would call a strong current. To put it another way it was not a loud crack from the end of the coil to the screwdriver.
You know after searching the forums, I am wondering if maybe the battery is the problem. She was sitting for a few months and the batter was dead...I jumped her and she ran to the shop (rough, but she was running rough before). Do you think that a weak battery that ran her before I chaned the opti today, would not be enough to run a new opti? (hope that makes sense)
Oh yeah, felt the coil click twice into top of opti.
Geoff
When I installed the new unit it looked great, rotor spun freely, and cap looked perfect...the spark from the coil is from the wire. I will say that its not what I would call a strong current. To put it another way it was not a loud crack from the end of the coil to the screwdriver.
You know after searching the forums, I am wondering if maybe the battery is the problem. She was sitting for a few months and the batter was dead...I jumped her and she ran to the shop (rough, but she was running rough before). Do you think that a weak battery that ran her before I chaned the opti today, would not be enough to run a new opti? (hope that makes sense)
Oh yeah, felt the coil click twice into top of opti.
Geoff
Last edited by meffordg; Feb 24, 2007 at 01:34 PM. Reason: forgot to add something
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
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From: San Pedro CA
I would suspect the battery. These cars are very sensative to a weak battery. I would put it on a trickle charge. I doubt it affected the drivability, tho, once running, that's a different issue.
I would make sure the connections to the coil are good. It's a shame you can't check codes at this time... but you are a bit boned here.
I would expect a good healthy pop from the wire, at either end.
However, there was an issue with the early MSD optis.... and I am trying to remember, it had to do with the nature of the internal sheild causing issues with the rotor... I don't know if it would effect this.
I doubt a new coil is readily available for you.... but that's what I would try after getting the battery juiced up.
I would make sure the connections to the coil are good. It's a shame you can't check codes at this time... but you are a bit boned here.
I would expect a good healthy pop from the wire, at either end.
However, there was an issue with the early MSD optis.... and I am trying to remember, it had to do with the nature of the internal sheild causing issues with the rotor... I don't know if it would effect this.
I doubt a new coil is readily available for you.... but that's what I would try after getting the battery juiced up.
Thread Starter
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From: Stuttgart
Thanks Bogus, I hope its the battery...it makes the most sense right now. Please others who may read this...if you have had a similar experience please share...or if you have some ideas in case its not the battery.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
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From: Austin Texas
Did you line up the dowel pin correctly to the Opti? WHen I changed my Opti in my '95, it took me awhile to get the dowel pin from the cam lined up correctly with the Opti alignment hole.....Let's assume the dowel pin was still in the cam; did you get a nice snug and flush fit from the Opti to the front of the engine block?...... and Bogus is right on also. Did you reconnect the ICM harness as well?
and as Bogus mentions, check that these connections are solid:
Last edited by MikeC4; Feb 24, 2007 at 07:49 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Charlotte, NC
If you have good spark from the coil, it should send spark out the dist. unless the rotor was missing or there was sometype of open from the coil connection at the cap forward...
To say the least I am not real happy with MSD after recent experiance I will not be buying any more products from them.
-=Rick
To say the least I am not real happy with MSD after recent experiance I will not be buying any more products from them.
-=Rick
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Stuttgart
I am pretty confident I seeded the opti correctly. But even if i didnt the rotar would still spin wouldn't it? I should get some spark even if the timing is way off because of being incorrectly seaded?....and I should get spark from the spark plug wires?
The wire set that goes to the ECM is a permanet plug in the MSD opti...you cant take it out, and I connected the other end to the wire set on the passenger side of the head. I leave in a hour to go back to the shop. I ll let you know what happens...Im going to start with the battery first then work my way back to a re-install...oh boy...! That water pump is a %$#!&!
The wire set that goes to the ECM is a permanet plug in the MSD opti...you cant take it out, and I connected the other end to the wire set on the passenger side of the head. I leave in a hour to go back to the shop. I ll let you know what happens...Im going to start with the battery first then work my way back to a re-install...oh boy...! That water pump is a %$#!&!
Last edited by meffordg; Feb 25, 2007 at 02:17 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 173
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From: Mustang Oklahoma
Mine did the same thing and I was able to replicate it, so I knew it was the problem.
When I hooked the battery back up after putting the MSD Opti on mine, I had the remove in very near proximity to the car. As soon as the battery connected, the alarm started going off. I tried to start the car and it just cranked. I took the remote and moved it away from the car far enough to let it arm the alarm and lock the doors, then brought it back to the car and she started right up.
If you have your remote right there, move it away and let the alarm go through the arm/disarm procedure and give it another whirl. This all is assuming that you don't have the keys in the ignition obviously.
Might be something to try.
When I hooked the battery back up after putting the MSD Opti on mine, I had the remove in very near proximity to the car. As soon as the battery connected, the alarm started going off. I tried to start the car and it just cranked. I took the remote and moved it away from the car far enough to let it arm the alarm and lock the doors, then brought it back to the car and she started right up.
If you have your remote right there, move it away and let the alarm go through the arm/disarm procedure and give it another whirl. This all is assuming that you don't have the keys in the ignition obviously.
Might be something to try.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Stuttgart
Okay all it was not the battery. I did not secure the rotar cap to the unit completely. So basically the rotar was spinning but not touching the center contact....duh me. On a side note it only took me 45 minutes to break down the front instead of 3 hours. She is running great now and pulling hard, good to have her back.
Thanks for all your help!!!
Thanks for all your help!!!
