Good OPTI-SPARK question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Good OPTI-SPARK question
I have the opti-spark II distributor. There is a lot of talk about how expensive it is to replace this unit. My question is, why not just replace the cap and rotor? Same question for the opti-spark I guys?
hey........someone help a brudda out here.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,856
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
I did the cap&rotor only. 10k on it so far.
Just make sure you take it apart and clean the optical unit and wheel.
If it's the early style, you can vent it yourself.
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/16758/
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...ing_modifying/
Just make sure you take it apart and clean the optical unit and wheel.
If it's the early style, you can vent it yourself.
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/16758/
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...ing_modifying/
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,793
Likes: 9
From: VA
However, because of the inaccessibility, and because people don't touch the opti until something has already failed and it has fairly high mileage, it is false economy at that point to just replace the cap and rotor. It is always false economy if you are paying for a mechanic to replace it, since the labor >> the parts.
If you do your own work, then changing the cap and rotor when you are changing the coolant would involve mostly only additional labor, not much parts (besides the cap/rotor, of course), and would let you examine the WP and opti periodically for deterioration. The latter would be a good thing because often the opti and WP are failing long before the symptoms get bad enough that we notice and replace them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,354
Likes: 2,279
From: Central Maryland
If you're going to dig down that far, and it's a Gen-2 unit, and you don't mind taking a bit of risk, a cap and rotor swap might not be a terrible idea, presuming the optical section, bearings, etc are fine. Your gamble here.
Be well,
SJW
