Opti off
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: Kissimmee FL
Opti off
Let me make sure I understand this correctly. The opti will come off with just the damper removed? How many bolts are there and it has to come stright up correct?....Thanx....Gary
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 904
Likes: 0
From: Boynton Beach FL
Water pump and damper needs to come off.
Three bolts on the damper, and a big 2x4 pile drived on top of the damper for about an hour should do the trick (I just did mine). It goes straight off towards the front of the car.
Three bolts on the damper, and a big 2x4 pile drived on top of the damper for about an hour should do the trick (I just did mine). It goes straight off towards the front of the car.
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5
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Correct. Damper and water pump must come off. You will be money ahead to get an MSD replacement. They have an O-ring seal and should be bullet-proff. I just installed one on my '93 a couple of weeks ago and it works great. $550.00 @ Summit.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 215
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From: NEWPORT NEWS VA
W/p off 3 bolts on the balancer off not 4 and you dont have to have any cylinder marked or up, it goes on in the same spot .You could spin it in your hand all day long just look at the pin on the cam and you'll see where the pin went on the opti, 2-4 hour job with new plug wires while your there.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: Kissimmee FL
water pump is off. Looking at the damper even with it off I dont see how you can get to the torx bolts. The way im looking at it even with the damper off the balancer is still in the way. Am I missing something? With the damper off does the opti pull stright up or something?thanx....Gary
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 904
Likes: 0
From: Boynton Beach FL
water pump is off. Looking at the damper even with it off I dont see how you can get to the torx bolts. The way im looking at it even with the damper off the balancer is still in the way. Am I missing something? With the damper off does the opti pull stright up or something?thanx....Gary
Take out the 3 bolts in the damper, and then bash the %#@! out of it with a 2x4 to get it to come off the hub. Mark the top of it so you will be sure to put it back on the same way you took it off.
you will then be able to take off the opti, 4 bolts (reverse torx bit required) it comes straight off towards the front of the car, just like the damper/balancer does.
HTH
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: Kissimmee FL
Once the damper is off does that give you a visual and access to the torx bolts? Do you go in from where the damper was? Is the damper blocking access to the torx bolts and is that the only reason for taking it off? The reason I ask is that the hub is still in its same spotin front of the opti so no access room was gained by taking the damper off. I can only think that it is for access to the torx bolts?....Thanx....G
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 904
Likes: 0
From: Boynton Beach FL
Yes, you need to take this off to get to the two torx bolts on the bottom half of the optispark:
(not off a corvette, but you get the idea)
You don't need to pull the hub, you can just smack the balancer off with a 2x4 if you prefer.
(not off a corvette, but you get the idea)You don't need to pull the hub, you can just smack the balancer off with a 2x4 if you prefer.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 296
Likes: 0
From: NYC....In the Place to be!
In the same boat....
I replaced my GM opti last year and now 10 months and 1000+ miles later it's shot! 
I'm going to pickup the MSD this time around. But unlike last time, i can't afford to have it installed by a mechanic. I'm going to do this myself.
I see a lot of you guys are throwing in tips on the removal/installation of the OptiSpark, are these steps documented? if so that would help 96vetteLT4 and myself out.
please let me know. I searched but didn't find anything very useful.
thanks
I'm going to pickup the MSD this time around. But unlike last time, i can't afford to have it installed by a mechanic. I'm going to do this myself.
I see a lot of you guys are throwing in tips on the removal/installation of the OptiSpark, are these steps documented? if so that would help 96vetteLT4 and myself out.
please let me know. I searched but didn't find anything very useful.
thanks
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,344
Likes: 4,009
From: Texas
If you intend to remove the Opti, then you often have to rotate the engine slightly to allow clearance with the hub. Put the transmission in neutral and use a breaker bar (or decent ratchet) with the correct size socket on the hub bolt to rotate the engine. The pic below allows you to see the orientation of the hub that is required for the Opti to be removed....
In this picture you can see the Opti sitting in place and two of the three bolts that secure it...
For those new to the game, a genuine Factory Service Manual is a beautiful thing btw...
Last edited by 96GS#007; Jan 31, 2008 at 02:27 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: Kissimmee FL
Yes, I have the Factory Service Manual, Prelimanry Service Manual, and others. The FSM doesnt always give the easiest solution to a service on the vehicle and sometimes its vague....G
Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 564
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From: Lynchburg VA