which opti to buy?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 36
Likes: 1
which opti to buy?
Can anyone give me any advice on which opti to buy? I'm putting a new opti in my 92 C4 LT1, and not sure if I shoud buy GM or after market. If after market,which one and where best place to buy. Any help would be great.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 34,988
Likes: 515
From: Riverside County Southern California
Co-winner 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C4 of Year
2016 C7 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '20
You can find AC Delcos in EBay. 
This is a true story:
Last week, I went to the stealership and I bought all OEM cooling system hoses for $198 (all 5 of them including tax) The price was about the same if I would order them on the web plus shipping. I asked for the price of the Opti. The dealer price was $600+
Now, with $600 you can buy a MSD Pro-Billet and would have money left to buy lunch and beer.
This is a true story:
Last week, I went to the stealership and I bought all OEM cooling system hoses for $198 (all 5 of them including tax) The price was about the same if I would order them on the web plus shipping. I asked for the price of the Opti. The dealer price was $600+
Now, with $600 you can buy a MSD Pro-Billet and would have money left to buy lunch and beer.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,493
Likes: 94
From: Westfield MA
I think there are only two (real) choices for an opti, OEM or MSD. I went with OEM for my 95, but if I had a 92, I probably would have gone MSD as it is the easiest way to switch to the vented setup.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 34,988
Likes: 515
From: Riverside County Southern California
Co-winner 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C4 of Year
2016 C7 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '20
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 11,628
Likes: 1
From: Sherwood, Arkansas
I have a '92. I have not replaced the opti yet but I bought the MSD vented opti a while back when Trey at SpeedHound got a few members to go in for a group buy. I got the MSD opti and a set of MSD wires I think for $515.00. A MSD opti will cost you around that much alone right now.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,789
Likes: 8
From: Myrtle Beach SC
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Don't know how these guys are doing since the bought out the original builder but I used one it is basically the same as MSD without the timing adjuster and been on the market longer. Only failures I have read about were from abuse by the buyer or incorrect install plus they will rebuild them if needed down the road.
http://www.dynaspark.net/
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
From: Lone Tree CO
My 93 had 105k on it when I was rebuilding the engine. Didn't know if the original was bad (cam had 2 ground lobes due to previous owner negelect) but decided to replace it with a Summit Racing 1st generation @ $270. In Vette Mag they tested the 1st gen opti against MSD with NO performance difference. I figured if the 1st one lasted 100k I won't have the car that long.
Good Luck
Good Luck
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 15,309
Likes: 2,265
From: NorCal
Just put a MSD in my '92............
................about 4 months/2k miles ago, and I love it! Bought it thru Trey at Speed Hound, got a great price. Only thing to know is that on a '92 you'll have to reuse/splice the old connector into the distributor wires. '92 is unique in that regard, and the unit comes with a 93/94 style connector plug. No big deal; just haveta keep the wires straight in the conversion process. Trust me, the removal/installation (water pump, etc) process is MUCH worse than this! While you're at it, I strongly recommend doing a new water pump at the same time. Again, it's also '92 specific.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 960
Likes: 0
From: CA
If you have been reading there have been at least 3 MSD failures in the last month 2 out of the box.
Don't know how these guys are doing since the bought out the original builder but I used one it is basically the same as MSD without the timing adjuster and been on the market longer. Only failures I have read about were from abuse by the buyer or incorrect install plus they will rebuild them if needed down the road.
http://www.dynaspark.net/
Don't know how these guys are doing since the bought out the original builder but I used one it is basically the same as MSD without the timing adjuster and been on the market longer. Only failures I have read about were from abuse by the buyer or incorrect install plus they will rebuild them if needed down the road.
http://www.dynaspark.net/
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,871
Likes: 15
From: Detroit's West Side MI
I've had two MSD opti failures in a month. My car seems to be eating opti's right now so I am not going to point the finger solely at MSD, but so far since May I've purchased an MSD coil that was bad out of the box, and two MSD opti's which both failed on their maiden voyage.
I've read many good reviews of the ebay opti's sold by thepartsladi, but have not used one personally.
Be careful, there are also a few really cheap versions (< $100) that are now on ebay and they are failing right out of the box. The going rate for a quality opti seems to be about $150.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,789
Likes: 8
From: Myrtle Beach SC
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
For all who don't realize it the Dynasparks are all vented including the Gen I optis. I think the MSD has not lived up to the hype they look pretty but they copied the Dynaspark and added a useless feature. They also do not do a rebuild for $36 like Dynaspark either. Glad to see some users testify about them. I always thought MSD was ripping them off myself since they do not have the big bucks behind them from selling other items. They specialize in one thing and do it well.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 11,628
Likes: 1
From: Sherwood, Arkansas
Two of these are me...
I've had two MSD opti failures in a month. My car seems to be eating opti's right now so I am not going to point the finger solely at MSD, but so far since May I've purchased an MSD coil that was bad out of the box, and two MSD opti's which both failed on their maiden voyage.
I've read many good reviews of the ebay opti's sold by thepartsladi, but have not used one personally.
Be careful, there are also a few really cheap versions (< $100) that are now on ebay and they are failing right out of the box. The going rate for a quality opti seems to be about $150.
I've had two MSD opti failures in a month. My car seems to be eating opti's right now so I am not going to point the finger solely at MSD, but so far since May I've purchased an MSD coil that was bad out of the box, and two MSD opti's which both failed on their maiden voyage.
I've read many good reviews of the ebay opti's sold by thepartsladi, but have not used one personally.
Be careful, there are also a few really cheap versions (< $100) that are now on ebay and they are failing right out of the box. The going rate for a quality opti seems to be about $150.
You sure about that? I understand you have probably researched this pretty well with all the problems you have had lately but this seems awfully cheap to me.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Last edited by MikeC4; Aug 30, 2008 at 09:26 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,624
Likes: 431
From: Dale City VA
The problem with the MSD's is people are taking them strait out of the box and putting them on the motor.
With the MSD's you MUST:
1. Loctite the rotor screws
2. Put the Cap O-Ring on properly
I know for what it cost you shouldn't have to do anything, but with MSD Opti's thats just the way it is.
Will
With the MSD's you MUST:
1. Loctite the rotor screws
2. Put the Cap O-Ring on properly
I know for what it cost you shouldn't have to do anything, but with MSD Opti's thats just the way it is.
Will
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,740
Likes: 2
From: Winchester Virginia
The problem with the MSD's is people are taking them strait out of the box and putting them on the motor.
With the MSD's you MUST:
1. Loctite the rotor screws
2. Put the Cap O-Ring on properly
I know for what it cost you shouldn't have to do anything, but with MSD Opti's thats just the way it is.
Will
With the MSD's you MUST:
1. Loctite the rotor screws
2. Put the Cap O-Ring on properly
I know for what it cost you shouldn't have to do anything, but with MSD Opti's thats just the way it is.
Will
As Will demostrated first hand during my build.......He stopped, and said he needed to look in the MSD Opti and make sure that the rotor had loctite. The rotor WAS Loose and this was the view of my MSD Opti behind the rotor shield.
So, take a few minutes and break it down, then put it together right, I"m sure that at 7000rpm, whatever is left of that dude won't be good for the insides of the opti no matter how small it is!
R/Noland
