dmclaws

I can laugh about it now.........scared the crap out of me last night! I'll check the grounds as you noted. Will also check the ECM, CCM & ECU as described.

Follow up later this evening.


Thanks

jfb

Flames shooting out of the intake when cranking and starter fluid sprayed indicates a spark plug firing with an intake valve open which is not supposed to happen! I have read in this section that it is possible to incorrectly install an optispark and I think this is a possibility in your case and you have incorrect spark timing. Before you do anything else, you need to confirm spark timing.

dmclaws

How do you confirm spark timing? And if incorrect how do you correct?

Thanks

jfb

When you install the optispark you align a splined shaft on the opti spark with a gear on the cam. When it is aligned properly the optispark housing can be pushed by hand into contact with the engine. If you have to use the screws to get the optispark to mate with the engine, then you have forceably installed the optispark incorrectly and out of time. You should pull the optispark and see if you have done this. Since there are no calibration marks on the crankshaft pulley, you cannot use a timing light to check spark timing.

dmclaws

The unit did go on very easy. HOWEVER, I noticed what appeared to be a burr on the spline and used a wire wheel to clean it up.

Al Borman

I have read through this entire thread, and I am still confused as to what has and has not been tested.

Anyway.......
Here's what I think I have read:
- Looks like you have spark and less arm hair
- New Opti, believed to be installed properly as it popped right on and not forced on

Here's what I havn't read:
- Fuel pressure tested with FP gauge with ignition on
- Fuel pressure bleed down checked after ignition turned off
- Injectors checked with noid light

When you crank the engine over during all of your testing, do you smell unburnt fuel vapor ? You should be .

For reference, and if you have any suspicion that you did not install the Opti correctly, here is a great pic of the alignment "key" in the Opti drive shaft and where it fits into the cam notch.

JAKE

You haven't by any chance been under the valve covers lately fooling with the lifter preload have you?

Just exploring possibilities.

Jake

dmclaws

I'm going to tear back down this weekend and reinstall the optispark.................stand by for update Sunday night.

JAKE

"You haven't by any chance been under the valve covers lately fooling with the lifter preload have you?

Just exploring possibilities." 2nd time asking this.

Jake

corvettewiz18

Im actually having the same exact issue, figures put the car for sale and someone on the forum wanted to look at it and now it wont start. I was able to pull out of the gargage then it stalled and it hasnt started since all week. Worked fine 2 weeks ago. I check FP, and Injectors. Even sprayed some starting fluid in and nothing. I'll check the spark over the weekend. It has a brand new opti spark from last year and maybe 200 on the miles on the car from then. And its garaged all the time. I am getting the datamaster software by monday too so maybe that will show something.

Mikes1991

Its not always the opti spark it can be the ECU read below

Q. I heard that several GM computers that employ surface mount technology (SMT) may
become intermittent in operation over time due to manufacturing defects. Realizing
this, I replaced the ECM in my customers’ vehicle after performing a Tap-test to make
sure that the intermittent problem was in fact due to a defective ECM. However, the
vehicle still has an intermittent miss, even with the rebuilt ECM. Can this problem be
fixed?
A. This problem can be fixed, and it is fixed with every Blue Streak remanufactured GM
SMT computer. The reason that some SMT computers become intermittent is due to
the conformal-coat that is applied to the ECM circuit board. The conformal-coat is
applied to the circuit board to help protect the ECM from corrosion and the elements.
However, after some time, the conformal-coat may shift, swell, or spread, causing the
movement of certain electronic components on the board. This creates the potential
for intermittent contacts between these electronic components and the circuit board.
At Blue Streak, all remanufactured GM SMT ECMs have the original conformal-coat
removed, all solder joints are then re-flowed and the ECMs are exhaustively tested. A
new conformal-coat is then applied using a process that virtually eliminates the reoccurrence
of an intermittent ECM, and the ECM is tested once again. If after
installing the remanufactured ECM you still have an intermittent miss in the vehicle
and you have checked the wiring harness for chafing and shorts, chances are pretty
good that you have a problem with the vehicle wiring harness connector at the ECM.
If you remove the pins from the harness connector and cinch them down, they will
have a stronger grip on the ECM pins. This should eliminate your intermittent engine
miss.

PS before you take it apart try the wiggle test of the wires at the ecu or even try lightly tapping various areas of the ecu to see if it starts. This definitely doesnt rule out the ecu if it doesnt start but if it does it definitely points to it

Mikes1991

I would check to see if your getting a/c voltage to the ICM if not it could be the opti the ecu the wiring harness etc

dmclaws

UPDATE......................it did appear that the the opti was not set correctly when first installed. I reinastalled today with what I determined to match the keyway. The car did start, but died. It will not stay running which leads me to believe it is still the timing. I can crank and it will not start, then pause and start again and it will fire and turn over but quickly dies.

jfb

You may have damaged the Opti on its initial install. And what is it that leads you to believe that it is timing that won't allow the engine to continue running? What in the world do we have to do to convince you to measure the spark intensity, to measure the fuel pressure, to check for injector pulses? Your engine doesn't continue running because it is missing one or more of the vital things it HAS to have in order to continue running, hot spark, spark at the right time, fuel and air and in the correct ratio, and cylinder compression. YOU have to determine by actual physical measurement of these necessities, which one/s are missing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do we have to come over to your house and slap you upside your head?

dmclaws

I reset the opti..........................IT RUNS, IT FRIK'N RUNS !!!!!!!!!!!!

Lesson learned here................MAKE SURE THE OPTI IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY!!!!!! I missed the obvious!

I'm going to the auto store to get seals for the water pump..............should be up and running around 3:00 PM CST.


THANK YOU for everyone's help!!!

Mikes1991

and to think you where going to just up and quite, Never quite is the real lesson here and if you dont want to diagnose and make repairs definitely don't own one. Enjoy the ride

dmclaws

Humor me this.................I installed the water pump and and now the FRIK'N car wont start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How the hell can this happen??????????? The car started and ran fine but I didnt want to leave running without a water pump. I went to the store, got the seal, installed the seals and water pupm and the car wont start......................back to the same damn symptoms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

corvettewiz18

That really stinks. That is odd. Have you done a scan on the car. I actually just got my link cable and downloaded datamaster. It keeps on pulling error code 42 EST ground. Looks like mine but an ignition issue. Just curious if maybe yours is the same. I'll let you know once i get the new iginition and see if that works. Probably this week sometime ill do it.

Mikes1991

Hmmm you probably tourqed down one of the water pump bolts to tight and the opti spark did not like it. Did you yell at it at anytime during the install, if so you might have hurt its feelings, they are after all very sensitive ya know!

I mean what a piece of **** design by GM but anyway time to get to diagnosing. Imean who knows you could have a bad optispark. Check the harness make sure thats ok. Check for spark again. This has to be something simple could be something you overlooked

dmclaws

Let me recap the weekend.

Saturday:

After much feedback it made sense this was a bad install the first time around with the opti. It made perfect sense the keyway was not set and therefore the timing was off. After tearing down and confirming the timing was off I aligned the keyway and reinstalled. Upon reassembling everything and attempting to start the car.............nothing! This time however it did want to turnover but it was obvious the timing was still off. I quit for the day.

Sunday:

Tore back down and realigned as I did notice the timing was still off. This time I made sure the keyway was at the top and matched to the opti. I reassembled everything except the water pump and did not secure the ignition coil to the block. Upon starting the car it fired right up and sounded good......depressed the gas pedal a couple of times and turned off after about 1 minute..................all seemed well. I then installed the water pump and secured the ignition coil to the block. The car will fire but not run.

Monday:

Tried starting the car when I got home and it turned over but would not run. I'm more lost than ever now.