opti spark replaced
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 502
Likes: 0
If one goes into a diagnostic procedure believing that all is well, correct, installed right, etc., chances of finding the cause of the problem is much reduced.
Jake, this is how this statement should be, though few here will pay it more than lip service.
As I stated, did you push the wires on again?
Not putting the wire all the way onto the plug or in the cap, will create a miss.
Jake, this is how this statement should be, though few here will pay it more than lip service.
As I stated, did you push the wires on again?
Not putting the wire all the way onto the plug or in the cap, will create a miss.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Kentucky
If one goes into a diagnostic procedure believing that all is well, correct, installed right, etc., chances of finding the cause of the problem is much reduced.
Jake, this is how this statement should be, though few here will pay it more than lip service.
As I stated, did you push the wires on again?
Not putting the wire all the way onto the plug or in the cap, will create a miss.
Jake, this is how this statement should be, though few here will pay it more than lip service.
As I stated, did you push the wires on again?
Not putting the wire all the way onto the plug or in the cap, will create a miss.
input
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
Opti Spark replaced(check) Plug Wires installed correct(check) ICM tested (check) injectors ohmed(check) Coil tested (check) Plug wires checked again(check) air pressure set in all 4 tires (check) Plug wires checked again(check) maf ckecked (check) sharpened cahain saw(check) celaned cooler out add cold Bud light(drank 2) grabbed plug wire while turning motor over and never got a shock ________$5.00 part made me drink more Bud Light Thanks to everyone who gave their input
inputSo how'd things turn out?? Where are we on this?
Jake
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 502
Likes: 0
Opti Spark replaced(check) Plug Wires installed correct(check) ICM tested (check) injectors ohmed(check) Coil tested (check) Plug wires checked again(check) air pressure set in all 4 tires (check) Plug wires checked again(check) maf ckecked (check) sharpened cahain saw(check) celaned cooler out add cold Bud light(drank 2) grabbed plug wire while turning motor over and never got a shock ________$5.00 part made me drink more Bud Light Thanks to everyone who gave their input
inputAre the wires on all the way??
I have seen many posts were coils and ICMs have tested good and turned out to be bad.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
Whether or not you get a shock is not a reliable test, you need to a voltage tester or simply pull a wire, insert something metal - like the tip of a screwdriver in the wire end - and see if you have any spark jump to ground.
If your ICM and coil were working before they should be now UNLESS they were damaged somehow during the swap.
Have you REALLY checked to see if everything was correctly plugged back in???
If all that checks out - and I mean you HAVE TO BE VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED IN DETERMINING THAT - NOT MERELY A QUICK ONCE-OVER; let's go back to square one.
Did you select the CORRECT CLOVER-LEAF POSITION FOR THE DOWEL PIN?? That's GOT to be correct or all bets are off.
Keep us posted.
Jake
If your ICM and coil were working before they should be now UNLESS they were damaged somehow during the swap.
Have you REALLY checked to see if everything was correctly plugged back in???
If all that checks out - and I mean you HAVE TO BE VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED IN DETERMINING THAT - NOT MERELY A QUICK ONCE-OVER; let's go back to square one.
Did you select the CORRECT CLOVER-LEAF POSITION FOR THE DOWEL PIN?? That's GOT to be correct or all bets are off.
Keep us posted.
Jake
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Kentucky
Whether or not you get a shock is not a reliable test, you need to a voltage tester or simply pull a wire, insert something metal - like the tip of a screwdriver in the wire end - and see if you have any spark jump to ground.
If your ICM and coil were working before they should be now UNLESS they were damaged somehow during the swap.
Have you REALLY checked to see if everything was correctly plugged back in???
If all that checks out - and I mean you HAVE TO BE VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED IN DETERMINING THAT - NOT MERELY A QUICK ONCE-OVER; let's go back to square one.
Did you select the CORRECT CLOVER-LEAF POSITION FOR THE DOWEL PIN?? That's GOT to be correct or all bets are off.
Keep us posted. Jake you are right in saying check plug wires, once they are installed it is impossible to see how they are routed. I would suggest marking them before they are installed.
Jake
If your ICM and coil were working before they should be now UNLESS they were damaged somehow during the swap.
Have you REALLY checked to see if everything was correctly plugged back in???
If all that checks out - and I mean you HAVE TO BE VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED IN DETERMINING THAT - NOT MERELY A QUICK ONCE-OVER; let's go back to square one.
Did you select the CORRECT CLOVER-LEAF POSITION FOR THE DOWEL PIN?? That's GOT to be correct or all bets are off.
Keep us posted. Jake you are right in saying check plug wires, once they are installed it is impossible to see how they are routed. I would suggest marking them before they are installed.
Jake
Racer
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: millville NJ
Whether or not you get a shock is not a reliable test, you need to a voltage tester or simply pull a wire, insert something metal - like the tip of a screwdriver in the wire end - and see if you have any spark jump to ground.
If your ICM and coil were working before they should be now UNLESS they were damaged somehow during the swap.
Have you REALLY checked to see if everything was correctly plugged back in???
If all that checks out - and I mean you HAVE TO BE VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED IN DETERMINING THAT - NOT MERELY A QUICK ONCE-OVER; let's go back to square one.
Did you select the CORRECT CLOVER-LEAF POSITION FOR THE DOWEL PIN?? That's GOT to be correct or all bets are off.
Keep us posted.
Jake
If your ICM and coil were working before they should be now UNLESS they were damaged somehow during the swap.
Have you REALLY checked to see if everything was correctly plugged back in???
If all that checks out - and I mean you HAVE TO BE VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED IN DETERMINING THAT - NOT MERELY A QUICK ONCE-OVER; let's go back to square one.
Did you select the CORRECT CLOVER-LEAF POSITION FOR THE DOWEL PIN?? That's GOT to be correct or all bets are off.
Keep us posted.
Jake
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
Jake
Racer
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: millville NJ
So if you pick the other 2 on the clover leaf the car will not start. I'm having the same issue but my 94 will not start. I've tried different ways of facing the rotor on the distribitor and don't know if it is pointed in the right direction.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,139
Likes: 482
From: H-Town Texas
Before spending any more money try this, and then I'll tell you why.
First, one question, did you use new plug wires at any time either before or after the swap?
Go through your plug wires, using the firing order diagram. Do them one at a time from plug to opti (as opposed to taking all off the plugs at the same time). When reinstalling, put dielectric grease in all the boots. Make absolutely sure you hear them all click, listen carefully, and do not stop until you hear it. Then start her up and see what happens.
Here's why...Some time ago, I installed MSD wires on my car. Shortly after, I heard a click from the coil to opti connection. I put dielectric grease on it, and insulated it from touching the water pump. All seemed well. Since then, I put a hot cam in it, without a tune. The SES light would come on after a series of long stop lights or extended idling. I heard this was normal, never thought twice about it.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, my radiator hose blew. Got a new hose on, dried everything off. Tried to start, and at best it would sputter, die, and puff of smoke. Well, after some time, towed the car home, thinking maybe the battery was now too weak. In a last ditch thought, I put the grease on the coil boot and she started right up like nothing was ever wrong, and ran fine. I did hear the arching though. I put a new coil wire on. In inspecting the old one, there was a tiny pin hole in the boot. Since the new one has been on, more than a week, driving evey day, she runs better than ever and not once has the SES light come on.
So my thought is that you may some damage to one or more of you plug/coil wires that is robbing you of the spark you need. It may sound crazy, but if the ICM is good, the coil is good, you either have a poor connection, escaping spark, or, of course another bad opti, but I doubt that. I just suggest this because I'm cheap, and I like to try the stuff that doesn't cost me any money first.
First, one question, did you use new plug wires at any time either before or after the swap?
Go through your plug wires, using the firing order diagram. Do them one at a time from plug to opti (as opposed to taking all off the plugs at the same time). When reinstalling, put dielectric grease in all the boots. Make absolutely sure you hear them all click, listen carefully, and do not stop until you hear it. Then start her up and see what happens.
Here's why...Some time ago, I installed MSD wires on my car. Shortly after, I heard a click from the coil to opti connection. I put dielectric grease on it, and insulated it from touching the water pump. All seemed well. Since then, I put a hot cam in it, without a tune. The SES light would come on after a series of long stop lights or extended idling. I heard this was normal, never thought twice about it.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, my radiator hose blew. Got a new hose on, dried everything off. Tried to start, and at best it would sputter, die, and puff of smoke. Well, after some time, towed the car home, thinking maybe the battery was now too weak. In a last ditch thought, I put the grease on the coil boot and she started right up like nothing was ever wrong, and ran fine. I did hear the arching though. I put a new coil wire on. In inspecting the old one, there was a tiny pin hole in the boot. Since the new one has been on, more than a week, driving evey day, she runs better than ever and not once has the SES light come on.
So my thought is that you may some damage to one or more of you plug/coil wires that is robbing you of the spark you need. It may sound crazy, but if the ICM is good, the coil is good, you either have a poor connection, escaping spark, or, of course another bad opti, but I doubt that. I just suggest this because I'm cheap, and I like to try the stuff that doesn't cost me any money first.
Drifting
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,990
Likes: 2
From: Gaithersburg MD A member since 2007 but then the computer crashed and then the car crash loss of memory X 2
What we could be seeing here is a mind-set problem.
If one goes into a diagnostic procedure believing that all is well, correct, installed right, etc., chances of finding the cause of the problem is much reduced.
However, if one goes into a diagnostic procedure being SUSPICIOUS of everything; SUSPICIOUS that it's NOT correct, NOT installed right, etc., then finding the cause becomes much easier.
I checked "this" and it's fine and I had "that" checked and it's fine isn't getting us anywhere since the problem persists. So, obviously it's something that's being MIS-DIAGNOSED or MISSED ENTIRELY. Otherwise the problem will be fixed by now.
This is not a personal attack; it happens a lot on this and other Forums. Guys believing and posting that everything they checked was fine - yet after many, many post exchanges they finally discover and admit what they "thought" was correct, in fact wasn't.
Best advice is to attack this thinking that EVERYTHING is WRONG or at the very least SUSPECT. Have diagrams in front of you and pay meticulous attention to even the smallest detail. Many guys can't or won't do that.
A second pair of fresh eyes often pays off too. Eyes of someone who isn't pre-conditioned to believing everything is RIGHT/CORRECT. He can be more critical and objective.
Following the Trouble-Shooting procedures shown in the Factory Service Manual for your year car is a good starting point. That'll eliminate a LOT of guessing and assuming. That's exactly why I always invest in FSMs for my cars right after I buy them so that, when the day comes (and it surely will) I'm faced with a similar situation I can approach the fix in an intelligent, systematic manner.
My thinking now is this isn't going to get fixed unless and until there's a change in how the diagnostic procedure is conducted.
It's all about being suspicious of EVERYTHING and Attention to Detail.
Jake
If one goes into a diagnostic procedure believing that all is well, correct, installed right, etc., chances of finding the cause of the problem is much reduced.
However, if one goes into a diagnostic procedure being SUSPICIOUS of everything; SUSPICIOUS that it's NOT correct, NOT installed right, etc., then finding the cause becomes much easier.
I checked "this" and it's fine and I had "that" checked and it's fine isn't getting us anywhere since the problem persists. So, obviously it's something that's being MIS-DIAGNOSED or MISSED ENTIRELY. Otherwise the problem will be fixed by now.
This is not a personal attack; it happens a lot on this and other Forums. Guys believing and posting that everything they checked was fine - yet after many, many post exchanges they finally discover and admit what they "thought" was correct, in fact wasn't.
Best advice is to attack this thinking that EVERYTHING is WRONG or at the very least SUSPECT. Have diagrams in front of you and pay meticulous attention to even the smallest detail. Many guys can't or won't do that.
A second pair of fresh eyes often pays off too. Eyes of someone who isn't pre-conditioned to believing everything is RIGHT/CORRECT. He can be more critical and objective.
Following the Trouble-Shooting procedures shown in the Factory Service Manual for your year car is a good starting point. That'll eliminate a LOT of guessing and assuming. That's exactly why I always invest in FSMs for my cars right after I buy them so that, when the day comes (and it surely will) I'm faced with a similar situation I can approach the fix in an intelligent, systematic manner.
My thinking now is this isn't going to get fixed unless and until there's a change in how the diagnostic procedure is conducted.
It's all about being suspicious of EVERYTHING and Attention to Detail.
Jake
"When you are up to your *** in alligators, it is extremely difficult to realize your first objective was to drain the swamp."
Best to everyone.
Last edited by larry93lt1; Aug 15, 2010 at 02:15 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,293
Likes: 36
Check the Insides of your new Opti....
I installed a new opti from an ebay dealer. . .CMS. It was shot out of the box. I thought my tune was off because the car would hesitate very badly when cold. Once it warmed up it was fine. Then on very hot days, it would act like it was starved for gas. Finally, it quit all together and would idle at 450 rpms. It had a strangely quiet sound while running. It would not accelerate above 3500 rpms and popped real hard occasionally.
There probably were contaminates in the cap when I got it. The vented opti was pulling in air through leaks in the warped cap.
Cover is severly warped. Dont recall that when I put it in. Both O rings deformed..
Liquid something on the inside of cap.
Slotted rotor was wet and had droplets of water on the back of it.
Wished I'd taken it apart when I got it. My fix, I went to Autozone and got a new cap and rotor (Cardone). I took the opti-sensor module and the steel slotted disc from my old GM AC-DELCO opti and put that in the ebay opti. I assembled this with the Cardone cap. I sprayed everything with electrical cleaner and then computer screen cleaner to remove and remaining moisture. I then sealed the area where the harness goes with Permatex Right Stuff. I completely sealed the perimeter of the opti with RTV Ultra Black. After letting it sit for a bit, I then vacuum tested it. It held vacuum very well.
Back in the car. . . . fingers crossed. Car runs better than it ever did. Stay tuned...
There probably were contaminates in the cap when I got it. The vented opti was pulling in air through leaks in the warped cap.
Cover is severly warped. Dont recall that when I put it in. Both O rings deformed..
Liquid something on the inside of cap.
Slotted rotor was wet and had droplets of water on the back of it.
Wished I'd taken it apart when I got it. My fix, I went to Autozone and got a new cap and rotor (Cardone). I took the opti-sensor module and the steel slotted disc from my old GM AC-DELCO opti and put that in the ebay opti. I assembled this with the Cardone cap. I sprayed everything with electrical cleaner and then computer screen cleaner to remove and remaining moisture. I then sealed the area where the harness goes with Permatex Right Stuff. I completely sealed the perimeter of the opti with RTV Ultra Black. After letting it sit for a bit, I then vacuum tested it. It held vacuum very well.
Back in the car. . . . fingers crossed. Car runs better than it ever did. Stay tuned...
