,ok lets tell" one unlucky part of automotive american history..."
Good Video for the Optispark (aka ABITS)
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 28
From: South Riding VA
Good Video for the Optispark (aka ABITS)
Here's an interesting video about the LT1 Optispark including operation and general troubleshooting of the ignition system. It's a Buick video and looks to be from 1993. I thought it was pretty interesting (and a bit amusing at times... it's the typical training video with the guys in blue lab coats and everything..) I never knew the Optispark was also called ABITS...
Enjoy!!
Enjoy!!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
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From: Park City Utah
Oh, come on now...it's far from "worst designed part in automotive american history". I think that's being a little dramatic, don't you?
They said back then that it was a 100,000 mile item...and it is. The majority that I see on here are getting into Opti changes at a good bit over 100k, so the thing basically did what it was engineered to do. Mine needed replacing at 155k, so it went 50% beyond it's engineered life.
I can think of FAR worse engineered items on American cars. The motor mounts in a CTS-V, for example. Mine were toast at 28k miles/3 years. The Opti sure does better than that.
They said back then that it was a 100,000 mile item...and it is. The majority that I see on here are getting into Opti changes at a good bit over 100k, so the thing basically did what it was engineered to do. Mine needed replacing at 155k, so it went 50% beyond it's engineered life.
I can think of FAR worse engineered items on American cars. The motor mounts in a CTS-V, for example. Mine were toast at 28k miles/3 years. The Opti sure does better than that.
Last edited by Tom400CFI; May 3, 2013 at 11:20 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Rolla Missouri
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Oh, come on now...it's far from "worst designed part in automotive american history". I think that's being a little dramatic, don't you?
They said back then that it was a 100,000 mile item...and it is. The majority that I see on here are getting into Opti changes at a good bit over 100k, so the thing basically did what it was engineered to do.
They said back then that it was a 100,000 mile item...and it is. The majority that I see on here are getting into Opti changes at a good bit over 100k, so the thing basically did what it was engineered to do.
Opti, DexCool, Bose, Headlight bushings, etc.
All of the parts people love to bash, were never intended to last forever.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 28
From: South Riding VA
You are right though, these are machines and do wear. The gripe I have with gm ( most carmakers now really) is when they put no consideration into the ease of service. Putting a cap and rotor behind the water pump is just plain dumb... And I do think that the optispark in and of itself was a good idea (optical resolvers are a good thing),... Just poorly implemented.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Palmdale CA
Now we are struggling to find Quality parts at any Price.
My Opti Ran strong at 126K.. 25% over GM design..
just saying,,,
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,704
Likes: 8
Was Original non vented GM design a good unit?If they implemented a air circulation inside the opti probably it was to solve a problem...or not.Again we can talk here pro and vs the opti ,but it is a fact something was wrong,not the design,but as minimum the position in wich they put it.i'm a distributor guy,no problem for me,but, don't remember,there was a service bullettin from GM ?We need statistics here to say it's good or bad...To claim 100.000 miles means nothing if 90% of opti goes bad before,but ,if only 10% goes bad before than it's different...So,the question is how many opti have gone bad before 50.000 miles?
Racer
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 312
Likes: 6
From: Troy Al
I showed one of my old optis to my boss at work. He said something similar is used in Mercury Marine outboard boat engines, and are made to occassionally GET WET. Saltwater! Must be a much more durable photo sencer then the one in the LT1!
Thanks for posting the video good info. GM layed an egg with this one. Hope things got better with the nextgen.
Thanks for posting the video good info. GM layed an egg with this one. Hope things got better with the nextgen.
Team Owner
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Gilbert AZ
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In the video they mention a parts kit would be available in the following year. That must have been in reference to just a tune-up kit with cap and rotor since you can’t find the opti sensor anywhere.
Has anyone been able to find just the sensor?
Has anyone been able to find just the sensor?
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,672
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From: Lake Wylie SC
Strange that they didn't talk about the "weep hole leak" syndrome affecting the opti-spark. Now that was a terrible design putting the weep hole of the coolant pump right over the opti. I got rid of that problem by going with an electric coolant pump.