MSD 8381 Optispark Performance
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,607
Likes: 205
From: Trinity FL
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 213
Likes: 59
From: North Augusta, South Carolina
Yeah. For a pretty straight forward job shops make a ton of money. I was curious how much a shop was going to charge me for $hits and giggles and I was quoted around 1400-1700 to replace it. It's rediculous how much they'll charge.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 111
Likes: 10
Hi Dahlgren. Saw your post and felt compelled to comment. I bought a 96 Coupe about a year ago, and have worked on it ever since. Biggest POS I have ever owned, and I have been around a while. I have a theory about mid 90's vehicles, about the time of OBDII, and that they have issues that are near impossible to solve. I did a lot of research before I bought the 96, and advice from the "forum" seemed to be "buy the latest, most you can afford" and the LT1 has more horsepower. I personally think the LT1 is a poorly designed, misguided morphing of a time proven 5.7 small block. A very bad engine, akin to the Ford Triton. Just my opinion. Wish I had one with a "regular" distributor and belt driven water pump. If I were doing it again, I would get a 91 convertible with 6 speed.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,502
Likes: 3,302
From: Hartford WI
What is the breakdown of the cost? Parts? What parts? Labor? How much labor?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,686
Likes: 753
From: NEwhere Ohio
for me its a 6 hr job. 3 hrs to remove and 3 to install
does this include removing the damper and hub ? (and supercharger if you have one)
use an oem vented optispark (not an msd) and you dont have to worry about it
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,607
Likes: 205
From: Trinity FL
You don't have to remove the hub. Just the Harmonic Balancer. And yes it does include that.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,686
Likes: 753
From: NEwhere Ohio
id rather use the right part off the bat and not play potential russian roulette with msd or made in china optisparks and non-mitsubishi optical sensors
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 165
From: Motor City
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,686
Likes: 753
From: NEwhere Ohio
sometimes you get lucky and can find an old man selling one in a tattered old box that he has as a spare.
except they typically sell for $400.
you have to ask the right questions. if its a big name parts distributor that has 10 for sale, forget it.
once i read (on ebay) someone had some lt4 crate motors
that they converted to lsx computers and had a couple oem gen 2 optisparks to sell
ive seen people selling oem optis here in the c4 parts wantes/for sale and the ad goes unanswered bc someone wants to recoup the $400+ dollars they paid for it at the dealer.
meanwhile i read posts about msd or other china optisparks leaving people stranded
dont forget the optispark is not unique to corvette!
you will have better luck with a junkyark b-body optispark vs a new msd or rebuilt in china optispark
except they typically sell for $400.
you have to ask the right questions. if its a big name parts distributor that has 10 for sale, forget it.
once i read (on ebay) someone had some lt4 crate motors
that they converted to lsx computers and had a couple oem gen 2 optisparks to sell
ive seen people selling oem optis here in the c4 parts wantes/for sale and the ad goes unanswered bc someone wants to recoup the $400+ dollars they paid for it at the dealer.
meanwhile i read posts about msd or other china optisparks leaving people stranded
dont forget the optispark is not unique to corvette!
you will have better luck with a junkyark b-body optispark vs a new msd or rebuilt in china optispark
Last edited by dizwiz24; Mar 26, 2017 at 06:56 PM.
