Problem Solved!! But It HURTS
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Problem Solved!! But It HURTS
This just in from the "This Could Only Happen To Me" department:
I have posted my issue below to refresh anyone who wants to relive my nightmare but I would like to make one correction. The engine in my car is not a '95 as I was told, it is instead a '94.
That aside, the cause for my continuing problems is the fact that the brand new MSD "OptiSpark" was defective!!!! ALL that money for labor and it turns out the very part that was changed is defective! Amazing. MSD will supply the new part but I'm SOL for the labor all over again! It is painful since the new part has only been in the car since August 9.
I'm trying to focus on the fact I'm at least going to have the car back soon but man, to say I'm not happy is an understatement.
Big thank you to everyone who tried to help. It never occurred to me the part was defective.
Ron B.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Well, the saga of my '95 continues. Quick recap: the engine had oil leaks and one of them totally saturated the Optispark. I mean completely. The car was acting like it was flooding when you drove at a set speed for a few minutes and then got on it hard or progressively but quickly. I'm in GA and the car was in NC about 300 mi away. The shop changed the plugs, plug wires, coil, Throttle Pos. Switch, water pump and installed a new MSD Opti. I was a little concerned when I picked it up Wednesday and asked the shop what codes it had thrown and they said they didn't have a computer or tool to connect to it.
It drove fine all the way home. The only odd thing was that it would take 4-8 tries to start. It used to always start up just touching it once and almost immediately. They told me it was the ECM learning the new "inputs" from the MSD unit. When trying to start it would just turn over with no attempt to start. Like either fuel or spark were just not there. When it did start there was no rush of rich exhaust gas.
Anyway, for 300 miles it was fine. The next day I got up and went to work and after driving maybe 15 miles (during which it ran perfectly) it started doing the SAME thing as before. Drove fine but when getting on the gas after a set speed, it would act like it was flooding out! It did the same thing on my 35 mile drive home later that day.
The next day I drove it to a local shop whose work is 90%+ Chevy V8s (much of it performance work) and on the way there the car began surging hard. Almost like you were accelerating pretty hard and then hit the brakes. If I wasn't about 6 mi from the shop I would have just gotten a flatbed. It would come and go at random and when it went, the car ran fine. It has never done this before.
At the shop I explained everything and the fellow pointed out right away that the car was running on speed density since there was no mass air installed. I had no idea! I've had the car for a year now and it's always run fine except for when the oil soaked the Opti. I called the guy I bought the car from and he said he removed the mass air and the ECM was properly reprogrammed. I honestly have to believe him because it has run perfectly without missing a beat in all kinds of weather and temps since I got it. And I've put maybe 10,000 miles on it.
Any opinions?
I have posted my issue below to refresh anyone who wants to relive my nightmare but I would like to make one correction. The engine in my car is not a '95 as I was told, it is instead a '94.
That aside, the cause for my continuing problems is the fact that the brand new MSD "OptiSpark" was defective!!!! ALL that money for labor and it turns out the very part that was changed is defective! Amazing. MSD will supply the new part but I'm SOL for the labor all over again! It is painful since the new part has only been in the car since August 9.
I'm trying to focus on the fact I'm at least going to have the car back soon but man, to say I'm not happy is an understatement.
Big thank you to everyone who tried to help. It never occurred to me the part was defective.
Ron B.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Well, the saga of my '95 continues. Quick recap: the engine had oil leaks and one of them totally saturated the Optispark. I mean completely. The car was acting like it was flooding when you drove at a set speed for a few minutes and then got on it hard or progressively but quickly. I'm in GA and the car was in NC about 300 mi away. The shop changed the plugs, plug wires, coil, Throttle Pos. Switch, water pump and installed a new MSD Opti. I was a little concerned when I picked it up Wednesday and asked the shop what codes it had thrown and they said they didn't have a computer or tool to connect to it.
It drove fine all the way home. The only odd thing was that it would take 4-8 tries to start. It used to always start up just touching it once and almost immediately. They told me it was the ECM learning the new "inputs" from the MSD unit. When trying to start it would just turn over with no attempt to start. Like either fuel or spark were just not there. When it did start there was no rush of rich exhaust gas.
Anyway, for 300 miles it was fine. The next day I got up and went to work and after driving maybe 15 miles (during which it ran perfectly) it started doing the SAME thing as before. Drove fine but when getting on the gas after a set speed, it would act like it was flooding out! It did the same thing on my 35 mile drive home later that day.
The next day I drove it to a local shop whose work is 90%+ Chevy V8s (much of it performance work) and on the way there the car began surging hard. Almost like you were accelerating pretty hard and then hit the brakes. If I wasn't about 6 mi from the shop I would have just gotten a flatbed. It would come and go at random and when it went, the car ran fine. It has never done this before.
At the shop I explained everything and the fellow pointed out right away that the car was running on speed density since there was no mass air installed. I had no idea! I've had the car for a year now and it's always run fine except for when the oil soaked the Opti. I called the guy I bought the car from and he said he removed the mass air and the ECM was properly reprogrammed. I honestly have to believe him because it has run perfectly without missing a beat in all kinds of weather and temps since I got it. And I've put maybe 10,000 miles on it.
Any opinions?
Safety Car
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From: SANTA CRUZ CA
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That's actually an issue right now. My car was in NC when the MSD was installed and my repair shop there got the part from a place named Tommy Johnson Motorsports. Now my car is back home at shop #2 in GA. My wife and I went to Summit Racing since it's nearby and I figured they do a lot of MSD sales. Summit was good enough to facilitate contact with MSD who says that particular part # 8313 is "at least TWO months on back order"!!! MSD said I could send them my part and they would "try" to repair it or they could look for a refurbished unit. I figure I paid about $500 for the part and I bought a new part and have no interest in a refurbished part. Now I can find the part no problem at other places. It took me 30 seconds and a call to some place as easy as Advanced Auto Parts to locate the part in stock.
There is the problem. MSD says they don't have a new part and won't for months. I can get a new part but don't want to pay for a 2nd one. I haven't gotten MSD to yet agree to reimburse me so it appears I will be stuck paying for a 2nd part while trying to work with MSD on reimbursing me becayse I can't wait months for a new part from MSD.
My guy at shop #1 in NC is such a great guy, he is willing to pay for the part. It's not his fault so I can't let him do that. The part was defective. Just luck of the draw.
It just all sucks right now.
There is the problem. MSD says they don't have a new part and won't for months. I can get a new part but don't want to pay for a 2nd one. I haven't gotten MSD to yet agree to reimburse me so it appears I will be stuck paying for a 2nd part while trying to work with MSD on reimbursing me becayse I can't wait months for a new part from MSD.
My guy at shop #1 in NC is such a great guy, he is willing to pay for the part. It's not his fault so I can't let him do that. The part was defective. Just luck of the draw.
It just all sucks right now.
Pro
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 670
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What a bummer!! I have an MSD opti on my 93. When I run a data log scan the timing at idle is all over the place. It constantly varies 6 or more degrees up and down, I have wondered if it could be the opti. Also I will occasionally see a miss fire when a timing light is hooked up. Hope you get your back running again soon.
