C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

LTCC Conversion

Old Feb 1, 2021 | 03:43 PM
  #61  
spfautsch's Avatar
spfautsch
Pro
All Eyes On Me
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 563
Likes: 201
From: Montgomery City, MO
Default

Originally Posted by Casethecorvetteman
Aurely someone has mounted them somewhere that doesn't look terrible and won't stand out like a sore thumb!
Ran across this thread searching for something else.

This is what I did. After looking everywhere it occurred to me these are the best pics I have of the coil mounting and probably don't have good shots of them in the car.





The brackets are 16ga steel and attach to the valve cover bolts with some stainless washers and 1/4" tall stand-offs. I'm fairly certain the air tube will get in the way with them in this location. There's also a bracket welded on the back that connects to the intake with the injector cover standoff stud. After getting the engine in I found the odd bank bracket needed to be moved forward about 3/4" to avoid hitting the wiper motor.

The injector covers did fit with this setup, but I've since installed shaft mount rockers that required a 3/8" spacer be bonded to the heads so the stock valve covers could be used. Instead of making new coil brackets I simply added a 3/8 spacer to the bolts that fasten the inner brackets to the intake.

I do get a tiny bit of oil seepage around the spacers, but it's easier to wipe it off every 3-4 months then to fabricate sealed top studs.

This setup is using my DIY Arduino based controller. Info can be had here [link].
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2021 | 03:45 AM
  #62  
Bkgeneral's Avatar
Bkgeneral
2nd Gear
 
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by TorchTarga94
I know there are a lot of threads that cover this topic on how to install the system and how to set it up, but I am wondering, for those who have it, how do you like it?

Do you feel it made the car a little more reliable? Obviously tune ups will be a breeze now, but do you feel more comfortable driving the car?

I would like to take my 94' on long trips, and recent opti troubles in the past have sort of made me second guess everything. I even considered letting the car go and moving on to a C5/6. I just really love this car, and I feel the LT1 is an excellent motor, and extremely stout. I get nothing but compliments on it, it's part of the family now, and most importantly it was my first Corvette. It is easy to work on, and every time I have had it apart (oil pan gasket replacement/intake manifold leak) I can't help but notice how clean and fresh the engine is on the inside. I feel like the engine itself will last forever, it doesn't smoke, leak, or burn any oil between changes.

The LTCC system still relies on the optical trigger within the optispark, that is fine, I have accepted that. But, by removing the high voltage aspect of the optispark distributor, does it really make it more reliable? I have a good working vented optispark in my 94' right now from Petris Enterprises, but I can't help but wonder if taking the "spark" out of the optispark and using a coil per cylinder system would be more reliable? It makes sense that if you remove the high voltage from the unit it should, in theory, prolong the life of the optical sensor by a long shot.

I know it is a little on the expensive side but I have done plenty of research on how to install it and it seems very straight forward, I have no problem making my own coil brackets if need be and cutting custom spark plug wires.

Anyone have any input? Am I sort of chasing my own tail here? Should I leave well enough alone with my new Petris unit? Bogus, if you are out there please chime in!


Thanks guys,

Patrick
Originally Posted by bogus
A caveat about that vent. I did just that on my Gen 1 opti...

Drilled out the three little holes... added the little plastic thingys... did all the epoxy... drilled out and heat welded in the vent for the cap...

Looked GREAT!

When I removed it 110k miles later, all three of the holes were no longer connected, the line had been cut by the serp belt somehow, and the vent to the opti itself has broken off due to oil contamination.

In short, nothing that is added to the cap is all that good and won't hold up.

I then bought a Dyna-Spark, but he is having issues with sensors failing... I now have a 96 long block in there, so I have Gen II opti, cleaned it... removed the cap and rotor, tossed on the aluminum cover from the Dyna-Spark and pickled the bastard with Copper RTV... That's been 2 years and nearly 20k miles ago. And it is vented...
Owned my impala for 4 years and I changed my opti 8 times.... So now I got a torqhead kit it's much more plug and play then lccc kit buy my suggestion would be invest in the torqhead kit...
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2021 | 08:35 AM
  #63  
spfautsch's Avatar
spfautsch
Pro
All Eyes On Me
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 563
Likes: 201
From: Montgomery City, MO
Default

Originally Posted by Bkgeneral
Owned my impala for 4 years and I changed my opti 8 times
I'd love to discuss this in detail just for my own curiosity. Were you opening up the failed optis to diagnose the failure? Two a year for four years tells me you were either buying junk optis or had some other underlying issue.

Optis have several layers of failure possibilities. In my opinion here are the three most common.

First and foremost is coolant contamination. An EWP conversion solves this.

Second is oil contamination. Anyone who replaces an opti without replacing the oil seals is asking for trouble in the same way my daughter's bone-headed boyfriend would change his oil without changing the filter. Why, why, why?

Third is the optical sensor which has layers in and of itself.

Having owned several brands of optis I can say with certainty these sensors are not all created equal. The Delphi base I bought from Rock Auto had a completely different sensor than the cheap remanned Delco it was replacing. The thickness and offset of the sensor was such that the Mitsubishi J520 sensor wouldn't fit without milling the base and adding spacers.

These sensors can also fail from excess heat. The phototransistors degrade with prolonged heat exposure and the switching speed of the transistors change over time, causing a loss of high res signal. There's a lot of signal conditioning going on inside these sensors as well, and all these contributors can add up.

I've also personally caused a broken solder joint by beating the hub out of my opti base without first removing the sensor. I then dismantled the sensor to see how it was built, and I can say with certainty the possibility exists for cold solder joints failing from thermal cycling.

Long story short, when compared to a hall effect sensor used in everything made since, the optical sensor is problematic. Because Mitsubishi stopped making the OEM sensor long ago, I highly suspect that the majority of remanufactured optis that are widely available contain the original aged sensor, or sub-standard chinese knock-offs. I've found the AIP Electronics reproduction part to be the most reliable piece hands down.

Originally Posted by Bkgeneral
.... So now I got a torqhead kit it's much more plug and play then lccc kit buy my suggestion would be invest in the torqhead kit...
This is a very spendy option, and I'm curious if it's equally as plug and play on a Vette where the CCM is the ALDL bus master during normal operation.

Though a 411 conversion is certainly superior to the stock LT-1 PCMs, converting to OBD2 isn't a direction I'm willing to go with this car mainly because I enjoy using eehack far too much. But it's the only option that takes the J520 optical sensor out of the picture.
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2021 | 02:42 PM
  #64  
Nomake Wan's Avatar
Nomake Wan
Drifting
 
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 1,925
Likes: 610
From: Orange, CA
Default

Originally Posted by Bkgeneral
Owned my impala for 4 years and I changed my opti 8 times.... So now I got a torqhead kit it's much more plug and play then lccc kit buy my suggestion would be invest in the torqhead kit...
I’m on mobile so I can’t be sure but it sounds like you’re the same person from the other thread. In any case, before recommending this option you should probably check to see if it’s even an option in the first place. Right now it is not—and has not been for over a year now. Nor is it looking like it will be any time soon.
Reply
Old Apr 12, 2024 | 02:38 PM
  #65  
mryerson's Avatar
mryerson
1st Gear
 
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Default

Just picked up a clean 92 vert that had sat in and nice garage covered for 5yrs. Had to shock the fuel pump with a 18v drill battery to get the fuel pump running again. Obviously had a slight misfire when running and so I quickly researched and found the LTCC. As being a former GM tech I was full aware of the opti and the problems surrounding it. And had I not found the LTCC I'm not so positive I would have bought the car. Anyway got it home ordered the LTCC and torn it down. Directions were a little less than desired and my printed version was missing the pages for the 92 corvettes and what to run the white wires to. It was this page that got me straighten out so thanks TorchTarga94! This is where I mounted the coils in the pic was the mock up stage so disregard. Now to clean up under the hood I wonder if the guy was afraid to wash under there with the opti lol.

the long bolts it has since be refined.
Reply
Old Apr 12, 2024 | 03:47 PM
  #66  
Phobos84's Avatar
Phobos84
Melting Slicks
Supporting Lifetime
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,874
Likes: 764
From: Sligo PA
Default

I get that some guys want to leave their car as stock as possible. But for the rest this is one of those mods that seems like a no brainer in today's day. You can get LS coil sets for next to nothing in a salvage yard. So for under $600 you never have to mess with an opti again.

Now I never owned anything with an LT engine. Mine's an 84 that I LS swapped. I love the coil on plug ignition for tuning and for nitrous. It's been 100% reliable.

But after reading all the opti horror stories on the forum over the years I don't think I would mess with it personally. If I couldn't LS swap it I would absolutely put LS coils on it.
Reply
Old Apr 12, 2024 | 07:09 PM
  #67  
dizwiz24's Avatar
dizwiz24
Race Director
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,641
Likes: 749
From: NEwhere Ohio
Default

I see i had a strong opinion in 2015 on this

i want to note that i am now converting to LTCC , because I am worried about the spark blowing out at high rpm’s with the boost (and nitrous) i plan on running in my 383 splayed main i am having finished up. Those are concerns i have even with an msd-6

so i have bought a used ltcc at half price and will be using it, alongside the stock 1993 ecm - modified for boost

Reply
Old Apr 12, 2024 | 08:53 PM
  #68  
1993C4LT1's Avatar
1993C4LT1
Race Director
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 16,076
Likes: 816
From: Dallas Texas
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Default

Originally Posted by Phobos84
I get that some guys want to leave their car as stock as possible. But for the rest this is one of those mods that seems like a no brainer in today's day. You can get LS coil sets for next to nothing in a salvage yard. So for under $600 you never have to mess with an opti again.

Now I never owned anything with an LT engine. Mine's an 84 that I LS swapped. I love the coil on plug ignition for tuning and for nitrous. It's been 100% reliable.

But after reading all the opti horror stories on the forum over the years I don't think I would mess with it personally. If I couldn't LS swap it I would absolutely put LS coils on it.
I did this on my 93, when I had it. I loved the ltcc. That said, you still need a properly functioning opti to use ltcc. On my 96, I would prefer to do torqhead.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-9

Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)

 Joe Kucinski
Old Apr 14, 2024 | 09:54 PM
  #69  
TorchTarga94's Avatar
TorchTarga94
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,605
Likes: 202
From: Trinity FL
Default

Originally Posted by mryerson
Just picked up a clean 92 vert that had sat in and nice garage covered for 5yrs. Had to shock the fuel pump with a 18v drill battery to get the fuel pump running again. Obviously had a slight misfire when running and so I quickly researched and found the LTCC. As being a former GM tech I was full aware of the opti and the problems surrounding it. And had I not found the LTCC I'm not so positive I would have bought the car. Anyway got it home ordered the LTCC and torn it down. Directions were a little less than desired and my printed version was missing the pages for the 92 corvettes and what to run the white wires to. It was this page that got me straighten out so thanks TorchTarga94! This is where I mounted the coils in the pic was the mock up stage so disregard. Now to clean up under the hood I wonder if the guy was afraid to wash under there with the opti lol.

the long bolts it has since be refined.
I'm glad you found this thread helpful!! My Petris opti and LTCC kit is still going strong 🤙😎
Reply


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:55 AM.

story-0
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-1
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-2
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE
story-3
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette lineup vs the world.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-24 16:12:42


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

Slideshow: 10 major Corvette problems from the last 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-14 16:37:05


VIEW MORE
story-5
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!

Slideshow: 5 most and least popular Corvette model years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-08 13:25:01


VIEW MORE
story-6
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette buyer's guide

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-17 16:41:08


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)

Slideshow: 10 things C8 Corvette owners hate, but won't tell you.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-01 18:36:07


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!

Slideshow: Should you add one of these incredible Corvettes to your garage?

By Brett Foote | 2026-04-01 18:14:05


VIEW MORE
story-9
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)

Slideshow: Every Corvette Grand Sport explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-03-26 07:13:44


VIEW MORE