qwiketz

anyone on here with some miles on one? I've been looking for info but keep getting routed to threads of the real one versus the ebay knock off junk.

I'm looking to replace mine so I could use some options. I've read horror stories on about all of them at this point.

gdl2165

Sorry for the long-winded response but I couldn't think how to explain all this more succinctly.

I was recently in the middle of my cam swap and decided that even though I wasn't having any problems with my stock Opti, with 127,000 miles it would be a good idea to replace it. I google searched AIP Optis and found a ton of old threads on various forums saying how bad they were and to stay away but I didn't find anything current. I took the lack of current threads to be a good sign since you're much more likely to find complaints than kudos on the web. In my searching I stumbled across the AIP Electronics website, where they were selling what appeared to be the same thing that SAC sells for only $99.49. I figured at that price it was worth a shot. I don't know for certain this is the same one SAC sells so I guess there's a possibility that theirs is actually good but the one I got directly from AIP turned out to be a piece of crap. On my initial warmup it ran for about 10 minutes and then just shut off. On restart I had a check engine light but I ended up disconnecting the battery again so I didn't get to read the codes. Once I got it out on the road it didn't have the mid-range power I expected, and trying to rev over 5,000 rpm it would cut out. I had one instance of just cruising down the road and it started cutting out. I took it out for another drive, pulled up to a restaurant and again it just died. On restart I again had a check engine light and actually was able to go check the codes, came up with the typical codes for a bad opti. I just finished swapping back in my OEM opti but with the new cap and rotor from the AIP. The mid-range power is definitely improved now over stock, and I ran it up to near 7,000 rpm one time with absolutely no problem. The "Beware - Must Read" text on SAC's website is word-for-word with what's on AIP's site, and even states that the info comes from AIP so I'm reasonably certain the Optis are one and the same. From my experience I'd say look elsewhere.

Strick

Judging from what I've read here and other LT1 forums, It's all in the optical reader. So, I tend to think that if your opti was working okay, why not just change the cap and rotor? But I'd also take the rest of the opti apart and clean it up as sometimes rust gets in there. We just installed one of Petrius (sp?) opti-sparks in a Vette and it runs great. This might be the route I go.

dizwiz24

This was a very informative post.

I have to laugh and make fun of that fact that you thought you were doing some good by pro-actively replacing a good working gen 2 OEM optispark with an aftermarket replacement. **However in doing so, you proved a very important point***

So many people have done this and then blame the optispark for just being a terrible piece of equipment when the aftermarket piece of equipment was the junk. It works fine, you just have to use OEM parts and not $99 chinese aftermarket junk.

Yes, the gen 1 optisparks had problems that were solved by going to a vent kit.

I laugh even more at the people who spend over $1k to put coil packs in - and the funny thing is they still have to use the optispark (they didnt eliminate it) as a crank position sensor.

In my experience the failures (on non-OEM chinese junk) tend to be in the optical sensor side and not the high voltage side.

So they did nothing, no good, other than lightening their wallet.

qwiketz

I found a new in box dynaspark so that's the direction I'll probably go. $300... And converts my gen 1 to vented without big hassles

TorchTarga94

Petris Enterprises is another great solution. Very helpful and a solid product.

http://petrisenterprises.com/store/#...tegory=5760095

qwiketz

That's great to know. Price is just slightly higher than what I'm looking at with a warrantee which is key!

funniebear

Bummed to hear issues with the AIP. Not having the money to purchase one from Optidoc, I just purchased the AIP from SacCity. Hopefully I won't have the same issues mentioned here. If I do, if its any consolation, it has 2 yr warranty.

pacoW

I've had an AIP unit from SAC city in my 96 for about a year and half. Only put a couple thousand miles on the car but no problems, runs great, and for the purists I tossed the original Mitsubishi sensor in the trash . A lot of the "advice" and "i told you so" from people here is because they have an axe to grind and/or some another agenda. Kinda like online surveys, the only people who fill them out are the ones that had a bad experience . I think I've read just as many sob stories about $500 MSD optis as I have about $180 optis. One thing to make sure of is if you have the vented type check the vacuum line to be sure the check valve is working properly. Good luck.

Tom400CFI

X2^^.

I've got one. Working great so far, but only a few thousand miles....