vette196

I am doing heads & cam on my '96 A4. I plan on Lloyd Elliott's LE1 package, installing a D36 w/ 3.07 and replacing all the bushings. The shocks were replaced with stock ac delco and I had all the weatherstripping replaced ...but $$$

I hope to get it to my friend's shop next week and start tearing it down and going with what he and Lloyd discuss (valves, springs, roller rockers, Throttle body(?), injectors(?), pcm tune, etc..)

Two things I need to order are an Optispark and a Water pump.
Should I just get stock OEM units? Or get them at an ecklers type place and if so can I get some recommendations.

I know I'll be asking alot of questions over the next couple of months and I appreciate any help from my fellow C4 owners

blue94

Unless the opti has an issue I don't know if I would replace it. There are a lot of things that would impact the decision, mileage, condition of old opti, and brand(s) available. New opti's can be a little hit or miss

vette196

It has 91K miles on it if it is the original opti and there is oil around it so if it's going to removed, I might as well replace.

I was worried about the "hit or miss opti", I was reading about that a few months ago.

96 lt-4

I would imagine there are other places than Ecklers to buy parts without paying the "corvette" markup.Not saying they are bad but do some shopping around at least.

There was a thread here somewhere from SAC CITY or someone about new opti's I believe.When I did mine years ago I went with a MSD and used some locktite on the rotor screws.

I also switched to an electric water pump for a few extra ponies.

Mail order tunes are fine to a point but I would look for a tuner with a chassis dyno so you can at least see things such as a/f ratio.

antfarmer2

Start soaking your bottom pully now to save your arm later.

gdl2165

When I put the cam in my 96 I too replaced the Opti "just because I was in there". Big mistake, it cut out badly over 6,000 rpm. This was an AIP, just like what Sac City sells although I got it from the manufacturer's website. I ended up putting the stock opti back on but used the cap and rotor from the AIP. If I were you I'd highly recommend you pull the stock opti and remove the cap to inspect the internals. If there's no obvious corrosion I'd just put a new cap and rotor on it and reuse it. The Mitsubishi optical sensor on the OEM unit is far and away preferable to any of the aftermarket units. Make sure you use blue loc-tite on the screws that hold the rotor on, those are known to back out if you don't. When I pulled mine off I found one screw had fallen out and the other one was loose, I'm shocked it hadn't given me any trouble.

If you do still decide to replace the opti, I implore you to hang onto the stock unit, do NOT throw it away. You may find you need it after all, and if not there are some who will buy it from you just to get that Mitsu sensor.

1993C4LT1

Yea, I would just a new cap and rotor on it.

9T3VETTE

Where do you guys suggest sourcing a cap and rotor from?

vette196

3 things:

1) water pump - $70 Rock auto type place to $239(chromed) Ecklers type....I do not need chromed, but not crap "made in _____"

2) Optispark, praying its just a cap/rotor/cleaning...if not "new old stock" system?

3)Lloyd Elliott LE1 or LE2 package?? Upgrading parts(valves & springs) from LE1 to LE2 are the same cost...$1600 w/ cam...I know the mechanic will be speaking to Lloyd, but I'm curious as to others experience with these packages.

TIA

gdl2165

Well, as I said I just used the ones that came with the AIP unit and they're working fine. I'm sure there are differences in materials, I've heard good things about the MSD parts but don't have personal experience. If I were buying I'd probably stick with either the MSD or ACDelco stuff just because it's so hard to get to it if you should need to replace it later.

Lt4-396

If your thinking about the msd optI I would just buy a oem no unit, hard to find but they are out there.

As far as the le package if you need to Pass a sniffer test stay with the le1 package, if you don't need to pass the sniffer then go with le2 heads and a 1.5le cam and be happy with 360-370RWHP

vette196

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/t...model/corvette

Anybody use this brand waterpump? Thoughts?

95wht6spd

I have the LE2, but I have a 6 speed. You may need to change stall with 2, talk to Lloyd.

Lt4-396

If your going to spend that much on a water pump you should just go to an electric pump.

MatthewMiller

With cam and head porting that come with these packages, won't the OP need to do some tuning? For the 96 model year, that means either Jet DST or the Carputing software and interface. If so, he should be able to set the diagnostic switches to immediately set readiness and not report any problems. That's if the emissions test is a plug-in scan type of test. If his state really still requires an actual sniffer in the tailpipe, then this probably wouldn't pass, but who knows? With cats and air pump and everything tuned properly, it might. But does any state still actually test emissions that way?

vette196

I don't want to go that route. The worry I have is all these parts are hit or miss with our friends across the pacific manufacturing them.

I just want a quality part and summit has the ac delco for about $250. I was looking for opinions (especially with our great "quality control" for auto parts) on the $70 Rock auto, Hi-flow Tuff water pump $165 or Ecklers ($200+).

vette196

I don't want to waste LLoyd's time...I'm just a "worker". My mechanic friend will plan this out with Lloyd

I'm just going off of research, I noticed if I add to the LE1 package (Valves and better springs) it brings the cost to what the LE2 package had, and with a cam(not too wild), it said stock gears and TC are OK.

TIA

vette196

In terms of emissions, I'm in NJ. They don't do the sniffer test, but plug in to the OBD and do a visual of the under side of the car.

I plan on sending out the PCM to PCM4less or who Lloyd might recommend to deal with those issues as well as different rear ratio, cam, etc...

MatthewMiller

Then I know for certain that the plug-in scan can be passed using the Jet DST package and setting the appropriate diagnostic switches to "Type D- no reporting." For the visual, they'll need to see cats and probably an air pump. FWIW, a 3" dual exhaust with good cats is not too restrictive.

mrodoc

I went with LE2 on my 1994, last year. Lloyd is very helpful and will guide you regarding injectors, etc. AIR, EGR delete, no CATS, TPIS headers, etc. I did PCM for less for the tune, which is fine (have them reprogram your coolant fans, too). Would like to find a good dyno tuner near here. I went with a 3000 lock up converter on my 3.07 Dana 36. Night and day difference in this car. My next project is going to 3.73 diff. There is no surge with the 3000 converter, until it shifts into overdrive which it keeps doing even around town. For now I just don't put it in "drive." Not a deal breaker, just an FYI.
I was anxious, then just went for it. Don't look back. You won't be sorry.