...WW
Car shuts off randomly, sometimes wont start
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 1
Car shuts off randomly, sometimes wont start
Hello everyone,
im hoping someone has had issues with this before and has been able to find the solution. Ive owned a white 1993 40th vette foralmost three years now and have recently had trouble with it. Sometimes while im driving , usually at low idle, the car will just shut off and not start back up right away or have issues starting. When it runs, it runs fine. Please advise
im hoping someone has had issues with this before and has been able to find the solution. Ive owned a white 1993 40th vette foralmost three years now and have recently had trouble with it. Sometimes while im driving , usually at low idle, the car will just shut off and not start back up right away or have issues starting. When it runs, it runs fine. Please advise
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
Sounds lie typical OPTI going South. You can pull codes with a paperclip which will give you some idea of what is going on.
If you replace the OPTI then replace the water pump at the same time. Modify the water pump by inserting a small brass fitting into the weep hole and epoxy it in place. The run a piece of vinyl tubing from this fitting down past the OPTI. This way if the pump fails you will not dump coolant onto the OPTI.
If you replace the OPTI then replace the water pump at the same time. Modify the water pump by inserting a small brass fitting into the weep hole and epoxy it in place. The run a piece of vinyl tubing from this fitting down past the OPTI. This way if the pump fails you will not dump coolant onto the OPTI.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 188
Likes: 40
From: Rockaway NJ
Check for codes
If the opti has failed it has probably generated DTCs. DTC 16 is typical. Start there before you go too much further.
I just replaced mine and it started with similar symptoms along with a DTC 16
I just replaced mine and it started with similar symptoms along with a DTC 16
Last edited by Drifter36; Sep 3, 2017 at 07:28 AM. Reason: Wrong code
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 769
Likes: 95
From: Central Pennsylvania
I just went thriugh this this past Spring. Car shut off intermittently, restarted after about 10-15 minutes. No codes displayed. Got progressively worse. Went the ICM route, new coil. Finally bit the bullet and replaced the Opti. Second one in 3.5 years. No problems since
Last edited by skyhawk50; Sep 3, 2017 at 12:36 PM.
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 1
I just went thriugh this this past Spring. Car shut off intermittently, restarted after about 10-15 minutes. No codes displayed. Got progressively worse. Went the ICM route, new coil. Finally bit the bullet and replaced the Opti. Second one in 3.5 years. No problems since
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 769
Likes: 95
From: Central Pennsylvania
My opti took me about 6 hours ( I'm old) its located under the water pump and barely visible. There are some stickies on the forums with step by step r and r instructions. I bought the new one from Sac City.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 188
Likes: 40
From: Rockaway NJ
So it is not an if but when failure situation.
Prices range from cheap internet crap below $100 to reputable brands that can cost upwards of $500
I chose the SacCity opti when I replaced mine last week. It was $169
Here is a photo of the engine with the water pump removed. If you have to pay someone to do this, you will part with significant cash. Doing it yourself is not to difficult if you have the basic tools.
Bob
New water pump waiting to go in.
New dist installed and balancer back in place
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 1
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,119
Likes: 1,996
From: St. Charles MO
If it's the opti, then the tach will stop working and so will the fuel injectors. You can diagnose the latter with a noid light on the injectors while the car refuses to start. If they don't light up the noid light while cranking then they aren't getting a signal, and the opti is the likely culprit. If the light indicates an injector signal, then the ICM is the most likely culprit. OTOH, the ICM is one hell of a lot easier and cheaper to replace, so it may be valid to replace it as a diagnostic step. This is especially so since you've recently replaced the opti already. The ICM tends to fail when it (not necessarily the engine itself) gets hot. Give it time to cool and then it often works again.