racerseks

This is regarding a 1996 CE with LT4 and ZF6...

Doing a new water pump soon. Anything else I should do while it's out? Wondering if I should at least do cap and rotor (What's best to go with?) , and wires. Not sure if it's the original opti or not. Just over 100k now...an engine rebuild done about 30k ago, but not sure if the original opti was used. From what I've read, I guess I should hope it is.

No opti related problems, so wondering if I should leave well enough alone. Anyway...thoughts? opinions?

Thanks!

MatthewMiller

I hesitate to advise you to mess with the Opti, because any new replacements will have inferior modules and possibly inferior bearings. The 95/96 versions have vacuum-powered venting that really helped keep the modules clean and the metal parts from corroding (from ozone buildup as I understand it). If it hasn't been raced (i.e. run at high rpm a lot), then the bearing is probably still good. I'd leave it alone, I think. If you ever do have to replace it, the best option is probably the guy on Ebay selling rebuilds with NOS modules. Next best is probably the AIP replacement from Sac City. OTOH, I would replace the spark plug wires while you have easy access to the cap. Otherwise, they are nearly impossible to change. Hopefully someone else will chime in with a recommendation for a brand.

racerseks

Yea, it seems like that's a part that no aftermarket company has gotten right. Lots of good, bad, and ugly about MSD, Accel, and any other options out there.

I dunno...guy I got the car from seemed like a bit of a hot-dogger, LoL.

Sounds like more or less, what I wanted to hear. Ideally, if it were an old school distributor, I wouldn't bother inquiring...just like to have it all replaced and reliable. But such inconsistency on this whole subject, that I am most likely gonna leave it alone. I dunno if anyone has any "inspection" type advice or not...but I'll listen.

I might very well do the wires. I bet everyone is gonna suggest Taylors...or maybe that's the early C4's.

Thanks!

John A. Marker

Add a small brass fitting to the weep hole in the new water pump. I used the fitting on a compression fitting for small hoses. I taped into the weep hole and then epoxied around the fitting to seal it. I then add clear plastic tubing onto the fitting and ran the tubing down .past the Opti and zip tied it in place. This eliminates the issue of coolant flowing out the weep hole directly onto the Opti. Easy and cheap modification.

racerseks

This is one I am planning to do. Any tips on where to find a fitting...or what to ask the guy for at Home Depot? Thanks!

RtStuf

At 100k mi don't you think it would be a good idea to open & inspect the Opti, clean the sensor, lock tight the screws & seal the cap?

MatthewMiller

vette196

Why not take it out and have the optidoctor rebuild and test it

mtwoolford

The bearing in the block that supports the water pump drive; get one while it's still available; after these bearings get loose, the oil seal can never seal properly and its one leaking oil seal after another.

RetroGuy

You'll be removing the serpentine belt, so inspect it and replace if any cracks are in it.

racerseks

That's the seal I inquired about in another post. Does the opti have to come out completely for that one? Thanks!

Whaleman

I totally agree!!! But I would add if it is not a Mitsubusi (sp) sensor I would have him change to one. Too much work to reinstall a Chinese sensor.

Whaleman

Great question. Maybe someone who has done it will answer. I think it would be hard as the water pump coupler is very close to the opti. Maybe not take all the way out but maybe it is possible to remove the 3 screws and just drop down a inch or so. I really don't think you could get the install tool straight and square with the opti still installed.

jph46

mtwoolford

Are there any leaks now?
I would assume (and we all know what that means) with an engine rebuild about 30K ago (and no leaks, right?) that all is good in the seal department. You can replace the water pump seal, and the Opti seal in the car without removing the timing chain cover, but not so for the crankshaft seal...that's a lot more complicated. So, no leaks? at 30K, consider leaving well enough alone. If and when the crank seal starts to leak at some future date, the timing chain cover will have to come off and then replace all three seals, Since the timing chain cover will be off, renew the timing chain and the aforesaid bearing in the block that supports the water pump drive. Oh, and since I'm spending your money, swap in an LT4 "Hot Cam". I did.

As to the Opti, its just a distributor and like any distributor a new rotor and rotor cap is pretty much a maintenance item.

If you pull the rotor cap and rotor, you can lift off the tin shield and observe whether or not your Opti has a "Mitsubishi" sensor. Using a drop of blue Locktite on the rotor screws and sealing the Opti is highly recommended.

Your LT4 has an Opti II, which is the last evolution of the Opti and includes a factory ventilating system which is a huge improvement. On my LT4 the small hose that goes from the Opti to the rubber coupler between the air filter and throttle body was cut by the serpentine belt and the larger hose from the Opti to the intake manifold was oil soaked to the extent that it had softened and collapsed in on itself; so these are two items to check.

racerseks

Yea, that's definitely tempting. Any good right ups on servicing it? Thanks!

racerseks

I keep going back and forth on it too, ha ha. Know of any good guides for self-servicing it? Do the later style like this get as cruddy on the inside as some of the pics I've seen? Thanks!

racerseks

Is there actually an optidoctor? Thanks!

Whaleman

optisparksolutions@gmail.com His name is Brad.

racerseks

I put a new one in along with new tensioner and idler pulley when I put in a new alternator a couple of months ago. Hasn't left my driveway since...but that's a good tip. Thanks!