Hi everyone,
Sorry for littering the forum with another Optispark question. I've searched for many hours, and read everything I can find - however, I still have some questions.

I have a 1992 auto convertible. I bought it a couple of years ago, and it's my first Corvette, It has about 90,000 miles on it. To my knowledge, it is nearly original - aside from a replacement ECU and new front ball joints and bushings that I just installed.

While working on the ball joints, I noticed that the plug wires appear to be factory original. I don't know if this car has ever seen a tune-up. I'm thinking that a new set of plugs, wires, cap, and rotor might make sense, while the car is sitting in the garage all winter. However, what should I do about the Optispark?

* Will the 95 "vented" cap and rotor fit on my 92 Optispark? Rock Auto lists a Wells cap for the 92 for about $208, but lists the 95 cap for $95. It seems foolish to spend twice as much for an "inferior" cap, if the newer one is compatible.
* How do I convert my Optispark to a vented design? The way I'm reading some threads, it seems that a vented cap (like the MSD) is all that's necessary. Other threads have described a process of using JB Weld to close off weep holes, and drilling/tapping the Optispark housing for a fitting. What is the correct process, here?
* If I get in there, and find that my Optispark has a sloppy bearing (I think my sensor is fine, as the car still runs well), what should I do about it? It seems that OptiDoctor has closed his practice, and Petris is showing out-of-stock.
* I do not see any label indicating that my car has its Optispark replaced as part of the recall (even though my VIN falls in that range). Does anyone know what the difference was between the original Optispark, and the "upgraded" unit that was installed as part of the recall?

Thanks for any help and advice you can give to me!

 

See if Brad at optisparksolutions@gmail will rebuild yours and install the vented cap. Your bearing might need to be replaced and Brad would do that. He has the best reputation possible and I saw in another post he was back to doing some. He was known as the optidoctor. He has the ability to test it before sending it back. Dan

 

Just want to confirm he is. He just recently rebuilt mine (~two weeks ago), it was $400 plus shipping. So far all good with mine (though not a lot of miles... yet...)

 

To answer your questions:
The 95-96 cap and rotor should fit. Petris sells it ( https://petrisenterprises.com/collec...istributor-cap ) for $60.
In my opinion it's best to just get a vented cap and rotor to convert to vented. I think you may still have to seal off the three little holes but I don't recall if those holes are in the housing or cap. If it's the former, you need to seal them, if it's the latter, you don't.
Email brad.
I don't know about any recall, so I can't answer this. But since it's running so well I would imagine if your car got a replacement optispark as part of a recall it still had the Mitsubishi sensor in it, and that is all that matters.

 

Thanks for the advice, Whaleman and pattydaone! $400 to have an expert go through this unit, freshen it up, and convert it to a vented design sounds like a great deal - as the poorly-reviewed Accel aftermarket units cost that much or more. It's good to hear that Brad is still providing this service. I will reach out to him. Maybe he'll be more comfortable with a customer who is just performing preventative maintenance - not throwing parts at a problem...

I did hear back from Petris, too. While they are currently out of stock on their Optispark units, they are expecting to have them back in stock within the next couple of weeks.

 

Brad is recently retired, if he doesn't immediately answer emails, just give him a chance to. In a couple weeks MK and I are going to get to see the machine that he tests them on.

 

Thanks for the info, drcook! This is not something that I'm in a hurry to do, anyway. I'll probably just wait until "convertible season" is completely over, to start messing with it.

 

Brad seals the cap to the base with a type of sealant I have never seen before. It is black/grey and thick and gooey. It can surly take some movement as in the aluminum base will expand with heat more than the plastic/resin cap. It looks like it will seal for a very long time. I also did not want to imply that he "might" change the bearing, I believe, he always changes it . Now, all this discussion is based on your opti being original. Dan

 

To be honest even if it's not original it's no big deal. These distributors came in a lot of cars so you can just find a junk car with the original opti and pull it. A place near me said they'd sell me one from a Camaro for $150. Considering Brad offered me $200 for my sensor, I think that's pretty good.

 

I find that very interesting you said that. I remember when Brad quit doing rebuilds. He was having trouble getting good opti's to rebuild. At the time I suggested he pay 3-4 hundred for a rebuildable opti and just raise his price. Not so much his rebuild of yours price but the price for a rebuilt original where the person just wants to buy one outright. Have people all over the country scouring junkyards for exactly what you describe. His rebuilt opti is put together with more care than the originals were. If he was offering 4 hundred would you think about going to get the Camaro one? Dan

 

I think you misunderstand me (or maybe I misunderstand you). What I meant was, should your car not have the original opti with the Mitsubishi sensor, you can still go find one and have Brad rebuild it. Of course that's contingent on the sensor still being good, which is a gamble.
I only looked into getting an opti off of a junk car because one of the rotor screws on mine broke off while I was removing it due to rust, so I feared it wouldn't be rebuildable. Fortunately he was able to rebuild it, and that was it.

 

I understood you. I just don't think all corvette owners know enough, have the extra time, don't want the hassle, know what an original looks like, is scared of getting screwed by the junkyard or wants an easy way to get a new one to go to a junkyard and mess with either pulling it yourself or finding one. If an owner has a good job and not a lot of extra time they would rather pay Brad an extra 200 or 300 bucks for an original professionally rebuilt and have the best opti they could. They just want the best and most reliable and not fool around with Chinese junk. It sounds like you would go to the junkyard and so would I but not everyone wants to mess with that. Dan

 

I don't have much to add other than my experience with Brad has been great. I sent him my 1996 Opti last week, he knocked it out over the weekend and should have it any day. Very reasonable cost for basically a brand new unit with the best sensor out there (Mitsu).

 

It is my opinion that the bearing, cap, rotor and the sealant used are all better than (1996) new. Dan

 

Ah. I misunderstood then, my fault.
I suppose I assumed that if someone had the time to do the work themselves, they would in turn have the time to hunt for a junk one, but you're right that that isn't necessarily true.

 

I think there is also a group of people that know (from this forum) that Chinese optis are a crap shoot and for the most part junk and even AC Delco are not to be trusted that they would obtain the opti themselves and take it to their mechanic. Dan

 

I think that's probably true. Although I wonder how this would go for people who don't know all about how bad the aftermarket is. Do they just take their car to a mechanic, who gets a poorly made opti (if they don't know either), and end up having to do the install over and over? I wonder if that kind of thing is how the optispark got such a bad reputation....

 

I have seen people here with deeply held beliefs that the best way to go is buy one from Autozone where they have a lifetime warranty and just keep replacing it every time it fails. I don't want to do it more than once. I did it once and it was fun. I put in one of Brads rebuilds and expect it to last all the miles I will ever drive. I do have another of Brads sealed in a thick plastic bag---just in case. Dan

 

Brad uses (or did) MSD cap and rotor. He told me (at the time) that after testing, they were the best.

 

I saw this sentiment a few times when I was poking around for options but the coolant costs start to get expensive and it becomes very time consuming... definitely not for everyone. I think I'd rather do a 24x conversion over that, but I know I'm in the minority there since that gets really expensive.