Opti Spark
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 9,713
Likes: 3
From: Sachse Texas
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Opti Spark (bwagner)
Not sure why anyone would remove the radiator to change the opti?
I just pulled my opti and it took me maybe an hour.
Simply steps:
-start with a cold engine
-put the car on jackstands
-remove air intake duct
-remove the accessory belt
-disconnect and move out of the way the electrical harness on the passenger side.
-remove the coil pack (optional but makes it easier to get to the water pump bolts on mine).
-drain the coolant from the radiator (drain fowl is on lower passenger side)
-(optional, but cleaner) get under the engine and disconnect the knock sensors one sde at a time. This will drain the block of all coolant. The knock sensors are a 7/8" wrench or socket and can be difficult to get to. Reinstall with only 10-14 ft/lb of torque.
-disconnect the hoses starting at the top of the water pump and work your
way down. The lower lines will still have coolant, so keep a bucket under the car so you can point the flow in the buckets direction. Some will end up on the floor. The one that will have the most is the lower passenger side line. Remove it slowly and you can have more control over where the coolant goes. If you drained the block via the knock sensors, you should have very little coolant come from the hoses.
-remove the 6 14mm bolts holding on the water pump. You will need a 3" extention and a swivel end to get the middle bolt on the driver side.
-pull the water pump straight off. You will have some coolant spill once again at this step
-remove the harmonic balancer. There are 3 5/8" bolts connecting the balancer to the crank hub. Remove these three bolts and the balancer is a slip fit. You may have to rotate the engine to get to all of the bolts. You may need to get under the car and hit the balancer from the back side with a mallet and a stick of wood (broom handle, etc) if it has never been removed. You may have to hit it with quite a bit of force to break it loose. Just make sure you do each side a couple of whacks at a time and do not focus on only one side.
-remove the 3 10m bolts holding the opti in place. One on each side and one on the passengers side bottom. The opti will slip off. You may have to rotate the crank to get the crank hub in the proper position to slip the opti off.
-clean the water pump gaskets off the water pump and the block real good with a razor or other tool that will not score the surfaces.
reinstall backward of the above. Use some RTV on the gaskets and the bolts of the water pump and do not overtighten the opti bolts. As previously mentioned, if the opti does not slide all the way on, do not force it. You will need to rotate the rotor to where the cam pin fits in the slot of the opti drive ('95-96) or where the "key" of cam drive pin in the center of the opti is in the proper position.
This was a brain dump of the process. John's step by step may be more complete.
I just pulled my opti and it took me maybe an hour.
Simply steps:
-start with a cold engine
-put the car on jackstands
-remove air intake duct
-remove the accessory belt
-disconnect and move out of the way the electrical harness on the passenger side.
-remove the coil pack (optional but makes it easier to get to the water pump bolts on mine).
-drain the coolant from the radiator (drain fowl is on lower passenger side)
-(optional, but cleaner) get under the engine and disconnect the knock sensors one sde at a time. This will drain the block of all coolant. The knock sensors are a 7/8" wrench or socket and can be difficult to get to. Reinstall with only 10-14 ft/lb of torque.
-disconnect the hoses starting at the top of the water pump and work your
way down. The lower lines will still have coolant, so keep a bucket under the car so you can point the flow in the buckets direction. Some will end up on the floor. The one that will have the most is the lower passenger side line. Remove it slowly and you can have more control over where the coolant goes. If you drained the block via the knock sensors, you should have very little coolant come from the hoses.
-remove the 6 14mm bolts holding on the water pump. You will need a 3" extention and a swivel end to get the middle bolt on the driver side.
-pull the water pump straight off. You will have some coolant spill once again at this step
-remove the harmonic balancer. There are 3 5/8" bolts connecting the balancer to the crank hub. Remove these three bolts and the balancer is a slip fit. You may have to rotate the engine to get to all of the bolts. You may need to get under the car and hit the balancer from the back side with a mallet and a stick of wood (broom handle, etc) if it has never been removed. You may have to hit it with quite a bit of force to break it loose. Just make sure you do each side a couple of whacks at a time and do not focus on only one side.
-remove the 3 10m bolts holding the opti in place. One on each side and one on the passengers side bottom. The opti will slip off. You may have to rotate the crank to get the crank hub in the proper position to slip the opti off.
-clean the water pump gaskets off the water pump and the block real good with a razor or other tool that will not score the surfaces.
reinstall backward of the above. Use some RTV on the gaskets and the bolts of the water pump and do not overtighten the opti bolts. As previously mentioned, if the opti does not slide all the way on, do not force it. You will need to rotate the rotor to where the cam pin fits in the slot of the opti drive ('95-96) or where the "key" of cam drive pin in the center of the opti is in the proper position.
This was a brain dump of the process. John's step by step may be more complete.
