If you start having opti problems, does service engine soon light come on or any other light? After coming out of a restaurant tonight, Ruby didn't start on the first twist of the key like it usually does. It then started backfiring and runing on 7 or so cylinders. It smoothed out a few miles down the road after I turned off the air conditioner. Sounds like the extra drain on the motor was causing problems. I'll try it tomorrow to see how it goes. Sure hope it isn't the opti (just rolled over 44k miles). TIA for any opinions. Perry :seeya

 

Since you did not experience any problems before, I (and I might be wrong, :lol: )eliminate fuel system and permenant electrical fault.

As far as I know, if the Opti begins to go mechanically (like internal bearing, "cloudy" discs or cracked case, etc) the "Service Engine Soon" light will not come on. God knows it didn't for me when mine went!

However, if the optics are having an electrical problem, the optics are sending weird input to the ECM (like discs are not moving, duranged readings, etc) or the connection to the wire loom connector is bad, you will see one.

44,000 Miles is low for a bad opti, if everything is properly observed and a regualr preventative work schedule is maintained. I could be wrong, but I would bet it is not the opti-spark. If you are not seeing a code, then mechanically it would be dying. However, usually, people see the WORST as the engine heats up or travel "a few miles down the road". (Usually the bearing heats up and seizes the opti or the disc become hot, cloudy and hard to read the optics) Where as you saw it smoothing out as you traveled down the road and shut off the Air Conditioner

Not sure what it could be, someone will know what it is I am sure.

A wild guess: Since your A/C was on before you parked it, the A/C condensor sweats and some water might have traveled and landed on a bad coil (cracked or something) or a bad spark plug wire and shorted things out. Once you heated things up in there down the road, things dried up and things ran fine. Might explain why it did not start the first time (especially when you did not experience any problems before hand) as water might have dripped somewhere to short things out.

I would suggest to try it tomorrow without the A/C at all. I know living in Florida, it might be hard :D, but if the problem disappears. The atleast you know it is not Opti, or something major. I would start to check things like bad wires/coil.

Like you said, it might have been the car trying to recharge and recover some electrical loss by operating the headlight lights, A/C, and other things. Best thing to do is try it again.

Hope some of this helps. Take Care. :flag

 

Opti replacement, it's not if but a question of when. Just did mine with the upgrade at 72K. Redid the water pump also, as the one I put on last summer was leaking from the weep hole. The opti was pretty bad, but I had to pull apart to get a handle on what it does and is and how to do the upgrade. Gotta love those engineers at General. Had the same problems, with backfiring included. Damn near blew the muf elims off the back end on one backfire. Also was expriencing slight backfire on deceleration. Thought it was loose intake or exhaust manifold. Pretty focused on coil now. Freind coming over with a scanner to assist, but for $80 (I think) the coil is also going to get replaced and then we'll see. It has been a 3 week process, but I'd like to get the 'ole C4 back agin and go hunt some fun...-C4- :flag

 

I started the car this morning and it was so/so but not bad. Tonight I ran it for about 15 minutes at an idle to see if it would act up or dry out any wet spots. Ran so/so again and seemed to be running rich (odor). Went out to eat and returned about 8 PM, started it and backed it up to leave the carport. It ran horrible, bucked, missed and backfired once slightly. Put in D to put the car back in and it chirp the wheels and kept missing. Will check for codes tomorrow. Doesn't sound good does it? And we are going to be missing a great show tomorrow in St Armends, Corvettes on the Circle. Would it be possible for 2 not so professional mechanics do the opti, water pump, plugs and wires?


[Modified by OURRUBY, 8:49 PM 5/2/2003]

 

How is your tool situation? Do you have a jack and jack stands or a lift or ramps? The only thing you have to do under the car is tap the dampner off. There is allot of great tips available from our forum. The first thing you need to do is buy the stuff you're going to replace. Which Opti-spark are you going to buy, are you going to vent it (recommended), Get your wires and plugs (lots of discussion in our forum), and buy a new water pump or better yet see about an electric pump. For insurance, I'd replace the coil and the coil driver. If you find oil leaks near the timing cover, give us a call. Most guys doing a complete job on this will replace the seals in the timing cover which gets a little testy.

Let us know when your ready to start.

:flag :flag :flag

 

Well yeaterday (5/3) my son and I checked over the whole engine compartment and found nothing unhooked or broken. Took it for a ride and it ran so/so until you put some gas to it. Then it started spitting and sputtering and backfired a little. Checked the computer and there were no codes listed anywhere. I guess tomorrow I start making phone calls to get prices for the work and parts. Thanks for your input. Perry :seeya

 

Just for backup, show us your list of things you are going to buy and we'll see if you forgot anything. Also, I can get the standard "flat rate" job from a Chevy dealer to compare your findings.

Good luck

:flag :flag :flag

 

Ok, here's the way it happens.

People know that the opti is a weak link in these engines so everything that goes wrong immediately gets blamed on it. I've seen it first hand people will go change the opti and it turns out that was not the problem. Often times it is the opti, but just as many times it isn't.

IMHO it is absolutely stupid to go change the opti on a car with 10 year old plugs, wires, & coil. Any of these could very easily be the problem and all of them together are a lot cheaper than the opti, and a lot easier to replace. Start with plugs, wires and a coil. Odds are that will correct your problem. If it does not then it will probably be the opti. Then if you replace the opti you essentially have a brand new ignition system. The plugs and wires won't be wasted because they needed to be changed anyway.

I have actually done this on two cars, one had 95k miles, the other had 130k miles. Both of them had the stock optispark and they both still do. It's not as fragile as everybody tries to tell you it is.

 

From the replies I have received and other posts, I haven't seen any way of testing the opti to see if it is the problem. Is there a way? If not, then I will probably follow Nathan's advice and do the plugs/wires/coil first. Thanks again. Perry

 

I just had a similar problem,found out mine was from bad gas.I put some Vavoline gas treatment in drove for an hour and runs fine now


[Modified by CORVETTE MIKE, 10:42 AM 5/4/2003]

 

If you're not getting an SES light then there isn't really a good way to test the opti. BTW, also if you're not getting an SES light and it is the opti it's the actual distributor part not the optical part.

 

I am getting no codes and no lights whatsoever

 

After reading Nathans reply, I too agree that one should try the plugs, wires and coil as they are easy too replace compared to the opti. Even checkout your gas and fuel pressure. HOWEVER, wires and plugs don't just go bad all at once. They are more insidious than a opti that starts to go almost immediately. Nathon also wrote an interesting thread on this subject that you should read. From what you have talked about so far I'm still willing to bet that your opti is not up to spec. My way of looking at preventative maintence is a little more intense than most. Replacing the wires, plugs and coil are good things to do, but I come from the school that always looked inside the distributor and cap for signs of wear and tear. It's just so darn inconvenient to get at the opti. For peace of mind, look inside, if it is clean and dry, put it back and tell me I'm wrong and don't know anything about the opti. I'm young, I'll get over it and I might learn something.

Again, we'll be here when you start the project. :thumbs:

:flag :flag :flag

 

Calling around today to get prices on the wires/plugs/coil, I had a "mechanic" tell me that I can replace the cap and rotor on the opti and not replace the whole thing. Is this logical? I have pretty much decided to stick with AC Delco parts thrugh Jeff Kopp (now Chris) as they are much cheaper. Chris also said that the "new" opti only costs $242.52, but couldn't explain what the difference was or why it was so much cheaper (old one was $337). Thanks again for all your assistance. :seeya

 

Make sure you get the cap along with that 242.52 price. Sometimes if you order the opti you only get the base unit and no cap. Chris is a new guy at this and may not know the ins and outs, yet, but we'll teach him. :yesnod:
Did you decide on venting the opti?

 

also perry there is a vented opti new FS in the parts section

 

Strick - I'm going to do the plugs/wires/coil first to see what happens. Then I'll decide on the opti.

Ken - Thanks for the heads up.

:seeya

 

Very good idea,
Im having the same problem, took it to a chevy dealership and they found a vacuum leak going in to the throttle body(I didnt think that effected much though). Part came in today so I go back in the morning, I truly dont believe this will solve my prob,but they seem to think it will. I even rigged the line so I know for a fact I stopped the leak and it didnt change anything. Anyways they will be doing a plug, wires,coil, fuel filter, before we opt opti!!! CAUSE I SAID SO!


:steering:


[Modified by Mark13760, 8:45 PM 5/5/2003]