I installed the Delteq Stage 1 today to effectively bypass the cap & rotor of the optispark. I have not gotten to drive it yet, but I can already notice a huge difference in idle quality and reving through the RPM range. When it stomp on the gas, it instantly screams higher where before it would hesitate and be fairly unwilling to rev freely when in neutral.

I'll try to get some final installation pictures as soon as possible, but since I am not using stock valve covers, I have to make some spacers to properly mount the Northstar coil pack to the valve cover with the supplied Delteq bracket. I have also been thinking about getting a set of LT4 composite valve covers so I can't hear the valve noise as much, so that would delay things a bit.

Anyway, I can't wait to actually get out on the road since the car has basically sat for the last few months after my engine bay got "detailed" without my order from a car wash place and has ran terrible since. Lately, after about 25% throttle, the engine would miss so bad the engine would fall on it's face. Knock retard was through the roof until audible pinging could be heard. I am anxious to hook up Datamaster and see if my knock counts are gone.

One thing to note for you do-it-yourselfers...I got my coil pack off of eBay (brand new) and the OEM coil packs are numbered. THESE ARE WRONG. The Northstar uses a different firing order than other GM V8's do. The directions in the manual do not come out and say this, so when they say to put on the stickers, be sure to note what each coil is numbered as, AND the coil orientation (coil towers facing up or down). Ask me how I know this... :lol: Lets just say I am lucky my MAF still works after all the backfires through the intake. Nothing like seeing exhaust come out the SLP Claw!!

I can't wait for Stage 2!


[Modified by ninetyfivevette, 1:14 AM 3/23/2004]

 

My daily driver has a Northstar in it... One thing I always wondered when I was learning about the new engine with it's waste spark system was, wouldn't it be something if you could take the waste spark and put it to use in the actively firing cylinder... Almost like having dual coils firing into the same plug...

I'm curious about the difference you feel in reving the motor... Was your old opti bad or did you just want to upgrade the ignition???

 

My old opti was definately bad. It was the original with 125K miles on it.

 

nice idea, but totally unfeasable.

the spark takes the line of least resistance, which, in the case of an engine, it the cylinder with the higher compression and fuel/air mix. whatever small amount of spark that occurs in the other cylinder is acutally helpful in burning off bad gasses that are left in the cylinder.