How does oil get into an OPtispark?
02-20-2017, 08:09 AM
#1
How does oil get into an OPtispark? Car had been running like crap so I pulled the opti and took it apart. It had trace amounts of oil in including on the sensor. I want to determine if the oil contamination is related solely to the Opti or something else.
The timing cover seals looked fine and showed no evidence of leakage. So does this leave the Opti as the root problem? Or would the oil have to be coming through the seals?
Thanks
The timing cover seals looked fine and showed no evidence of leakage. So does this leave the Opti as the root problem? Or would the oil have to be coming through the seals?
Thanks
02-20-2017, 10:40 AM
#3
Village Troll 
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Oil is extremely intrusive and goes wherever it damn well pleases. If you have an opti seal that is leaking it will make its way into the opti housing. Check the inside of your bellows and see if there is any sort of oil film. That is about the only way it could get into the opti from the vacuum source is if you have bad reversion and oil is getting past the front of the throttle body.
02-20-2017, 10:47 AM
#4
FormerVendor
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Opti Spark Hi, I manufacture a Opti with the original TW, a 24xe, or a 58x TW.
Your choice with little difference in cost.
The price is lower with better than GM OEM quality.
The seal is in the front cover as you noted, other reasons for failure is from water pump steam, other vapors ???
My guess is the seal OR bad water pump.
Would you like a new Opti ?
I have never found one with a problem to be repaired and work correctly.
Lance
Your choice with little difference in cost.
The price is lower with better than GM OEM quality.
The seal is in the front cover as you noted, other reasons for failure is from water pump steam, other vapors ???
My guess is the seal OR bad water pump.
Would you like a new Opti ?
I have never found one with a problem to be repaired and work correctly.
Lance
02-20-2017, 10:54 AM
#5
Oil is extremely intrusive and goes wherever it damn well pleases. If you have an opti seal that is leaking it will make its way into the opti housing. Check the inside of your bellows and see if there is any sort of oil film. That is about the only way it could get into the opti from the vacuum source is if you have bad reversion and oil is getting past the front of the throttle body.
Thanks. Thought you were gonna blame it on my LE heads. Just kidding...just kidding.
I will look at the timing cover a bit it closer. But what your saying, makes perfect sense. Bellows is dry. I wonder if its plausible that since there is a vacuum draw on the opti. That vacuum might be able to pull it through the cap seals based on the intrusiveness you mentioned.
Pantera,
I will likely try to clean this opti up and reuse it. Its not covered in oil, so I might be sucessful. If not, what are you selling a bone stock spec 1995 vented opti for?
02-20-2017, 10:59 AM
#6
02-20-2017, 11:04 AM
#7
The most common reason opti gets oil inside is the WP drive seal leaking and oil gets through cap seal of opti. Also front intake manifold leak
If you take a vacuum gauge and plug one of the vent nipples of opti and apply vacuum to opti it will likely quickly show it does not hold much and bleed off quickly. Vacuum is seeping through the cap seal and also the opti shaft so oil will enter the same way vacuum leaks out of the opti
Pics of what my opti looked like from a very small wp drive seal leak. Could barely see a film of oil on TC below wp drive seal. I cleaned up opti, installed new wp drive seal and all still works fine now
If you take a vacuum gauge and plug one of the vent nipples of opti and apply vacuum to opti it will likely quickly show it does not hold much and bleed off quickly. Vacuum is seeping through the cap seal and also the opti shaft so oil will enter the same way vacuum leaks out of the opti
Pics of what my opti looked like from a very small wp drive seal leak. Could barely see a film of oil on TC below wp drive seal. I cleaned up opti, installed new wp drive seal and all still works fine now
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02-20-2017, 11:08 AM
#9
The most common reason opti gets oil inside is the WP drive seal leaking and oil gets through cap seal of opti. Also front intake manifold leak
If you take a vacuum gauge and plug one of the vent nipples of opti and apply vacuum to opti it will likely quickly show it does not hold much and bleed off quickly. Vacuum is seeping through the cap seal and also the opti shaft so oil will enter the same way vacuum leaks out of the opti
Pics of what my opti looked like from a very small wp drive seal leak. Could barely see a film of oil on TC below wp drive seal. I cleaned up opti, installed new wp drive seal and all still works fine now
If you take a vacuum gauge and plug one of the vent nipples of opti and apply vacuum to opti it will likely quickly show it does not hold much and bleed off quickly. Vacuum is seeping through the cap seal and also the opti shaft so oil will enter the same way vacuum leaks out of the opti
Pics of what my opti looked like from a very small wp drive seal leak. Could barely see a film of oil on TC below wp drive seal. I cleaned up opti, installed new wp drive seal and all still works fine now
02-20-2017, 12:09 PM
#10
I carefully cleaned the opti and put it back on. Still on the car now
unless you see a clear leak from front intake china wall area...more likely the wp drive seal is leaking.
oil migrates to the lowest point so it can appear to be a pan gasket leak. a pan gasket leak would not easily get in the opti as it is below it
02-20-2017, 05:30 PM
#12
You guys were spot on. After a closer examination, it was a leaky opti seal. Cant believe I missed it earlier. I guess that's a testament to how much I really dont like working on cars any more. 
What would be the best way to clean the "gap" in the optical sensor? It has oil in there likely on the LEDs.
What would be the best way to clean the "gap" in the optical sensor? It has oil in there likely on the LEDs.
02-20-2017, 05:51 PM
#13
would be more suprised if the wp seal was not the leak source
....and you know you need to use some form of a "tool" to get it in so inside seal lip does not fold over.
other than your time this is not a big $ repair. About $12 for the TC gasket/seal kit and a gallon of coolant and cleaning the opti
dialectic grease is your friend...plug boots and opti connector
....and you know you need to use some form of a "tool" to get it in so inside seal lip does not fold over.
other than your time this is not a big $ repair. About $12 for the TC gasket/seal kit and a gallon of coolant and cleaning the opti
dialectic grease is your friend...plug boots and opti connector
02-20-2017, 10:01 PM
#14
TECH Veteran
You guys were spot on. After a closer examination, it was a leaky opti seal. Cant believe I missed it earlier. I guess that's a testament to how much I really dont like working on cars any more.
What would be the best way to clean the "gap" in the optical sensor? It has oil in there likely on the LEDs.
What would be the best way to clean the "gap" in the optical sensor? It has oil in there likely on the LEDs.
02-21-2017, 12:22 AM
#15
One more thing. There is a little wobble in the main shaft likely due to the bearing just being a tad wobbly. Might this be normal?
The shaft turns and the bearing feels healthy other wise. I just cant recall how solid that shaft felt on a known good opti. I might make a trip to the shops tomorrow to do a comparison.
The shaft turns and the bearing feels healthy other wise. I just cant recall how solid that shaft felt on a known good opti. I might make a trip to the shops tomorrow to do a comparison.
02-21-2017, 08:24 AM
#16
11 Second Club
One more thing. There is a little wobble in the main shaft likely due to the bearing just being a tad wobbly. Might this be normal?
The shaft turns and the bearing feels healthy other wise. I just cant recall how solid that shaft felt on a known good opti. I might make a trip to the shops tomorrow to do a comparison.
The shaft turns and the bearing feels healthy other wise. I just cant recall how solid that shaft felt on a known good opti. I might make a trip to the shops tomorrow to do a comparison.
02-21-2017, 08:40 AM
#17
So to further clarify. The shaft just slightly rocks at an angle. If I had to measure the defection. I would guess maybe 1/16" MAX. Clearly the bearing is not as tight as new...but that may not be a concern. Seems like the stem of the shaft where it inserts into the cam would keep the alignments in check.
02-21-2017, 12:44 PM
#20
Oil can get on the Opti from a leak in the front china wall, the water pump drive seal, and the Opti drive seal. Even though Opti's have a rubber gasket, unless you silicone them they are not very water-proof. On the two I've have, there is a giant gap behind the electrical connector/plug that never had any rubber or gasket there and anything could get in, and that's at the top of the Opti so I'll let you guess how gravity works.
The Opti that was on my car when I got it had oil in it from the water pump drive seal not being installed correctly. When I opened it up, the sensor didn't fail, there was a piece of oily crud blocking the lens from reading the shutter disk, however that crud also destroyed the Opti's bearing so a new one was in order. I'm assuming that crud came in through that gap at the top mentioned above and/or was pieces of the failed bearing seal.
The Opti that was on my car when I got it had oil in it from the water pump drive seal not being installed correctly. When I opened it up, the sensor didn't fail, there was a piece of oily crud blocking the lens from reading the shutter disk, however that crud also destroyed the Opti's bearing so a new one was in order. I'm assuming that crud came in through that gap at the top mentioned above and/or was pieces of the failed bearing seal.