^^ The official optispark preservation thread ^^
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,745
Likes: 18
From: Lansing, MI via Bowling Green, KY, Dalton GA, Nashville, TN & Atlanta, GA
My factory original opti lasted over 100K, and was still working when my car went into long term storage. When I pulled the car out, it wasn't working so well anymore. I know the water pump had been leaking on it a bit prior to my adandoning the car for 6-7 years. When I removed it, it was a rusted mess. The car would still run with it, but under any load whatsoever it sounded like it might explode. My second AC/Delco may have five miles on it, most of those on jackstands.
I imagine allot of folks never really think to check the vacuum lines running to their vented opti. I would venture to say that if the hose on the fresh air side has a crack or leak, it would probably suck in a little water....right? bye bye opti if it does.
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 876
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From: Catlettsburg, Ky
Sorry fellas, but trying to preserve the opti in any way is like sticking a band aid on a compound fracture. The intentions are well, but not quite good enough.
I stuck an lt1 in my '94 silverado z71 that sees it's fair share of mud holes and water crossings (this isn't a *****-out off road truck either, just using the truck how gm intended it.)
naturally, I decided to ax the opti right off the bat. If I've got it loaded down with would and it decides to hiccup and die when crossing a stream with 2500lbs of firewood in the bed?you can guarantee the wood isn't the only thing I'd be setting ablaze.
For rock-solid reliabilty, and enough performance for 95% of the ppl out there, it's tough to beat a small-cap hei.
I stuck an lt1 in my '94 silverado z71 that sees it's fair share of mud holes and water crossings (this isn't a *****-out off road truck either, just using the truck how gm intended it.)
naturally, I decided to ax the opti right off the bat. If I've got it loaded down with would and it decides to hiccup and die when crossing a stream with 2500lbs of firewood in the bed?you can guarantee the wood isn't the only thing I'd be setting ablaze.
For rock-solid reliabilty, and enough performance for 95% of the ppl out there, it's tough to beat a small-cap hei.
That's pretty ignorant to say.. Good enough for most fast LTx cars. Really depends on your purpose. If it's in the car it was meant for and you take some time to seal it up/do preventative maintenance - it will be no different than any other wear and tear part.
TECH Regular
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 400
Likes: 2
Also consider converting your non-vented opti to the vented style.
The non-vented opti does have three small vent holes at the bottom of the base but all they're good for is letting oil and moisture in. They don't allow for any circulation. The easy way to do the conversion is to swap over a vented cap and modify the stock base by adding a vacuum fitting to one of the vent holes and blocking off the other two. You will need to ream the hole out with a 1/8" bit for the vacuum fitting. Zip tie vacuum hoses to the fittings and run one to the intake elbow and the other to a vacuum source such as the brake booster line. You can also install a one way check valve on the suction line for good measure. Make sure you use blue loctite on the rotor screws and plenty of silicon on the seams when reassembling the opti, especially around the electrical connector, which has a tricky shape making it prone to leaks. As long as you properly seal the whole unit, it should run damn near completely submerged with zero issues.
The non-vented opti does have three small vent holes at the bottom of the base but all they're good for is letting oil and moisture in. They don't allow for any circulation. The easy way to do the conversion is to swap over a vented cap and modify the stock base by adding a vacuum fitting to one of the vent holes and blocking off the other two. You will need to ream the hole out with a 1/8" bit for the vacuum fitting. Zip tie vacuum hoses to the fittings and run one to the intake elbow and the other to a vacuum source such as the brake booster line. You can also install a one way check valve on the suction line for good measure. Make sure you use blue loctite on the rotor screws and plenty of silicon on the seams when reassembling the opti, especially around the electrical connector, which has a tricky shape making it prone to leaks. As long as you properly seal the whole unit, it should run damn near completely submerged with zero issues.
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
From: Northern Oklahoma
We fixed my buddy's opti 3 times before we figured out a way to prevent the wter pump from leaking on it. Basically, we tapped the seep hole on the bottom of the new pump and threaded a fitting with a male end on it. Then ran vacuum line around the opti till it was below it. Then zip tied it away so if the pump goes out, it leaks away from the opti. To my knowledge, it is still this way 5+ years later.
We fixed my buddy's opti 3 times before we figured out a way to prevent the wter pump from leaking on it. Basically, we tapped the seep hole on the bottom of the new pump and threaded a fitting with a male end on it. Then ran vacuum line around the opti till it was below it. Then zip tied it away so if the pump goes out, it leaks away from the opti. To my knowledge, it is still this way 5+ years later.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Kempner, TX
Jake
TECH Regular
Joined: Feb 2005
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I just talked with another member about that. I'm torn on it. Its much better to just replace the cap and rotor every 30-60K, or sooner given the low cost. You can loctite the screws down, but it won't prevent a full blown rotor failure which results in a total unit failure.
I'm going to take a look at my box full of warrantied distros and see how many of them have loctite in them.
I'm going to take a look at my box full of warrantied distros and see how many of them have loctite in them.
Mine has been to 7k a ton of times, I used the green on them. No probs as of yet.
EDIT there are different kinds of green, I used "stud and bearing mount" its some bad azz stuff.
Oh yeh, a heads up....by a regular ole inverted torx bit for the cap screws, grind the shoulder off to get down into the holes of the cap to reach the screw heads.
Last edited by FASTFATBOY; Sep 3, 2010 at 07:09 PM.
Ihave a 1995 trans am origianal untouched optispark 160,000 miles. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will make it to 200k, no misfires, just changed the knock sensor and its running great.
If everyone new how to help the opti last, I might not have been able to buy a 94 z28 this week for $800 with a brand new water pump and radiator hose.....and a brand new no start condition.
Obviously the contacts on the cap and rotor are gonna wear to the point where they become inoperable, but for now i have a leak free coolant system and I have been running an electric water pump for about 70k miles.
Replaced the transmission at 90k, went through 2 mcleod street stip clutches / pressure plate, 1 flywheel, 1 clutch slave cylinder, 2 clutch master cylinders, 3 window motors, 2 transmission mounts, 1 set of motor mounts, 1 limited slip differential carrier, 1 heater core check valve, 1 wheel bearing, 1 power steering pump, 2 alternators, 3 batteries, 1 oil pan gasket, 1 pilot bushing, 1 rear main seal........did all the work myself, have fun with you new purchase. Oh yeah your cat may get clogged at 120k miles. Running ngk plugs and taylor wires - seems to do well.
Replaced the transmission at 90k, went through 2 mcleod street stip clutches / pressure plate, 1 flywheel, 1 clutch slave cylinder, 2 clutch master cylinders, 3 window motors, 2 transmission mounts, 1 set of motor mounts, 1 limited slip differential carrier, 1 heater core check valve, 1 wheel bearing, 1 power steering pump, 2 alternators, 3 batteries, 1 oil pan gasket, 1 pilot bushing, 1 rear main seal........did all the work myself, have fun with you new purchase. Oh yeah your cat may get clogged at 120k miles. Running ngk plugs and taylor wires - seems to do well.
Last edited by marc1130; Mar 30, 2011 at 11:37 PM.
another good tip is when you have the waterpump off to tap out the weep hole with 1/8" NPT tap. Then install a 1/8" male NPT to 1/8" hose barb. Then you can find some 1/8" ID hose and run the hose away from the opti so when the water pump pukes it wont puke on top of the opti.
An electric pump would do the same thing since the weep hole would be totally blocked off with an EWP.
An electric pump would do the same thing since the weep hole would be totally blocked off with an EWP.