Help! Opti spark or fuel pump problem?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: SE South Dakota
Help! Opti spark or fuel pump problem? I have a 97 Camaro SS, back in Oct. i stopped driving it because it wouldn’t start. I didn’t have the money at the time to fix it, so i put it away for winter.
Now i am trying to figure out what’s wrong, it will turn over and it has started a couple times but died within seconds. I checked the spark with the screw driver in the spark plug wire test, it had a quick white spark. I don’t have a way to check the fuel pressure at this time.
Some back ground on the car: it has about 118,000 miles, i did change the water pump two years ago after i bought it (if i had known about the opti spark i would have just changed it out then, didn’t know jack about it at that time) water did leak on the opti. I have only put a few thousand miles on it since then. No Modifications
Any help would be nice
Thanks
Now i am trying to figure out what’s wrong, it will turn over and it has started a couple times but died within seconds. I checked the spark with the screw driver in the spark plug wire test, it had a quick white spark. I don’t have a way to check the fuel pressure at this time.
Some back ground on the car: it has about 118,000 miles, i did change the water pump two years ago after i bought it (if i had known about the opti spark i would have just changed it out then, didn’t know jack about it at that time) water did leak on the opti. I have only put a few thousand miles on it since then. No Modifications
Any help would be nice
Thanks
It sounds like fuel pump to me to be perfectly honest, but it could be both. Takt the coil wire off of your opti and do the spark test there with your screwdriver. It should spark quite a bit. If it doesnt, then it will either be ICM, Coil or something else. If it does, then it is fuel...turn the key on, then depress the schraeder valve and see if it spews fuel. If it doesnt, fuel pump...if it does, then get a tester to check how much pressure you are getting...check fuses for the injectors
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 2
Spray some ether into the throttle body. If the car starts and runs for a little bit then dies its a fuel issue.
You can also borrow a fuel pressure tester from any parts store. Return it and get your money back.
You can also borrow a fuel pressure tester from any parts store. Return it and get your money back.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: SE South Dakota
I did spray some ether into the throttle body and got nothing. I also depressed the Schrader vale and fuel does come out. I have a friend that can test the pressure for me so we are doing that in a few days.
I decided that the opti spark is coming off because I do have an oil leak coming from that area and the opti is covered in oil.
Thanks for the advise it has help out!
I decided that the opti spark is coming off because I do have an oil leak coming from that area and the opti is covered in oil.
Thanks for the advise it has help out!
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Did you test the coil?? Don't take the opti off just yet...it isn't the culprit as often as people accuse it...I had a buddy tear his engine apart to fix the opti and he didnt listen to my advice to check the ICM and Coil first...he got the new opti on, put it back together and no start.....nothing. He called me, I came over and low and behold, it was a bad coil. What WOULD have been a $30 fix turned into a $550 one and a lot of heartache for him. So I am gonna tell you what I told him...
Check the Coil and the ICM before you accuse the opti! lol
Check the Coil and the ICM before you accuse the opti! lol
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: SE South Dakota
I just want to say thanks for the help, it was a bad fuel pump and it didn’t take all that long to do. The coil and ICM is still good. Next step is to fix the oil leak and then the clutch!
