In the pic I provided, the rotor should be pointing at #1, the cam drive notch should be pointing at the #1 index mark on the back of the opti. So, isn't it all lined up? You seem to have tried a lot of adjustments. Have you tried this one?

 

No **** huh!!! The 1st post was 4 months ago I woulda bought a new one off Skip White or Ebay even & been Rollin the bitch down the road again LoL Its not as hard as your makin it out to be!!!

 

shbox, thanx for the pick
http://shbox.com/1/opti_one.jpg

i have been so busy with life that i WAS making it out harder than i needed to. by your pic, i was able to determine how and where the drive hub had to be located.
granted, i could have just saved a lot of wasted time by spending the cash for a new one, but the child support and alimony checks don't really leave much for someone as myself to work with (especially with gas at $4.20 a gallon!!!!).

so, by careful observation - i was able to see that the rotor index pin hole points directly above the casting flange and also 180* from the opti- pickup assembly with the camshaft drive hub on the back pointing directly at the #1 index mark.

so there we have it. my (and hopefully any other fools such as myself) dilemma has been solved. what a long strange trip it's been.

thanx again to all that have been kind enough to reply, good and hard to take ones included.
for me this thread has,\ and can come to a close.

 

Well, rather than edit the whole post, i thought i would reflect on how things went.
After doing the above adjustment, took the car for a drive to see and check the results. i regret to say that all is NOT well! after coming to a complete stop, and accelerating into cross traffic and trying to merge, the car chugged and sputtered almost as if i had retarded the timing by at least 25*.
so unfortunately, right back where i started, only worse!!!! would
n't be so bad, except for what has to be undone to try to correct what i messed with what i thought was a bad setting.

bottom line is that the picture is a great one, only that it is not at the correct setting in relation to the cam being at #1 TDC.

Back to the teardown i go.

 

Well, after deep consideration i just went and turned the rotor hub CW from where the pic that had shown 'supposed TDC' by about 25°, and all is much happier. Of course i set crank to #1 TDC and 'advanced' the rotor by just grabbing it and forcing it to turn - which turned rather easily.

So to all wondering, there is my 'happy place'. I know it's not to 'spec', but till i find the right setting, it'll just have to suffice.


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If you can reach in there and turn the rotor "rather easily", what is going to keep it from randomly changing position during operation?

 

well, after a long wonderful journey, i have finnally found a setting for rotor position that 'seems' to make things happy. while using the dashboard setting with tunerpro, i was able to set the rotor position to have very little knock retard and have very good cruise vacuum(roughly 18" at cruise).


the rotor hub has such a press fit that it will turn with force but not spin under normal use. as far as where the 'final' setting ended up, well honestly i couldn't say. sad to say that when i finally got to the 'sweet spot', i unfortunately didn't(wish i did) take a pic of where the rotor sat.

i did finally order a NEW replacement distributor, so when it arrives i will most definately take a pic and compare how my end result setting is in relation to the new one. most certainly am curious as to how much difference there is. so till then, still a waiting game to this major dilemma.

 

Pictures are worth a 1000 words!

 

help......I need this pic......Im in the same boat I know this is an old thread but I cant see this pic of reference
....

 

or do I say I need this pic! lol

 

Here are some new ones:

 

Hi 218, YES I agree with your GM report of a MAJOR *!*.

The GM Stance of Not Invented Here is WELL REPORTED as the 60-2 (GM 58x) was INVENTED in 1986 with "opti" production use TEN YEARS LATER.

MY VERSION of the OPTI stops the "oil film" problem as we use a Hall Sensor Element, NOT effected by LOW light.

Lance

 

I recently bought a re-manufactured opti and disassembled it to loctite the rotor screws.
I now know how they do it when changing the bearing in order not to loose the correct angular position between the hub and the shaft.
This must obviously be done before disassembling the hub

 

RGSS, drill a hole and insert a roll pin? Pretty clever!

 

As it goes, I had a very nice write-up about my remedy for the Opti-Spark dilemma I had encountered. Due to circumstances that could have been controlled - I done lost it and am having to remount my rim and tire...

One would think that because of how difficult it is to locate any help in regards to my OP - That it would require some type of specialized pieces of equipment to do such a simple adjustment. It now seems ironic, all that is needed to do this near impossible to find fix, will be done with some of our own everyday tune-up tools we should already have, and some old parts.

For this procedure to work properly, it will need to have the vehicle for which the Distributor belongs to, or an engine assembly capable of operating the Dist. in its normal fashion. To be put into motion and be able to initiate a spark at or near #1 top dead center while cranking but not starting up.

If one is to use the Patient vehicle, disassemble the vehicle to be able to remove the distributor cap. Place the cap in an area suitable to be able to drill a 'Sight Hole' into the exterior front face, at or as close as possible to the #1 inside contact terminal. After doing so, temporarily reinstall the cap with the rotor onto the distributor. Turn the drive hub such as the camshaft would while observing that there is no contact of any moving parts that shouldn't be, Noting at the same time that the rotor can be seen thru the sight hole as it passes by.

Now onto the fun part. set the distributor onto the engine as usual and snug the mounting bolts to proper settings(or if you feel good enough...wrist torque tight) Do the usual wiring assembly - except for the only plug wire needed is #1, we just want to have it go to a single spark plug so as to spark as it normally would.

No further assembly of the engine is necessary. At this point we want and need only to be able to look into the sight hole as the engine is being cranked over(without starting preferably). Grab your normal every day timing light and connects power and the spark lead as usual to the battery and spark wire.

While remote cranking the starter, observe thru the sight hole with the timing light for the passing rotor. The rotor should flash and be as close to, if not centered to the #1 terminal inside the cap as it can get. If for some reason the rotor timing is not aligned- Remove the cap, or if you chose rather to mark the distributor base - And with a suitable large pair of water pump pliers, firmly and with care - grab the rotor mounting flange and turn it towards the #1 terminal. It may be rather snug, but the interference fit will allow it to move.

Once good alignment is achieved, remove the test cap and instal a fresh cap and rotor set. Re-assemble all the other previously removed components. Be sure to observe proper torque levels, Conditions of any parts that may require attention, and top off all fluids.

Most importantly, I offer these steps as reference as to the procedure that I personally undertook to repair a condition that was inadvertently created by myself. I take no responsibility for any actions that are brought on by anyone other than myself.

I hope that this may help someone to relieve a similar scenario that may transpire.

I want to thank all for whom had offered tips and advice along the way and hope to have not offended anyone.

p.s. While at the part of adjusting the rotor hub, if one was inclined to modify this setting - they shall do so under their own judgement.

n0t2l8, for now it's Miller Time.

 

well **** all sorts of that. thank god it has been beaten into me to take pictures as i go and establish timing marks on everything.
im wantin to go torqhead anyway so i can turn my opti into an ashtray.

 

Hi RBZ, yes the thought of using a "widowed" cap to check Rotor Phasing IS a bit advanced.
I have done this for MOST of the distributors I manufacture to be sure the Rotor Aligns with a Post.

I too Manufacture a 24-2 Crankshaft Target Wheel for the LT-1 front cover. (OEM 4X)
This too would be a SIMPLE fit, one would just exchange the OEM 4X with the other 24 tooth TW.

I have sold many of these to CPS in Paris.

Lance