sleeperZ96BT

iTrader: (2)

Thanks!

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Exactly. I would do the same. If it starts, no need to fix what ain't broke. I would take a good look at the hoses and seals though. A friend of mine had a Z28 sit for two years w/out starting. Thing fired right up like it was started a minute before.

BTC

I didn't replace everything I listed without first determining there was an issue. The first things I did were change fluids & filters, put gas in the tank, try to start it.

whytryz28

iTrader: (28)

Tell me about it, im still searching.

sleeperZ96BT

iTrader: (2)

That's why I had to jump on it; they are hard to find in good shape #1 and #2, I know the history. I will make sure to update Monday after I spend some QT with her this weekend.

DisasterFormula

iTrader: (1)

The only one around here is really sharp but going for almost 10K.

sleeperZ96BT

iTrader: (2)

So based on chatting with my buddy about it, seems like he thinks there's a problem with the opti as well as the dead battery. I mean, it has 100+k on it. Obviously I can't get an opti quick enough to swap it tomorrow, but is there anything I can do to try and repair it? Obviously there are a lot of unknowns until I see it tomorrow but he said that before the battery dies it would crank but not start.

Just odd that an opti would just die in storage though; no?

BTC

My opti went bad while in storage because the water pump had been leaking onto it before I put the car in storage, but it didn't prevent the car from starting when I pulled it out of storage. The car just sounded and felt like it was going to explode whenever it was under any kind of load. It would idle and rev fine when it wasn't under load.

I wouldn't run out and and start buying stuff without knowing what's wrong. I'm no automotive wizard, but I would first change fluids & filters, and confirm fuel pressure and spark. My fuel pump had seized up while in storage, my fuel pump relay had gone bad, my injectors were seized etc.

Your opti could be fine.

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Could be the battery is not providing enough charge for the ignition in order for it to fire. Not sure if it has been covered, but have you made sure you are getting spark and fuel?

Was it bad or just full of coolant then?

BTC

The bearing was rusted up pretty bad, and the internals definitely had evidence of corrosion, fluid penetration & maybe even some oil. It was the factory original opti, and had over 100K on it. When we finally got the car running, it actually ran pretty good just sitting in neutral and would rev up nicely with very little missing or backfiring. But as soon as you put any load on it, like trying to drive it, you would have thought the car was going to explode. The opti was actually the last thing I replaced, and I replaced a LOT of stuff on my engine.

sleeperZ96BT

iTrader: (2)

I picked her up Saturday and found out that it had been sitting for more than 8 years!

Here's what we did:

Changed oil
New battery

We went to try and start it and it is indeed is getting no spark at the spark plug. I am guessing it's the opti. What else should I consider replacing spark related and where is the best place to get these things these days? Opti, coil, what else?

And what else will I need to get to do an opti swap? It has a Mezz EWP but that looks like it still needs to come off. So w/p gasket as well.

We went to drain the gas and guess what - no gas! My buddy said the tank was full when he stored it so we're guessing someone siphoned it, LOL.

I am sure these answers are easy but I have been out of the LT1 game for quite a while prior to getting my 96 Z (never had an issue; all I had to do was oil changes) and now the Impala, which has issues

Any help would be great; I'm hoping she's ready to go for a detail on 9/8. Pics to come when I get back from work travel.

Thanks!
Brian

BTC

How did you confirm no spark? Assuming you pulled a plug, or plugs, and checked with the plug in the wire, it could be plugs, plug wires, coil, coil wire, icm etc. I'm not sure I would immediately assume that the opti is bad, and I would look to replace cheaper stuff first, or at least confirm that the least expensive components are working.

sleeperZ96BT

iTrader: (2)

Pulled the plug with the plug wire on it still.

What are the pieces/part numbers I would need? Is anything more susceptible to dying in storage than anything else??

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#opti_test

sleeperZ96BT

iTrader: (2)

So quick update - bought a new opti and that will go in 9/8. Buddy will be doing the electrical testing as well, but the EWP seems a bit noisy compared to mine so as a precaution I want to pop it off anyways to ensure it's all good so I figured what the heck as it's most likely the culprit anyways.

We'll be doing the trans fluid & diff fluid as well. Any recommendations? Are folks moving to the Dex VI for trans fluid?

Thanks for all the help.

nascarnate326

iTrader: (1)

IMO throw some parts store wires on it while your doing it. New plugs wouldnt hurt either.

Speedy

Check coil.

sleeperZ96BT

iTrader: (2)

Yeah - he suspected opti, so we'll start there, but I am sure that all the ignition components are worth a look or a replacement. I do have a set of Taylor wires for an Fbody I could try out I am assuming.

Any thoughts on dex III vs dex VI?

sleeperZ96BT

iTrader: (2)

Worked on her Saturday and did the opti. We now have spark and it wanted to crank over but we did it as more of a sanity check before putting it back together. I don't know how he did it, but the belt that was on there was almost impossible to get off, and was completely impossible to get on.

So I picked up new tires and a new belt and this weekend hopefully it starts and moves for the first time in over 8 years!

sleeperZ96BT

iTrader: (2)

So we thought for sure it would run today......but it didn't. We have spark on all 8, we can smell the fuel as we try and start it, so we have fuel (it's new 93). It just refuses to run. No reason to believe we have a compression issue, a few times it has 'chugged' like it was going to start but didn't, so I'm looking for ideas.

A friend of mine says that even though it would appear its getting fuel that maybe it's not getting enough due to the regulator or pump and that we should check the pressure at the rail, so we will do that. He also suggested that maybe the ICM is producing spark, just not enough of it to fire. That would seem odd, but we'll give that a shot as well.

Any other ideas? I really want to get her up and running.