Big D's Z28

Thanks everyone. I was thinking that the issue was the cheap system too. Since the car is of no use to me if it won't run, where is the best place to buy a quality optispark and is there more than one recommended brand? Also, I have seen replacement systems that do away with the Optispark setup. Is there any recommendations on them?

AdsoYo

iTrader: (1)

EFI Connection's 24x system is a popular engine management upgrade.

Big D's Z28

I heard from a mechanic today that once an Optispark goes, it can cause a lot of other electrical issues with the battery, control module, fuel injectors, etc. In his experience, he is telling me not to buy the car for this reason. I am not sure why that would be the case.

Any comments?

englundjd

no when the opti goes it doesnt take anything with it.

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

Get a new mechanic lmfao.

Big D's Z28

Thanks though but this guy is not my mechanic, I pretty much do all my own work with a few exceptions. My knowledge is based in older cars and doing frame off restorations. He is at my kids bus stop and is a mechanic by trade and drives a 94 Z28. He just said to me that many times when an Opti goes, he has seen other issues happen at the same time. Since I do not know much about the Optispark and its reliability/durability, etc, was just clarifying whether or not this has happened to anyone else out there.

Seems like the general consensus it that the Opti does not cause other issues, so that is good to know. Maybe a few more days before I am able to get it to my house to really go through it.

pkincy

iTrader: (1)

Please do not blindly throw an Optipuke on it. I have 3 in the garage that are slightly used but actually work fine. Each one I replaced only (one Y and two Fs) to find out the problem lay elsewhere. They do fail but not nearly as often as people think they do.

Grab a Helms from Ebay, and some type of scanner/logger and do some research. Or as I said on a nearby thread, take the car to a stealer and pay $150 to have it diagnosed and than take it home and replace what ever is actually broken. There are a lot of very cheap sensors that can be replaced if bad for a lot less than a OptiPuke costs.

Also the 93 does have some differences to the 94s and later. So don't try and work from a 94 Helms.

Don't know if you can reach me much here, but I am pretty sure I have a 93 Helms for the Firebird (as well as for the Camaro, but I got one of those in the garage) lying around somewhere. First few pages are ripped, so if Ebay doesn't work for you try and contact me.