LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

eBay opti's

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 12, 2014 | 12:30 PM
  #1  
NewOrleansLT1's Avatar
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 13
From: New Orleans, LA
Default eBay opti's

So my car doesn't want to start. I'm getting fuel and spark but the spark is orange and weak looking.. Right before it quit running it had a stumble while in park if I press the gas pedal and stumbling while taking off from a stop sign.. The tach was also a little bouncy.. I'm thinking of getting a opti off eBay. Anyone know of any good eBay brands? I see a lot of the random eBay optis sold so someone must be having good luck with them..
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2014 | 02:37 PM
  #2  
toomany's Avatar
Staging Lane
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Default

Before replacing the opti, have you looked at the coil or ignition control module? The opti doesn't make the spark, only tells it where to go.

As far as good brands off ebay, they are probably all the same offshore parts just with different labels.
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2014 | 02:42 PM
  #3  
Ed Wright's Avatar
9-Second Club
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,397
Likes: 9
From: Tulsa, OK
Default

Not likely your problem. More likely the coil or coil wire. Used to keep coil wires in stock at the shop. Look for corrosion at both ends of the coil wire. If corroded, ohm it. Probably will find it off the scale if corroded. Cured a lot of drivability problems with coil wires. Much cheaper than an Opti. Very unlikely that would be your problem.
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2014 | 03:21 PM
  #4  
shbox's Avatar
TECH Veteran
15 Year Member
Liked
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,145
Likes: 61
From: Little Rock, AR
Default

Cheapo optis are a crap shoot.
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2014 | 04:30 PM
  #5  
trilkb's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,106
Likes: 80
Default

I beleive chandler motorsports was one of the ebay vendors selling optisparks. People have had good and bad luck with them. Luckily I never experienced any opti problems but I know its not a job I would want to do twice in 1 year, if not twice in 5 years. I would either find a used OEM unit in good condition or a brand new NOS part.
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2014 | 04:52 PM
  #6  
96z28_lt1's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 816
Likes: 0
From: pa
Default

I had a chandler opti and it was jubk, put a opti from o riellys on it worked for a short while then died. Put a gm unit on last spring and had no issues.

I have said gm opti for sale with a newer harness. I totalled my car and have no need for it, pm if interested probably only 1000 miles on it at most
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2014 | 11:16 PM
  #7  
NewOrleansLT1's Avatar
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 13
From: New Orleans, LA
Default

Thanks for the replies guys.. I'll keep you guys posted going to change the coil first and see. And 96z28_lt1 if I need that opti I'll pm you..
Reply
Old Jan 13, 2014 | 06:49 AM
  #8  
Ed Wright's Avatar
9-Second Club
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,397
Likes: 9
From: Tulsa, OK
Default

Hope this makes it easier to understand:
The Opti tells the coil WHEN to spark, NOT how "hot".
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-1

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-4

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-8

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

 Brett Foote
Old Jan 13, 2014 | 10:10 AM
  #9  
guppymech's Avatar
12 Second Club
15 Year Member
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,621
Likes: 3
From: Chicagoland
Default

I had a coil go bad on my truck once, had weak yellowish looking spark, put a timing light on #1 cyl plug wire and there was no spark. The coil was too weak to fire the plug under cylinder pressure.
Reply
Old Jan 13, 2014 | 02:36 PM
  #10  
pboxfun's Avatar
12 Second Club
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: Southern Maryland
Default

I have nothing but good things to say about chandler optis. I have their lifetime warranty opti and when mine went bad due to an oil leak caused by a bad water pump drive seal they replaced it fast and free. Great customer service as well so they get my vote!
Reply
Old Jan 13, 2014 | 02:48 PM
  #11  
Blue85350's Avatar
TECH Apprentice
15 Year Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 309
Likes: 1
From: dfw tx
Default

I ran an ebay opti on the car in sig, only problem I had with it is that I broke the back when I tried to install it wrong. Hell the silverado in sig had a chandler distributor in it too, no problems there either.
Reply
Old Jan 14, 2014 | 07:50 AM
  #12  
NewOrleansLT1's Avatar
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 13
From: New Orleans, LA
Default

Oh ok so I installed my old worn out coil pack and the car started. I'll be ordering another MSD 8226 ASAP. Thank God it wasn't the opti.
Reply
Old Jan 14, 2014 | 08:20 AM
  #13  
96z28_lt1's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 816
Likes: 0
From: pa
Default

Glad to hear it wasnt the opti! My experience with chandler was way different the customer service was fine but the actual optical sensor was not. I got one start out of it and that was it, the opti bearing somehow spun itself out of time. They were more than willing to refund me on the opti though so customer service was superb.
Reply
Old Jan 14, 2014 | 09:15 AM
  #14  
Ed Wright's Avatar
9-Second Club
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,397
Likes: 9
From: Tulsa, OK
Default

Originally Posted by NewOrleansLT1
Oh ok so I installed my old worn out coil pack and the car started. I'll be ordering another MSD 8226 ASAP. Thank God it wasn't the opti.
Those symptoms won't be the Opti.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:19 PM.

story-0
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-1
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-4
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-5
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-6
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE
story-9
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

The world was a better place when it was still around.

By Brett Foote | 2026-01-23 09:20:37


VIEW MORE