Why does everyone bash on otisparks??
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Arcanum, Ohio
Originally Posted by NXSLT1
No need to drop the motor to change it. Cut a hole in the intake for the regular dist and use a crab style cap. I had a link to a guy that did it but can't find it, he's not the only one running like that either. Seems like he machined down where the egr was on the back of the intake too. Just pull the rotor out of the opti to get rid of it possibly flying apart then run yer coil wire to the old school dist. I researched this a while back when I was gonna put a gen1 motor in mine and use the stock injection and ecm. If I find the link I'll post it here.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 595
Likes: 0
From: Clarksville,Tn
Found the link http://www.96z28ss.cz28.com/photo3.html
I don't know why you would wanna pull out the entire distributor that much anyway unless you do alot of cam swaps or something but this guy can get his in and out. Yeah it's a tight fit but it beats the hell out of taking half the front of the motor off. No room huh?
I don't know why you would wanna pull out the entire distributor that much anyway unless you do alot of cam swaps or something but this guy can get his in and out. Yeah it's a tight fit but it beats the hell out of taking half the front of the motor off. No room huh?
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Burbank
Ill tell you what, I dont know if it was just a flute or Community Chevy fucked me over. But as soon as Community changed my water pump, 2 days later the opti went out and they say is was due to water getting in there. LIKE duh morons you just changed the water pump. reguardless I got screwed cause they said it wasnt their fault.
I did my optispark from the top in a parking lot.... that was my first time doing it. The reason mine went out was because my SLP Loudmouth catback was so loud, it rattled one of the bolts out of the opti... thereby causing the little plunger to impact the camshaft.... NOT GOOD. Replaced the opti, replaced the catback (magnaflow) and dabbed a bead of RTV on the head of each opti bolt.... problem solved (oh yea and i got a Dellteq!)
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: GA
Originally Posted by pillagenburn
The reason mine went out was because my SLP Loudmouth catback was so loud, it rattled one of the bolts out of the opti... thereby causing the little plunger to impact the camshaft)
thats
Originally Posted by lt1fbody355
So, Who has had a problem with the optispark unit in there car and knows 100% that its to blame?
I'm talking like your car was running bad so you changed the optispark and only that and it fixed the problem. not multiple parts!
I'm talking like your car was running bad so you changed the optispark and only that and it fixed the problem. not multiple parts!
The Opti Spark is why I went to LS1. I would go to an L98 before an LT1, tough the LT1s sound bad as hell and are awesome on the street.
Love the LT1, hate the Opti.
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Opti is still original at 115k miles, no issues but I think its ready to change to avoid future issues. Who has had good performance with a particular brand of vented opti?
It would be interesting to see if there is any way to put NXSLT1's post about swapping from the top instead of pulling the engine. That would be the best set up overall.
It would be interesting to see if there is any way to put NXSLT1's post about swapping from the top instead of pulling the engine. That would be the best set up overall.
Mine lasted to 150k when I pulled and replaced it and the water pump. I had extreme misfire issues with it. Replacing the optispark solved all of my problems and the car runs better than ever 
I am moving on to my second one...the car was missing pretty bad so we went to change the opti and I ended up wanting to remove the motor and do some changes Maybe the second opti will hold out as long as the first (112,xxx miles)
Maybe the second opti will hold out as long as the first (112,xxx miles) 
Originally Posted by Sharpe
Here. Twice. 125,xxx miles.
The Opti Spark is why I went to LS1. I would go to an L98 before an LT1, tough the LT1s sound bad as hell and are awesome on the street.
Love the LT1, hate the Opti.
The Opti Spark is why I went to LS1. I would go to an L98 before an LT1, tough the LT1s sound bad as hell and are awesome on the street.
Love the LT1, hate the Opti.
Originally Posted by 96capricemgr
Thanks for displaying your ignorance with your opti bash so people know not to listen to you. The best factory L98 heads flow 15% less than the LT1s and the TPI will choke even a mild 350.
Hell, you can carb an LT1 or even an LS1 if you wanted.
By your reckoning, the LS1 is a better engine than the LT1, since the same can be said about the LT1’s intake and heads when compared to the LS1. Your stupid logic, not mine.
Learn a little bit before you post a reply.
Originally Posted by Sharpe
Thanks for displaying your ignorance. Not all L98’s are TPI, and guess what; heads can be changed.
Hell, you can carb an LT1 or even an LS1 if you wanted.
By your reckoning, the LS1 is a better engine than the LT1, since the same can be said about the LT1’s intake and heads when compared to the LS1. Your stupid logic, not mine.
Learn a little bit before you post a reply.
Hell, you can carb an LT1 or even an LS1 if you wanted.
By your reckoning, the LS1 is a better engine than the LT1, since the same can be said about the LT1’s intake and heads when compared to the LS1. Your stupid logic, not mine.
Learn a little bit before you post a reply.
That's what MADE an L98 an L98. The heads, cam, and intake. TPI, shitty heads, small cam. Take that away and you have a 350 SBC, no longer an L98.
TPI was probably the shittiest form of fuel injection available to GM in the 80s.. besides maybe CFI. The LT1 in stock form is light years ahead of the L98, evident in it's H/C/I. The only thing I like more about the L98 in comparison to the LT1 was it's distributor setup, but not enough to buy a thirdgen and have 245 HP. I'd rather buy an LT1 and have 300 right out of the box, with WAY more potential. Not to mention the LT1 has a little more TQ stock for stock.
TPI was originally developed as a low end torque monster for truck motors.. then for some god awful reason they stuck it on 305s and 350s and put it in vettes and fbodies and called it a performance motor, the 305 being the LB9 (a few variants were available of the LB9) and the 350 being the aformentioned L98, with Fbody and 'Vette variants.
Last edited by 25thAnnivTransAm; Aug 24, 2005 at 05:15 PM.
Originally Posted by 25thAnnivTransAm
There's YOUR ignorance. ALL L98s are TPI MOTORS.
This has to be the dumbest argument ever.
All the "L98" is is a classic small block chevrolet...late model block 350 ci and TPI.
Sure I can take an LT1 and put a carb on it and its still an LT1, because its a specific LT1-ONLY block, etc. Once you take the TPI off an L98 its just another small block. That same block that formed the L98 came in trucks and station wagons and other 350 powered stuff....so its not the same as an LS1 or LT1 in that respect because the only thing making it an L98 is the TPI really.
I can gaurantee you that if its an L98 that it came from GM with TPI on it. What you do after the fact doesn't change the fact that L98s are TPI motors.
I would argue that if you take the TPI off and replace it with a carb, and swap out the heads, you really don't have a L98 anymore.
All the "L98" is is a classic small block chevrolet...late model block 350 ci and TPI.
Sure I can take an LT1 and put a carb on it and its still an LT1, because its a specific LT1-ONLY block, etc. Once you take the TPI off an L98 its just another small block. That same block that formed the L98 came in trucks and station wagons and other 350 powered stuff....so its not the same as an LS1 or LT1 in that respect because the only thing making it an L98 is the TPI really.
I can gaurantee you that if its an L98 that it came from GM with TPI on it. What you do after the fact doesn't change the fact that L98s are TPI motors.
I would argue that if you take the TPI off and replace it with a carb, and swap out the heads, you really don't have a L98 anymore.
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by lt1fbody355
I've had my lt1 trans am for almost six years and I have never had a problem with the optispark. As a matter of fact I can't recall in of my friends that own lt1's ever having problems with them. Maybe I lucky!!
I think that everyone likes to blame that part because its different.
So, Who has had a problem with the optispark unit in there car and knows 100% that its to blame?
I'm talking like your car was running bad so you changed the optispark and only that and it fixed the problem. not multiple parts!
there better be alot with all the trash talk on here about optisparks.
I think that everyone likes to blame that part because its different.
So, Who has had a problem with the optispark unit in there car and knows 100% that its to blame?
I'm talking like your car was running bad so you changed the optispark and only that and it fixed the problem. not multiple parts!
there better be alot with all the trash talk on here about optisparks.
In 1996 my car would not idle or accelerate. Totally undriveable. The car was two years old and problems with the optispark were not yet widely reported. The car was in the dealer service department for a week with no diagnosis. Finally the car was towed to the "DELCO training centre" This is where the techs for GM are trained on new product releases....
these guys spent SEVEN weeks with my car. The tore off the front of the engine, played with timing and chain and removed valve covers and generally farted around endlessly. Changed out the maf and the pcm and god knows what...
FINALLY I SAID "change the distributor" they agreed but warned me that it was an expensive part and I would not get a credit if they installed one and it was not the problem...
problem SOLVED and I drove away the next day...
bottom line....even GM techs that early on did not know the symptoms or aggravation that the OPTI could cause..
so to answer your question.... why does everyone bash OPTI's... because it is the worse bit of engineering GM has ever designed...
lets see... lets take this part that can be damaged by H2O and stick it on the front of the engine under the water pump... duh
ps replaced another a few years later and rebuilt one prior to another engine upgrade to be safe..
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: GA
Originally Posted by 9T4Z
In 1996 my car would not idle or accelerate. Totally undriveable. The car was two years old and problems with the optispark were not yet widely reported. The car was in the dealer service department for a week with no diagnosis. Finally the car was towed to the "DELCO training centre" This is where the techs for GM are trained on new product releases....
these guys spent SEVEN weeks with my car. The tore off the front of the engine, played with timing and chain and removed valve covers and generally farted around endlessly. Changed out the maf and the pcm and god knows what...
FINALLY I SAID "change the distributor" they agreed but warned me that it was an expensive part and I would not get a credit if they installed one and it was not the problem...
problem SOLVED and I drove away the next day...
bottom line....even GM techs that early on did not know the symptoms or aggravation that the OPTI could cause..
so to answer your question.... why does everyone bash OPTI's... because it is the worse bit of engineering GM has ever designed...
lets see... lets take this part that can be damaged by H2O and stick it on the front of the engine under the water pump... duh
ps replaced another a few years later and rebuilt one prior to another engine upgrade to be safe..
Damn the declo training center had your car for seven weeks and then your figuired out the problem. You should be an instructor there or something!
