Leadfart

iTrader: (2)

I really like the MSD/LTCC setup. The install was sorta of a pain. I used MBA fuel rail covers, with brackets, to mount the coils. It fought me the whole way, but I finally got it done.

I purposely undercammed the 409, for longevity. She's won me lots of bracket races. It's a labor of love and money, mostly money. But, it is, and always will be a street car.

It gets a lot of attention at the track. Most boats aren't that quick!

I do think the MSD stuff is high quality. If it gets to the point where one can't buy new, OEM stuff, for a reasonable price, then, I would definitely say go with the billet MSD opti.

YMMV

TwoFast4Lv

iTrader: (8)

I will give a good review at lunch PST.

I Will say if you are blowing them up left and right you have a clearance issue some where.

Leadfart

iTrader: (2)

I saw no evidence of the cam walking, but I did do a little clearancing on the dowel pin, just for good measure. They weren't blowing right and left, but they were not lasting as long as I would like.

I think it was rpm related, my last motor never gave me this type of problem, and I was shifting it at 6300, that is, until it dropped a valve. Just a routine keeper failure.

TwoFast4Lv

iTrader: (8)

ok here we are

I am not a GM Cert Mech. so this my not mean much to some here(not 1st guys BTW). I do run a shop. Been doing it a while

OK enough of that BS

The GM opti spark is not that bad but not executed very well in placement. Heck if it was easy to get to no one would bitch.

We have seen many things kill the Opti in very low miles. Wrong cam bolts or timing gear rate highest on the list. We have to shave around .030 off ARP bolts most of the time. Dynaspark or what ever they are now had the best instructions for testing this. That being said we have seen them fail also.

I have seen GM opti's dead out of the box or go 250K miles. After market boxes seen to kill the cap and rotor more then stock. Usually 12-14k miles is what we see. I can live with that. High RPM seems to be a killer also. Hate that. The GM opti is good low RPM stock replacement that can do OK in harsh use.

MSD stepped up to the plate and did some thing no one else was really going to do. They are on a learning curve jus like GM was. If the first version was so great there would not have been a second. I have been testing parts for MSD since I burned my first rotor up. I know of at least 3 updates to the rotors from the work we have done the last relating to the screws coming loose. Notice you do not see that as much now?

the car ran MUCH cleaner, smoother and more stabile at high RPM with this set up.

To answer the direct question before I go on. YES my first MSD cap and rotor kit failed. MSD stepped right up and helped in every way they could. WHILE that was going on they also helped my try to get a Delteq system to work...that never would on that car. The Delteq kept loosing the cam synch and the car would sputter and die. Delteq did not get us any where on the problem either. AT the same time another member was fighting the same issues with a LTCC. Those are not a real option IMHO.

So MSD has done good things in a VERY timely fashion to get this all done.

Next we started testing one of the first(they did not even have instruction for them when we got it) MSD Opti's. The car really liked it. ran VERY smooth and clean just runnign around. On the dyno it carried 640+RWHP no problems. The prolem came when we went to the track. In first gear when the engine spin's up the fastest it would start to cut out at 6,200 in 1st and 6,400 in second. We had seen this on one other car(Warren's) so I sent it back to MSD for testing. BTW the car still ran 10.9s N/A this way. MSD tested it and installed new optic's and I just got it back. This fixed Warrens car and it has been going strong since last year. HAD we installed this in say my wifes car we would have never had an issue.

So all in all I paid nothing for the MSD opti so I do not care either way for defending it. I will say I like it and the fetures it has. Then again "I" Under stand it AND know how to use them

As it stands I would and have been always use MSD caps and rotors and I am confident the Opti is better now then it was when it first came out.

I have replaced 50+ opti's on LT1 cars and have learned alot over the years. i am DEFINATELY above the "It worked for me so F**K you" attitude you see from some people and I am always willing to learn

Leadfart

iTrader: (2)

I'm certainly no professional mechanic, and don't claim to be. I have replaced about twenty or so optis, and no, not all on my car!

As to whether the LTCC is a viable option, I will respectfully disagree with you on that one. I am aware of some people having issues with it. But, I know many who have it, and think it works great.

I was tired of replacing optis, so I am trying a different route. I am having excellent results with it, so far.

If it craps out, I'll be the first to bitch about it!

Fixxer99TA

iTrader: (5)

True over here too, not trying to defend garbage.

TwoFast4Lv

iTrader: (8)

Just goes to show there is NO true viable solution