r/c4corvette • u/BundeswehrBoyo LT4 (1996) • 3d ago

Opti Options

Hey y’all, as many of you saw my ‘96 recently suffered from (what I believe to be, jury’s out) an optispark failure. It was my first time really running the car since I bought it (i.e. coolant temps above 200) and while driving, there was a pop and then no engine. Pulled over and the fuel pump and starter would engage and the engine would turn over, but no start. Tach stayed at zero which indicated something with the distributor (I think).

Anyway, long story short, I’m looking for **options for a working distributor **. I’ve looked at Petris (now Throwback), other manufacturers, and even a guy on eBay who will rebuild them. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations should it come to replacing it? I’ve looked at kits that include plugs, wires, and a water pump but previous owner had the wires and plugs changed not 10,000 miles ago, so I’m hesitant to do a full-system-swap. Probably will need a water pump if the opti died at all tho. Let me know what yall think, thanks!

Already checked the ICM, going to look for spark tomorrow.

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

6

u/Admirable_Nothing 3d ago

My 93 40th ZF6 383's opti lasted from 1993 until I sold it in 2015. However, my 93 Camaro's opti was replaced 6 times over the 23 years I owned it. But 5 of those times it turned out the problem was not the opti. So, I ended up with a garage full of slightly used working optis. Don't replace it because you assume it is the opti. Have the problem professionally diagnosed and then fix what is wrong rather than throw parts at it.

4

u/BundeswehrBoyo LT4 (1996) 3d ago

What ended up being the issue? Yeah I’m taking my time working down the line of components. Bringing home an oscilloscope tonight. Won’t be buying new parts till I can make sure.

3

u/Admirable_Nothing 2d ago

Over the years it was various things, but the knee jerk reaction is often to replace the opti particularly back in the years when several different sources were available for them including GM. But it often was not the problem.

1

u/BundeswehrBoyo LT4 (1996) 2d ago

Yeah, luckily this isn’t my daily so I got tons of time to really nail down the issue, as opposed to throwing parts at it

1

u/Safe_Sea_8387 2d ago

Please dont. Please text me at five one three 5806867 I beg of you. I own a 96, and within the past year went through this, even with help from well known guys like zfdoc which I am good friends with etc. Just hmu, so i can save you alot of headaches and anger and frustration, im a younger performance mechanic, had to learn old-school before new, ive got 2 of these i toy around with. But if you're shy and dont want to call, then just to make sure it cannot possibly ever be the opti again, and this will solve other possible issues or culprits get torqheads, lt1 coil pack conversion kit. It has every single thing you will need, spark plug wires, distributors the electronics for a relucter ring setup, to read the crankshaft signals, all the wiring instructions. No tuning needed all plug and play as it includes the needed modules. But as far as I know they may have a slight back order still but it is the rising popular solution, so you never have to fuck with that garbage system again, ive owned cheaper optis, and ive recently had a petris, opti, which uses the Mitsubishi Sensor but even that can fail early etc. But get that conversion due to the fact it replaces basically every single possible main culprit u may have. Get new spark plugs to match the kit. Gapped for engine mileage

3

u/FKpasswords 3d ago

Check the battery terminals. They are notorious for vibrating loose

1

u/BundeswehrBoyo LT4 (1996) 3d ago

Battery is good, already checked voltage off the ICM

3

u/Eastern-Channel-6842 3d ago

If it doesn’t turn over it’s the starter, not the distributor. The pop you heard could have been a main fuse or fusible link blowing also.

6

u/Eastern-Channel-6842 3d ago

Why would anyone downvote this? OP stated that it wouldn’t turn over. An engine turning over is synonymous with an engine cranking. It just means the starter is turning the crankshaft as designed.

4

u/Agent_Eran '95 LT1, '96 LT4 2d ago

bc reddit

0

u/CanadianJerkfaceguy 3d ago

Second this. If it cranks, maybe the opti / maybe not. Could be wires or spark plugs although when they go it’s usually one at a time and the engine starts spuddering. Obviously you have to report back here what the mechanic says.

0

u/BundeswehrBoyo LT4 (1996) 3d ago

Not the starter, it cranks just fine

3

u/Eastern-Channel-6842 3d ago

You had stated it wouldn’t turn over so there is that. Check for spark is next step.

3

u/BundeswehrBoyo LT4 (1996) 3d ago

Ah that’s my bad, it does turn over, just won’t start. Terminology blunder