LT1 needs new Opti, suggestions?

[96LT1Formula]

Ive been gettign ready to go all out with the msd..... but ive had friends who have gone through a few in jsut the matter of months.. not msd but still i dont want to spend 515 and it go in 3 months... does msd have this issue? also im not planning to go crazy with it... mostly bolt ons.... i know ive read no remanufactured... how is a new one straight gm??? right now im looking at a new one form gm for like 300 and some and msds for like 515... what do you guys think??? if this is a beaten to death question im sry but couldnt find an opti review thread anywhere.. thanks guys!

[hardline_42]

The best prices for a GM opti are from thepartsladi on eBay. There's also a place called All-Ignition that sells "genuine" AC Delcos with upgraded caps and rotors for $150. I have one of these and haven't had a problem, but lots of people have horror stories about them and they have very subtle differences to factory optis. Go with the GM from thepartsladi. The vented ones are selling for $260 right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-96...mZ150206552810

[96LT1Formula]

that sounds great... so for me going for msd... im paying for something i dont need????

[Pampered-Z]

Yes, MSD optis had issues when first released, screws coming loose, Poor tolerances, Problems with the rotor rubbinbg resulting in allot of plastic dust causing failures, rotors breaking when spun above stock rev limits (above 6400RPMs). I know a few of the people personnally that had probelms and MSD shipped a new one out no questions asked, but it still a PITA part to re-replace. I don't know if things have gotten better?

JEGS and Summit both sell new units for less then GM, and if you search there in a thread in this or the general tech section froma few months back. The post is about a company that sells new GM units but with the companies upgraded cap/rotor as well.

I installed two JEGS optis and a Summit unit in three different cars and not one has had a problem. None of these spin above 6400RPMs.

John

[96LT1Formula]

ok.. well i jsut remeber reading about the jegs and summit ones not being good and to go with the straight GM one

[96LT1Formula]

i guessss im just hoping for someone to name like "brand X , you cannot go wrong with that at all"... but i guess with the opti its all luck... and yes i am putting a new water pump in so that helps

go with an electric waterpump. i went with an AC Delco unit. the only problem is that theres no warrenty. i thought mine was bad after 6k miles and they basically told me i was SOL

[96LT1Formula]

oook then i wont go with an ac delco lol

[hardline_42]

A genuine AC Delco is your best bet, unless you want to spend the money on a Dynaspark unit. I would venture to say, get a genuine GM vented Opti and you can't go wrong if you install it correctly and take a few precautionary measures like loc-tite on the rotor screws and a bead of RTV all the way around the cap. If you're on a budget, get the All Ignition $150.00 opti, take the same precautions and pray. I've got 30k miles on the one I installed when my factory opti took a crap (after 120k miles and me dousing it coolant while changing my water pump seal, so yes AC Delco's are good). The MSD opti is a crap shoot right now, and I'd rather not gamble with $500 plus.

[96LT1Formula]

the job i want done is a new water pump... timing chain and the opti changed..... how much will this cost to get done somewhere.. roughly? i know many shops are different.. but what are the average hours seen from shops doing the job?... i will be making phone calls but i wanna know form ppl on here who have got this done b4 so i know what to expect and who to go with... and if anyone needs some money and wants to do it.. let me know

[Pampered-Z]

Price is going to vary based on what parts you use. It's allot of labor as you have to take a bunch of crap off.

Here are a few options as far as parts:

All the gaskets and such you may need run around $80. WP gaskets, WP drive ( if not switching to elec, Opti, Crank seals, timing cover gasket, and new fluid, and new thermostat while it's apart?)

1) Aftermarket double roller and electric water pump ( I'm running a cloye double and Meziere HD pump ). Chain was around $65, pump around $220 for standard 40GPM, and $240 for the HD 48 GPM. If you run a non LT1 specific timing chain you need to switch to an elect pump. None LT1 chains do not have the prevision for the WP drive. So you need to plug the hole in the timing cover ( most come with a plug ), and clearance the cover so the chain clears it.

2) Stock chain ( I think the chain runs around $50. The cam gear is exspensive, I never actually bought one myself, but a few people have just changed the chain and reused the gears. I personally wouldn't do that, but them that's me!) and stock water pump about $150.

3) Upgrade to a LT4 timing set around $220 or GM extreme duty, about $320.

So, If you're planning to keep the engine basically stock and not going higher in the revs all that often then stock chain really isn't that bad. But if you are planning to see allot of
abuse then I would upgrade. It's $150 well spent in my opinion.

JB

[96LT1Formula]

ok i guess my best bet is to call a shop and get an esimate and let them knwow hat ill supply...... so yeah.. anyoen know any good dhops around here i can TRUST... ive had bad experiences... paid for things being told has to be fixed and is not changed and so on... im in mount ephraim.... i was going to call Kaspers Korner cause i got to him for the stang... any noteworthy fboday places local?

[ar0ck]

I currently have a summit base with MSD cap & rotor kit. Works excellent right now :knock on wood:

When I first started my heads & cam combo, I purchased a new complete Summit kit, and it must have been faulty from the start because I had a nasty miss with anything over 3k. When I discovered the problem, I simply called up Summit and returned the faulty one and they had a new one to me in a day or two. They were A+ on service and getting a replacement to me.

[96LT1Formula]

as of right now dynaspark looks nice to me.. its in the 5's but i was gettign rdy for a 515 msd anyway.. i see no bad reviews for the thing and thats what i want.. the best.... i think i heard about a warranty.. if anyone knows anything on that let me know

[deadtrend1]

I wouldn't dish 500 bucks out on a msd or dynaspark unless you really need it. The MSD one is still new so no one has long term reviews of how they held up.

[96LT1Formula]

ok well i ordered an ac delco...... now the water pump... if i want to go electric.. should i buy just the conversion kit.. or that plus a new water pump for its new housing.. or what?????

[ar0ck]

Originally Posted by 96LT1Formula

ok well i ordered an ac delco...... now the water pump... if i want to go electric.. should i buy just the conversion kit.. or that plus a new water pump for its new housing.. or what?????

Couldn't hurt to buy a new base when putting on a new E-pump, it could eliminate any potential leaking issues when re-installing an old one. Just one of those piece of mind things if you have the money.

Originally Posted by 96LT1Formula

ok well i ordered an ac delco...... now the water pump... if i want to go electric.. should i buy just the conversion kit.. or that plus a new water pump for its new housing.. or what?????

i just bought a CSR and modified my old housing. it was very easy just time consuming, and no leaks so far.

[njcamaroz2895]

had mt LT1 rebuilt in may 07, guy put in a new GM opti and new GM waterpump, but I had him put in an MSD super coil. My buddy has been a mechanic since he was 18 and now he is 37 and he stated that the chevy motors work best with the original installed equipment. what happen with an electric water pump if the juice to the pump goes bad, called overheating!!!! Good luck, not much gain in horsepower with an electric pump, more chances of overheating!!!!