Cheap source for Optis, or scam? - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

hardline_42 · 06-19-2007, 08:34 PM

Well since my "heat-gun-through-the-Opti-vent-for-an-hour" mod didn't cure my ailing dizzy (http://www.njfboa.org/forums/showthr...ighlight=opti), I decided I needed to shop around for a new one. Naturally, this is the absolute worst time since I'm closing on my first house soon and I need every penny I can get. I was pretty much sold on Summit having the lowest price for a genuine GM replacement at $309.95. GMpartsdirect had it for two-eighty-something but they always rape me on shipping. Just out of habit I decided to check ebay and came across this little jewel:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...9440519&rd=1,1

I read and re-read the listing and finally decided to just call the place. They have a website (www.all-ignition.com) but it leaves much to be desired. I spoke to "Kevin" and he assured me that this was in fact a genuine AC DELCO Opti which they buy wholesale direct from Delco. However, they replace the factory cap and rotor with their own design. I'm awaiting some info on what exactly that design is, but I'm assuming it's along the lines of Accel and MSD (thicker plastic, brass contacts, better sealing etc.). At $149.95 it's easily the cheapest complete Opti I've ever seen. This is what just a cap and rotor go for.

I think that, at best, it's the Opti Holy Grail for OE replacement and, at worst, the body is AC Delco and the cap and rotor are garbage, at which point I can get an MSD cap and rotor and still be under what I was expecting to pay.

What do you guys think? Is this too good to be true? Oh and if anyone is convinced already, they have about 11 more in stock at that price (I put one on hold just in case

).

Pampered-Z · 06-20-2007, 08:57 AM

I've installed 3 of the JEG's opti over the past year and had no problems at all. These are brand new, not remanufactured. One was to replace an MSD that failed twice in three months.

JEG's - Part# 555-40011 - $249.99

hardline_42 · 06-21-2007, 08:26 PM

Well, I went ahead and ordered one. It arrives tomorrow. I'm gonna smear some thread locker on the screws holding the opti disk so I'll take some pics of it when I take it apart. After that, I'll slather on some RTV and do some real world testing. Hopefully, it's not too good to be true.

hardline_42 · 06-25-2007, 07:26 PM

Well, I managed to get the car running again. I was in a hurry so I didn't get a chance to take pics of the opti. It is MOST DEFINITELY a NEW AC DELCO opti. I compared all the parts to my stocker and it's identical. The cap has beefier brass terminals but is the same in every other way (except it's black). I threadlocked all the screws and RTV'd the seams all the way around and the car runs better than when I got it. The original Opti was in such bad shape, I can't believe the car ran at all.

The only thing I'm concerned about (and it has nothing to do with the opti itself) is that my car is a '93 but the previous owner converted it to a vented opti. For some reason, both vacuum lines are run to the intake manifold instead of one going to the intake elbow. That can't create any kind of airflow. I'll probably use the old AIR nipple on the intake for the Opti vac line but I just wanted to make sure that that wasn't some weird factory setup off a Caprice or something.

Anyway, as far as I can tell, All-Ignition is the least expensive source for Optis I have ever seen and I'm happy with the product.

Pampered-Z · 06-26-2007, 08:05 AM

That's good to know. I'll add that link to my favorites.

I just used a small filter from a local parts store for the intake and connected the vac. side to my air filter to pull air thru the opti.

hardline_42 · 06-26-2007, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pampered-Z

That's good to know. I'll add that link to my favorites.

I just used a small filter from a local parts store for the intake and connected the vac. side to my air filter to pull air thru the opti.

That's so simple it's genius! I'm gonna give that a try.

ar0ck · 06-28-2007, 10:42 PM

I purchased my Opti through summit they came in clutch when the first one failed they replaced it for free and I was able to get the car running within 2 days. I then took the new Summit Opti & added an MSD Cap & Rotor which just seemed a big heavier duty then the Summit version. But recently it threw a low voltage code which makes no sense because without the low the car wouldn't run usually its the high that fails.

I'll also add this ebay'r on just in case.