got misfire and l need some help here guys!

hi,

l have 97 LT1 formula and l have multiple misfire on the engine.. my mechanic says that l need a basic tune up which means replace wires, spark plugs, cap and rotor.

do you guys think that l can remove and install those parts by myself without fuck the engine up?

I NEED STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS WITH PICS IF POSSIBLE, FOR THOSE PARTS SO I CAN DO THE JOB BY MYSELF AND SAVE SOME BUCKS.
l need to fix this badly and l really do not wanna pay 800 bucks for tune up.

thank you so much guys..

if u would like to ask any questions about the stuation, l will be more happy to answer.

Erdal

Well, plugs and wires are easy, I'll be doing those soon with the 100k tune up. But good luck with the optispark. I had my mechanic take care of that one, but it was expensive. The opti is located under the water pump (which is a terrible location). There's a bunch of other details, so here's a site I found, but sorry no pics. http://www.houston-f-body.org/tech/optispark/
While you're at it, you might as well replace the water pump too.
I think MSD came out with a new 'optispark' that is proven more reliable that a GM AC Delco part, but I don't know. Good Luck to ya.

Well, plugs and wires are easy, I'll be doing those soon with the 100k tune up. But good luck with the optispark. I had my mechanic take care of that one, but it was expensive. The opti is located under the water pump (which is a terrible location). There's a bunch of other details, so here's a site I found, but sorry no pics. http://www.houston-f-body.org/tech/optispark/
While you're at it, you might as well replace the water pump too.
I think MSD came out with a new 'optispark' that is proven more reliable that a GM AC Delco part, but I don't know. Good Luck to ya.


thank you man..

my water pump is brand new from GM dealer. it has 2k miles on it.

well my mechanic say that if l try to replace wires and sprak p-lugs,l might damage the endine.. is that true? also he says he will ask 300 bucks labor for tune up. and 500 bucks for the parts... l am gonna buy the parts on ebay cheap and make him install l gues.. or l will; try to do everything by myself..

thanks again..

erdal

Holy crap 500 for parts? Yeah right!

Plugs cost usually around $1 or so a pop, unless you get those iridium crap, which you dont want, get AC Delco plugs.. wires usually go for $30 bucks..

Cap and rotor.. I think $8 all together. Just drop by Autozone and do get them

Anyway, as far as damaging the engine? Yeah right, you're replacing stuff.. you wont F up anything, believe me, this is coming from a 17 year old who did that by himself, thats how easy it is.. the hardest part would be getting your hand to the sparkplugs with the socket since its a tightfit in a 4th gen..

Dont, I swear, dont let the mechanic do this for you, thats a total rip off.. replacing all this would take around lets say an hour.. and thats going slowly..

Holy crap 500 for parts? Yeah right!

Plugs cost usually around $1 or so a pop, unless you get those iridium crap, which you dont want, get AC Delco plugs.. wires usually go for $30 bucks..

Cap and rotor.. I think $8 all together. Just rop by Autozone and do get them

Anyway, as far as damaging the engine? Yeah right, you're replacing stuff.. you wont F up anything, believe me, this is coming from a 17 year old who did that by himself, thats how easy it is.. the hardest part would be getting your hand to the sparkplugs with the socket since its a tightfit in a 4th gen..

Dont, I swear, dont let the mechanic do this for you, thats a total rip off.. replacing all this would take around lets say an hour.. and thats going slowly..


man, could u please send me what u did step by step from beggining to end? l really need this

and l also really need instructions with pics..

l know it will be hard to reach sparks but l will figure it out..

ton replace opti sparks will be pain in the ass right? take the water pump off and some other stuffs.. damn, l really need help from you guys.. u can send me private message if u want man, l really appriciate it.

take care..

oh by the way, what year and model your car is? did u replace the optispark which means cap/rotor kit? and by the way, they are at least 80 bucks on ebay man..



Erdal

Dont know about the optispark.. mine's a V6, 92 Camaro so I cant exactly tell you step by step.. the only person who could really do that would be John (FormulaLT1) but he isnt around as much so yeah..

Its simple bro.. just take off your spark plug wires.. reach down there to the spark plug, you'll know when you touch it it will feel like a flat round thing, sort of like a chick's nipple.. or yours if you havent felt that yet. :lol2:

Anyway.. get your socket and put it on there, make sure its on right and start going at it.. then just replace it.. btw you would want to replace spark plug and wires one at a time because if you put the wires on the wrong place it wont fire correctly or at all. so replace a wire and plug at the same time not all wires then plugs.. this ensures you dont put em in the wrong place.. also since you're doing this you would want to replace your air filter at the same time.. unless you already have.

Go to your favorite local parts store and get a Chilton's or Haynes manual. heck amazon the damn thing.

Go to your favorite local parts store and get a Chilton's or Haynes manual. heck amazon the damn thing.


l got the hyness manual but that doesnt give information about optispark.. damn.. it seems like l am gonna have to pay 800 bucks to mechanic:banghead:

For the spark plugs on the LT1, put the car on ramps or up on jacks and go at them from underneath the car, or otherwise, your hands will get beat up. Rally is right, do them one at a time. Probably do the left side first, front to back, then right side, front to back. Make sure all the wires match up and gap the plugs to whatever the specifications call for, probably .05". Again, optispark is not my cup of tea.
I'm going with MSD 8.5mm wires and NGK TR55 plugs.

Is your car throwing a Check Engine light?

Is your car throwing a Check Engine light?


well, it is throwing SERVICE ENGINE SOON light. sometimes it is on, sometimes flashing, sometimes it is goin away. currently no light is on..

what do you think man??

mines throwing one too. Im planning on swapping out the optispark soon. sounds like we have the same problem. mine misfires/idles a little funny. Im hoping the opti and some plugs and wires fix the problem, but Im gonna do it myself. If you have access to some decent tools, you should try it yourself. you really cant screw anything up if you pay attention to what youre doing. Im getting the MSD opti from JEGS.com. It's like $150 or so compared to like $250 for the GM one. I havent heard any complaints about it.

wow $150 for a optic, that is cheep, it is vented right? because the 95 and up are vented.

i was trying to get onto Jegs.com to check the exact price, but I guess the web site is have some problems.

ok, i went to jegs and looked at it and it don't tell the price, it say call dealer priced to low or something.

you have to put it in your "cart" to see the price. doesnt mean your buying it, just how you have to see it. I dont know why they do it that way.

mines throwing one too. Im planning on swapping out the optispark soon. sounds like we have the same problem. mine misfires/idles a little funny. Im hoping the opti and some plugs and wires fix the problem, but Im gonna do it myself. If you have access to some decent tools, you should try it yourself. you really cant screw anything up if you pay attention to what youre doing. Im getting the MSD opti from JEGS.com. It's like $150 or so compared to like $250 for the GM one. I havent heard any complaints about it.


dude..

when u fix yours by yourself, can u take some pics step bye step while u are doin it and then l would look at the pics and do it mine myslef too. if it is possible..

also there are some optisparks for 80 bucks on ebay..

ehh, Im kinda weird about ebay stuff. Id rather buy brand new and KNOW im gettin my parts. Im hurtin for cash all the time, but what I do spend, I spend where the parts are guaranteed. Peace of mind is worth the extra dough! But hey, that link in the 2nd or 3rd post on this thread is pretty damn detailed. Even without pics, if you print that and keep it handy when you do the job, you really shouldnt have any problems at all.

http://www.msdignition.com/2006/06-4.htm
go here. open the link LT1 DISTIBUTOR 83811 under USER INSTRUCTIONS. It has pics and everything. BTW, that ProBillet optispark looks pretty badass. It has +/-7degree adjustable timing.

thank you man..

but l am still kinda scared.. cuz u know we got 8 cylinder engine and there is almost no room to work on car. also l do not have auto knowledge but l can use tools.. l dont know if l can replace all the spurk plugs, wires and optispark.

l have to take off water pump, air filter and that thing which is connected with the belt and some other things right?


my problem is this, lets say, l took those wires and spurk plugs off and then l tried to replace, and l couldnt, then l will have to pay 150 bucks to tow car to my mechanic and lose extra 150 bucks..

when are u gonna get uunder the car man??

man, I stay under this piece o shit! but anyway, seriously, if your really not confident that you can do the job, take it to a mechanic you trust(not the guy that was gonna try to charge you $800) or get someone that knows a little about cars to come over and help. seriously man, I think you can do it. as for me, Im trying to tackle some overheating issues right now. Soon as i get that figured out, Im gonna get to that misfire/service enginge light.

that mechanic is my friend and he is trustable l think.. he said 500 bucksfor the parts and 300 bucks for the labor..


l am just scared, cuz l will have to take water pump off.. and some many other things.. how am l gonna do them but l will gewt under the car on my off days and see what l can do..

thanks for the advices man, and l will try to take pics..

l just wonder how am l gonna reach to those spark plugs..

My advise to you, take it to a mechanic. If you are someone who doesn't work on cars much, don't take on a project this big. If you screw up the timing, you could burn a hole in a piston and then you are totally SOL! Plugs and wires are easy as hell, but that opti is the thorn in every LT1 owner's side.