Water pump going bad replace Optispark?

[ASJT3]

Hey guys,

The water pump on my '96 Roadmaster is going bad, and sometimes sprays coolant all over the ground on startup. The engine also reports a code P0300, Multiple cylinder misfire, which I'm convinced is due to the fact that the pump sprays over the optispark as well. My question is, after replacing the water pump, do I need to replace the optispark as well?

Thanks,

Alex

[Tech II]

Well, this is a kind of damn if you do, damn if you don't issue.....

Why is the car misfiring? Plugs? Wires? Coil? Coil wire? Or is it the distributor cover/rotor? Has the vehicle ever been tuned up? If so, when was the last one? Are the wires original(have cylinder numbers on them,)?

If it is the distibutor cover, you have to remove the w/p and the harmonic balancer......

If you just replace the w/p, and still have the misfire, and it turns out to be the cap, you end up doing it all over again(w/p).....

this is just like when Firebirds needed complete turneups, and you gave the customer the estimate, and they almost passed out......I would always recommend a new w/p(I just want a tuneup, why are you replacing my w/p?), if it had never been replaced, because you don't want that old one put back in and then leak on that new cap....

Just like the Roadmaster, the plugs and wires are a nightmare....

So since you have a misfire, you have to ask yourself one question:"Do you feel lucky, punk?"

[ASJT3]

Originally Posted by Tech II

Well, this is a kind of damn if you do, damn if you don't issue.....

Why is the car misfiring? Plugs? Wires? Coil? Coil wire? Or is it the distributor cover/rotor? Has the vehicle ever been tuned up? If so, when was the last one? Are the wires original(have cylinder numbers on them,)?

If it is the distibutor cover, you have to remove the w/p and the harmonic balancer......

If you just replace the w/p, and still have the misfire, and it turns out to be the cap, you end up doing it all over again(w/p).....

this is just like when Firebirds needed complete turneups, and you gave the customer the estimate, and they almost passed out......I would always recommend a new w/p(I just want a tuneup, why are you replacing my w/p?), if it had never been replaced, because you don't want that old one put back in and then leak on that new cap....

Just like the Roadmaster, the plugs and wires are a nightmare....

So since you have a misfire, you have to ask yourself one question:"Do you feel lucky, punk?"

Always great to get help and a good laugh at the same time.

I'm guessing its the distributor cover, exacerbated by the fact that the w/p is leaking. My guess is based on an incident where the car was driven through a puddle of water and started misfiring. I suspected arching and tried spraying down the engine at night but didn't see anything.

-Alex

[ASJT3]

Well I guess I get lucky sometimes. Replaced the w/p and car is running great, no problems for last 100 miles. Hopefully it stays that way