optispark

[evildragon]

Ok, how come everytime i search for an optispark for my 94 caprice they show the vented ones?

didn't the vented ones come out in 95? i went under my car, and sure enough it's a vented one.. when i had the motor swap, they used the same year motor..

so um, are the LT1 people innacurate in saying the vented one came out in 95?

['97ventureowner]

For GM B bodied vehicles the "vented " Optispark was first used in 1994. The following year it was used on other models that had an LT1 engine.

[evildragon]

ok thanks, purchased a new optispark with cap and rotor for about 150 on ebay.. says it exceeds OEM specs..

my opti didn't last for long (since LT1 motor swap). wow..

[burnM]

What brand did you buy? Can you post a pic of it?
I'm only asking because I recently bought a '95 9C1 and am new to the opti-spark system. Vented or non-vented, how can you tell?

[96capricemgr]

All b-bodies got the vented setup, simple as that.

IMO most optis replaced as "bad" just needed a new cap and rotor.

People have it stuck in their head it is a bad piece but at the same time what other distributor can you leave the cap and rotor untouched for 100K miles???

[Blue Bowtie]

109K for me. All it needed was a cap and rotor (vented, of course), and general cleaning of the rest of the parts.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by evildragon

ok thanks, purchased a new optispark with cap and rotor for about 150 on ebay.. says it exceeds OEM specs..

my opti didn't last for long (since LT1 motor swap). wow..

before you replace the opti cap/rotor make sure the water pump is not leaking at the weep hole. in any case when reinstalling the water pump install a weep hole drain tube that will direct the coolant far away from the distributor....this was a mod. that i found in 1996 as a way to prevent opti destruction...

[96capricemgr]

The sensitivity of the opti to water and coolant is GROSSLY overstated by the sheelpe of the internet.

Currently own LT1 3 b-bodies 125K, 180K and 227K I have owned them for over 180K miles total and have never had an opti failure only had one cap and rotor wear to the point it affected performance. Do not hesitate to drive through standing water, had several WPs weep had a heater hose get cut and dribble all over the front of the engine, wash the engine, etc.
I have not bothered to mess with routing the weep hole drainage because if it starts to dribble I notice it before total failure and the opti doesn't get any wetter than in normal rain conditions. First sign of weeping is usually the PS feeling like it looses assist for a second during low speed turns, this is the belt slipping due to the coolant.

[evildragon]

Originally Posted by burnM

What brand did you buy? Can you post a pic of it?
I'm only asking because I recently bought a '95 9C1 and am new to the opti-spark system. Vented or non-vented, how can you tell?

I don't remember, my father purchased it on his ebay account.

I think it was from "Import Experts" or something like that.. says it was made to exceed OEM specs.

[burnM]

Great info, thanks guys.