Opt-Spark can be cleaned!!!
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 16
From: Seminole, FL
Opt-Spark can be cleaned!!!
Finally got some room in my garage this weekend (son moved out one of his projects). I've been having the the typical misfire, stumble, and backfire. I bought a code reader and confirmed the DTC 36 (loss of high speed pulse signal). So saturday I pulled the water pump (just in the knick of time, no leak, but the bearing was starting to come apart), and pulled the opti spark distributor.
I took apart the opti, and carefully removed the slotted optical disk (had to grind off a small spot weld). The interior was covered with a red oxide dust which I cleaned off with rubbing alcohol. I removed the bearing and lubed it. Interesting note, the optical reader is made by Mitsubishi.
I bought a new cap and rotor from Pep Boys for $142. Its a vented cap for the 1995-1996. The cover that comes with it will not fit the older model internal parts (harnes wiring for the optical reader) so I reused the older cover which did match up to the cap.
Now since I had a vent fitting in the cap, I needed a vent outlet in the base of the distributor. The 1993-1994 distributor has 3 small weep holes in the bottom, I plugged the two outter ones with pop rivets and a small amount of gasket sealer. I then drilled the center hole to 3/16" and installed a 90 deg. plastic vacum hose fitting pointing to the right. You need this fitting because there is only a 1/2" between the bottom of the distributor and the top of the crank pully shaft. Now I have the outlets needed for the opti vacum hose harness #12555323.
This is a much simpler and cheaper way to get a vented distributor than replacing the timing cover, cam shaft, and drive shaft for the 1995-1996 distributor, or going to Dynotech's replacement (which is only for the 1995-1996 models.
The last opt-spark has lasted me 65k, we'll see how much longer this vented and cleaned unit will now last.
Since I was set for drilling holes, I drilled out the weep hole in the bottom of the water pump, installed a 90 deg 3/16" elbow, and added about 2' of vacum hose that I routed down and past the steering rack. So when this pump dies, I'll be able to notice the anti-freeze comming from the hose and know its from the pump.
I drove it 45 miles to work this morning, so far so good...
The Old Guy: '94 z-28, m-6, t-tops go fast red, 219k
I took apart the opti, and carefully removed the slotted optical disk (had to grind off a small spot weld). The interior was covered with a red oxide dust which I cleaned off with rubbing alcohol. I removed the bearing and lubed it. Interesting note, the optical reader is made by Mitsubishi.
I bought a new cap and rotor from Pep Boys for $142. Its a vented cap for the 1995-1996. The cover that comes with it will not fit the older model internal parts (harnes wiring for the optical reader) so I reused the older cover which did match up to the cap.
Now since I had a vent fitting in the cap, I needed a vent outlet in the base of the distributor. The 1993-1994 distributor has 3 small weep holes in the bottom, I plugged the two outter ones with pop rivets and a small amount of gasket sealer. I then drilled the center hole to 3/16" and installed a 90 deg. plastic vacum hose fitting pointing to the right. You need this fitting because there is only a 1/2" between the bottom of the distributor and the top of the crank pully shaft. Now I have the outlets needed for the opti vacum hose harness #12555323.
This is a much simpler and cheaper way to get a vented distributor than replacing the timing cover, cam shaft, and drive shaft for the 1995-1996 distributor, or going to Dynotech's replacement (which is only for the 1995-1996 models.
The last opt-spark has lasted me 65k, we'll see how much longer this vented and cleaned unit will now last.
Since I was set for drilling holes, I drilled out the weep hole in the bottom of the water pump, installed a 90 deg 3/16" elbow, and added about 2' of vacum hose that I routed down and past the steering rack. So when this pump dies, I'll be able to notice the anti-freeze comming from the hose and know its from the pump.
I drove it 45 miles to work this morning, so far so good...
The Old Guy: '94 z-28, m-6, t-tops go fast red, 219k
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