EnFuegoZ28

I have to replace the opti in my 96 Z28. I was just wondering what else is made easier to replace while I am doing this. It has 123k miles on the clock.

My water pump is only a couple months old so I don't need to replace that.

Someone mentioned that I should replace the front cover seals. Should I replace the timing chain?

I am also thinking about changing the plug wires, and maybe doing the plugs as well. I was going to wait until I get LT's, but I might just go ahead and do it. I am also thinking about going OTVC with the wires. Should I do the OTVC even though I have stock manifolds?

Feel free to chime in. All advice is welcome.

Thanks.

H2O

If you did water pump recently, I would not.

I am about to change the WP and Opti since I am doing headers and found that one of the front seals is leaking. I want to tear it apart once. I am replacing the water pump seal and the opti seal. Unless the crank seal is leaking, I will leave it alone. I do not plan on opening the timing cover, so I will not open it up if it is not leaking.

As far a timing chain..I am waiting until I do a cam, but if you plan on taking the cover off anyway, I dont think its that hard to replace, so I would if I was opening the cover.

OTVC with stock manifolds will not work. They will burn!!

Jim

Furomastr

Just did my opti and replaced my wp and opti seal. If you replace the wp seal, you will need to get it on the shaft without tearing it. I couldn't get the "marker cap" method to work, so I did it a different way. I cut a strip of plastic about 6" by 3" from a soda bottle, rolled it inside the seal, and then slid it on the shaft.

crazypurgatory

Thats pretty clever.
I ended up using the water pump coupler to get the seal on with a a lot of grease.
I would change the water pump drive seal the opt spark seal and the crank seal.
After I replace the water pump drive seal the opt spark seal I saw that the crank seal was leaking.

khojo16

theres really no need to replace the seals in the timing cover unless they are leaking, and the only other WP mod you could do since your taking it off to replace the opti anyway is you could switch to an electric water pump. as far as the OTVC wires, it is possible to run them with stock manifolds, i have done it, but i did burn two wires before i figured out how to safely route them off the manifolds, and also it requires some fire-sleeving around the wires to keep them from burning....i would just wait till you do headers to run ur wires OTVC...also make sure your cam dowel pin lines up in the correct slot in the back of the opti when you replace it or you will run into some problems...

EnFuegoZ28

Well, after ALOT of searching and reading I have concluded on doing the following.

Since the water pump is only a couple months old I won't be messing with any of those seals. I will however have to replace the gaskets.

I ordered the fel-pro timing cover gasket set which includes the WP gaskets and seals, opti seal, and crank seal. So I will be replacing the opti and crank seals while I have everything off.

I will also be replacing the plugs and wires as well.

Wish me luck :fingerscrossed: