TomH

Well, here is the story. Car has been running great, no problems.
Then all the sudden, start it up, runs for 10 secs and fizzles out.

I can start the car, but it only runs for 10 second or so.
If you step on the gas and keep reving it, it will stay running, but soon
as you let go of the gas, it fizzles out.

Took to a local shop, he is a good shop, has a couple of race cars.
He thinks it might be the opti-spark and distribution system, but then
he said it would cost $1000.00 dollars to replace since you have to
take apart the whole front of the motor to replace.

Now, I don't want to spend $1000 if he is wrong, but the car cannot run
long or stable enough to get a code out of the engine.

Is there anyway to be sure that it is the distribution system / opti-spark?

Any advice is appreciated.

tomatocity

The optispark alone cost approx $300 the remainder could be shop cost.

Have you checked your fuel? When was the fuel filter last changed? I am just tossing out inexpensive obvious problems.

944v8inDFW

With it running for only 10 seconds or so it sounds like a VATS problem. Security chip in the key that is. Worth a look. If you got another key try it. Do you have any aftermarket alarm or remote start that may be interfering with the VATS?

omatter67

hey man,

I have a 93 lt1 firebird and I'm having the same problem. Your right on with the cost but the work isn't as hard as you think. Buy the new opti and replace yourself. All thats involved is pulling the water pump, and harmonic balancer off then once you go to install the new opti you got to make sure that the keyed spline fits in correctly.keep all plug wires labeled so you don't mix them up. look at www.shbox.com and look for f-body optisparkit gives a good diagram. Your cost might be a lil different cause you might have the vented optispark, but it's all pretty much the same.

Formula 93 (omatter67)

TomH

Thanks for the replys. But my real question is this.
How do you know its the opti-spark? Is the same way to test and
be sure?