Long story short my car keeps eating opti's... I keep getting them replaced under warranty but its getting really old. I have taken my car to a very reputable shop and they have been trying for 2 weeks to find a short in my wiring and are unable to thus far. However they have figured out that it doesnt mess up at all when it is nice outside but when it gets damp or rainy it messes up really bad and throws cod #36 which is an opti code. They think there might be something wrong with my vent hoses that is allowing moisture in.... I have no clue what to do and am so very tired of my car not working correctly. I have finally bitten the bullet and slapped down the 500 bucks for the MSD opti... I hope it fixes my problem. Any other ideas?

 

Did you check the dowel pin length on the cam?

 

I'm pretty sure I remember the shop saying something about checking that... I'm not very familiar with it though.... Can you explain to me why and how that would mess up a distributor?

 

If the pin is too long, it could bottom out in the opti and put stress on it. This could "eat" the opti.

 

get the failed opti back from the shop, we'll help you disect it to find a problem

 

i bet its the dowel pin

 

agreed.. 6 opti's don't just fail without some outside cause.

Just pulled a friend's apart that had a "too long" dowel pin.. destroyed it internally. We shaved it down and all is well now.

 

how bout a fauly water pump?? It could be leaking onto the opti no?

 

I would think dowel pin too, but he said that the car runs fine when it's nice outside but crappy and dies when it gets wet. When it dries out again it runs fine. In 95 were the optis the vented version or not? I would check all the seals and run some silicone around the case to help seal it. If vented check your lines to make sure they are going the right way. they can be installed wrong and actually hold moisture in.

 

I'll have to agree, you have something else going on. I have went through 2 Opti's in the past three years. My first died of natural causes. Second was for preventative maintenence. If the dowel pin was too long, did you or whoever replaced it just not pay attention to the fitment?

I really feel for you. After about 2 Opti's I'de be asking questions.

 

The car has an electric waterpump. The shop checked the dowel pin length and it was fine. I have a new set of vacuum lines on it but i have heard that they can fail or be faulty so i dunno.... The MSD comes with new vacuum lines so I will make sure they are hooked up correctly upon installation. I have so much money put into my car and I just want it to work!!!!