A fully charged battery is important. Get it charged and maybe tested. Most auto parts stores will charge and test for free.

 

It is supposed to go in only one way. Many people have managed to force it on in the wrong postion.

 

Who here ever told you that? Please be specific, because virtually anyone who has been on this site more than a couple of years knows that IN THEORY it will only fit one way, but a surprisingly large number of people have managed to assemble it incorrectly.

 

I think it can only go on one way, unless you force it on. It should go in very smooth with no pressure needed.

 

you can definitely put it on the wrong way.however if you notice the bolts that hold the opti to the motor at those points it does not sit flush.

 

FINALLY got it running! why doesnt the harmonic balancer have a mark for top dead center?? i thought that possibly the arrow on it was for top dead. not true. i was dead set on this being a timing/ignition problem. fuel spark not in agreement so i simply pulled no 1 plug, let it blow my finger out, took opti out and grinded out the odd tooth and pushed it in pointing to the lead for no 1 plug. after getting this pretty damn close, put it all back together and wouldn't ya know it, firing right up! (actually i even forgot to put no 1 back in and was wondering why it was running rough LOL!! but but everything back together, and shes purring like a champ. This is my girlfriends car and my first experience working with an Opti. in my opinion, it is a horrible idea. i dont like them at all. how stupid is it that in order to properly set timing you have to do all this, take the whole front end of the motor apart, just to set timing?? makes no sense to me but its running fine now so hopefully wont have to do take it apart for awhile. thanks for the help guys.

 

The pulley does have a TDC mark. However the hub is not keyed and if someone was there before you and did not orient it like it came from the factory, the mark could be off.

So, you ground off the tooth on the splined drive that properly indexes the opti? Why would you do this? Honestly, it sounds like the source of your complaints and errors from the whole experience is from your lack of knowledge and research of what you were doing. It is a relatively simple procedure that does not even require you knowing where TDC is.

 

Why didn't you try aligning the #1 contact BEFORE you ground off the indexing tooth???????

 

Glad its running good and you learned a few things!

 

You need to pay more attention to the posts you read on this site. I'd estimate at least 10% of the Opti installs end up with the splined shaft indexed incorrectly. People will swear they aligned it properly, only to find out, after several people have told them to check the alignment, and only reluctantly checking, that they assembled it wrong.

So simple.... even a cave man can do it (incorrectly).

 

I was only stating, that if it took any amount of work of pressure to get it on, you probably did it wrong. Everyone has a different idea, what going on easy means. I marked the opti and direction when removed and made extra care to be sure the new opti went the exact same way. Most probably pop that thing off and worry about it later, when it might be to late to use as a guide.

 

What opti does reveryone recommend these days? Aftermarket or GM and where is the best place to get one? I believe my opti is causing my problems - https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/lt1...-start-867869/

 

Oem ac delco