Just wondering if anyone with a Delteq has had to replace their opti because of the optical sensor and what the symptoms were before you replaced the opti for that reason?

 

I just the opti. I am hoping it will solve the relayed problems I was having. From time to time the egine would cut out. It would do this at low rpms. Although, the engine would never stop running. it would act like you turned off the ignition and turned it back and the engine stayed running.

 

When I installed the Delteq my car missed a lot, especially at higher RPMs. But what really bothered me was the car was totally undrivable when it rained hard, and even in normal rain it ran like s**t. The Delteq cured all this and the original Opti with 110k is still in the car.

I don't think that problem is optical sensor related as they tend to work or not work. Could be a ground or loose connection issue. Hard to tell.

 

Yes, twice in a three week span. The first bad sensor was a dead miss at 4k It would not miss at 3800 or at 4100 but it would miss constantly in the 2-300 RPM range. Replaced the Opti problem solved untill two weeks later when the new, new Opti died. I replaced the last one 6 months ago and havent had a problem since.

 

so this opti sensor is actually really prone to faliure (despite what i've heard in the past)?

Also, i just realized when i did the delteq swap i forgot to plug up the plug wire holes on the optispark with something - could that have caused extra leakage and/or corrision/damge to the optical sensor?

thanks

edit: and oh yeah, i HAVE driven in the rain since i've installed the delteq setup

 

That sounds like my problem. Did the new opti help?

 

I don't know as of yet. I just replaced it this wweekend, I had to replace some seals that had to be special ordered. I finished fixing everything today and I'm out on a test drive soon. I will let you know in a few days. It could also be a worn timing chain.

 

update: new opti didn't help .... seems as though all 4 driver side cylinders have been dropped..... i have no idea wtf is wrong - i'm grasping for answers....

 

If it is only the cylinders on one bank, I doubt the Delteq is the problem.
The Delteq (a waste spark system) fires two plugs at the same time (one on the exhaust stroke and one on the compression stroke).
And, if you look at the Delteq ignition coils, each one is paired with one cylinder from each bank -- so, each coil is firing a cylinder on each bank at the same time. I would think a waste-spark problem would affect two cylinders, and those two cylinders would be on opposite banks.

In fact, that is a good thing to remember about a waste-spark setup; if ONE spark plug wire is bad, TWO cylinders will probably missfire, because the high-voltage current path is from the coil through one spark plug wire and plug, to the block, and then through the other spark plug and wire and back to the coil.
Anything in that path that fails (except a bridged spark plug tip) will most likely cause two cylinders to missfire.

Here is something else I read in a ignition system diagnostic book (can't remember the name of the book):
"If you have plugs that have been used in a vehicle with a certain polarity accross them, you shouldn't use these plugs with the polarity reversed or there is a potential for missfire."
So, assuming this is true, which I don't have any experience at it, when you put a waste-spark system in a vehicle that wasn't waste-spark, you should put at least four new plugs in the cylinders that are now going to be used with a reverse polarity on them. And, you should never change the plugs between two cylinders with opposite polarity.
An interesting side note: my Ford Ranger V6 has a waste-spark system, and the plugs of opposite polarity have different part numbers -- 3 plugs of one type and 3 plugs of another. It is a known fact that it takes more potential to fire a plug that has what is considered reverse polarity on it -- the theory in using a waste-spark system like the Norhtstar is it has a much greater firiing potential and can easily fire a reverse polarity plug. In fact, the voltage potential is so great, you should not disconnect the spark plug wires from the coils because the coils can internally arc and self destruct.
This is one advantage of the LTCC, all plugs fire with the same polarity the same as the stock LT1/LT4 system.

I have the Delteq system on my '92 Y-body and it works fine. I did not do a standard install though. My "Opti-Box" is not mounted on the cylinder head...I put it on a home-made bracket behind the alternator in an attempt to keep it in a cooler location. I had to make my own electrical extension harness to extend the cable that normally went to the old ignition module. Plus, I am supplying power to the Northstar coil-pak directly from the battery through a water-proof relay, water-proof fuse assembly (with a 15 amp fuse instead of a 10 amp used in the ignition of the LT1), with a higher gauge wire (12 gauge instead of 16 gauge) than Delteq uses. My relay is activated by the old power connection from the Delteq system, so it functions in exactly the same way except my Northstar coil-pak has more current capability going into it -- the Northstar system in a Cadillac uses a 20 amp fuse, so I am simulating more of what that is.
This may be overkill, but my theory for doing this is:
Each Northstar coil can draw a peak current of 9 amps (the Northstar ignition module current limits the coils at 9 amps), and on an 8 cylinder engine, two coils start to draw current at the same time at about 5000 rpm (this is an overlapping saw-tooth waveform with a flat top at 9 amps). I calculate there is a peak current of about 13.5 amps at about 5500 rpm (and the higher the engine speed the higher the current until two coils are each drawing 9 amps for a total of close to 18 amps). And, I don't want the original LT1 ignition wiring that is rated at a steady state of 10 amps feeding my system that is drawing a momentary 13.5 amps -- the higher resistance in the system designed for 10 amps will drop voltage across it and full battery potential will not be available at the ignition module. The stock LT1 10 amp fuse will not blow because a fuse responds to RMS (Root-Means-Squared) value instead of peak value -- the 13.5 amps is a peak value. But, at some ridiculously high rpm (I'm guessing in the somewhere above 7K range) two coils will draw close to 9 amps each continually for a steady state total of close to 18 amps and blow the 10 amp fuse. This current will of course be limited by the stock smaller gauge wiring at that time.



From the sounds of it, I'm guessing your problem is related to the fuel injection.

Tom Piper

 

Well, i've checked fuel pressure - at idle its at around 40 lbs..... Injector maybe? I dunno how to check to see if the injector is screwed...