my water pump is leaking, and yesterday, i was cruising down the freeway at night, it was pretty cold. my water temp was 185*. as soon as i get off freeway, my car runs like ****. it feels like it was gonna die on me or something.....if i change my waterpump stright away, do i stand a change in saving my opti?? i dont have the money to buy another opti , thanks for the opinions guys

 

It might dry out but proballly will never be right.

 

so, no chance??

 

anyone else have another opinion??

 

How many miles are on your opti? If you are at 80K or more, it makes sense to replace the opti with the waterpump. They do wear out, regardless of any water damage.

Clean the exterior of the opti, coil, and wire with contact cleaner or STP Wire Dryer. Most of the water-related problems with the opti are due to external moisture and related sorting/cross-misfiring. The same thing can happen to an old HEI distributor, it's just in a better location regarding moisture.

I was able to get 160k miles on my opti using contact cleaner and Wire Dryer, after numerous water dousings (usually from splashing through deep puddles during rain). Upon disassembly, the inside of the opti had no real water damage, just wear of the rotor and carbon button in the cap.

 

thanks man....my car has 120K,and i bought it when it had 104K. never replace the opti though......i saw a used opti for sale for $130...is that an alright price?? thanks

 

At 120K, your opti is ripe for replacement. Dont waste your time or money on a used opti. Buy a brand new GM opti from Dal or Jason. Do a search on optis, and you should find the contact numbers.

The new opti will come with a new splined drive pin, make sure you replace it, as it is also a wear item, and will help reduce spark scatter.