bobbyk3lly

Maybe someone can stiicky this..


first be sure your engine is off and cold before you start...

1. Drain your radiator and hoses of all fluid, (you can use the drain plugs if you like, i just took my hoses loose and did it that way)


2. remove your air intake system by loosening all clamps and hardware..


3. remove your radiator Shroud

4. remove your radiator hoses and set them aside

5. remove your fans (besure to disconnect your fan connectors)

6. disonnect all of your hard lines from your radiator and the metal line going to your A/c container

7. after making sure all connections are disconnected from your radiator and condenser (including the sensor on the radiator for fluid levels) remove both the radiator and condenser (please be sure to be gentle with these there not cheap)

8. locate your tensioner pully and remove your serp belt. (take a picture of how the belt setup before doing so, for easy installation later)

9. take a 9/16 deep socket and take the 5 bolts you can get to out of the water pump, now there is a 6th bolt on the passenger side of the block your going to needa 6 inch extension and a short 14mm or 9/16 socket to get to the bolt behind the pully..now wiggle your water pump alittle and it should come right off

10. after taking your serp belt off, and your water pump off... grab your self a 5/8 socket (if im right) remove the 3 botls holding the balancer off (mine was stuck i had to heat it with a torch) this does not require a puller DO NOT USE THE ONES THAT WRAO AROUND THE BALANCER IT WILL DAMAGE IT! i found out the hard way.


11. after taking your balancer off get your self a marker and mark your plug wires on each side (ex from top to bottom 1,2,3,4) and remove them, now get yourself a 3/8 socket or wrench and take the 3 bolts holding the Opti-spark onto the timing cover out and the whole unit should come right out..


12. heres a trick when putting your new opti-spark back into your motor and finding the keyway the easy way.


Grab your old opti-spark and turn to the back of it... see the gear drive?? grab it and pull it out of the old opti-spark... now use that alone to findout where your keyway is in your motor and mark it with chalk or a marker. then spin your new opti-sparks gear drive to the same spot or close to it and it should slip right in,

you may have to twist the unit alittle to get it to slip in right... but there you go,

now put your three bolts back in and youre finished replacing your opti-spark..



now put everything back together and have fun...


hope this helped, if any questions Please PM me. or post on here...


if im wrong about anything orforgot anything let me know.. this is how i replaced mine.

my1994z28

Someone posted "how to replace opti"along time ago...but good info none the less.

Injuneer

You realize the drive mechanism is different on the vented (95-97) and unvented (93-94) Optis? Only the unvented is driven by the splined shaft. The vented version is driven by the cam dowel pin.

bobbyk3lly

Yes i now that. Sorry i forgot the years it works with. The vented optis seem to be much easier to install with the way they are pin driven

bobbyk3lly

Thanks

shoebox

6 and 7 are totally unnecessary. Why discharge the a/c? You could even leave the fans in if you wanted to. It just depends on how much room you think you really need.

detroitlt1

so what do I do different on my 94?

Procharged94Lt1

The fans are easy to come out so I would pull them either way- the rad/ac units do not have to come out IMO...

Another step that I do to prevent the mess is use a CLEAN wet/dry vac and get a reducer that fits into the thermostat neck on the water pump. Turn it on and drain the coolant into the vac. That way no mess when taking the water pump off, and you don't have to mess with the block drains...

bobbyk3lly

for your 94 you dont have to do anything different, i did this on a 1994 (my camaro) and this is how i did it...


and guys, as for my a/c it was empty anyway. i dont know if it has a leak or just wasnt charged. and i guess if you wanted you dont have to remove the radiator.. or condenser..


but you could remove just the radiator and leave the other.... that wouldnt hurt either..

and sorry about posting the how to replace opit again guys, i didnt see a sticky for it so i thought id try. plus i seen someone asking about it, so i figured why not...

bobbyk3lly

thats a good idea... if i ever have to do one of these again im going to use that trick... thanks procharged

bobbyk3lly

youre very right shoebox... you could leave those in... i just ound it to be easier to take it all out, the more room the better incase you drop a socket or bolt you dont have to fight with the car to try and get them out of a crevis that wouldnt have been there if everything was out...


but yes you are right about that. an it is a time saver as for reassmebly

mguidry629

I agree #3, 6 and 7 are not necessary, but I would definitely get the fans out of the way. It's two plugs and they come right out. Too easy not to do it and gives you much more room.

henryz28

Here is how you replace it http://www.eficonnection.com/eficonn...omponents.aspx.

detroitlt1

great writeup!

bobbyk3lly

thanks