I had a real bad misfire and this is what I found.
This cap is only 5 months old.
What would cause this?



But the opti looks like this under the plate:


Here is the cover plate:
Top:

Bottom:

This is a stumper for me. What do y'all think.

 

Looks like it got wet inside.

 

I've had many Optis apart (GMs & MSD), but I've never seen anything like that stuff! It looks like you've been slimed. Did you use too much thread locker, or was something sucked-in through the Opti vent tube?

WD

 

I had the cap sealed off with silicone so that no water would get in it.
vent tubes looked clean
That is what has me stumped

 

It definietly had moisture in there. I suspect that the Oring was not sealing good enough. I suspect the blue coloration is from the corrosion of the contacts.
Just guessing here. I know what a PITA that Oring was to stretch and get it to stay in the groove while putting the cap on. I did mine with the opti sitting flat on the kitchen table, I can't imagine doing this on the car. I'm not sure if you recall installing it or not?

 

The red thread lock I used was a very tiny amount that it only covered the threads on the rotor screws.

 

O-rings seated perfectly.
The cap and rotor housing was sealed with great-stuff gasket maker.
Trust me this thing was a real PITA to unseal.

 

Where you drinking an artic blast slurpee when you were putting this together? It looks like all the metal has corossion so it would be from moisture or a chemical. Maybe the great-stuff gasket maker caused this. Is the hold down screw rusted? There was a bad reaction from what i see.

 

Almost looks like battery acid got in there and corroded the parts. Have you had a problem recently with the battery? Any chance the battery was overcharging and gassing heavilly?

Another possibility... may be corrosion accelerated by ozone. The blue slime is common on the harness connector. Did you have the vent system hooked up correctly?

 

The great stuff gasket maker was behind the o-ring.
I did the same exact install on quite a few.
I've never seen this before.

 

Battery is new.
Yes, vent system is hooked up correctly.
The harness fell apart in my hand, but the top of the harness was sealed too.
The only thing I can think of is that I had it at a shop to get the drivers side header welded up.
I doubt he did anything to it.

 

Did they disconnect the battery ground before welding on the exhaust system?

 

yes,
he was very careful about this.
would that cause that kind of corosion?
It ran fine for weeks after.
This is relatively recent problem that has came up within the las few weeks.
It feels like plasic resin. It has a real tacky feel to it.
Who knows, it could be the MSD curse that was put upon me.
I never had any luck with their products.

 

Why is this necessary?

 

Your car is a 97, so it has a vented Opti. Some corrosive gases must have been pulled in through the fresh air intake into the Opti and caused the problem. Probably from the battery, so check everything having to do with that aspect..

WD