Is the MSD optispark a good upgrade for the lt1. My z28 is a 94 year model

 

Are you having issues with yours now? If so then yes it would be a good mod.. You won't really notice any power increases if your stock one is in good working order now..

 

Thanks, it works great now I didn't know if this was a good upgrade for better performance

 

If your current distributor isn't giving you any issues, then there would be no benefit in changing it. The MSD will not provide any power gains over a stock Delco unit.

 

Agree with above post. It's a good durable replacement, but it won't give you any extra HP. It will just last a bit longer than a factory one.

As far as opti's go, they are expensive and a PITA to change, so if its not broke, don't fix it IMO.

 

Im thinking the summit racing opti looks like a good deal for 225$

 

The msd opti have a +/- 5 degree timing adjustments too it too.

 

...only for use when using an adjustable timing set and you need to compensate timing. For 95% of LT1 owners, it will have no value.

 

I purchased the MSD opti when it first came available. The timming adjustment screw as stated above makes no difference. I messed with that screw for weeks trying to figure which way to turn it to advance or retard the timming. As far as a reliable piece, im not so sure. Ive had the opti for about 9 months now and already im getting some oil inside of it. Not from the cap, from the shaft seal. Even my old Delco didn't have oil inside of it when it failed.

 

It's kind of discouraging to hear about people having problems with the MSD Opti when you've been considering purchasing it for yourself. How long has that unit been on the market?

 

Try a "search"..... there are a couple of threads from early MSD purchasers, with feedback on problems. Even one on the cap/rotor sold separately that had a problem.

The "timing adjustment" may be more of a problem as well, since it doesn't appear there is any marking to indicate where the "0" point is, and the people that bought them did not necessarily find them set to the number of "turns" that MSD claimed they should be.

The jury is still out on alll the recent additions to the Opti market.

 

Could this be the reason my car is running suprisingly rich? I have a madz28 tune, and brank new plugs and a digital 6 box, (everyhting is msd, lets just say that) but the plugs are carboned up pretty bad and only have about 2k miles on them.

 

Your engine isn't going to run rich because the timing is off +/- a few degrees. It will run rich because its getting too much fuel. What steps have you taken to insure, for example that it isn't running rich because of a "false lean" caused by exhaust leaks before the O2 sensors, or misfires?

 

well... i know my shorty headers have leaked for a while up where the primaries bolt to the head. I also have programed my egr/air out of my computer (its a 1993) but have left all the equipment there untill i ordered race long tubes (on there way.. be here next week). I did notice though.. that the check valve on the driver's header where the air pump line connects to the header... it is always sucking air in... (air goes in, but not out, hence check valve) and i wondered if this was a source for false 02 readings. There is no sign of misfire.. the entire ignition system was replaced last summer (msd box, msd opti, msd coil, msd wires, bosch platinum tip plugs gapped to factory setting (i believe .045)). I noticed the plugs having a genorous carbon buildup on them when i took them out on saturday to begin taking my old headers off.

by the way.. the 02 sensors are fairly new too.

 

Leaks at the primary flanges PLUS air leaking in through the AIR check valve(s) would easilly cause it to run rich.