I have been on the wonderful opti spark roller coaster for the last year, im on my third one and sending it back now for my forth. I'v gone through it all but I just checked my vacume line that goes to my optispark and one of the check valves was cloged causing no vacume to my opti. Do you think this could be it?? The reason why my optisparks fail in a few months?? Its the most logical reason I have had so far, I hope so.
Thanks

 

Very possible.

 

Isn't that line just a way draw a little air through the distributor? I think it was GM's hope for an improvement over the 93 - 94 opti-spark's dead air models to answer the condensation cause and affect theory. I always wondered about a negative effect by drawing in damp air from time to time. At any rate, I wouldn't think cleaning the clog will be a dramatic change but perhaps your opti-spark problem is caused by some weird situation where you are getting an unusal amount of condensation or even a tiny leak allowing coolant or oil into the works and the open vent will fix it. I hope so because 3 opti-spark distributors would be a real financial burden not to mention the labor.

 

Where are you purchasing the opti spark from(for some reason I was thinking that GM included new vacuum lines with the opti....I may be wrong)? The clogged vacuum line is a problem.

 

An opti II with a clogged line is basically an opti I, so it should have a similar lifetime to an opti I, i.e., 5-15 years.

First thing to ask is - what failed?

 

I have use Accel, TPI, No name brands as well to replace my opti. The distributors just suck since they cant withstand a little abuse. Its always a differant symptom from the optical sensor to the usual dead motor in the middle of rush hour. They are sealed up pretty good I don't see how they could get wet from water or oil? Idk got a new accel to try, I bet it will last a year hopefully.