Car has been sitting for close to 4 months because of an intermittent "just friggin' die and not start again" condition. I thought it was the optispark because before that, it was eating them every 300 miles or so and corroding the connector blue. I replaced the optispark today as well as the vaccuum harness. The connector was not corroded at all to my suprise, so I re used it.

The car fired right up and I let it idle so the thermo would open and I could top off the coolant. I revved it up too, and everything was normal.I Did that after running for about 15mins. I got in the car, pushed the clutch in, put it in gear and it died. It will not start again.
I disconnected the battery for about 20 mins, reconnected it and tried again, no start. The Scanmaster is showing no DTCs at all and fuel pressure it right where it should be while cranking. The dowell pin is the right length and the opti is on correctly.

What should I check next?

If I can't figure this out, I'll leave it in the garage for another year. I've only put 2800 miles on this POS since the motor got done 2 yrs ago. And its not because I don't like driving it, its because of stuff like this. I can't trust this damn thing to get me to my mailbox.

 

My next move would be COIL.
Check and make sure your getting Fire.
If youre getting spark, check the fuel delivery.
Note: when you crack the throttlebody you can easily smell fuel in the Intake.
In which case, I assume youve checked VAT. The fuel pump cycles correct?
Hope any of this helps
good luck to ya
Brentt

 

This may sound stupid but, how exactly do you check fire? I pulled a plug wire off, put a screwdriver in it and positioned it so the screwdriver shaft was about 1/4" away from a steel brakeline. I cranked and saw no spark. I then pulled the coil wire off the opti and still saw no spark. Does this method work, or do I need to do it another way?

The fuel pump does charge up when I turn the key on. I put a fuel pressure gauge on the schrader valve as well and when I cranked it, it went up to about 40 and stayed there.

Thanks in advance.

 

Check the ICM - Ignition Control Module - Shoebox's site has an awesome writeup on how to check it.

 

Sounds like the dowel pin on your cam is too long. Is it a comp cam?

Either that or you are installing them incorrectly.

 

After the motor got finished, it ate the opti very quickly. I found that the opti was "high centered" on the dowell pin. I ground it down till it did not high center anymore and then ground it down a little more to be sure. When the opti was off the other day, I measured the dowell and it was .60". Is that where it should be?

I tested my coil and it checks out. I have some other tests to do once I can get the battery charged up.

Yes, it is a comp cam, a CC306. When it runs, it runs great, ran the time in the sig last time out with my RAM Powergrip slipping on the upshifts.

 

Did you convert to a vented opti? I had the exact problem with my car. Ate opti's like crazy and I would get the blue junk from the connector all over the opti terminals. Are you sure the opti is on all the way and is completely flush with the timing cover before your putting the opti bolts in? If yes... SELL IT!!!! LOL

 

you might check the ICM.

 

It should be about .600" to the face of the cam, if you measured it to the face of the cam gear then yes its definitely too long.

 

Its too long then.

When the opti is on, before I put the bolts on, it doesn't feel high centered or anything.

How long should it be from the face of the cam gear??

Thanks in advance.

Kreinmc--I'm keepin it forever, running or not

 

I read it needs to be .400" from the face of the cam gear. I am not 100% sure though.

 

I just took some measurments.

Stock cam
tip of dowel to face of cam is .610"
tip of dowel to face of cam gear .385"

On one comp cam tip of dowel to face of cam was .645" ( this cam ran in my car with no problems)

on another comp cam, tip of dowel to face of cam .628

 

My stock cam dowel pin was .650" from the face of the cam. All cam gears may not be the same thickness. I don't know if I would trust that measurement.

 

Thanks guys.

As much as I don't think this can ruin an opti in 15 minutes, I suppose this is the problem. All the others have gone 400 miles or so, I guess they are all different.

 

Stick some clay on the back of the opti drive and mount it. Then pull it off and see what the clay tells you about the pin length.