Hey guys I am building a new all forged 383 from parts I've collected over the years, let me know what you think,this is going in my DD SS Camaro?

Block - bored .030 over, plate honed, 2 bolt mains/ARP studs and a billet main girdle, align honed mains, ARP head bolts.

Eagle 4340 forged internally balanced crank, Jeg's steel hub and 10% underdrive sfi balancer, SLP billet LW flywheel

ProComp 6" I beam 4340 forged rods/ARP 2000 cap screws

SRP forged -16cc dished pistons, coated, Total Seal rings ~ 11:1 scr

Comp 280 xfi cam, R-series lifters, 1.6 Promag 7/16 RRs

GMPP Extreme duty timing set

Coated Rod/Main/Cam bearings

Kevko 7qt oil pan, Huron billet oilpump housing, ARP steel oilpump drive

EWP

CNC ported heads (not sure by whom, no identifying marks) with additional cleanup/hand porting, 7/16 studs & guideplates

LE Ported intake, BBK 58mm tb, polished fuel rails 36# injectors

MSD Billet opti, MSD coil, MSD plug wires

XS Power stepped headers to 3.5" custom 2otl catback exhaust

Stage 3 Tick T56 Viper mainshaft

S60 Rear 4.10 gears detroit locker

 

Be careful with the MSD Opti. I’d suggest looking at a Petris or going 24x conversion.

If you’re already having LE port your intake, talk to him about your heads and cam to get a great match for your components.

Im not sure of the need for a locker rear end, but I have read good things about Hawks 8.8.

I have also read a ton of great stuff about Tick T56 work.

Everything else looks pretty standard.

 

Thanks Drew, I'm just using stuff I've accumulated over the years, I'll send the MSD opti to the "opti doctor" for testing and sealing. I brought the heads already cnc ported but I'm just going to clean them up and have the guides, seals and valve springs checked/replaced a valve job and the heads surfaced locally and I already have the cam and lifters.

I thought about going 24x but I'm keeping my SS close to stock with the CAI hence no 24x on this one, I'm just building it into a fun crusier with a little heat and whatever it makes whp/wtq will be way more thane stock.

 

How old is the MSD Opti? They had a batch probably built in 2015-2016 that had a major problem with causing crazy RPM readings, huge idle surge, and rough running. I was able to supply MSD with data logs from a couple of cars that showed the problem, through a member of LTXTECH.COM who worked for MSD as a tech rep.

MSD initially wanted to blame problems with the IAC motor, or the way the PCM controlled it. But after going back and forth with MSD a few times, they realized it was their problem, and dug into what was causing it. The explanation was never real clear, but it appeared they modified both the sensor and the cap as a result. My guess was that there was a problem with the material of construction of the cap, causing spurious high voltage interference in the sensor, which just sent crazy signals to the PCM.

The problem was discussed on several LT1 oriented sites, giving evidence that it was a widespread problem, based on a specific batch (or batches). MSD was “rebuilding” the defective units for free. Interestingly, of the three units where I had personally analyzed the data logs and verified the problem, two of the “rebuilt” units would not allow the engine to start. One guy trashed the rebuild and went to another brand. Another waited a while to install because his cheap Chinese ripoff was working fine. But when he finally installed the rebuilt unit, would not start. Had it rebuilt a second time, and it finally worked.

The interchange w/ MSD is buried in this thread, starting with my post on page 2. It is interspersed with the original purpose of the thread, which was to sell off some “blemished” MSD caps.

MSD Cap and Rotor

 

Thanks Fred, was the problem with the MSD billet opti itself or just their cap & rotor?

Also I brought the MSD opti, coil/icm, BBK 58mm TB and 36# injectors for $150.00 from someone who was going 24x and single plane intake so I'm not sure what year the MSD Opti was made.

 

FWIW I had one of the original MSD optis several years ago and it was bad from day one. It would break up about 5k rpm. Threw a lot of parts at the car until I put my then old original AC Delco back on. Sent the MSD back for the then $100 rebuild. They just sent a new one as I had etched a mark in mine to see if it was in fact rebuilt or just replaced. I then just sold my "new" MSD

Fred did extensive work with MSD not long ago on their more current issues so I will defer to his reply regarding your ? above

Its a crap roll on any MSD opti so you can roll the dice on the one you have, maybe it will work as there really are not any known "good" Optis available to buy. There is a ebay guy who "rebuilds" and tests original AC Delco optis that has good reviews. I know of one person who has one and so far without issues

 

Answer from above. It was never clear to me what was wrong, and MSD declined to discuss the problem directly with me. I had to work through the tech rep posting on LTXTECH.COM. If it was only the cap, it wouldn't have been necessary for people to send their entire unit back to MSD for the rebuild.

I personally would not install an MSD Opti. Over the 20 years or so they have been making them, they have had one problem after another. But that's just me.

 

Yeah that ebay guy teh opti doctor I think will do the same with the MSD Opti and that's where I'm going to send mine before I install it to have him check/verify it's proper operation.

This is going in my 97 SS Camaro and I'm going for a stock/original looking build with upgraded parts where ever possible.