Well, I bought an opti from autozone for 160.00 and installed it the other day. I ran test and yes it's getting fuel/spark. The problem has to be timing.

I noticed on the timing chain/sprocket there are 2 small marks on them. Do they need to line up before I put the opti on ? It shot a flame out of the intake for crying out loud, HAS TO BE TIMING !!!

Please let me know, I don't want to have to take off the opti and take it apart..I sealed it very good

 

You don't have to line up the cam/crank sprockets. The back of the opti has a keyed shaft that only fits one way into the opti and cam. They can be a pain to line up sometimes.

Two things come to mind here.
1-The keyed shaft is not lined up correctly.
2-The wires are connected in the wrong order.

Scott

 

The nice thing about the opti is that it's key'd so it only goes on one way (willingly) so you never have to set the timing. Definitely check your wires order. I wouldn't buy the Opti from anyone else but a GM Dealership, more specifically Jason Cromer. He'll sell it for under $200 and actual shipping (about $6 for ground).

 

I'm using this one, it has a lifetime warranty. The plugs are right, it's something else. Your SURE the marking on the timing chain sprocket/bottom sprocket have nothing to do with this ?

 

To make sure the timing was right, I pulled the opti spark off and removed the plug from the #1 cylinder and turned the crankshaft 1 rotation to get the compression stroke and locate top dead center. The flat side of the spline shaft was strait up. Next I Positioned the opti spark strait up. I connected a second opti spark to the computer by turning the second opti spark I sent a spark through the new opti I was testing. holding the #1 spark socket near the body, it produced a spark which tells me the rotor button was pointed at cylinder #1.


Testing the opti 101

 

Well unless you removed the timing chain, your engine is in time with itself.

The opti should be keyed on the back to only go on one way. Granted, I didn't exactly force mine on, but it didn't want to go on, all I had to do (after trying to get it to go on for about 2 hours) was b!tchslap it and it went right on, but I looked at the old one and compared where the timing was, as well as making marks in white-out.

The only thing I can think of timing wise is that your timing gear has a broken tooth or two and your timing backed off, which is what happened in my toyota a few years back, however that only caused a severe loss of power until it just simply couldn't run anymore (until we re-adjusted it).

So your wires are on the correct plugs, they are also on the correct ends of the opti.

Your original question is does the opti have to line up with the timing marks on the chain? The answer is the opti only goes on one way because of the way it is keyed. *shrug* I don't know where to go from there dude, this is where I'd consult the board. Good Luck!

 

Oh trust me, I got that bastard on there several times. That's no problem just gotta make sure it's lined up. I think I got it figured out guys, I'm going to wire it up and see if she fires up. Thanks for all the help so fast, your all should pat yourselves on the back.

I'll buy a keg and celebrate when this things cranks up. Your all invited

 

SHE RUNS !!!!!!!!!

 

Good to hear! So what was the problem?

 

Yeah, what was the problem??

 

So if a timing chain was off a tooth or broken, it would cause a major loss in power?? I recently had a cam installed and I dont feel like Im getting all the power from it. We did change my timing chain. I wonder if this could be my problem. The car runs ok though and still has decent pick up just not like it should. I also have some starting problems though. I wonder if its my opti or could be my timing???

 

If you changed your cam you most certainly took the timing apart. Maybe it wasn't set correctly? That's all I can think of. Definitely, if the timing is off a tooth or two, it's going to cause the spark to happen before the compression is at its peak, or after the compression has passed its peak.

 

Wouldnt it run just really really bad though? Or could it still drive ok but just have a power loss?

 

lol there are 3 ways that the opti will go on the car but only one is right. the opti WILL go on even if it is on wrong. I did mine, had it lined up right (so I thought) and attached everything back togather, and it would not start. took it all apart again and pulled the opti off and yes it had moved, so i pulled it off and put it on a little more carfully. Yes the opti could be on wrong pull it and do it again.

 

I'm not the authority on this, so you may want to seek help elsewhere...

That said...it would run, with less power...I don't know if I'd use the word "OK" though.