I've known my Optispark was going out for several months now... Classic signs, but as long as the car runs below 200 degrees it's fine. So I forgot about it through the winter. I drove it home from work last night, (runs normally about 180 degrees with a 160 thermostat) and parked it without any problems.

I came out to start it this morning and not a single spark. I probably cranked it 20 times, letting it sit for maybe 5 seconds between 3 second cranks. Normally it fires up immediately and I'm not one to let it crank on cold oil until the battery goes dead. There was obviously something wrong.

About two weeks ago it did this same thing. After about 5 tries it fired right up without any problems and has run fine ever since. This morning I was not so fortunate. I gave up for fear of grinding my engine/starter/batter to death stone cold.

I don't know if it's still called the VATS module or not, but I have the security system that has the resistor in the ignition key. I'm wondering if I'm having a combination of problems, and the VATS module is screwing with me too. Reason being is that with the Optispark I'm not familiar with anyone having problems with it simply being 'On' or 'Off'. I've only heard of it misfiring, running poor when warm, and doing funny things. Never having it start one day and do nothing the next. I fully expect that I may get home tonight to find that it fires right up and runs fine.

Anybody have this same problem or combination of problems? I know I need to replace the Opti, so I'm doing that anyway, but I'm afraid I may get that accomplished and still not be able to start the damned thing!!!

Paul 'X'

 

Let me tell you its probably a problem with electrical or fuel. I just got my first camaro and has 2 separate problems: one being the opti and the other being the VATS. I know if the VATS was to blame, your starter wont even crank. I fixed the VATS now my car runs but very crappy since i need a new opti (backfires and misfires constantly).

 

That's good info... I didn't realize that the VATS disabled the starter. I flooded it about halfway through my cranking this morning so I'm pretty sure it's getting fuel. (I could smell it.) So the latter part of my cranking was done with the pedal on the floor to hopefully put it in 'flood' mode and shut off the fuel. All in vain.

Oh, the days of the big Holley Carb and the HEI ignition. They sucked the fuel like nobody's business, but the most complicated thing to troubleshoot and replace was the ignition module, and you could get it at Wal-Mart for $14.99.

It's hard to beat a 300hp LT1 that will run 14.00 and get 27mpg on a roadtrip though. With 2005 and 2006 model Sports cars coming off the showroom floor with 400 and 500hp and still getting 20+mpg it's hard to argue with technology... I just want it to work for more than 10 years!!!

Paul 'X'

 

I just got home from work and fired up the Z. Fired on the first crank immediately, smooth as silk. Idled fine for a few seconds, I blurped the throttle once up to about 3 grand, let it idle for a few more seconds, and it died cold.

Cranked it a few more times and nothing, not a single fire, backfire, misfire, nottafire whatsoever.

Seems to be a technical failure of some sort, but there is another possibility... I've owned the car just over 3 years now and have done very little to it. A few mods, of course oil changes. But it needs brakes, overdue for this latest oil change, hasn't had a hand wash since last summer, son ripped the leather shift boot, I broke the window switch panel... Generally simple stuff I've let go too long. Needs an optispark and a water pump. Of course I'd like to get headers on it this summer too. So it may just be punishing me for not showing it enough attention??? Many cars in the past have done this to me and with a couple of weeks in the garage, some shiny new aftermarket parts, some late nights, some pampering and TLC, good as new.

 

Interesting problem... I wonder if it's your fuel pump or a clogged fuel filter. Are you hearing the pump energize when you first turn the key to run? Do you have a fuel pressure gauge handy?

I assume you've also poked around the engine bay and looked for obvious loose connections and cracked vacuum hoses.

 

Yes, I can hear the fuel pump relay kick on and pressurize the fuel rails, then kick off. I specifically listened for this before cranking when I started having problems. I do have a fuel pressure gage but haven't done any diagnostics yet. Good call though. I've been through all the fuel pressure tests/problems/etc with TPI motors before so I'm assuming it's pretty much the same.

However, I haven't even poked around the engine bay to look for anything obvious yet. Good Call. Basically I tried to start it when I was already late for work this morning, then when I got home from work I tried it before I walked in the house. Ever since I've been on Dad Duty, so it'll be morning before I get to tinker with it again. I'm going to go ahead and replace the Opti and Water pump, put LS1 brakes on the front, Powerslots and Hawk pads all around, and depending on how cash flow is in the next 3 weeks maybe even headers... So it's going down for a week or two anyways, but I'd sure like to know for sure I'm fixing all the problems before I disassemble it

The really wierd thing about today is it's either 'On' or 'Off'. It's not running rough or backfiring or misfiring, it's either Go or NoGo. I'm not sure I've ever had that problem with any vehicle of any year, make, or model. Usually if it stops cold, it doesn't start again until you find a bad component. Like an HEI ignition module...

 

I'm thinking it's more on the lines of the ignition module. Did you scan the PCM for codes?

 

My SES light didn't come on, but that doesn't always mean there isn't a code. I'll check for codes in the morning as well. It's a '95 with the OBDI system, and I don't remember there being a code for the ignition module, but I've never had an Optispark vehicle either... Guess I'll find out in the morning.

This may be the opportunity I've been looking for to just pull the whole engine and replace it with a completely rebuilt 450hp NA LT1...

 

DTC-41, 42 are for the Ignition Control and 16, 36 are the Opti.

 

I agree. With my car though, it runs horrible and many things are not right, but my SES light never comes on. I know it works since the light turns on when you turn the key. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the computer can be throwing codes and the light may or may not come on. I should try to scan mine to see what turns up.

UPDATE: I just checked codes and there werent any, so thats why my SES light doesnt come on. The computer must think everything is okay. It would be helpful if the computer detects something wrong so I could figure out why it runs like crap. Is there some sensor or something I could disconnect to check to see if the computer picks it up or not?

 

I think if you unscrew your intake elbow at the throttle body, and let it pull air in before it passes through the MAF, it should set a code. That's the easiest one I can think of to get to and the surest thing I knowwill set a code.

 

Pulling the air pump fuse will also cause the SES to light. Of the codes I listed, 36 is the only one that lights the SES. There are several others that don't and most of the ones that do are more emissions related. Try this test. http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#opti_test

 

OK, investigated under the hood... Everything looks good, nothing obviously broken, hanging loose, etc. The car has about 90K on it, and was pampered for its first 70K, then abused by me for the next 20K, although I maintain it like a baby and keep it ultra clean, including the engine compartment. Therefore there is a good chance I could blow a vacuum line off at the car wash...

Anyway, I am in utter confusion today. I moved a couple of months ago, and packed all of my EFI tools in a special crate so they wouldn't get crushed by the rest of my 'regular' tools. I can't for the life of me find my EFI tools today. I'll search more after the kids go to bed tonight. Thus, no fuel pressure reading today, although it did again fire up and run on the first crank again this morning, and run for about 10 seconds, then die cold, and refuse to fire at all after that.

Next obstacle... I would swear on my life that my car is an OBDI vehicle. I would swear on my life that I have used my 'old' code scanner (which I used on my TPI cars) to read the trouble codes out of this car at least twice. Today when I dug up my code scanner it was painfully obvious that it does NOT fit the connector under the dash of the Camaro. Not the same shape, and the connecting spades are too big and spaced differently. Even if I were stupid/angry enough to try to force it in there, I am sure that I would only destroy both connectors. There is no way that I have ever read the codes out of this car with the tools I currently have.

So is it an OBDI car??? I racked my brain because I was totally lost at that point. Some '95's were OBDII, and I no longer trust my memory after now believing for so long that I had an OBDI car that I had previously read the codes out of... So I checked around... OBDII cars had dual cats right? ??? I finally read on th emissions tag under the hood that it is "OBDI Certified" Could it still be an OBDII car and only "OBDI Certified" because that was all it had to pass in 1995???

I'm so confused. I guess there really IS a down side to heavy narcotics use...

Then, my Wife comes out in the middle of all of my confusion and tells me that we've had this entire conversation before, nearly word for word, and that I finally found out that it's an OBDII car. And she doesn't even know what OBDII means, so I'm inclined to believe her. Although she's been known to do such things just to screw with me, so I can't really rely on that conversation either.

There are also two other possibilities... 1) I'm having a nightmare, and 2) I'm in the Twilight Zone!!!

As a bonus, I rolled the windows down while I was sitting in the car trying to get the codes, and the passenger side power window motor desided to take a dump halfway back up. So now it's sitting in the front yard, won't move under its own power, and the passenger side window is half open. Great, just freakin great. I told it that if it's still acking like an **** when I get back from AutoZone, I'm going to drag it around back with the K5 on a strap. I hope it changes its attitude so that I don't have to do such a barbaric thing to such a beautiful car...

Desperate, Confused, and Very Sad,

Paul 'X'

 

HAHAHAHA man I know what your sayin! Lay off the weed. I have yet to begin any adventures of trying to figure out stuff on my car while stoned.

 

Thanks, I tried taking out the air pump fuse and it did infact light the SES light.