Well I've been reading about opti's for about an hour and I just want to know if this sounds like a faulty-opti or something else perhaps. 2 Weekends ago I was driving my Camaro (I only drive it a couple days a month since Im at school). I was at a stoplight and I put it in neutral (A4) and revved it while standing still (My friend behind me revved, Im not a loser, honest). Well as soon as a hit the pedal, lightly too, the car shut off. Tried to start back up and it wouldnt. Pushed it into a parking lot and hopped in, it started fine and ran excellent. Fast forward to thursday and Im driving to thanksgiving at my uncles and its terrential rain, going through huge puddles, and notice it start to bog down around 1500-2000rpm. There was loud backfiring too. It gets progressively worse till it stalls. It wouldnt start for a like 10 mins but when it did it was a rough idle and it wouls surge up to 1500. As soon as you put it in reverse of drive it would stall. I figured it was the opti getting wet and then drying, but how do I explain the stoplight incident, it was dry. Is this a slowly dying opti or maybe even a tranny thing? Any input appreciated. TIA.

 

I'll let you know... Your story sounds all to familiar to mine except mine would not run again after the first instance.

Check your fuel pressure, your battery, charging system, ignition coil and ICM. IF all of these check out ok, like mine did, it more then likely is the opti. I am waiting for mine to hopefully arrive today so I can put the car back together..

 

Sounds simular to a problem with my 94 and it was the coil and ICM. This was after I replaced the OPTI and found out it was not the problem

 

Thanks, how would I check the fuel pressure, charging system, coil or ICM?

 

get a fuel pressure gage and attach it to the schrader valve on the fuel rail, it's located at the rear of the intake towards the passenger side. Have someone watch it when you crank over the engine. It should be in 40+ PSI range. If not it could be your fuel pump fuse, or the fuel pump could be bad.

If you can't get the car running at all the charging system is going to be bit of a pain. The easiest thing would be to jump the car and see if it starts. If it does, then either your battery or alternator is more then likely bad (this is taking into account the starter is ok). Take your battery into an autoparts store to have them check it out.

To check the coil, pull the coil wire from the opti and very carefully check for a spark on a ground when someone cranks it over. It must spark continuously. If you don't have a spark check the power lead to the ICM for 12 volts, if no power check all of the fuses again. IF you have power check the resistance of the coil. IF you have hayes manual it clearly shows how to do this.

If the ICM and coil checks out, the charging system checks out and the fuel pressure checks out, it is a good chance its the opti. Have you thrown any codes?

For the opti to be this far gone you should at least thrown a code or two.