third opti in the less than a year!
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 86
third opti in the less than a year!
ok i need help i have had to change the opti 3 times in less than a year and today i was driving down the road and the car turned off and the check gauges light came on.. I checked the ecu for codes but it didnt give me any at all.. I checked all possible wires and they seem to be fine. Are there any other ways to diagnose a bad opti if the ecu doesnt give me any codes???
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 86
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
yeah its not giving me any codes.. i did check the ignition coil and i cranked it up but doesnt give a spark. i even removed a plug and no spark at all when i crank it.. i do have fuel. the car just cranks but wont start
Administrator
Joined: Nov 1998
Posts: 71,112
From: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
How did the first three fail, requiring 3 replacements? Was is possibly a problem with the dowel pin being too long? That would explain destruction of the rotor for example, which would not set a code.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 86
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
the first 3 ended up being the opti harness which i put a new one the last time i changed it,, the pig tail is fine nothing wrong with it.. im just gonna change the opti tomorrow and while everything is out ill double check everything.. its just too much work on the camaro
Administrator
Joined: Nov 1998
Posts: 71,112
From: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
Not clear.... you had a problem with the harness three times, and that required you to replace the entire Opti three time? Or you had a problem with the harness, didn't realize it, and just kept changing the Opti's?
Something doesn't add up.
Something doesn't add up.
Guest
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 0
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
So why are you jumping back on the "opti" bandwagon without more testing?
Loose or poor connections may show up from merely wiggling wires. This would have given the answer you needed in the case of the first opti repair.
In the case of the loss of spark at the COIL, the problem is usually not the opti. The first thing to do is check the coil and ICM for the presence of voltage and IC signal.
Remember the low voltage side of the opti is used by the PCM and if either of the signals is NOT present, the PCM will throw a code. However, it will NOT always set a SES light.
A couple of last items. You say you have fuel. How do you know? Because you have pressure? Or maybe you just hear the fuel pump? Injector pulses would be helpful in diagnosis.
If the low voltage side of the opti were your major problem, you would not have injector pulses and a code for low res set.
If the rotor fell off inside the opti, you would have spark at the coil but not at the plugs.
Last, it is sometimes a good idea to confirm the probing device you are using works properly. A scanner that does not work may always tell you that everything is "OK". It may be appropriate to actually set a code on purpose to confirm your scanner can actually see it.
Loose or poor connections may show up from merely wiggling wires. This would have given the answer you needed in the case of the first opti repair.
In the case of the loss of spark at the COIL, the problem is usually not the opti. The first thing to do is check the coil and ICM for the presence of voltage and IC signal.
Remember the low voltage side of the opti is used by the PCM and if either of the signals is NOT present, the PCM will throw a code. However, it will NOT always set a SES light.
A couple of last items. You say you have fuel. How do you know? Because you have pressure? Or maybe you just hear the fuel pump? Injector pulses would be helpful in diagnosis.
If the low voltage side of the opti were your major problem, you would not have injector pulses and a code for low res set.
If the rotor fell off inside the opti, you would have spark at the coil but not at the plugs.
Last, it is sometimes a good idea to confirm the probing device you are using works properly. A scanner that does not work may always tell you that everything is "OK". It may be appropriate to actually set a code on purpose to confirm your scanner can actually see it.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,027
From: Lansing, MI via Bowling Green, KY: Dalton, GA: Nashville, TN & Atlanta, GA
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
Fourth time is the charm.
As others have said, a little bit of diagnosis might be in order.
Just out of curiosity, what kind of optis have you been installing?
As others have said, a little bit of diagnosis might be in order.
Just out of curiosity, what kind of optis have you been installing?
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 86
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
accel opti.. my car just turned on. i went to just try it this morning and it just happnedto turn on normal.. that was really weird.. i just need to know why it turned off in the first place..
Registered User
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 2,068
From: Kernersville, NC
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
Also, like BTC said, stop wasting money on the Accel opti's. Go with either GM or Delphi.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 86
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
Yeah I no I messed up by buying the accel opti.. The car wont start anymore I did do the diagnosis on tne harness and wire c doesnt seem to be working the light on the test didnt come on.. And still no code when I scan the ecu.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 86
Re: third opti in the less than a year!
Update: I got my dads friend to come and take a look at the car with how scanner and it ended up being the opti. All the wires.and the seals are in good condition. the only thing we could of come up with might be that the opti got,wet I did was driving it in the rain when it took a,****.. But thank you all for the tips and suggestions. Optispark was the worst invention ever lol. Hopefully its never had a problem again..
