Yes, I highly recommend a new opti in your case..
I have taken several apart[unvented] and 2 of 4 had bad [rough] bearings, all were very rusty inside[mostly the tin EMF shield]

If you want, pop the distributor cap off[you can use a TB top plate screw, with double nuts then vice grip it etc to get the 4[I think it's 4] screws off the cap, and take a look for yourself..
I gaurantee the EMF shield is really! rusty in there tho..
In fact, thats one of the weak points.. I wish they would have made that stainless [like the actual timing DISC is.. that doesn't seem to rust]... I was even going to leave it OUT.. but felt it's there for a reason, so I put it back in..

Better yet how's that bearing [does it spin easily? or 'roughly'?]
If the bearing is rough get a new opti just for that reason alone..

If the opti drive shaft is CLEAN [ I wirewheeled it on a bench grinder wire wheel] it should slip right in.. no force needed..
keep trying or eyeball where the one tooth is missing then match it up.. if it goes hard try again.. DON'T pull the opti on with it's bolts... it should lie flush to the TC with no effort..


EDIT:
not sure about the following infothat I had posted:

Also there are 2 'orings' on that shaft[one each end]
Opti Drive Shaft Orings GM p/n 10474278 [2 needed]

.. I looked the p/n's up and it shows for 95-7..
I thought I recall the orings on the shaft, but may be confusing this with the water pump shaft orings..
I havent done an opti in a year or so..
Had a few pics I thought would show it but it doesn't
Maybe someone can verify whether the unvented opti drive shaft has orings like the water pump drive shaft?
I still seem to recall that it does, but am not 100% sure..
Parts CD does NOT show them for 9394, only on 95-7?[but I thought ath the 95-7 is PIN drive? so there is no shaft?[confusing]

 

ok guys, thanks so much for all the help.


The inside of that hole in the opti is pretty rusted. I stuck the shaft back in there and spun it, I feel some resistance on it, and its not spinning really freely

So I;ll probably just replace it.


Plus I think I got coolant on the damn thing when I took the bottom drivers side bolt out of the waterpump

 

And I was just able to get the hub started coming off... which was good.


After I get the hub off, can I put the bolt back in to turn the crank? Because I had the mark on the hub at 12:00 but when I was pulling the hub the crank was turning too