What else to replace when installing new optispark??
 

After reading around at others woes/troubles, I'm pretty sure my opti is on its way out. Getting hesitation on accel at random times, massive amount of backfire, idle surging and misfires, and its got 109k on it. I see so many posts related to the dam opti, that I'm just going to put it in for piece of mind, knowing its new. So I just bought a new delco replacement and I'm curious to know: would it benefit to replace ICM and coil and the same time?? I don't want to spend another $150, but I will if it will ensure this new opti will last another 109k miles. Plugs are only 1k mi old, and MSD wires only have 10k on them.

Thanks,
James

I would leave the rest alone and just do the opti.

You could have Autozone test them for some more of that piece-of-mind.

I would replace the water pump if its never been changed.

water pump - plug wires and plugs if they are old.

With 109k on the clock, I'd look at replacing the timing gear set. The lt1's are known for alot of slack with the timing chain, and since you are almost there, it makes sense. Now that means alot more work, but just throwing it out there.

HTH

Andy Schuck

Yes water pump for sure! You'd save your self from kicking your self in the butt later on when your waterpump dies and kills the new opti.

Also, nows a good time to button up and oil leaks on the front of the engine while its all cleaned off.

Water pump for sure. Timing set would be a great thing. If you do that I would go to a vented opti.

I would locktite the rotor screws in the new opti, I had them back out on me and I had to take the opti off again to put them back in.

Thanks for the replies. Water pump only has 15k on it, so i'm reusing that. I do plan on steam cleaning the motor with the old opti in, then pulling it out. Problem with doing the timing chain is its expensive, and since I would be in there, I would want to do a cam, then valve train, etc. Just need this car to be reliable to use for daycare transportation for a couple years... then the motor comes out and doing a 383, big cam, head work, etc. In comparison to doing a header install, how hard is the opti to install???

Well I have a roadmaster lt1 I'm installing and the timing set has over 100 k on it and is as tight as the day it was installed no slop, but long as you have the opti and w/p off I would replace the w/p drive seal and the opti seal. you do not need to remove the timing cover to do this. do a search on here for the w/p seal replacement, its a little tough for someone doing it the first time and really easy to screw it up.