Really is a trip owning an LT1

**SlowStee** · 08-22-2006, 01:47 AM

well the dreaded 2kish RPM misfire started a few months ago, and was BAD for a LONG time...that along with a car that didnt want to start sometimes when hot enough, would drain the battery and tick right away upon turning the key..

well over 6 hours of labor into this thing trying to solve the problem.. the MOST time consuming labor being replacing the Plugs/Wires on this car...If youve never worked on an LT1, you probably have no idea of how much a PITA this shit is in the engine bay.

over 6 hours of replacing the plugs and cutting/routing/Zip tying plug wires...the Studder was STILL there...replaced the starter with an LT4 starter...STILL had starting problems (100% working $120 alternator + Red top Optima battery BTW) ...Well I got the code thats been going off randomly pulled today at Advanced auto...and is it the dreaded Opti?!??

....NO... Right o2 Sensor..got home..replace that...and BAM..the misfire seems to be gone

These cars are SERIOUSLY a trip..

.

oh and I think I burnt one of my passenger side Plug wires today...found it resting on the header

heres a few pics of the routing of the passenger side plug wires..

These pics irritate me as I look at them

...I suddenly feel like swearing more

**juicedimpss** · 08-22-2006, 08:22 AM

nice to hear it wasnt the opti for you.
you cant reallly be too upset about the wires on these cars......how often do they get changed?my bet is they were original with 100,000+ miles.for that matter im sure the opti is right there also,whens the last time youve seen anything with a conventional distributor cap even run with 100k on the cap/rotor lol
Yeah its a shitty job to do maintnence on these things,but hey you need to expect it.

**Firefighter Z** · 08-22-2006, 10:55 AM

Hook up a A/F guage and then a toggle switch so you can measure both o2's. Full sweeping on the A/F gauge means the o2's are working, if the gauge doesn't sweep or just stays in one spot the the o2's is bad or your wiring jobs sucks...

I have that done to the Z... My left bank started to run like shiat, it showedthat my left o2 wasn't working on the gauge so I crawled under the car to check the wires and what happened was the wire harness that holds the starter, knock sensor and o2 wires were hitting the LT headers and have actually burned the wires in which some how sent messed up signals to the PCM and made the left bank run like azz...

**DurtyKurty** · 08-22-2006, 02:03 PM

Could someone explain to a Ford guy what an Opti is, and why it's so bad when one breaks?

**juicedimpss** · 08-22-2006, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Kurt

Could someone explain to a Ford guy what an Opti is, and why it's so bad when one breaks?

its a distributor,with "opti"cal pickup sensor in it.

**SlowStee** · 08-22-2006, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by juicedimpss

nice to hear it wasnt the opti for you.
you cant reallly be too upset about the wires on these cars......how often do they get changed?my bet is they were original with 100,000+ miles.for that matter im sure the opti is right there also,whens the last time youve seen anything with a conventional distributor cap even run with 100k on the cap/rotor lol
Yeah its a shitty job to do maintnence on these things,but hey you need to expect it.

I actually did the OTVC setup last year....that was a PITA then too

**DurtyKurty** · 08-22-2006, 02:13 PM

I see. Do these break often, or are they especially crappy?

**juicedimpss** · 08-22-2006, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Kurt

I see. Do these break often, or are they especially crappy?

they are actually a good setup,except when revving past 6500 rpm.they tend to come apart,the rotor likes to break off and fly around in the cap. they are also sensitive to moisture,if not vented properly.
realistically it is a good design,there are not many cap/rotor designs that will last as long as a STOCK opti does and perform correctly.

**UnderPSI** · 08-22-2006, 02:39 PM

Any word on how the MSD one works out??

**juicedimpss** · 08-22-2006, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by UnderPSI

Any word on how the MSD one works out??

i havent really heard much,but then again it has only been out a short time,hard to tell if it will last as long as stocker pieces do.I am still hesitant to spend the money on one at this point.

**WhiteZCamaro** · 08-22-2006, 10:15 PM

Well guess what i have been going through the same crap with my car too except stupid me just changed the cap and rotor then it worked fine for about 2 days now i am replacing the whole opti for a new one and its all cuz i decided to try and save money when i was fixing it

**juicedimpss** · 08-23-2006, 01:39 AM

Originally Posted by WhiteZCamaro

Well guess what i have been going through the same crap with my car too except stupid me just changed the cap and rotor then it worked fine for about 2 days now i am replacing the whole opti for a new one and its all cuz i decided to try and save money when i was fixing it

check the top plug in the opti,the connectors are prob corroded.

**Firefighter Z** · 08-23-2006, 11:57 AM

I've read that the MSD Opti's arent really all that great... A couple people bought the and only got 700 miles out of them before they went toast... Of course they called MSD and complained, sent them in and got new ones along with new wires.

Julian you use the Taylor OTVC wires?

BTW "KURT" I'm on OPTI number 3. I just love replacing opti's, I can't get enough of them, even though I can get them done in 20 minutes.

Juiced is trying to catch up to me but for how much I drive my car he'sd gonna pass me up by 1 1/2 Opti's LOL!

**DurtyKurty** · 08-23-2006, 12:04 PM

So, are the distributors still in the back on chevy's? If they are, thats gotta suck trying to get back under that cowl on the F-bodies.

**SlowStee** · 08-23-2006, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by WhiteThunderZ28

I've read that the MSD Opti's arent really all that great... A couple people bought the and only got 700 miles out of them before they went toast... Of course they called MSD and complained, sent them in and got new ones along with new wires.

Julian you use the Taylor OTVC wires?

BTW "KURT" I'm on OPTI number 3. I just love replacing opti's, I can't get enough of them, even though I can get them done in 20 minutes.

Juiced is trying to catch up to me but for how much I drive my car he'sd gonna pass me up by 1 1/2 Opti's LOL!

I did Use the Taylors, now Im using the MSD 8.5mm

**juicedimpss** · 08-23-2006, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Kurt

So, are the distributors still in the back on chevy's? If they are, thats gotta suck trying to get back under that cowl on the F-bodies.

the "distributor" is in the front.

**WhiteZCamaro** · 08-23-2006, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by juicedimpss

check the top plug in the opti,the connectors are prob corroded.

Yea im going to be replacing that wire cuz it was corroded

**juicedimpss** · 08-23-2006, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by WhiteZCamaro

Yea im going to be replacing that wire cuz it was corroded

i would actually try that before replacing the entire opti.

**subliminal1284** · 08-23-2006, 05:38 PM

If you think an LT1 is a trip you should get a L98 lol

**Firefighter Z** · 08-24-2006, 10:47 AM

OPTI is just located under the water pump.

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