I recently seen a 4th gen (1993 - 1997) Firebird at the local automatic carwash. This car wash has an undercarriage "blaster" in which it sprays water at high pressure at the undercarriage of your car. Remember, if you have a 4th gen (1993 - 1997) Firebird or Camaro V8, you want to avoid these undercarriage car washes. If you get your opti-spark wet, you will regret it. Anyway, I thought I would post this for those who do not know about the LT1 opti-spark and water.
Warning-Avoid carwash undercarriage spray 93-97 LT1 (Not V6 or LS1)
FBN Firebird Nation
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Your no-start could be as simple as excessive condensation on less-than-perfect plug wires. The Opti is not always the problem.
Probably a minimum of $1,000.
http://www.eficonnection.com/eficonnection/24x.aspx
The cheaper alternative is to use only the optical cam position sensor in the Opti, to feed the Bailey Engineering LTCC system.
http://www.bailey-eng.com/LTCC.html
I've been running the equivalent of the Bailey LTCC system for 13 years, using other components, which were painfully more expensive than the LTCC (because when I did my 8 LS1 coil conversion, there was no LTCC).
Getting the high voltage function out of the Opti eliminates most of the problems.
Probably a minimum of $1,000.
http://www.eficonnection.com/eficonnection/24x.aspx
The cheaper alternative is to use only the optical cam position sensor in the Opti, to feed the Bailey Engineering LTCC system.
http://www.bailey-eng.com/LTCC.html
I've been running the equivalent of the Bailey LTCC system for 13 years, using other components, which were painfully more expensive than the LTCC (because when I did my 8 LS1 coil conversion, there was no LTCC).
Getting the high voltage function out of the Opti eliminates most of the problems.
My opti has been knocked out five times now twice by puddles and three times by slush so its probably time for it to be changed and I'm have the water pump changed too so may as well change both at same time. I have been looking online at optis and there always two options vented or none vented which do I get?
1997 T/A
1997 T/A
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Which Opti you need depends on the year of the car - 93-94 F-Body are "unvented" (driven by a splined shaft off the cam sprocket); 95-97 are "vented" (driven by the cam dowel pin). Your 97 needs the vented model.
Courtesy of Shoebox:
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Courtesy of Shoebox:
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With that baileys what else is needed to be purchased?Also would this be a better upgrade being I have the car torn down for water pump upgrade and tune up? The car rarely sees rain being I'm in West Texas. And I'm planning on primarily using thecar at the track. I already purchased the MSD Cap, rotor, and Street Fire Coil.. Should I maybe send that stuff back and just go with the baileys setup? Or Just wait? I think I'm gonna be replacing the distributor as I washed it before reading this post because the motor was covered in road grim, oil and antifreeze from the previous owner and I can't stand that and once I did it started running horribly. Hence the reason I purchased those parts for my car. I also Ordered a new harness to the optispark because the one that was with it was damaged and the clip was missing. And my car is a 1995 Pontiac firebird "Trans Am Edition"
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A healthy Opti is more than adequate for a stock or near stock engine. The LTCC is a great system, but has the most benefit for high horsepower, power adder (forced induction, nitrous) applications. A cap and rotor may be all you need. Depends how old the Opti is. Everyone seems to forget that a distributor is a maintenance/replacement item. Some people have the stock unit last almost 200,000 miles. Others have problems at less than 100,000 miles. Unfortunately, soaking them with water USUALLY produces bad results. The back 1/2 of the Opti, the part you are not replacing contains the optical cam position sensor (reasonably reliable) and the bearing (sort of a cheap piece that will rust and wear). The LTCC requires a healthy cam position sensor. If you are sure the existing unit does not have a worn bearing, it will be OK.
I know there is a post above that says getting them wet is not a problem. That person got lucky. I've been on these boards for 15 years, and I've owned my Formula for 19 years. I've seen way too many people post their experiences with water on the Opti producing failures. Anyone who says these problems don't exist is living in denial.
Then there are people who are actually afraid to drive their cars in the rain - that's the other extreme. You don't have problems in the rain. Not to say that someone didn't drive through a deep puddle and have problems, that has happened. It's all about "probability". Wash down the engine, and there is no guarantee the Opti will suffer, but there is a very high probability it will. Drive in the rain, and there is no guarantee the Opti will not suffer, but the probability of a problem is very small.
As far as the LTCC, you need a set of 8 LS1 coils, and mounting brackets. You need a wiring harness and a new set of self-made spark plug wires. The coils are readily available in junk yards from many different applications - the LSx engine and it's derivatives have been used in hundreds of thousands of GM cars.
I know there is a post above that says getting them wet is not a problem. That person got lucky. I've been on these boards for 15 years, and I've owned my Formula for 19 years. I've seen way too many people post their experiences with water on the Opti producing failures. Anyone who says these problems don't exist is living in denial.
Then there are people who are actually afraid to drive their cars in the rain - that's the other extreme. You don't have problems in the rain. Not to say that someone didn't drive through a deep puddle and have problems, that has happened. It's all about "probability". Wash down the engine, and there is no guarantee the Opti will suffer, but there is a very high probability it will. Drive in the rain, and there is no guarantee the Opti will not suffer, but the probability of a problem is very small.
As far as the LTCC, you need a set of 8 LS1 coils, and mounting brackets. You need a wiring harness and a new set of self-made spark plug wires. The coils are readily available in junk yards from many different applications - the LSx engine and it's derivatives have been used in hundreds of thousands of GM cars.
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Here I am looking for a TA and find a 96 which would be my DD in Montana. I would rinse off magnesium chloride sprayed on streets by using under carriage rinse. Sounds like I should reconsider.
I went through three Optisparks before I found an easy fix that seems to work. It was so bad that just high humidity would knock out the engine.
What I finaly did was I found a plastic clam shell package ( I think it was packaging for a volt ohm meter or something) that was the right shape(about 1/2 in x 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in) to make a cup like shield over the breather holes at the bottom of the optispark and then used the "right stuff" gasket sealer to glue it to the distributor. Now it forms a shield on all sides of the holes, but still can vent. Just make sure that the bottom of the shield pitches downward so if water gets in it, it will drain out right away.
This seems to work, and I can even use the undercarriage cleaner at the car wash. Also remember you have to take out the opti to install the shield correctly and when you do this, install a drain hose on your water pump pressure relief hole on the underside of the water pump.
This should keep it dry 99 % of the time.
What I finaly did was I found a plastic clam shell package ( I think it was packaging for a volt ohm meter or something) that was the right shape(about 1/2 in x 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in) to make a cup like shield over the breather holes at the bottom of the optispark and then used the "right stuff" gasket sealer to glue it to the distributor. Now it forms a shield on all sides of the holes, but still can vent. Just make sure that the bottom of the shield pitches downward so if water gets in it, it will drain out right away.
This seems to work, and I can even use the undercarriage cleaner at the car wash. Also remember you have to take out the opti to install the shield correctly and when you do this, install a drain hose on your water pump pressure relief hole on the underside of the water pump.
This should keep it dry 99 % of the time.
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An alternative to shielding the three vent holes on the bottom of the Opti case is to turn them into part of a vacuum vented system. Corvette Fever magazine has an article detailing the modification:
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/16758/
Obviously, this is only an issue with the 93-94 unvented units.
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/16758/
Obviously, this is only an issue with the 93-94 unvented units.
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Im new to all of this car stuff, would I have to worry if its a 2002 trans am convertible collectors edition? or is it only for 4th gen (1993 - 1997) Firebird?
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Your O.K. Stefanie, the problem is with the 1993-1997 V-8's only.
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Would "Ultra Ever Dry" work on this problem?
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This info.i needed to know.dodged A bullet.Thanks
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No
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Probably about the 5th time this has been posted in this thread. This thread applies only to the 5.7L LT1 V8 used in the 1993 through 1997 Formulas and Trans Ams.
The topic also indicates this.
The engine was also used in 92-96 Corvettes and mid 1990's Caprice, Impala SS, Roadmasters and Fleetwoods.
The topic also indicates this.
The engine was also used in 92-96 Corvettes and mid 1990's Caprice, Impala SS, Roadmasters and Fleetwoods.
This topic should be locked, there is nothing more to ask or answer here. The first post pretty much spells everything out.
If people can't take the time to read a threads subject, let alone actually read through the thread, why should we be arsed into answering.
...it only enables their laziness.
If people can't take the time to read a threads subject, let alone actually read through the thread, why should we be arsed into answering.
...it only enables their laziness.
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