hello im new to the forum and the camaro world. im looking to get my first very soon, and ive decided to go for a 4th gen. i have heard that certain models (yrs 93-97 i believe) had issues with the optiplug(?) getting wet very easily and making the car stall, eventually leading to a fairly expensive repair/replacement that would only have the same problem and brake again. is it possible to put a newer part without that problem in, or a kit? any info on this problem and any way to avoid/eliminate it would be most appreciated. also any other problems or warnings i should know about 4th gen camaros (whether big or small).

 

youre talking about the v8 lt1s.The distributor sits right behind the water pump and if the water pump does leak it will cause the distributor to fail.Ive had my distributor on for 2 years with no issues.

 

ive been reading old posts and thats pretty much what i've found. now is there a way to prevent the distributor from going out, or after it goes out is there a newer version that can replace that problem?

 

Avoid LT1 at all costs. Go with an LS1. I have an LT1, and all i gotta say is that its a god damn money pit. High gas consumption, heavy, unreliable...just get a LS1, it's faster anyways.

If you're going for a V6 make sure its a 3800, from what I know the 3.4 is not very reliable nor powerful by any stretch of imagination.

 

i would prefer the ls1. im looking for a v8 manual, no exceptions, but if i find an lt1 for significantly cheaper, is that worth taking over the extra couple grand for the newer ls1?

 

The LT1 cars are a bit cheaper but they are still good cars if you take care of them. Of course that can be said about any car. One positive to the LS1 is it will have a aftermarket support for the next 50 years so that will not be a issue.

 

I have a 95 LT1 and regarding the optispark issue Chev changed the distributer cap in 95 to a sealed unit to prevent water from getting in as well as a small vacuum hose to clear any water that should get in. However if you do have an earlier model LT1 MSD sells an upgraded optispark cap to prevent further issues.

 

ok so 95-98 the distributor is still in a bad location, but they fixed the water problem. thats good to know thanks

 

95-97, 98 was the first year for the LS1.

For an opinion contrary to that of Amir, I have had 0 issues with my LT1 for the 4 years that I've owned my car. If you take care of your car, it will take care of you. I personally like the front end better on the LT1 cars, but that's personal preference. You can make an LT1 as fast as an LS1 with the extra couple thousand dollars you save, that said, the overall power (read: "with the most amount of money you can throw into both cars") the LS1 will be able to put down more power. Just some things to think about...

 

like you see with tons of forums about the optisparks, the idea behind it was great. personally i like it more than dealing with coil packs. They have never been my friend. and as far as the weap hole leaking right one the crack between the cap and the distributor, rtv silicone, a simple 1/8" straight connector and line lets you move where the coolant drips out so it won't leak on the opti.