Im with caby, this reads like the harness. And harnesses are cheap, easy to replace. Try that first.

Yea looking at the FSM for DTC 16 it really doesnt say what a good distributor should look like. But once u verify DCT 16 does reset it says the hi and lo resolution signals are getting shorted together for an "intermittent" DTC 16. Reads more like your harness is shorting those signals out together "intermittently".

U may need to verify u still have the Opti-I dist and harness. The '96 and later Opti-II use a different harness and if your engine has been modded it very possible u need the Opti-II harness. FWIW im using the Opti-II opti. Big difference is the Opti-II has a "vented" system which is really a airflow system from the intake elbow through the Opti-II to the intake manifold (and it cheaper too).

 

That's not what the manual says. It says that shorted signals will set DTC16, not that DTC16 means they are necessary shorted. That is just one of the possibilities, and a rare one at that. You are mixing cause and effect.

 

Well I'm suppose to be getting a harness in today so if it's the right one I should be able to let you guys know whether it worked or not in a couple of days.

 

Sorry it's been a while. The opti harness did not solve my issues.


Some more driving produced a code 41, cleared and tested according to the fsm everything checked out ok. I've drove 2-3 hundred miles with no ses light popping up again but.....


Still have the miss coming and going. At first the miss would show up after I had been driving a few miles {8-10} and would miss until the car was parked at least a day or so then disappear until I drove it again. Then a few days ago I drove to town, missing all the way and stopped at the quick mart, I did not turn the car off, was only in there a couple minutes. when I got back in and took off NO MISS.


I've drove a few times since and the pattern seems to have changed to missing from start-up and disappearing somewhere down the road. I've not had an ses light in the last 2-300mi.


Could I have an injector trying to go bad? if so how do I test that?


When bringing this car back to life I found a bad connection between the ignition fuse and the fuse box itself, I have tightened this connection up but wonder if the miss may be coming from there. How can I test this if it is?


The miss itself is a constant dead miss that appears and disappears seemingly randomly. Any help chasing this problem is greatly appreciated as I don't have the funds nor do I just want to throw parts at it until I can get it fixed.

 

If we go only with the code 41, then the ICM or ignition coil are suspect to be intermittently open. So is the ground wire from the ICM to engine ground.

Otherwise, the rotor and distributor cap and wires to the spark plugs are suspect next. Especially since there is no misfire detection feature on your engine.

Can you describe the bad connection from ignition fuse to fuse box? That is a possibility.

 

you can have your injectors cleaned and flow tested at a injector shop. cost was like 12 bucks a few years ago i think its up to 15-18 bucks each now. might try testing fuel pressure just to make sure its ok. also could try having a look under the hood when its really dark and motor is running to see if you can spot any sparks coming off the plugs or plug wires.

 

GrayDoug; Pretty sure the ICM ground is ok but will check it again. Did not know there was no misfire detection on the car. Guess that would explain no ses light.


The problem with the fuse and fusebox was that the metal pieces that make contact with the prongs of the fuse in the fusebox were spread apart enough that the fuse wasn't making contact. I know this because I bought the car being told that the opti was bad even though they had put two on,the first was used I think and the second came from a chain store. I put a Delphi opti in and still no fire.


Even though I had checked the fuses a couple times before under advise from here I check them again. this time by hand instead of using a fuse puller. The ignition fuse just didn't feel right when I put it back in so I took a screwdriver and pushed the metal "ears" in the fusebox closer together to tighten up contact with the fuse and WALA the car fired right up which leads me to believe was the no fire problem all along.


I have since put a piece of tube from a wd-40 can in there to make that fuse tight in the box.


Craby; I will check fuel pressure just to make sure it's ok. Hope I can find the problem before spending $150 or so to have the injectors tested.


I have checked for fireworks under the hood and have not found any but will check on that again also.


Thanks for the help guys, this thing would never have ran again to start with without it