ok so my 97 z28 has had some issues recently like needing a new water pump. i went ahead and replaced the pump but not the opti since im low on cash. then i figured i would smell some burn off. i did. for about 1 day. then just recently i noticed on a cold *** night that there was some smoke coming out near the headlights. smelled it and smelled funny. now i am worried i may have a blown head gasket. earlier that day i opened and checked the coolant and it was full and fine but some burbled out everywhere then i hosed down the engine to get some dirt off, am i just paranoid? it leaks about a cup of oil a day or less as well also it hesitates pretty bad 1200 rpms to about 2000 any gear. related? last time it got hot was about 3 weeks or more ago. no smoke from pipes or funny color in oil. also no ticking or nothing. would i know right away if something was wrong?

 

check for a radiator or coolant hose leak. sounds like the opti didnt like being hosed down and may b failing.

 

ok one of the hoses right in front was starting to get a little old and dry might be leaking a tiny bit i suppose. and yeah i figured opti wasnt happy. god knows when the plugs have been changed. ugh, i need money... whens payday. i just checked all the fluids and all is well. just worried.

 

ok. yah change plugs first. mine were not that bad looking and the car wouldnt run. changed plugs and ran like a champ. surpised the heck outa me.

 

your post says the car leaks about a cup of oil per day, maybe less. Even if it leaks 16oz per week or 2.3 oz per day that is still a lot. Also, you said 1 hose seems old. i challenge you to give it a real hard looksee, there will be others.

So, you know you are driving on borrowed time. A couple gallons of antifreeze at Wal mart are $10 each for the full strength which yields 4 gallons of 50/50. A few feet of hose is less than $20. A couple new formed radiator hoses are $10-$14 each.

check to see where the oil is leaking. if it's from the front, then it's probably a seal and you can get a timing cover gasket set for about $11.

plugs are $2 each for ngk tr-55's

so

$16 plugs
$20 antifreeze
$44 new hoses
$11 timing cover gasket set (with seals)

$91 whopping dollars

do you really think you should press your luck over $91?

One burst hose will yield one $250 optispark. Plus, you'll be broken down on the side of the road.

Oil will also make its way into the opti.

 

you are absolutley right, pay day is wensday. but i will have to do them myself... fun. see i can show your post to my wife and convince her we should fix those things first.

 

I would bet you are grossly over estimating the amount of oil loss. A cup of oil will make a puddle about 18" in diameter after sitting for an hour or so.

If you are really losing that much oil, that is a big problem and would be the first thing I would fix. Lack of oil will take out more expensive parts than getting the opti wet.

Definitely find the source of your oil loss. You are either burning it, leaking it, or it is getting somewhere it shouldn't.

It does sound like the opti is getting weak. Mine would hesitate and stutter at about 1200-1500 rpms, especially under a load. I don't know for sure if it was the opti though as I replaced the opti, coil, plugs and wires all at the same time. I just didn't want to tear into the thing again for a while.

 

nvm its not a cup, over exaggerated. maybe a drop an hour. most likely manifold seal. its not so bad. but i will fix everything in due time. i will fix the hose, easy. and get the plugs changed this wens day. see how she runs then i will dig deep, with opti wires and other stuff. how hard is it to change a manifold seal?

 

don't assume the leak is from the intake until you verify. When the car is cool, climb onto that engine and give it a big ole hug and while doing that, feel in the back for oil. Also, put it up on ramps or on jack stnads and slide underneat and look to see if the oil is from the front.

If you see the oil is from the rear, don't assume it's the intake. It could also be the rear main seal which is not what you want to hear.

You need to check closely

 

[QUOTE=Grandpaswagon;422053



It does sound like the opti is getting weak. Mine would hesitate and stutter at about 1200-1500 rpms, especially under a load. I don't know for sure if it was the opti though as I replaced the opti, coil, plugs and wires all at the same time. I just didn't want to tear into the thing again for a while.[/QUOTE]


the above flies in the face of good practices but how true it is. Because of the design of the 4th gen and the LT1, we do tend to replace items simply because we're already there and it's a PITA to have to go back in.