Ok, this is eventually going to be a install guide when I get it all finished.

Here's the website for Bob Bailey that makes the brain for this whole thing to work. His site will tell you what it's all about and the theory behind it all.

http://www.bailey-eng.com/LTCC.html

This is basically a way to get rid of the high voltage going though your opti. It still uses the optical pickup in the opti, but that's it, you will not have the use of the distributor function of the opti that is the usual cause for it to go out.

Here's what you need to do this swap:

LTCC control brain and harness
LSX wires with 90 degree plug elbows
LSX coils (Bob told me that the LS1/LS2 and 6.0 liter truck coils work best)
some way to mount the coils

I found a several sets LSX coils on ebay and ended up getting a set of the 6.0 liter truck coils (PN# 12558693) for under $60 bucks shipped. I also got a used set of LT1 valve covers off ebay for under $20 shipped. I swapped out the used ones I got off ebay for mine since my stock ones where in nicer shape and I used those for this setup.

My plan to mount the coils was to make some brackets out of 1/8" aluminum and mount the brackets to the valve as I've seen several installs using this method. I had a hard time finding any aluminum from anyplace that would work for this as most of it was 1/16" or smaller. I happend to come across a aluminum road sign that was 1/8" think and it worked great.

I used some 5/8" nuts that are 1/4" X20 thread and after fabbing up the brackets for the coils had the nuts welded to the valve covers. I sanded and painted these a chevy orange with high temp paint.



I don't have any pics of the brackets by themselfs as I was just going on these and didn't think about it. But the dimensions I came up with was 17 1/4" X 3 5/8", that fit perfect on top the valve covers. Here's some pics of the finished brackets loaded with coils sitting on the valve covers. I went with a caution high voltage theme for the brackets. I used a piece of the stock coil mounts and then used that to mark the basic shape to cut out and where the bolt holes needed to go after marking out where the PCV and filler tube went on the passenger side bracket. The drivers side I just spaced them out as evenly as I could.






There are some places you can find some premade brackets. Summit has a generic one and then there is this one: http://www.eficonnection.com/24x/24x_CoilMount.htm. As well as the ones that Bob list on his site. I choose to make my own.

This is as far as I've got so far, but I'll be back as soon as I get more done. Taking my time, but plan to have this done for the end of the year.

 

Nice work, that setup looks good. Is that going to clear your alternator bracket though?
I've been eyeballing the LTCC setup too, already stocked up with LS coils and wires. But, plans are on the back burner for now, since I just replaced my bad optispark with an MSD unit. I'm curious what the noticeable performance difference is going to be. We'll stay tuned.

 

cool. so how much is this costing?

 

make sure you let us know how this thing goes in the end, i have always thought of this setup and would still like to do it

 

I'll have about 1/4" clearance from the alt. bracket and the coil bracket. And since they both don't move, except with the engine, it should be completely fine. I moved the bracket back and down on that valve cover as much as I could to get that much.

I've got about $100 bucks in it right now with the coils/extra valve covers/paint/bolts and misc stuff. And about another $500-560 or so to go for plug wires, LTCC module, and misc stuff. So it will be under $700, which is better than the $850 I paid for the Delteq setup I used to have.


As I said above, I used to have the Delteq system on my car and it was way better than stock. It used four coils off a grand am, each coil had powered two plugs. From what I have read this LTCC setup has better gains than that system since it uses 8 higher powered coils and shorter coils, plus the LTCC module has some features for timing adjustment you can play with. I took the Delteq setup off my car a while ago because I was having problems and couldn't figure out if it was that or the opti. I replaced the opti and since I went back to stock, I can tell the missing power and miss it so much.

 

Mine is still running strong! I changed the coil packs to the high dollar MSD ones I got off of a wrecked Z06 last week. Totally noticed more difference once again. I know they're expensive but if you boys can line a set up, DO IT! I just HAPPEN to know where there is a brand spankin' new set that's still on the boxes right now for $200. If anyone is interested.

 

I was told by Bob that the MSD don't work well for this ap.

 

You're talking about the coils and not the opti? And did he say why?

 

Yeah the coils, you could use the MSD opti for this, just be using the optical pickup. But I've heard the optical pickup in the MSD is a lot better than the GM opti.

 

You're not selling your delteq on flebay are you? Someone has one out there.
I was originally considering going with the delteq, and bought a set of Northstar coils. Only to find out the system is no longer, unless you find one used.
With the LTCC, I was planning on stacking all the coils together using threaded rod, pipe sections as a spacer between them, and L brackets to mount them horizontally.The Vette has plenty of space on the firewall to mount the coils, after my AIR cross pipe "falls off". I just didn't want to mount them on the valve covers, but I know Camaro underhood space is a bit more limited.