Hi to everyone,and I love to read the forum.Well it's time to change the opti !!!After reading the forum over a year,and thanks for some of the advice I have recieved,wondering if anyone had any unforseen advice about changing the opti?'95 z28 lt-1,m6,stock unmolested except k&n air filter and gutted cat,160k on the clock with origional opti.Adult owned and driven since new and I am the second owner.Oh and by the way,have a friend working at an automotive distribution center for gm only that got my opti for me at their cost,ac delco pn/1104032 for $247.57 !!Anyways,I've changed the usual stuff except wires which i'll try to get before the opti change.Have a low resolution signal from opti(intermittantly)causing excessive cranking and occasional backfire that will split the muffler from end to end lol.Rough idle but for the most part runs pretty good once it starts and is still daily driven.starts great when warm or not more than 5 hrs.cold.
Anyways wondering if anyone had any issues you werent warned about?Is there a gasket between opti and engine?Didnt get it with opti.Will be using origional water pump as it was replaced not that long ago.Just need the 2 gaskets for wp?I know,check serpentine belt etc. and do as much now to not have to go back,but any special lil tip or secrete would be great.I wont tell lol.thanks everyone and happy driving.VO Dave

 

change the plug wires when u have the opti out. much easier. no gaskets for the opti till 96. yes u just need the two gaskets for water pump. use a little high tmp rvt on the opti cap gasket to help seal. look the wires to the opti over for signs of a break. point the arrow straight up on the harmonic balancer and mark the crank for the up/arrow position when u get the balancer off. great deal on the opti. good time to change front seal if its looking sad.

 

thanks crabby,read a few times about removing the balancer.is it a special puller or run of the mill wheel/gear puller?just moved and some of my tools are scattered(ie.lost)lol.might save this for another post but thought i read somewhere about rerouting the wires on right side to make them more accessable.perhaps read that somewhere else.but thanks

 

yes u need a balance puller. dont try to use a claw puller on the balancer, itll pull it apart. i use a very small 1/4 in deep socket (small enough not to damage threads) with a short extension and put it in the crank bolt hole so the puller wont damage any threads in the crankshaft. im sure theres a better way but this works with the particular puller i have. the shaft on the puller almost fits inside the bolthole in the crank and i didnt want to damage the threads in there. didnt have a bolt with a small enough head on it to put in place of the original bolt so it would clear the balancer. the puller shaft would have been to short to get the balancer off all the way too.

 

thanks again.i know i have 2 balancer pullers,and a claw.just have to locate them in the garage.

 

waterpump and optispark shaft seal

if it's the original opti, then spare yourself future headaches and replace them

 

thanks torque.the new opti came with 2 lil o-ring shaft seals on it.opti is brand new,havent changed it yet.

 

ps,another question...is the bolt in the crank a right hand thread?i would assume so given the rotation of engine.thanks everyone,just trying to get my ducks in a row before tearing it a part and saying"ohh sh@*

 

yes its a regular righty. i pulled the flywheel cover and set some vicegrips on the flywheel (not very hard set) on the driver side to losen then changed to pas. side to tighten or use the puller.

 

yeah i read that i think in one of your previous answers to someone else.have pulled that trick myself before.lil tougher with a manual.thanks for the info on the righty.i thought it was.and thanks for all the responses.think i read in one of the other post about putting a lil tube in to route the water pump exhaust away from the opti should it go bad.might look into that while apart.but again thanks crabby and torque.always nice to have a lil insight before hand.