yes there s a conecting shaft between opti and drive gear in motor with the same spline on both ends. the msd i have has a shaft coming out of the opti and does away with the stock conecting shaft.

 

I get to replace the darling duo for the 2nd time since December. My NAPA waterpump bought the farm and soaked the crap out of the Summit opti.

I used partsladi this time for the opti and waterpump. Still waiting for partsladi to send me the correct opti. They like sending the non vented despite what i ordered. Oh well, thankfully it isn't my daily driver.

Anyway, since you are there, you really should check/replace hoses. it would be a good time to put in that 180 or 160 degree thermostat. Also, check the radiator on the plastic area near the cap, it likes to crack there.

Coolant leaks aren't normally anything more than something to **** you off, except with these LT1's, where the coolant is a actually an opti-seeking missle