The bent paperclip version

 

Same here. Which is why this cant be strictly OBDI. On OBDI car, you can ground the pin on the ALDL and count the flashes of the check engine light. On my car, the light never flashes, the cooling fans turn on (thats the sound you hear), but thats about it. The CEL never flashes.

 

What code reader are you using? My 94 has a 12 pin (OBD1) connector.

 

Its not my cooling fan. My fan is wired to come on as soon as the key is on. What im talking about is in addition to the cooling fan. Its a completely seperate noise.

 

oh, all I could hear was the cooling fan.

 

Near as I could tell, it was coming from somewhere around the passenger side of the intake manifold. I know far less about cars than I had originally thought. Im good with oil changes and brakes. Ive changed CV axles, alternators, radiators, fuel filters, exhaust manifolds, shocks, and all kinds of stuff, but when it comed to this car, i just shake my head and look confused.

 

Here's a few questions for you:
Have you checked that connector I mentioned?
Have you pulled apart/reseated as many electrical connectors as you can find?
Did any water get on the opti somehow?
Have you checked all the plugs and wires?
Have you inspected the wiring that runs all around the engine?
Have you checked all the vacuum hoses for proper connection? Condition?
Do you have a chiltons or haynes manual?

Yours sounds more like an ignition related (or electrical), so I would start with things like what I have asked. Then we can move on to fuel related checks. Don't get discouraged. Believe me, I felt the same way the weekend I brought mine home and decided to give the engine a bath before I knew about the optispark....lol...I spent 4 days and tons of money chasing that one down. Your symptoms sound exactly like mine was doing.

 

you can not flash for codes on a 94 you have to use a scanner and not all obd1 scanners will work on a 94.

 

Jkeaton, im not sure what connection you mean. I dont have a service manual, and i have no idea where the PCM is...

As far as the wiring around the engine, it looks pretty much like a bowl of spaghetti to me. Theres wires everywhere and i couldnt tell you what more than maybe five of them do. The only opti related wire i (possibly) found was a little short spark plug wire that went to what i believe to be the ignition coil. I pulled it off the coil and reseated it, along with all the stuff i had to unplug to get my intake off (maf sensor, some long hose that sticks in the side of the intake, and some little plug for something on the plenum. As far as vacuum hoses, i found one that has a screw stuck in it to seal it off near the drivers side of the intake manifold, and what i believe to be the other end of it just hanging there coming out of the wire wrap that i believe to be fuel lines(sticker says warning fuel lines). I know i sound like a complete idiot, but i really have no clue whats going on under there. The engine compartment of this car reminds me of that old saying "shoving 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound sack..." Couple that with the short temper and lack of attention span brought on by 110 degree weather, and im about to push this mother effer off my cliff and into the lake...

To answer another question, as far as i know, the opti hasnt gotten wet. Ive never sprayed anything under the hood. Anything ive ever cleaned under there has been just by wiping it down. The last time it was washed was like a week before it broke down, and i just used my hose at home. It ran fine after that.

 

Craby, thanks for the info on the diagnostics. I just saw a video that said you could use that method on gm cars up to 94 and thought i would give it a try.

Im really interested to find out how this happened. I hate the thought of replacing the opti only to have whatever screwed it up this time do it again.

Like mentioned before, earlier in the day it was acting sluggish, then it was fine after sitting for a few hours. Later that day, id driven it about 15 or so miles on my way to work and it seemed to be running fine. There was a slow truck on the highway and when i went to pass him, the car went into passing gear or WOT, and instantly backfired and began stuttering and shut down. Most of the videos ive seen of bad optis, the car starts but idles really rough and backfires when its given gas. Mine WILL NOT start at all. Turns over like it wants to, but starts backfiring and thats it. Chevrolet told me it would be $750 parts and labor to replace it... i dont have $750 so its a lawn jockey for now