MysticBowtie

So I finished my re-build back in July of last year. I've been so busy that finalizing the tune and the last minor details got put on the back-burner. I trailered the car to Ed Wright to tune it. He got a base line, but I was having some sort of mechanical issue that was causing the car to occasionally misfire, and once I figured it out, he would finsih the tune (he's a great guy by the way!). That was in August. I initially figured the LTCC was at fault. Everything in the ignition system was new, down to the wiring harness for the opti (upgraded from a '94 model to the OBDII so I could get a strong timing chain). That was good, so we assumed a tuning issue. After 10 tunes, Ed told me there was definitely something wrong with the ignition or fuel system. I began hunting down the problem. I found a spark plug boot that when I pushed it in to the coil real hard, I heard a click.

BINGO! I figured that must be the problem (even though I had tried that 10 other times), so I took the car out for a test drive. Upon jumping on the throttle, it began eating through my fresh DR tires, then a loud pop, and pure silence. The car hasn't turned on since.

I went through everything, but in the back of my mind I had a feeling that it was the opti. Every check seemed to point to timing, so off with the opti.

Finally yesterday, after pulling the front end of my newly built and shined, show ready motor apart, I pulled the opti. Immediately I heard something bouncing around inside. I replaced the cap and rotor exactly as the directions called for as I have been through 5 of them and know how sensitive they are. The screws for the rotor came with thread sealer on them, and the directions (at least for the model I bought 2 years ago) said nothing about Loc Tite, or I would have put some on, because I always have a bottle handy. Both screws were out of the rotor, and the cam positioning sensor was subsequently damaged. The opti is now completely trash, but I have a good cap and rotor.... I called MSD to simply ask how to fix it, as I knew the warranty was out, and it was something I built, not them. Rick at MSD very quick to tell me it, "wasn't his problem," and I could buy a new unit from them. He said thread sealant is now recommended....no ****.

So to all of you out there thinking that it would be nice to save a buck on the MSD cap and rotor, save your cash. I could have bought a couple of GM opti's with the amount of money I wasted in having the car troubleshooted as I don't have time to screw with it, not to mention the absolute aggrevation of having a brand new, show ready motor not run right because of 2 screws the size of a ball point pen tip, that are of course, in one of the most time consuming spots in the car to get to.

And after my conversation with Rick at MSD, I'm done with them. I'm a very understanding guy, and never asked them to do anything, but he wouldn't even let me finish a sentence to try and help me figure out if the rest of the opti was bad without saying that they weren't going to pay or warranty anything. What a jerk!!

Even with the LTCC, the opti is still my nemisis.....

mrmint69

I heard these issues for years and always worried it would be a problem. It is very frustrating when you do all that work and its something they built incorrectly and you pay for it.

MysticBowtie

Ya, i was pretty upset, and still am, but what can I do other than sulk right? I just couldn't believe the attitude at MSD! Oh well, I picked up a new AC Delco unit today and should have the car running by Sunday. I can't wait to see what the new setup does with decent timing!! The car made 588hp on the dyno while misfiring, so it should be a fun ride once Ed tunes it for WOT!

Injuneer

Why did you install the rotor in the Opti, if you are running the LTCC and don't need the rotor?

PS: The Delco is also known to shed rotor screws, and requires loc-tite.

MysticBowtie

The rotor holds down the reluctor ring. I'm pretty sure it has to be there. I don't know for sure though, I hadn't thought about that. I built the opti about 4 months before I considered the LTCC and the supercharger. I had been sporadically collecting parts for the build for 3 years, and initially was just going to use direct ported nitrous.

Thanks for the heads up, I had heard that about the delco opti too. The only reason I went with it was because of the mitsu(sp?) sensor in it that no one else can get, and I could pick it up before the weekend. The wife wants her parking spot back in the garage! Tomorrow the new opti is coming apart and loc tite will be put in for sure.

Thanks again Fred.

Ben

Injuneer

On my 94's stock Opti, the optical shutter disc (not a reluctor) had a tiny spot weld holding it to the backing surface. The vented (95 and up) does not have the weld, and would require the screws, but not the rotor.

z275plus

Every one I know have had problems with the MSD cap and rotor. I went back to a new stock one and have not had a problem since.

That was 3 years ago.

Kevin Blown 95 TA

I haven't have any problems with the MSD cap & rotor, but I always assemble things 'my way' because I don't trust anyone else to do it right. Too bad a company like MSD can't have some decent customer service. I generally experience really good customer service before I buy and bad customer service after I've paid and need help because the item is faulty or defective or not as advertised..