sconley1028

I have had trouble here and there with my camaro starting up or puttering every once in a while. I was taking my son to school one day and it started raining and the car stalled then after a few tries cranked back up and was fine but the other day I was driving on the interstate about 65 mph in the rain and I drove for about 8 miles then all of the sudden out of nowhere it started sputtering and acting like it was going to die then about 10 seconds later dies completely. So i go to pull over on the side thinking it will crank back up after a few tries like the times before and it will not. Its been a WEEK now and still won't crank. Its turning over fine but won't start up. I don't know what to do I have checked the wiring at the ICM with my ohm meter and itis what it shows it should be. so what is my problem???? can anyone help? I did notice that my crankshaft position sensor when i unplugged it had oil all over it... Any thoughts??

94Z28LS1toLT1

does ur engine turn over man like does it crank at least

KYWes

one word Optispark.

When I first got my 95 Z I had to avoid carwashes that have an under carriage spray because it would cause the car to miss. I thought that's just the way the car was. Soon though my Optispark went bad.

You might try pulling plug wires (one at a time) at the Optispark and make sure they are dry.

sconley1028

I have taken the opti completely off now... The inside has rust at the bottom with a water line where you could see that water had sat for who knows how long. Long enough for it to rust. I was told to replace my water pump while I have it out. What do you think? I am going to replace my harmonic balancer, coil, icm, and sp wires. Anything else I'm missing?? I work at O'reilly's auto parts so it won't cost to much.

KYWes

I would, replacing the water pump is good insurance.

CstIrnFst

No surprise it was the opti, those exact symptoms happened to me about 8 years ago and it was the opti. And yes change the water pump while it's out (I'd keep the old one as a spare...just incase).

sconley1028

Ok.. Well I have now changed the opti, water pump, all the spark plugs, and the wires..... I have everything hooked up to the proper place where it belongs.. But I'm still not getting any spark!!! What to check/change next.. I know that the crankshaft position sensor is on the bottom there..... Does anyone think that could be the problem?? When i checked it it had oil all over it. Maybe it was getting water in it as well and shorted out?? I did all of the test to see if the opti was sending the signal to the icm, and it is. Maybe my coil went out??? I don't know. It makes me think that thats not it since the car died when it was raining so hard. And i know that no water got up aroung the coil or icm... I dont know.. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

charliediss

Dang crank sensors! That sounds like a great place to start...well go next atleast. On the bright side, atleast you know your opti is good right?! Anyways, I have had a few no cranks on other vehicles, the crank sensor is often the culprit. Good luck man!

Charlie

sconley1028

I was just told the crank position sensor only detects mis fires.... Then that wouldnt keep my car from cranking??? I was also told by a mechanic that if it was bad then it would not crank.. Soooo who is right.?.? How does it detect misfires if it is basically a magnet that tells the computer the the position of the crankshaft....?? I would think that if that went bad that it wouldn't tell the computer the position of the crankshaft and therefore the computer wouldn't allow the opti to spark at all. Because the cam position sensor is basically made in the opti and the vehicle needs both to know the positions of the cam and the crank in order to insure correct timing and allow the car to start...

rclearyiii

The cps will not keep the car from starting. Its only purpose is to detect misfires.

bw_hunter

93-95 cars don't have a crank sensor and run quite well. You don't need it to run the car, period. The mechanic that told you this is flatly wrong.

The opti IS the cam position sensor and that's all that's needed to fire the ignition.

LearJet

My 97 has the crank sensor tuned out of the pcm and it runs just fine without it.

sconley1028

why do u think i'm not getting any spark out of my coil?? and the car always and only messed up when it would rain. It was raining the day it stalled on me and i have changed the opti out?

LearJet

Have you scanned this for codes yet?

sconley1028

I have scanned for codes and it only told me about the o2 sensors.
I just finished testing the wiring and everything has passed. It all reads the way it is supposed to, yet when i turn it over there is no spark coming out of my coil...... NOTHING.. I guess i will replace my coil next. ???... And if that doesn't work i guess I'll change my icm... ??? ... All the signals are being sent from my opti and i tested the wires going into the opti and they all passed. all my grounds seem to pass. I just don't know.. I am honestly sic of dealing with it. I don't know what else to do.