divineprime

I noticed that the optispark distributor isn't really sealed near the shaft and allows unaccounted air in, and possibly oil and antifreeze into the system when the seals leak.

The solution appears simple enough. Use a power inverter and fish tank air pump to push the air through rather than pulling it into the manifold. This would also avoid the possibility of damage due to kinked vent hoses. Sucking in contamination would be obsolete. Ofcouse you would cap off the manifold, and remove the snorkel to hook it up with the pump, and place an emmisions filter in the air pump if not already equipped with filtration.

Since the computer is supposed to account for this air as it comes from upstream, I believe the vehicle will have less vacuum loss too. How could it not?

This would translate to a little more power right?

Since I already have an inverter, I will be doing this mod and will post the results and related video including any vacuum differences detected by the gauge.

popo8

dynaslarks seal tight againts the tc cover

im not sure what damage u are concerned with as far as contamination goes though.

the air is being pulled from the opti...not blown to it.


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

RamAir95TA

You are overthinking it. While it's good to come up with unique ideas a fish tank vacuum pump on the opti will not produce more horsepower.

The vacuum system on the opti has been working well for 20 years when all the parts are in good unobstructed condition.

divineprime

I think you need to re-read my post instead of skim reading it.

Have you ever applied suction to a sealed unit, and blocked off the other hole? Then tell me how sealed it is and stays over its lifetime.

Contamination can get in there which is compounded by the design flaw that uses manifold vacuum to suck air through. Secondarily, damage can occur if a vent tube is kinked, because engine vacuum can cause the cap to collapse inward. It's a known fact not a theory.

It was my design that would push air in from upstream, and vent into the engine compartment.

divineprime

That is quite the claim, good thing you aren't designing these things. Point is they don't stay in good condition.

RamAir95TA

It does not need to be perfectly and 100% sealed. Engine vacuum is MORE than enough to remove the trace amounts of ozone gas produced which is the primary function of the vent system.

I have gone through exactly ONE opti in my car's lifetime and that was at 110k miles.

shoebox

I think the simplest solution is already on the car. I've never had an opti problem. The vacuum used is so small, I don't think you will ever see a difference and certainly no performance gain.

redline9570

I think the idea behind the opti vent being connected to the vacuum is to remove moisture, by pushing in air rather then pulling it out your also introducing moisture to the system unless you put a vapor collector on the feed line. I think it just makes it more complicated, and what if your fish bowl pump takes a dump on you? How will you know? Will you check it everyday to see if it works?

popo8

oh....i read it.


but i see your "that guy." Make a thread...ask a question then be a dick.

its cool...good luck with ur contraption. Yeah...it should be worth lots of hp.




Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com

divineprime

redline9570, yeah the opti pulls in fresh air through the air filter. I proposed filtering the incoming air as well, as I posted. BTW the corrosive gases were the main concern with occasional moisture getting in too. The first designs to vent it allowed moisture in, among other things like oil and antifreeze. The shaft area is still prone to allow moisture and oil in. Why else are we so careful to not get any water around a sealed distrib? I suppose the memebers with no problems didn't have any leaks on the timing cover, but that is not scientific control either. They also were very very careful not to spill antifreeze on it during maintainence I bet. Yet another point I've made.

I also never said vacuum was low that it would not vent, as Ramair95 tried to imply I said. This thread is helpful to know who really is smart mechanics here and who is not. For example shoebox voiced his opinion in a perfect way. I suppose believing me when I say the distributor leaks is important, cause if you dont then you are under the impression that there is very little vacuum loss. How many of you tested your distrib? If you didn't then you probably shouldn't say absolute things, like no way at all possible.

Okay the simple way to prove or disprove it, is by putting on a vacuum gauge and deleting/blocking both sides of the opti vent temporarily during test. If noticable then the answer is obvious, but if not the proposition is then false.
Shoebox says it is not enough an amount of vacuum loss. So why dont a few of us at least do the quick easy test to see how much vacuum loss there is from the distrib. Moreover how consistent are the findings for different brands and hours of operation. For example an older distrib would probably seep more than a brand spanking new high performance one.

popo8, I had actually thought you were that guy too, but didn't try to insult you about it. I never claimed it would give any signifigant horse, but would restore any lost vacuum via an worn distrib or cheap one perhaps. Look back at your original post and see that each point you attempted to make was unrelated as if you didn't even read it. It is common for people to snap out a response without reading it fully. You did this in front of everyone here, written plain in black and white. Your mistake, look at his dumb post everyone!!! In person if you called me a dick to my face your face would be eating pavement, but you don't have to worry, cause you are that guy, the karate keyboardist talking in a way in which you would not talk to someone in real life.

divineprime

Illustration of popo8's ignorance to clear wording, then he calls ME a dick after I was polite with him.

I say:
popo's response:
Conclusion: unrelated response

I said:
popo'd response:
Conclusion: unrelated response, appears to have mixed the two sentences together.

I said:
popo's response:
Conclusion: unrelated response

Clearly he para-read it and responded negatively without even understanding what he was responding to.
Then he calls me a dick, conclusion who is the dick here.

RamAir95TA

You are trying to reinvent the wheel.

JasonD

C'mon guys, let's be cool with each other.

divineprime

That is a very fair metaphor. I would ad that the very first wagon wheels were pretty rough compared to our camaro wheels after several generations. This metaphor is perfect because the first opti vented out the top, then they decided that the gases fall to the bottom, so the vents were placed on the bottom, then after that mistake they finally changed it again to a system that works well as you said when the parts are all new and properly working. Noboby is sure here whether the factory intended a vacuum leak for day one, or whether this happens over time via shaft wear.

I never claimed any horse gain just to be clear, a just restoration of the vacuum leak. Thus restoring factory horse or full potential vacuum. Besides avoiding the contamination possibility, and besides the vent hoses getting kinked and besides an accidental spill or splash through a puddle.

If your distrib doesn't leak then cool for you really. Mine does leak and the shaft shows no end play. If they come from the factory like this, then it is a built in leak that the computer must account for. In that case it would provide more vacuum than stock, but that is not exactly the scenario I was painting, but possible, albeit ever so little.

popo8

No sweat man... the stage is his...


Larry (Popo8) Co-owner
LTXtech.com