z28_4life

So I finally got my car running and have the new msd opti on it. I bought the unit a while ago and the one year warrenty probably has 1-2 months left on it. I've only put about 10 miles on the unit though. Anyways the the other day the car seemed to be hesistating quite a bit under acceleration as if it wasn't as smooth. I adjusted the timing on the opti just as the instructions said ( I believe 2 full turns). Should I attempt to readjust it or leave it and see what I can do with the car via tuning. I have to go back to school here in 2 weeks and I would hate to have this thing fail on me next year, when I come back from school, after the warrenty is up Should I tear everything back down and examine the opti before I head back?

Guest47904

Why do you think the opti is the source of the problem? Simply cause you replaced it recently? What about injectors, plugs, wires or various sensors?

Why did you replace the old opti? Could it failing have a residual effect on something else like plugs?

What about EGR? You didn't tell us what year you have or anything else

z28_4life

There seems to be a huge problem with the earlier models. Here's the thread in case you missed it: http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...light=msd+opti
The EGR, AIR, and AC have all been deleted. I've take a datamaster log if you'd like to have a look at it. I seem to be running lean and I'm experiencing knock retard of up to 8 degrees at one point. Seems to be much worse under acceleration . Car is a 94 camaro z28, a4 to m6 swap just completed! cai, hooker lt's into 3 inch true duals dumped at the axle, xe 230/236, minor head work, 1.6 pro mag rr's, comp springs, electric wp. The wires are taylor wires (heard nothing but bad things about this brand) and the spark plugs are autolite 106's. Battery is brand new, msd opti is brand new, coil is brand new. I'm thinking I may need to replace the plugs, wires, or 02's... not positive though. Frankly, I"m just glad this thing runs at this point. Now I just have to get all the bugs worked out. Another major thing I need to look at is a proper tune. The car has never been dyno tuned but I've had a couple mail order tunes as I dug deeper into mods.

shoebox

That's one thing I don't like about the MSD opti-the adjustable timing. How do you really know when it is at zero advance or retard? Just twisting a screw is not positive enough verification for me. I guess you would have to rig up a timing light to verify, but unless you have a baseline to compare it to, that makes it a little hard. If the adjustment screw came goofed up from the factory, it could be hard to get it right.

z28_4life

Exactly, there are no numbers to indicate where the timing is set. All they say is that it is set 2 turns counter clockwise from the factory and to check it just in case, which i did. It seemed to have run much smoother the day before though...

jasonisdn

it can only adjust 5 degrees anyway. 1 engine builder that uses them , just installs them as is and has no issues. also i just got my second one from summit (come to find out 1st one wasen't bad, opti harness from the ecm was damaged in the connector) and now they ship them with a square gasket. they put a small write up in there about it. they state that now it will seal better , with the square gasket.

z28_4life

"it can only adjust 5 degrees anyway." So then you dont think it would be a problem if I tried to adjust it slightly to see if it improves.

"1 engine builder that uses them , just installs them as is and has no issues." I've seen a couple different scenarios where board members have gotten them and they been set differently from the factory than the specified 2 3/8 turn.

"and now they ship them with a square gasket. they put a small write up in there about it. they state that now it will seal better , with the square gasket." Does that mean that all previous purchasers will also recieve these square gaskets without additional charges or do we still have to pay for them.

Maybe I'll play with the timing on it today. Also have to pick up a can of carb cleaner to spray around the intake and see if I have any vacuum leaks. Trying to figure out this lean issue along with the knock retard issue.

96capricemgr

These things should not be used without keyed hubs, degreed dampers and a fabricated timing pointer. I am not saying it is a bad piece though RESULTS prove it is not the wonder piece many would have you believe. The biggest problem is that people try and just slap it on and even if it is not the problem without a way to verify timing you can never be sure.

Honestly I would either get together all those thing I mentioned or throw a stocker back on there and see if that fixes it.