30thZ286speed

My car was running (missing) really bad, it would barely pull up hills it would start missing and bucking with less than half throttle applyed in most gears, so I had been downshifting to get up hills. After looking under my car I noticed that the waterpump had been dripping on the opti and the sparkplug wires where they plug into the opti. So I knew then what the problem was. The waterpump is leaking out of the weep hole but its not leaking all the time and when it does leak its so minor that there hasn't been any coolant on the driveway. It could also just be leaking when the coolant get hot out on the road.

Since I don't have the money to get a new waterpump and opti right now, I decided to try something that would be a temp. fix. until I get some extra money. First I cleaned up the Opti and got the what grime off of it I could. Then I got some PB Blaster, which is something like WD-40 but alot better and sprayed down the opti with PB Blaster. I soaked it pretty good from the top and the bottom. I done this to prevent and repel any more moisture from getting in the opti. Aslo I installed a small tube to the weep hole of the waterpump and ran it down past the opti in hopes of preventing coolant from getting in the opti

I done all of this about 3 weeks ago, the car began to slowly run better and after a couple of days the engine miss was completely gone, even at full throttle, and has been running flawlessly ever since. My car is a '97 so it has the vented Opti, my guess is that over the first couple of days the opti began to dry out and returned to operating normal. I think I may have gotten lucky enough that the Opti was not damaged by the coolant. So maybe now I can get by with only buying a new waterpump.

CrAkD X 95TA

well that lets me feel a little relieved...about 2 weeks ago my car was coming close to overheating then it wouldnt drive u give it gas and it just makes a funny noise moveing very slow i put it in neutral and back in drive and then it went but hesitating and running really crappy and i could smell coolant so i was trying to get it home when it just stallled on the highway....i later found out it was the waterpump and opti but when it wouldnt drive i was afraid it was the tranny too...we shall see on saturday when i install the new opti.

Dave88LX

Glad you could get by temporarily!

However, at that point, you may want to consider a new Opti while you're already in there...

Heck just do an Electric Water pump too, and while you're down there do a roller timing chain...and while you've got the timing cover off you could do a cam....

Man it just keeps rollin!

CrAkD X 95TA

haha yeah i have a friend like that trying to get me replace anything remotely close to the opti im like i already gotta do the opti pump wires and plugs im not doing more that should take most the day