Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Calendar
Go Back   NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds > Tech Forums > Engine / Power / Tuning

Notices


Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 11-17-2016, 04:48 PM   #1
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

did my opti finaly die or could it be somthing else ?

monday night. got into my car ( 96 z28) drove to a store everything was normal. went to leave the store about 20 minutes later. and the car would start up but stall out/die as soon as i shifted into gear. tried for 10 minutes and kept doing the same thing. sat there for about a half hour waiting for a friend to come. he showed up and all the sudden the car fires up and goes into gear. half way home the car dies and won't start back up. went home about 15-20 minutes later went back to the car and it started up drove home fine. 3 hours after that drove the car to work then drove the car home after work no problems. had to drive my brother to his job. on the way home on the parkway it started to hesitate you could tell it just wasnt happy but made it home. later on that day i went out again. the car was driving fine no problems then all the sudden died.


i figured its eather no fuel or no spark. i ruled out the no fuel issue as i can hear my fuel pump working. so that leaves me to believe no spark. now before we all just point directly at the opti-spark. is there anything else i should look at or is this deff syptoms/signs of the opti taking a crap ?
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2016, 09:37 PM   #2
FlyingDutchman
 
FlyingDutchman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NNJ
Posts: 1,489
iTrader: (1)
Social Networks:

Any stored codes? Does it stumble or just quit? A dying / intermittent ignition control module (ICM, mounted on driver side head below coil) has similar symptoms. I had similar issues last year where the car would randomly quit and left me stranded one time (crank with no spark, had to tow home). New ICM with heat sink paste and haven't had a problem since. I never had any codes.
__________________
1997 Camaro Z28 - 355 LT1, T56, CC503, LTs, ORY, Bald Eagle-back exhaust, !emissions, Lingenfelter CAI, EWP, !CAGS, BMR LCAs, UMI PHB, Koni Str.t/Koni SA, C5 Z06 front / LS1 F-body rear brake swap, factory hurst with short stick

2014 2LT Cruze 2.0 Turbo Diesel
FlyingDutchman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2016, 09:44 PM   #3
Blackbirdws6
Lord of the rings / 10 Second Club / Meet Coordinator
 
Blackbirdws6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Millstone Township, NJ
Posts: 6,361
iTrader: (3)
I've never experienced opti failure but those symptoms were very similar to my ICM taking a dump. Bought a new one, spaced it off the head and the problem was solved.
__________________

97 T/A Ram Air Convt
Forever dyno queen / 777rwhp 662 rwtq @ 17lbs / 10.2 @ 140

'24 Corvette Z06
17 Sierra 2500HD Dmax
81 Turbo TA
Blackbirdws6 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2016, 12:04 AM   #4
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

No codes.

Is there any way to test the icm ? That would be soo much easier to get to then the opti.
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2016, 02:54 AM   #5
DirtyBird
 
DirtyBird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Millstone
Posts: 142
iTrader: (0)
Sounds like icm
DirtyBird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2016, 07:27 AM   #6
sweetbmxrider
Meet Coordinator
 
sweetbmxrider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: brick/pt. pleasant beach
Posts: 19,341
iTrader: (12)
Some parts stores can test it. You should test it a **** load of times as they tend to fail with heat.
__________________
sweetbmxrider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2016, 07:33 AM   #7
ThoR294
^^^Lover of bad cars^^^ Meet Coordinator
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Whitehouse Station
Posts: 2,260
iTrader: (1)
wouldn't hurt to test fuel pressure either. could be your pump on its way out.
__________________
1986 Honda VFR750 - 89.3HP to the wheel
2000 Trans Am M6 - Mods: Yes.
2018 Durango R/T - AFE Intake, JLT Catch Can, Stainless Works Catback, Vinyl Dodge Racing Stripes
2003 Toyota Matrix XRS M6 - Lol
ThoR294 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2016, 04:20 PM   #8
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

For all those who said icm. I think i owe you guys a beer at the next meet.
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2016, 04:25 PM   #9
Blackbirdws6
Lord of the rings / 10 Second Club / Meet Coordinator
 
Blackbirdws6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Millstone Township, NJ
Posts: 6,361
iTrader: (3)
Sounds like its fixed.

Check this out if you haven't already. http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#ICM_cooling
__________________

97 T/A Ram Air Convt
Forever dyno queen / 777rwhp 662 rwtq @ 17lbs / 10.2 @ 140

'24 Corvette Z06
17 Sierra 2500HD Dmax
81 Turbo TA
Blackbirdws6 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2016, 05:02 PM   #10
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

****. Might not have been the problem. Just went to go drive the car. And its back to cranking but won't fire. Wtf

I swapped out the icm. It fired right up. A little while later desided to take the car for a quick spin it drove fine. And now back to this.

Last edited by wrong generation; 11-18-2016 at 05:07 PM.
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2016, 06:05 PM   #11
sweetbmxrider
Meet Coordinator
 
sweetbmxrider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: brick/pt. pleasant beach
Posts: 19,341
iTrader: (12)
Get a buddy and see if you have spark. Check fuel pressure. Spray carb cleaner in intake. Did you use thermal paste on the icm and heat sink?
__________________
sweetbmxrider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-19-2016, 09:02 AM   #12
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

Yes thermal paste was used. My mom is a computer tech so there is plenty of that around lol.

Just for the hell of it i walked out side this morning and the damn thing fired right up. But this time my check engine light was on. Po372.

Whats the cure for this code?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 20161119_084725.jpg (82.9 KB, 8 views)
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-19-2016, 09:27 AM   #13
sweetbmxrider
Meet Coordinator
 
sweetbmxrider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: brick/pt. pleasant beach
Posts: 19,341
iTrader: (12)
Sounds like its the opti
__________________
sweetbmxrider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-19-2016, 12:12 PM   #14
FlyingDutchman
 
FlyingDutchman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NNJ
Posts: 1,489
iTrader: (1)
Social Networks:

Most likely opti failure, how many miles are on it?

Check out this Shbox writeup on diagnosing the opti.
__________________
1997 Camaro Z28 - 355 LT1, T56, CC503, LTs, ORY, Bald Eagle-back exhaust, !emissions, Lingenfelter CAI, EWP, !CAGS, BMR LCAs, UMI PHB, Koni Str.t/Koni SA, C5 Z06 front / LS1 F-body rear brake swap, factory hurst with short stick

2014 2LT Cruze 2.0 Turbo Diesel
FlyingDutchman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-19-2016, 12:16 PM   #15
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

no clue how many miles are on it. it could be the original for all i know. the odometer had 251k miles on it when i bought it 3 years ago. im guessing iv put 20k+ in the 3 years iv owned the car. (odometer doesn't work)

funny thing is when i bought the car the guy gave me a brand new opti-spark saying the car needed it but i havnt had any issues in the last 3 years.
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-19-2016, 08:55 PM   #16
maroman88
12 Second Club
 
maroman88's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Oradell
Posts: 8,369
iTrader: (11)
check the power/signal harness the goes down into the opti on the passenger side. i just had a similar issue and found the end of mine the plastic was all cracked off the plug and was full of oil/coolant/water. ordered a new one for 12 bucks and its perfect now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vented-Optis...BXjiz~&vxp=mtr
__________________
88 Camaro
95 Impala SS
97 Trans Am WS6
98 Blazer ZR2
00 Corvette
04 CTS-V
04 Grand Cherokee
07 Sublime Charger Daytona
09 Grand Cherokee Limited HEMI
12 Tahoe LT
17 Malibu LT
maroman88 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2016, 03:22 AM   #17
ThoR294
^^^Lover of bad cars^^^ Meet Coordinator
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Whitehouse Station
Posts: 2,260
iTrader: (1)
Quote:
Originally Posted by maroman88 View Post
check the power/signal harness the goes down into the opti on the passenger side. i just had a similar issue and found the end of mine the plastic was all cracked off the plug and was full of oil/coolant/water. ordered a new one for 12 bucks and its perfect now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vented-Optis...BXjiz~&vxp=mtr
this
__________________
1986 Honda VFR750 - 89.3HP to the wheel
2000 Trans Am M6 - Mods: Yes.
2018 Durango R/T - AFE Intake, JLT Catch Can, Stainless Works Catback, Vinyl Dodge Racing Stripes
2003 Toyota Matrix XRS M6 - Lol
ThoR294 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2016, 12:47 PM   #18
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

well after spending all day yesterday taking the car apart and putting the new opti-spark in. and then today putting the water pump and other stuff back on.

is there any way i could have put the opti in wrong ? thought it only went in one way.

its running like ****. i ether some how put the opti in wrong or got my plug wires mixed up.
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2016, 01:30 PM   #19
sweetbmxrider
Meet Coordinator
 
sweetbmxrider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: brick/pt. pleasant beach
Posts: 19,341
iTrader: (12)
Its a lot harder on the pin drive vented optis and I don't think it would run if it was wrong. I would check, recheck, and check the plug wiring again. Very easy to mix up on these cars with the routing.
__________________
sweetbmxrider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2016, 01:41 PM   #20
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider View Post
Its a lot harder on the pin drive vented optis and I don't think it would run if it was wrong. I would check, recheck, and check the plug wiring again. Very easy to mix up on these cars with the routing.
Lol adam. You say check the firing order like its easy. Any chance you could take a quick ride and help me with it? Your not that far lol.
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2016, 02:42 PM   #21
sweetbmxrider
Meet Coordinator
 
sweetbmxrider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: brick/pt. pleasant beach
Posts: 19,341
iTrader: (12)
It is easy, go one by one. I'm on call so can't leave.

__________________
sweetbmxrider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2016, 02:59 PM   #22
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

lol iv got that diagram loaded on my phone. but when you have things like a/c on the car and everything else in the way its a ****ing nightmare. would be easier if i had 2 people.

so far iv verified 6 as being correct. i have 2 more to do on the passenger side. had to remove the crank pulley to get to the ones on the passenger side. trying to figure out how to trace these last two.
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2016, 03:48 PM   #23
V
Stalker
 
V's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 12,077
iTrader: (12)
Quote:
Originally Posted by wrong generation View Post
so far iv verified 6 as being correct. i have 2 more to do on the passenger side. had to remove the crank pulley to get to the ones on the passenger side. trying to figure out how to trace these last two.

If your down to only two, just switch them and see if it runs better
V is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2016, 04:40 PM   #24
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

Ok all 8 plug wires are correct. So much for that being tge issue.

The two vacuum lines on the opti if i mixed them up. Would that cause it not to run right?
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2016, 05:02 PM   #25
wrong generation
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 609
iTrader: (7)
Social Networks:

Here is a vid. Maybe you guys can tell me the issue based off the sound.
wrong generation is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

  NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds > Tech Forums > Engine / Power / Tuning


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

» Sponsor List














All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:22 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.