Anyone here a C4 guy?

[G-Rex]

Mine hasn't done anything wonky like that, but checking the grounds does have merit, as the body is fiberglass, the grounds are even more important.

Mine is a '94 as well, and I have the factory service manuals, all 2000 pages worth. If you want, I'll look through the troubleshooting section and see if I can find anything that will help! If so, I can easily scan and email you a PDF.

The '94 has 7 separate grounds as I recall.

Anyway, let me know. I'll look and see what I can come up with.

[Captain Morgan]

I definitely agree with checking the grounds, as that was always the first thing I was told to check if there were electrical issues on the vettes.

I'd also suggest going to the C4 section on to corvetteforum.com, if you haven't already done so.

[karl_1052]

Didn't the OptiSpark(sounds like something Optimus Prime is looking for) have to be repalced every time the gas tank is filled?

From: http://www.ls1lt1.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78

Who hasn't had problems with an optispark? LOL. THere's two parts to the opti. THere's an optical cam position sensor. This part is a Mistu build piece and is VERY accurate at reading cam position and delivering timing signals, but its very moisture sensitive.

The other half is the high voltage section where the rotor conducts the spark just like any other distributor. This half can also be affected by moisture and also over time the high voltage creates ozone inside the cap that corrodes the contacts.

They can be reliable if you keep them dry, which can be hard when its mounted on the front of the motor under the water pump. The upside is they are not hard to replace, a little messy with the w/p removal, and they are only about $200 a pop brand new from GM. If maintained properly you shouldn't have to replace it too often.

One mistake a lot of guys make is they add an MSD box onto the ignition. The multiple spark errodes the contacts inside the rotor very rapidly. MSDs have been responsible for lots of opti failures, particularly on boosted cars.

There are some nice options out there to eliminate the opti all together now, including just taking the high voltage side offline and continuing to use the cam sensor part. With the voltage removed from the opti the cam sensor section can live a very long life. Same basic sensor is used on lots of other vehicles out there minus the distributor half.

I would check for moisture first, then grounds, then change the optispark.

[Avatard]

Yeah, like I said in the first post, I'm really hoping it isn't the Opti...but the more I read, the more I fear it might be. It's just that the computer's been doing other flaky shit, and, well, it's topside...if that's what's wrong, my monkey ass don't need to get on the ground.

I'm NOT looking forward to doing that fucking Opti...looks like a HUGE pain in the dick. You have to take 400 fucking plastic pieces off the front of the fucking engine bay, take out the rad, pull the waterpump, extract the harmonic balancer...

AARGGGHHH!

If I do it myself, it can be done for under $200...if I take it somewhere, it's like $1500+

Really hoping it's something stupid.

[G-Rex]

Originally Posted by Avatard

Yeah, like I said in the first post, I'm really hoping it isn't the Opti...but the more I read, the more I fear it might be. It's just that the computer's been doing other flaky shit, and, well, it's topside...if that's what's wrong, my monkey ass don't need to get on the ground.

I'm NOT looking forward to doing that fucking Opti...looks like a HUGE pain in the dick. You have to take 400 fucking plastic pieces off the front of the fucking engine bay, take out the rad, pull the waterpump, extract the harmonic balancer...

AARGGGHHH!

If I do it myself, it can be done for under $200...if I take it somewhere, it's like $1500+

Really hoping it's something stupid.

I replaced my Optispark with an MSD vented unit a couple of years ago when I had a leaky waterpump. My original Optispark was fine, and I still have it. I just replaced it as preventative maintenance. I'm not sure if my old one would help much with your troubleshooting, but if you think it will, we can talk.

Also, if you do decide to do the Optispark yourself, it's not "that" bad a job. I have some tips and pointers I can give you that will make the job infinitely easier.

[Avatard]

Thanks, man...I just may hit you up for some of those pointers, if it looks like I have to dive into that Opti.

Right now, I have my kid's car to contend with first, and some FWD wheel bearings I need to do (joy). She managed to wreck the fucking 'Stang I got her, and now I have to coax a little '91 Celica convertible into shape as a driver, so she can get to work.

[Adeptus_Minor]

Originally Posted by Avatard

Right now, I have my kid's car to contend with first, and some FWD wheel bearings I need to do (joy). She managed to wreck the fucking 'Stang I got her, and now I have to coax a little '91 Celica convertible into shape as a driver, so she can get to work.

Don't you love how her car becomes your job?
My team leader at work has similar issues with one of his sons.

[TommyHotWheel]

Is the 'stang totalled? My Uncle is in Alaska, but my Aunt said she remembers the harness being replaced. When he gets to a signal she will ask.

[Avatard]

Originally Posted by TommyHotWheel

Is the 'stang totalled?

Yeah man, I'm afraid so. '87 5.0 GT. It needed paint, but it was all there One or two tiny rust spots on the hatch. Coulda been a classic in another model year. I think I'm more heartbroken than she was.

T-boned, at the left front fender, and the door. The A pillar took a good whack (good enough to crack the windshield), and the hit took out the upper ball joint, so it came home on wrecker. I had just gotten done dumping a shitload of new parts in it too; brakes, water pump, tires, it even had Flowmasters on it. Nice little Fox Body. Sniff.

I've been looking for maybe another shell to drop everything into...breaks my fucking heart, although I myself am responsible for sending my share of classics to the boneyard (but who knew back then?). If I knew some of those rusty old shitbuckets would be worth all that today, I'd have held on to them. Now you can buy replacement panels for fucking everything, and those old shitbuckets are worth more than I paid for my first house.

Who knew?

Originally Posted by TommyHotWheel

My Uncle is in Alaska, but my Aunt said she remembers the harness being replaced. When he gets to a signal she will ask.

Thanks, bro. Like I said, I have a minute. I'm gonna take my time. I'm in no hurry to tear into that plastic POS.

What I really wanna do is trade it for a 68-72. Something with ZERO computers in it. Motor, trans, rear, seats, and a wheel. A real car.

I miss that shit. Fucking cars today, you open the hood, you can't even see the fucking motor.

Alright, enough...I sound like the get outta my yard guy...

[Avatard]

Originally Posted by Adeptus_Minor

Don't you love how her car becomes your job?
My team leader at work has similar issues with one of his sons.

Well, this one's #3. She wrecks this, I'm getting her a bicycle.