VtVette wrote:
Anyone heard of this? I've been searching around for replacement Opti options for my '93 and found this on Summitracing.com:

GM Performance 10457702 - GM Performance Parts Replacement Optispark Distributors

Description states:

"Replace your Optispark with new GM Performance Parts quality.

When it's time to replace your LT1's Optispark distributor, don't settle for a remanufactured unit when you can buy a brand new one. GM Performance Parts offers new replacement Optispark distributors that are guaranteed to fit and perform better than new".

Price: $399.95

So, is this just a stock, factory GM Opti with "Performance" added to the name?

Is it worth the extra $75.00 for the MSD unit?

VtVette wrote:
Excellent Bill thanks for the great advice! As well as being vented I understand that the MSD unit uses a real bearing, one piece aluminum housing (never heard of an Opti housing being an issue but, can't hurt being a sturdier unit) and as you mentioned O-ring construction.

I'm looking more for reliability/durability than any performance gain.

I have been reading with interest the various opti-elimination kit's available but, I would like to keep my car as stock appearing as possible (at least for now).

I noticed thepartsladi has OEM AC/Delco Opti's for $290- but, as you mentioned my '93 is not vented and I realize the OE unit will not be vented either.

I wonder the difference between thepartsladi's $290 unit and the Summit "GM PERFORMANCE" part which is $100 more?

Thanks again Bill,

bogus wrote:
The that opti exploded at a seen 3250 RPM.

How does install error cause that? If the unit was attached to the engine properly, what more is expected of the consumer on a presumably sealed unit?

bogus wrote:
that's wild. I didn't think that the opti would fit properly like that.

BillH wrote:
Jon (Spectator) has had problems with the MSD but he's runing it at redline on every shift. For the street, it's a good product.

VetteMed wrote:
A word of caution about purchasing from the Partsladi... I purchased a ZR-1 dual fuel pump assembly from them, supposedly a new AC Delco part. The item was Made in China, and it died 2 months and 150 miles after installation. Because I did not have the original box, they would not do a damned thing for me. I don't know how many of you save boxes for parts that are installed and appear to be operational, but this put a real bad taste in my mouth, and I will not give them any more business. I have spoken to folks in the know about ACDelco/Gm Parts issues, including a GM parts counterperson with 20+ years of experience, and it's BS. THe Box is not required for warranty returns, the Partsladi guys are simply not interested in providing warranty service for parts they sell.

Consider yourselves warned...

VetteMed wrote:
A word of caution about purchasing from the Partsladi... I purchased a ZR-1 dual fuel pump assembly from them, supposedly a new AC Delco part. The item was Made in China, and it died 2 months and 150 miles after installation. Because I did not have the original box, they would not do a damned thing for me. I don't know how many of you save boxes for parts that are installed and appear to be operational, but this put a real bad taste in my mouth, and I will not give them any more business. I have spoken to folks in the know about ACDelco/Gm Parts issues, including a GM parts counterperson with 20+ years of experience, and it's BS. THe Box is not required for warranty returns, the Partsladi guys are simply not interested in providing warranty service for parts they sell.

Consider yourselves warned...

SpectatorRacing wrote:
Come on, guys, seriously? Every one of the MSD parts I've ordered in the past year had "Made in China" stamped on the part. If everybody's favorite brand is Chinese made what makes you think the cheaper alternative isn't?

However, I don't know anything about thepartsladi, so her customer service is a separate topic.

SpectatorRacing wrote:
Come on, guys, seriously? Every one of the MSD parts I've ordered in the past year had "Made in China" stamped on the part. If everybody's favorite brand is Chinese made what makes you think the cheaper alternative isn't?

BrianCunningham wrote:
I've dealt with Chinese manufacturers, the only way to keep quality up is to have someone over there.

SpectatorRacing wrote:
The internet has created this issue in the aftermarket. Poeple call the local shop, get a recommendation, then search online for a cheaper price. Local shop goes out of business.

There's no money in being a specialist anymore, nobody is willing to pay a penny more for experience and local help. They buy the cheapest, then they get on forums and bitch when it fails. I hope the $5 saved was worth it.

That's one of the reasons I was so irritated by the Banski threads the other day. Tom is trying to be there for us, in our time own zone, for a product with a piss-poor market and even less profit margin. And he gets crucified for it. I'd pay more for the ability to call him if I had an issue...

i can't single handedly save small businesses, but I can do my part.

There's no money in being a specialist anymore, nobody is willing to pay a penny more for experience and local help. They buy the cheapest, then they get on forums and bitch when it fails. I hope the $5 saved was worth it.

SpectatorRacing wrote:
Welcome back, Casey. If you are back, that is

Aboatguy wrote:
Casey ,I didn't get US part it was hecho en Mexico

Matak Wrote
PS - welcome back, Casey!

BillH wrote:
The whole "Made in China" thing has been overblown for years and years.

It's all about greed both from manufacturers and the public.

"We want cheap $25 brake rotors, Wah, Wah Wah" so someone gets them made in China and sells them for $25. Then you hear "These Chinese rotors are cheap crap"

Granted, there's a lot of inferior products coming out of China but that's because of greed not because the Chinese can't build quality parts.

Hell, my company has had factories in China for over 20 years building electronics.
The difference is that my company demanded "US" quality and that's what we got. We didn't have any problems with the product coming out of China.

SpectatorRacing wrote:
The internet has created this issue in the aftermarket. Poeple call the local shop, get a recommendation, then search online for a cheaper price. Local shop goes out of business.

There's no money in being a specialist anymore, nobody is willing to pay a penny more for experience and local help. They buy the cheapest, then they get on forums and bitch when it fails. I hope the $5 saved was worth it.

That's one of the reasons I was so irritated by the Banski threads the other day. Tom is trying to be there for us, in our own time zone, for a product with a piss-poor market and even less profit margin. And he gets crucified for it. I'd pay more for the ability to call him if I had an issue...

i can't single handedly save small businesses, but I can do my part.

Aboatguy wrote:

I agree with you...However, I go out of my way to support local/US businesses...

Last week I had to jam my impala back together (I pulled the heads IOT fix an exhaust leak and instead of going to Auto zone or the JEG/SUMMIT add your favorite internet company for the gaskets. However, I had the machinist the removed all the broken bolts provide the gaskets.....long story short...price wasn't bad and I ended up with all Victor Rienz made in USA gaskets...
I had to jam the car back together since I had an unscheduled trip (had to fly out on Sunday) and a probable unscheduled deployment...Otherwise I would have installed some aluminum heads and a cam(AI)


I'd keep the 160K factory opti no matter what...however, I have a spare opti (recent parts ladi opti) on the shelf in case the old one ever gives out and it is not from asia....I believe its hecho en mexico just like the GM wipers from my local chevy dealer. The parts ladi is actually not a Ladi but a GM dealer....

Oh I actually looked into LTCC and Delteq for my Vette back when I first started modding and two different tuners told me to stick with the GM OPTI.....
Mike

CasetheCorvetteman wrote:
Mike i got told the same thing about staying with the optispark, as you know i didnt have an issue with mine either, and it went a shade over 170,000 miles before i put in the MSD i had sitting there for about 18 months. I opened up the factory original optispark and it was prettymuch perfectly fine. The car ran no different with the MSD.

I think the vast majority of the parts i bought for my Corvettes over the 11 years i had them were either made in Mexico, or made in China. I ended up buying some new O2 sensors here in Australia cause no one in America could get the genuine US made ones anymore. My MSD distributor was made in the USA so it said on the box, MSD Blaster coil was made in China, it replaced a Chinese made AC Delco that was still working fine and went in the spares box.

I didnt think you could buy an AC Delco part still made in the USA....

bogus wrote:
Quote:

BillH wrote:
The whole "Made in China" thing has been overblown for years and years.

It's all about greed both from manufacturers and the public.

"We want cheap $25 brake rotors, Wah, Wah Wah" so someone gets them made in China and sells them for $25. Then you hear "These Chinese rotors are cheap crap"

Granted, there's a lot of inferior products coming out of China but that's because of greed not because the Chinese can't build quality parts.

Hell, my company has had factories in China for over 20 years building electronics.
The difference is that my company demanded "US" quality and that's what we got. We didn't have any problems with the product coming out of China.

you are reading my mind. That has been my contention for years. The Chinese are not entirely the fault; the problem is the foreign companies that don't want to spend jack on the product. China has let this happen; and it has about ruined their reputation. It will take years to recover from this.

BillH wrote:
Quote:

bogus wrote:
Quote:

BillH wrote:
The whole "Made in China" thing has been overblown for years and years.

It's all about greed both from manufacturers and the public.

"We want cheap $25 brake rotors, Wah, Wah Wah" so someone gets them made in China and sells them for $25. Then you hear "These Chinese rotors are cheap crap"

Granted, there's a lot of inferior products coming out of China but that's because of greed not because the Chinese can't build quality parts.

Hell, my company has had factories in China for over 20 years building electronics.
The difference is that my company demanded "US" quality and that's what we got. We didn't have any problems with the product coming out of China.

you are reading my mind. That has been my contention for years. The Chinese are not entirely the fault; the problem is the foreign companies that don't want to spend jack on the product. China has let this happen; and it has about ruined their reputation. It will take years to recover from this.

I've been around long enough to remember "Jap Crap". That didn't last all that long, relitively. The Chinese chit won't last that long either.
Then people will be bitchin' about how crappy the $25 rotors are that they got from Africa,etc.

VtVette wrote:
Hi Case it's great to hear from you, even if just in passing!!!

bogus wrote:
Quote:

Aboatguy wrote:

I agree with you...However, I go out of my way to support local/US businesses...

Last week I had to jam my impala back together (I pulled the heads IOT fix an exhaust leak and instead of going to Auto zone or the JEG/SUMMIT add your favorite internet company for the gaskets. However, I had the machinist the removed all the broken bolts provide the gaskets.....long story short...price wasn't bad and I ended up with all Victor Rienz made in USA gaskets...
I had to jam the car back together since I had an unscheduled trip (had to fly out on Sunday) and a probable unscheduled deployment...Otherwise I would have installed some aluminum heads and a cam(AI)


I'd keep the 160K factory opti no matter what...however, I have a spare opti (recent parts ladi opti) on the shelf in case the old one ever gives out and it is not from asia....I believe its hecho en mexico just like the GM wipers from my local chevy dealer. The parts ladi is actually not a Ladi but a GM dealer....

Oh I actually looked into LTCC and Delteq for my Vette back when I first started modding and two different tuners told me to stick with the GM OPTI.....
Mike

However, I would like to know the tuners reason for avoiding the LTCC? Is it based on fact or a lack of understanding? I have LTCC and have had it for 6 years... no issues.

bogus wrote:
Interesting...

my take would be a little different. I don't expect performance improvements. I expect improvements in durability and reliability.

Aboatguy wrote:


Let us know when it hits 160,000 miles when it will be tied with the current mileage on the opti on my Impala and I'll post the then current mileage on the OPTI in the Impala.

Cheers

CasetheCorvetteman wrote:
Here it is, knew i had one here ;)

[IMG]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a185/Casethecorvetteman/coopers-1.jpg[/IMG]

Aboatguy wrote:

Aboatguy wrote:

Thanks Mate here's one for you.


[IMG]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a342/aboatguy/johnny_walker_king_george_v_edition.jpg[/IMG]