Wanna help work on my bird im stumped?

**camarostripes96** · 09-25-2007, 02:36 AM

I need help working on my 96 trans am, so if u know alot about lt1 and wanna come over , let me know. I just wont crank and i have to figure out why. I live in bell county

**35thAnniZ28** · 09-25-2007, 06:38 AM

is that any where near the valley

**0rion** · 09-25-2007, 08:20 AM

is it turning over and just won't start or will it not even turn over?

**camarostripes96** · 09-25-2007, 09:06 AM

well i live right by temple,tx about 30 mins from waco. and yes it will turn over and over and over , it is just not starting

**35thAnniZ28** · 09-25-2007, 07:11 PM

check all fuses....

**camarostripes96** · 09-25-2007, 07:34 PM

yes checked all fused, i went to the car wash and sprayed the engine off a little ,and took about 2 mins to crank, so got it crank and drove about 10 miles and stopped and got gas and took off about another 2 miles and got 2 a red light and the car just died and now it wont start, just turns over and over

**ATCharming** · 09-25-2007, 08:39 PM

clean the fuel injectors.
i just fixed a car today with the exact same problem... itd run, then itd die. then it wouldnt start... etc.

clean the injectors or new injectors, doesnt matter...

**ATCharming** · 09-25-2007, 08:41 PM

u either dont have spark or fuel... its most likely fuel. if its spark, its a battery problem, just check all connections and wires and plugs, etc.

but im thinkin if it runs and stops running, etc... then refer to my above post

**camarostripes96** · 09-25-2007, 08:55 PM

is doesnt run at all? it just turns over and over

**ATCharming** · 09-25-2007, 08:57 PM

u said u got 10 miles out of it...
idk... eventually this car i fixed today stopped running. we turned it over, drove it around the parking lot until it died about 8 times... then it wouldnt start at all.

**Rhinohuey** · 09-25-2007, 09:12 PM

Opti spark?? I don't know alot about LT1s, but from what I hear LT1 optispark + water is not good. I noticed you said you sprayed off the engine at the car wash.

**RedRocketZ28** · 09-26-2007, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by Rhinohuey

Opti spark?? I don't know alot about LT1s, but from what I hear LT1 optispark + water is not good. I noticed you said you sprayed off the engine at the car wash.

Bingo. Never spray down an LT1 engine bay. You probably toasted your opti man. Also, check the wire running from the opti to the coil. My old LT1 started and then died and it was that wire. Hopefully it isn't your opti though. Good luck.

**Liveforfunjim** · 09-26-2007, 12:53 PM

+1 on that damned opti.. I went threw one every 6months or so oin my 95ta.. Then went threw one when the water pump went out..

When you change the opti do yourself a favor and throw a new water pump on it, makesure you seal it up good.....

**ATCharming** · 09-26-2007, 07:29 PM

yea it may be the opti...

how do u clean a lt1 engine bay?

**Bottesini** · 09-26-2007, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by ATCharming

yea it may be the opti...

how do u clean a lt1 engine bay?

Don't !

Or do it with a cloth if you really really want to. At least that would be my advice. It is so ingrained into me now I am scared to even let water near my engine bay on the LS.

**ATCharming** · 09-26-2007, 07:37 PM

wow... cuz ive cleaned every other engine bay of every car i bought as soonas i bought it just cuz i hate dirty engine bays...

**Bottesini** · 09-26-2007, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by ATCharming

wow... cuz ive cleaned every other engine bay of every car i bought as soonas i bought it just cuz i hate dirty engine bays...

The LT1 is just very temperamental with the opti and water. Other motors should be ok. I am just paranoid since that is part of the reason I was forced to get rid of my 94. The LT is the only engine I know of that uses one and opti. They are expensive and a pain to change, even more expensive when you pay someone else to do it. The part alone I think cost about $500+ from GM.

**ATCharming** · 09-26-2007, 07:50 PM

so how the hell do u clean it? haha

**camarostripes96** · 09-26-2007, 07:50 PM

what type of opti should i get , OEM GM, accel, MSG ? which one and it has to be vented? how hard is it to put in? what do u have to do i have never done one before

**Bottesini** · 09-26-2007, 07:54 PM

From what I have read around get a new one from GM (just ask for the one for your year and it will be the right one... or should be). There are a few guides around on the net. It is a involved process. One piece of advice most will give you is to change the water pump while you are at it since you have to take it off anyways and it will some insurance that your water pump won't go out soon and ruin the new opti.