The Opti-spark distributor is positioned on the front of the engine underneath the water pump, and works well in its designed environment, when it works. It isn’t a matter of if your Opti-spark will give you problems, it’s more a matter of when. When the Opti-spark first came out in 1992, it was part of a new Chevy engine package exclusively for the LT1 at first.

The only known chronic problem, arises when the water pump begins to leak and the seals in the distributor begin to deteriorate, or water begins to condense inside the distributor. From the beginning, the engineers had the forethought to include several small drain holes in the bottom of the distributor, but they weren’t as effective as they were intended to be, causing excess moisture to build up inside. Hence, in 1995 and 1996 the Opti-spark distributor was changed to include a vacuum vent to help remove any moisture that might have formed inside the distributor.

When GM introduced the LT1 engine in the 1992, it was a major advance in V8 – push-rod engine technology.

Reverse-flow cooling allows the usage of higher compression ratios with todays pump gas than before. Multi-port fuel injection allows the engine to get maximum fuel economy while maintaining great manners and overall power. Best of all, when GM started installing these engines in the 1993, true high-performance small block power was made available to the public for the first time in a while.

The LT1 earned or actually overachieved it’s specs earning the praise it received. A brief description of the system is necessary. Simply put, the Opti-Spark was a new distributor design that debuted on the 1992 Chevrolet Corvette LT1 V8. This would include all 1992-1996 Corvette, 1993-1997 Z28 and Trans Am/Formula Firebird, and 1994-1996 Caprice, Impala SS, and Cadillac Fleetwood applications. The distributor is driven directly off the front of the camshaft.

This design was replaced in 1995 with a vacuum-vented Opti-Spark. Along with the new venting provision, the second design featured a redesigned cam drive and a different electrical connector. To determine what particular model you have can be determined by the VIN. Take advantage of the information provided in our GotEngines.com Blog, or if you need a 5.7L engine for sale call the specialists at GotEngines.com @ 1-888-344-8044.