johnnyw

1995 C4 , Forgive me if this a constant question. Does it matter if you drive your C4 in heavy rain or even in lite rain because of the Opti-Spark ? I always read that don't wash your engine and don't take your car through a car wash, but what about heavy or lite rain or any rain at all ?

mazdaverx7

I had a 94 a few years back and I got caught in the rain a couple if times. No issues were present with the opti after being driven in the rain. It's not something I would make a habit out of, but I think the issue, at least in my mind, was driving through deeper puddles of water. A little road spray under the car would be fine, but its the larger splashes of water hitting the lower side of the engine and possibly soaking the opti that would be the issue. Having a later vented opti would help, as the condensation would have a harder time building up under the opti cap and contaminating the internal parts.

CorvetteRules

Your Corvette won't start screaming I'm melting. melting, melting if it gets wet. If that was true there would be few C4s left in the world. OMG It's a car !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Don't drive through a flood, same as any other car. If you ask that question, maybe a C4 is not for you. .

SJW

The opti won't get soaked by driving in rain. As with any vehicle, don't drive the car into deep standing water. And, don't get near the front of the engine with a hose.

I've driven both of my opti-equipped C4s through some monsoon rainstorms. They always got me where I was going.

Live well,

SJW

QCVette

I have driven mine ('94, '94, '95, 96) in the rain many many times. No problems.

Several have said don't drive into a flood or deep standing water. In my '96 I got caught in a real downpour. When I crested a hill there was a low spot in the bottom and at 65 mph I went right into it. It was deep enough that water actually came over the hood and was deep enough it dropped the speed instantly. It was only a car length or two long and I came out of it quickly. Even with that severe of a case, there was no damage to the opti. I actually was more concerned about body damage which turned out to be no damage.

Also look at the Camaros and Caprices. The Caprices were used by police and taxis. They drove them in all conditions for lots and lots of miles without the opti failing often.

I also had a '96 Z28 where the water pump leaked directly on the opti. I am not sure how long but I am guessing weeks. There was no problem with the opti.

I have had 8 opti equipped cars and driven them at least a few hundred thousand miles and never had an opti fail.

I think the opti sensitivity is over hyped and is more of an irrational fear than reality. That being said I do agree with taking some precautions like being careful if washing the engine, etc.

Good luck.

johnnyw

Thank you for the comment.

johnnyw

You are true gem of a guy, I bet you make your mother proud. I love that most forums have a smartass and I guess you are the one here !

Cruisinfanatic

Do you really believe that General Motors sells (sold) cars that you can't get wet?

johnnyw

I never said that I was asking about the water and getting to the Opti-Spark. It wasn't me that said don't clean the engine with water or to not drive a C$ through a car wash.

johnnyw

You are true gem of a guy, I bet you make your mother proud. I love that most forums have a smartass and I guess you are the one here !

johnnyw

You are true gem of a guy, I bet you make your mother proud. I love that most forums have a smartass and I guess you are the one here !

johnnyw

Very good point, that is so true, I suspect their were millions of those cars made .

Cruisinfanatic

Maybe I should have written "Do you really believe that General Motors sells (sold) cars that you can't be driven in the rain?"

CorvetteRules

Wow, you must love me if you quoted me twice. I also love that most forums have a lazy poster that asks a silly question instead of doing basic research that would have easily provided an answer. I guess you are the one here. Oh, btw my mother is very proud of me.

Mr. Peabody

So allow me to answer it this way:
I have a 95. For the first 6 years that I owned it, it was my only vehicle and I drove it to work (50 miles round trip) every day. Oh yeah and I live here just north of Seattle where it rains almost every day of the week (often 24 hrs/day) for 6 - 7 months of the year. I would guess that my 95 has been driven at least 50,000 miles in the rain (not through deep standing water or flooded streets and not in Florida downpours). It's also been driven several hundred miles in the snow over those winters. Oh and because I was driving it all winter I would take it through the automated car wash specifically to have the undercarriage sprayed down at least once a month.

I've never had an opti problem YMMV

PS. I recommend that folks not wash down the engine and/or engine bay with a high pressure hose due to the age of those first generation electrical connectors however Tom400CFI has described doing that on several occasions and suffered no ill effects ..... so there you go.

johnnyw

Well I'm certain you need to be loved by someone since you apparently never received what you needed. Why respond if you think the question is silly ? Who do you think gained anything from your response ? Is that a typical trait of yours on this forum, where you try to belittle people who ask a question that you think is silly /

detroitrust

Hey, I'm the metro-man version of the C4 owner. This goes for any of the the several cars I've saved (brought back to glory) over the years. These are NOT daily drivers. They get fixed, cleaned, polished, over maintained, and flat out spoiled. They do NOT get driven in the rain or face any environmental harshness.

I do NOT drive my C4's in rain. Driving in foul weather is of course fine. I think opti is adversely effected more through condensation, coolant leaks and plain luck of the draw. Some last a long time, some not so much. I hate we don't have an affordable replacement option.

Now, that said, I have daily drivers that get abused with zero guilt. I actually look for adverse conditions to drive my trucks in. Not the Vette, though.

It's perspective. I drove a new gold c4 in 1984 after getting home from college. I drove that thing as hard as I could; yes 84's would throw the tail out and redline at will. Good Lord, I just loved that car. Still remember opening that clam shell hood to show my dad when I brought it home. He was not impressed...but holy crap, I was spiritually moved when behind the wheel. Rain? Ha, I drove it through an upstate New York winter to ski resorts (Gore Mtn., Killington, Royal Mtn., Hunter).

KrK96Vette

You can wash the motor with a light rinse and Simple Green or whatever you like. A cool trick I learned off of a detail channel on YouTube explained how you can use a Paint Sprayer in place of a power washer for a car with sensitive electronics. A Paint Sprayer infuses air with water. So I went out and bought a decent sprayer that came with the gun and all of the attachments and tried it. Works great. I sprayed directly on the front of the motor many times getting the Optispark wet rinsing off Simple Green many times and the car fired right up. Only thing I did different was used my compressor and blew out the water and moisture before I started the car. Just use a good non corrosive degreaser that will melt off the grease.

arbee

Let me guess.......Gen Y'er?? Less than 20 posts and already two members have damaged your feelings beyond all repair.

Bills17n72

drive it!!