ninetyfivevette

Does anyone know of this system and if it is made anymore?





This is from the guy's website:
"The LTCC is short for LT1 Coil Conversion. It allows you to convert the LT1 single coil with a cap and rotor (part of the OPTISPARK) to an 8 coil DIS. The optical portion of the optispark remains intact for generation of the high and low resolution signals. The LTCC then reads those signals and uses them to fire the appropriate coil. The coils used are the LS1 coils/and brackets."

Thanks a lot!

Mike

JayH

ttt

I'd like to know more about this as well. I'll be kinda surprised if any one here knows anything about it though... :skep: :blueangel:

Jay

superlund

Cool, where did the pic's come from? :cool:

buddy11

someone tell us more

CowboyNVette

the site isn't working today so we can't even see the pictures now. That sounds like an interesting setup and I would love to see. I am fixing to go with the new optispark that was just designed by dynamic.

ericcer

I looked at the site and it had no prices or other info other than what was posted here.

superlund

Anyone have the link to post? :confused:

ericcer

I got this doing properties of the picture. I used this to back track a bit to get this guys fbody home page where he had the product. Looks like the site is down now.
http://www.dw-zone.com/ltcc/LTCC1.jpg

Mr Mojo

I would like to see a complete conversion from the LT1 to the LS1, eliminate the opti altogether.

buddy11

it sounds like the only thing the opti is used for is to tell the LTCC timing (motor position)

Rick93Z07

This product is NOT an effective solution for the Optispark shortcomings. The stock Optisparks have chronic leaks. Water and oily residue enter the Optispark and rust it's bearings and guts out and cover the optical sensor and wheel with crud. This is an expensive, complicated mickey mouse solution that does not address the root cause of failure...namely leaks.


[Modified by Rick93Z07, 10:20 PM 12/21/2002]

JayH

If the dang thing is sealed correctly in the first place (which is possible,) then all I want to do is eliminate the secondary voltage from that cap and rotor. At which point, this IS an effective solution to what I'm looking at.

Still haven't heard any one that knows anything about this thing really. Any takers??...

Jay

superlund

:iagree:
I'd just like to keep this thread alive until someone comes along that recognizes the unit & knows where the web site or more info on it is located.

I'd like to see more information prior to passing judgement, it's obvious someone has invested some time & electrical eng in the unit. :)

GS583

I have corresponded with the person that builds this conversion. It looks very well put together and he is prompt in answering questions and quite knowledgable regarding the system. He can be reached for questions at the following email address; bob(at)bailey-eng(dot)com Insert the proper punctuation at the required places. //Dave

superlund

I just emailed him, we shall see... :D

Well that was quick, just received a response from Bob. His actual response is pasted below;

Hi,


The system includes the interface and harness. You would
need to obtain
coils, plug wires, and a way to mount them.

The unit plugs into the vehicles harness and uses the opti
signals to synchronize with the engine. The system is
compatible with the stock PCM or any aftermarket system that
retains the optispark. No high voltage is sent thru the
opti any more so it will live a very long time.
The unit synchronizes immediately, starts are quick and clean.

The system also features a built in 2-step rev limiter and a
boost / N2O retard.

The interface box and harness kit is 399.00

Pics attached.

Bob

I hope this answers the initial questions, I have not
visited the forum yet.





[Modified by superlund, 1:20 AM 12/22/2002]

JayH

Thanks David. Thanks Wichita. :thumbs:

$399? Yikes :eek: I'm not sure at this point that four bills is the most cost effective way to go about this, but it's nice to know the option exists.

Jay

ninetyfivevette

Bummer... Not a single LS1/6 coil in eBay :(

According to Autozone.com, they have the Wells brand for $35.99 ea. So for about $700 (that has you making your own plug wires), you'd be set!

Maybe a low mileage set can be had from a junk yard??

Definately a tough call. If I had $700 burning a hole in my pocket, I might go for it, but I already blew the last 700 that was burning a hole in my pocket :lol:

Thanks to the guys that got the information on this thing. I really appreciate it.

Mike

Rick93Z07

It seems a little foolish to dump $700 into a setup that retains the faulty design, leaky OEM Optispark housing with it's $2 rusty bearing and goop-covered optical sensor assy.

The two problems that plague the stock setup with secondary voltage within the distributor assy are 1) leaks and 2) faulty AC plugs dropping platinum electrodes.

When AC platinum electrodes fall off, the plug spark gap increases to a whopping 0.090" to 0.100" which induces high voltage distributor cap breakdown. Many owners of LT1 and LT4 are driving around with 3 or more electrodes missing and as a result, the Optispark cap and rotor is being stressed and building up carbon tracking (residue) from intermittent misfire.

I think an aftermarket, water-resistant Optispark replacement in conjunction with any non-OEM spark plug (that does not drop electrodes) is a bulletproof solution for LT series ignitions.

ninetyfivevette

I definately cannot argue with your logic...

I can vouch for the AC plugs dropping their platinum electrodes, as mine were all gone (I assume they were the originals on a 103k motor).

Here is a quote from a gentleman that received information about the Opti from the VetteNet (I assume this came from the guys making the billet base replacement):

Here is a little information that we have gathered by observing multiple
new and old OEM, GM Optispark Distributors regarding the drive bearing,
it's environment as stock, description and our found causes for the rotor
disintegration problem. Jordon and I spoke at length about this the other
day.

I had a rather long and interesting conversation with a project engineer at
NTN Bearing, (manufacturer of Optispark bearing) who had substantial input
on the design of this GM proprietary piece and I expressed my concern for
it's inherent lack of durability, along with a request for an alternative.
Armed with the new information that I received from him, I now can
attribute the failures we have documented with the OEM Optisparks to be one
of two things mainly....... One is, sloppy production tolerances and the
second is mis-application of the end user. I've read it everywhere..."I did
this, or that different than what was specified", or "we don't need that"
statements. Here is somewhat an oversimplification of what we have measured
and documented. Due to the potentially long posts needed to describe what
we have found, I'll post a couple of different times to avoid LONG
messages.

1) The OEM bearing is a very robust piece and was designed to exceed the
100K mark. It is a high speed, v-groove, ball type design that is
permanently sealed with a synthetic grease at the manufacturer. The cross
section of the races were increased in the Gen II unit to improve increased
durability and it holds a manufacturing lateral tolerance of 25 microns.

The OEM case and the installed environment of this bearing is what causes
the majority of the failures. In the OEM case, the bearing just lays
loosely in a bearing bore and is not sufficiently supported radially. To
compound this, it is retained by a spring steel retainer that when
installed, is bowed across the plane of the outer bearing race surface
which only provides bearing support on 30% of the bearing. We have measured
as much as .018" radial clearance between the bearing O.D. and the case
I.D. Some are less, but that seems to be the main. Add to this mess the
increased material expansion of the lightweight, aluminum casting and the
problem area multiplies on itself as engine heat is applied.

With this design, the bearing moves around within it's bore at high RPM
which not only causes the optical sensor- to-reluctor wheel to fall out of
sync from increased radial runout, (inducing misfire) but also causes a
severe out of balance condition of the rotor, reluctor, drive assembly
which inevitably causes rotor failure. Finally, complete bearing failure
follows soon thereafter.


We have addressed this weakness and corrected it. We manufacture the case
from 6061-T6, billet aluminum which is more rigid and heavier to resist
drastic structural changes as the engine heats up. The bearing bore is held
within .0005" of a .001" press and we completely do away with the cheap,
OEM bearing retainer by utilizing a snap ring for 360* of bearing
retention. With these tighter tolerances implemented in this design, we
significantly increase the bearing life due to it's environment and
increased support.

Just like anything else that comes from an OEM production line where
manufacturing speed over quality is the goal, you'll find some that last a
long time and some that fail early. OEM internal tolerances of the
Optispark are very sloppy, so we have addressed and corrected this. The
components used in its design are very durable, it's just the execution of
their assembly is poor.

In addition, these bearings will not tolerate lateral thrust loads.
Coincidently, this is just what people put them through when they install
them on their engine after a cam change or engine build. Camshaft end play,
drive dowel pin height, camshaft nose measurements, cam gear thickness,
camshaft pilot hole depth, cam gear retaining bolt diameter, distributor
drive o-ring omission on assembly and timing chain cover gasketing all play
role in correct clearancing when the new Opti is installed.

Just out of curiosity, have anyone of you ever measured ALL of these things
before you installed your last Optispark? Do you even know the correct
measurements to gauge from? One should ask themselves after the third,
fourth, fifth....whatever failure of the Optispark, that maybe the problem
lies with their combination and NOT the Opti itself.

Some guys may not know that they have an underlying problem at all, or
didn't realize that they had to check for this, so that is why we provide a
spec. sheet in our kit of the correct measurements so that you can compare
your combination to our sheet. This will allow you to correct the engine
tolerance problem so you don't repeat the same scenario again.

ninetyfivevette

Another alternative which kinda goes along the lines of the LTCC is going with the Northstar DIS ignition setup which was used in LT1 engines that saw marine use. No Opti Spark on those beasts (but probably definately a different PCM and not transmission to control either...). What is involved in that I have no idea, but the idea is interesting...

A bit if information can be found on www.camaroz28.com under the LT1 Tech section of their message board.

Mike