ok, im glad to know that we have isolated the problem.

Apparently the guy I'm going through can pick up new opti's for 120 bucks. Sounds really fishy and too good to be true to me, but we'll see how it works out and I'll definately let you all know.

on a side note ... I can't wait to feel what this car use to feel like when it was running right ... maybe it will be ready by saturday and ill take one of my seldom trips out to the race track