Getting closer........

[Jim Nilsen]

Thanks for always being there with that big smiley face to keep me going.

The car has turned out to be all I had originally planned and a bit more. I have put 8,000 plus miles on it all together and about 5,000 on the new engine and it is all still together. I have a few things to do this winter to make it better and I am still working on the tuning and think it is as close as I can get it for this year. I stopped tuning for the last few months just to enjoy the car as it is and see. I believe there is another 50 to 75 hp in there ,lol. I know there is some torque being unused in the lower to midrange and I need to get it up to help the cruising in 5th or 6th a bit more mpg.

I keep debating about a rear sway bar? With the new tires up front the understeer is not there as much and the rear is starting to get itchy to go around but stays put.

Definately have to put some carpet and other creature comfort in just to make it complete to most people. I was amazed at how many people told me it didn't need carpet and it would ruin the race look. I just want some cup holders,LOL. I really need a place to put all of the stuff required when you go to an event. The maps,and event schedules and the other couple of items like tire pressure gauges and such need a place handy while stopped at the road side or light and safely put away.

I will be driving for a few more weeks if the weather holds up. The salt is what stops me from going out, the cold isn't too bad without a heater as long as you let it sit and warm up the floor pan and tunnel to get the convectionary heat going. Just give me some sunshine and I'm good to go.

The hardest part is over and it took all of the thoughts and help here from many. I still look back what it was like 2 years ago and had no idea that what was to transpire would be the way it was.

Lets GO RACING

[Jim Nilsen]

Winter is still blocking the door to go for a drive and I am finally ready to start to doing something to the car again after taking a break from it.

The list is longer than I thought and the priority of a few are not so much but then there is the steering wheel that keeps looking back at me and I can't seem to get a vision of what I want it to look like?

I am looking for any suggestions as to what the car may need to make it better for little cost? The carpet is definately going in to make things a bit more comfy inside.

I can hardly wait for the weather to melt the snow and the roads get clear!! More updates to come soon.

[Martin71RS]

I just made my first drive in months (due to winter/salt on the roads) felt great again...so I know what you mean Jim!

[Jim Nilsen]

It's been a long time since I have had any real problems with the car and now it is a week away and the gremlins have showed up. The car has a miss at about 5500 and up and hydraulic throwout bearing started to very slowly loose fluid but still works as long as you fill it, strange but it is frustrating. I was lucky and found a rebuild kit for the bearing at Lefthander Chassis so I can fix it before I go. The miss has me puzzled but I am going to put new plugs in to see if they are the problem, I had just put new ones in 900 miles ago and they Should still be good but ya never know? I am hoping it isn't the ignition or ecu.

I am also thinking about some new front brake pads to help out the semi metallics that work well but surely aren't the best. I don't know what I want to go to and am open to suggestions. Time to change the fluid and see if it will help.

Looking foward to seeing everyone at the Motorstate.

[GregWeld]

Jim --

I'd be pulling the valve covers and checking for a broken valve spring.... a bad plug would be bad at lower rpms as well as higher. I had a BBC with a broken valve spring - it drove me nuts til I found it. Car ran perfect - until higher rpms and then it would start crapping out and sounded horrible... get off
the gas and it ran perfectly again. Was hard to find the crack in the spring but the "oil" around the crack is what made me notice it.

[Jim Nilsen]

Jim --

I'd be pulling the valve covers and checking for a broken valve spring.... a bad plug would be bad at lower rpms as well as higher. I had a BBC with a broken valve spring - it drove me nuts til I found it. Car ran perfect - until higher rpms and then it would start crapping out and sounded horrible... get off
the gas and it ran perfectly again. Was hard to find the crack in the spring but the "oil" around the crack is what made me notice it.

Hi Greg, I have the valve covers on the list of things to check under. I had a backfire the day before it started. The thing that is strange is that the car isn't starting right up like it always has, I have to blip the pedal and it starts right up otherwise it fires and than dies, The IAC seemed to really whistle the next day at start up and I was wondering if the backfire did something to it?
We were talking at the local cuise night at McDonalds and a guy was telling us how he had a rocker stud that backed out and it was doing the same thing. You may be spot on about this. If that is all it is I hope the valve is alright. The car accelerates good otherwise.

So much to do so little time.

[GregWeld]

A good backfire can also bend a pushrod.... and that might cause a cylinder to go lean (not opening the valve enough) causing a lean miss... And yeah -- since the IAC is open to the intake it might have been damaged during this event. Which could explain the hard start.



Got it fixed yet?

[Jim Nilsen]

A good backfire can also bend a pushrod.... and that might cause a cylinder to go lean (not opening the valve enough) causing a lean miss... And yeah -- since the IAC is open to the intake it might have been damaged during this event. Which could explain the hard start.

Got it fixed yet?

I'm goin out to pull the valve cover in a little while. I too had thought about the pushrod being bent, I don't hear any slack type noises that are unuasual but the cover off will tell the story.

Thanks for bein there and we will keep in touch, Jim

[Jim Nilsen]

Got the covers off and everything looks good for the valvetrain without lossening everything up. pushrods don't hit the guides when rotated.

I keep thinking that thae iac could be the problem since it still stays in play as the accellerstion modifyer all the way thru the rpm range. If it isn't working right on the bottom end it just might affest the top?

Going to go get new plugs and a cap/rotor to have in case and I can always use a spare someday.

I will keep an update as to what is being done.

If anyone has any suggestions I am open to evrything at this moment.
I know it isn't a fuel pressure problem because I have 46 lb consistently. I also have 13.8 to 14 volts so I can't see it as a low voltage problem.

Goin to the Hotrod Shop to get parts and will be back in awhile.

[Jim Nilsen]

Got the car back together with new plugs,cap, and rotor and it runs better but it still starts to break up at 5500 t0 5700 rpm, it does go to more sometimes with jus a few misses but mostly it will flatten out. I still have the startup problem. I am still thinking that the iac/accelleration modifier curcuit is the problem? I will be getting a hold of Mark/ sumpreme efi and see if he has any answers?

The clutch is just a damn simple seap at the outlet of the TOB at the AN fitting and is not the unit itself which is a relief but still a pain.I gues I didn't tighten it enough or get enough thread sealer to hold up to the pressure. I think I can get in with a wrench a tighten it. Its a tough spot to turn a wrench but we will see. If I have to take it all apart. It loses so very little that it is like an inconvenience more than a problem.

I might take this to the emergency room for some answers now that I have things eliminated from the cause.

[Jim Nilsen]

It's down to the last minutes to get it together for the Motorstate. The throwout bearing is now rebuilt and back in, what seemed to be a leaky hose turned out to be a seal. When the damn fluid gets thrown around and you are just looking in a hole it is very decieving. I was a ble to add fluid and pump up the clutch and it would work like normal which also led me to believe it was the hose. Thanks to Allstar for having a seal kit in stock and The Hotrod Shop for being able to get it to me the next day with just regular shipping, it would have been a lot of money to get it from Howe the next day and them might not have made in 1 day so it is a wonderful thing to support our sponsors and get better results for less.

I still have the startup and high rpm issue and Mark Remmel is helping me with that and maybe today I can get it sorted out. I can't thank him enough for his time.

I have a friend coming by today and we are going to go over everything and change the brake fluid so it is ready for the track.

It's going to be a fun weekend and I look forward to seeing everyone there!

[Jim Nilsen]

It's been a good summer with Cormaro, I have been to a bunch of car shows and 3 events driving the wheels off of it and have continually gotten better at driving and the car is responding like no other car I have ever driven. It has taken many miles to get the feel for driving it at speed and on the autocrosses. I never in my wildest dreams thought it would be able to compete with the newer systems being offered by all the vendors that were not around when I started my build.

The Heidt's event was where I finally got to understand how good the car really is. Coming in 13th on the track and 15th on the autox with all of the other cars I was up against really surprised me. I know my driving ability has improved as I learned the way the car hooks but I can actually hang in the corners with the best of the best and that is a dream come true.

This last weekend at the Goodguys Joliet show I was sure I would be down in the middle somewhere like always. It took me a few runs to realize that I was doing better than the expectations I had. I really never pay too much attention to where I am at in the ranking and was surprised when Linda Jacobs told me I was in 5th place. To be in the top 10 would have made me happy but the top 5 is something I thought was unobtainable for a stock C4 suspension and driving skills that to me still have soooooo much room for improvement. With so much more left in the car and myself as a driver I am still pinching myself. Chris Jacobs and his Chevelle won the event with a 35:035 and I was in the 36: 3's with a best on saturday of 36:265 but I hit a cone. then on Sunday when we were running for fun I actually ran a 35:580 on my last run, The in car video shows me starting slow off the line and and a bit more room for more speed in the corners and straight. I just can't believe it happened still.

So with a few more events left this year and the possibilty to maybe get a chance to go to another I may just finally have the confidence needed to apply myself in a way that I didn't think was possible. Now if the gremlins will finally leave and let the Cormaro stretch it'self out and do what it has in it there just might be a smile as big as I have ever had in my life.

I can't wait to see the video from the Heidt's event to see if I looked as good as it felt. It has been a very long time coming for me to feel this way about my car and it is a relief to know that all of the hard work and perservereance paid off.

Thanks to all of you who have given me your support and help getting the Cormaro to the point it is today.

[NOT A TA]

Great to see a dream come true for ya Jim! Have you uploaded the in car video? Got a link?

[Jim Nilsen]

Great to see a dream come true for ya Jim! Have you uploaded the in car video? Got a link?

I have to sign back up at youtube since the google buy and am working on it, Hope to have video's up soon. There should be some video coming out at the Heidt's website soon from the Autobahn event.

[Jim Nilsen]

I finally got the damn youtube and google account linked so i hope the videos post up.

Here is one from the heidt's event, don't fall asleep like Matt would tell you!

[Jim Nilsen]

Here I am following the Red Devil in the parade lap.

[Jim Nilsen]

I am hoping to change my getting closer to finally there if all goes well tommorow. I got a code 72 on my ecu tonight that tells me my cam and crank sensor were messing up. The timing was good becuase I had just ordered up a new distributor to see if it would solve my high end miss.

So if it all works out I will have the miss gone on my birthday and finally see 6400 rpm again and hopefully for a very long time.

I have been so happy with the way the car handles and how it has proven to be a contender even with the problems I have had with the igniton. I am still on the praying side of it all but I think it will be solved when the old distributor is on my bench and the new one is in.
I will be all smiles and Putnam park will be sooooo much more fun when I can run like it is supposed to.

Keeping my fingers crossed !!!!!!

[bhcustomdesigns]

Great videos!!! man I cant wait to get my car finished so I can take it out to an event

[Jim Nilsen]

AHHHHH I feel sooooo much better now!!!!

The miss is gone and I don't think I will miss it ever ever again. The first trip out this morning was a big smile and I hit the rev limiter in 1st and it was all good. The difference of those rpm's on top is what makes the car. Anyone who is on the fence about running higher rpm's when you build the engine is missing out on the versatility of what they can do for you.

I have to put new pads on up front and do a few hard stops and go thru the rest of the car for anything loose and then get it cleaned up. It is amazing how much you can find when you clean the car everywhere.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone and have as much fun as you can have with a helmet on.

[Jim Nilsen]

Here is a video from my 2nd session at the Heidt's event. I really started braking later and getting on the gas sooner and it really makes the difference.

Enjoy