Getting closer........

[Jim Nilsen]

Jim (you probably already know this)check your rocker/pushrod/valve stem geometry too while you have that spring off and can measure the valve stem length. Who knows what that stockcar motor had in it with the tricks they try to pull to stretch the rules. Would suck to unknowingly use a set of pushrods that wasn't the right length due to those "special" lifters, especially if you are going to a roller cam.

I decided to go with a flat tappet cam because of the cost. I just couldn't spend the 1k to do a roller setup. I am going to an XFI cam that has good midrange and excellent top end. With my gearing I should be able to pull the midrange through a corner with as much power the car can handle and have plenty of power to pull in the straights.

I had to get new springs to do it right and not have forseeable problems. I will be doing all the checking to make sure it is correct. So far the lift is almost exact to the stock car cam but the spring pressures were too heavy because the stock car cam was a mechanical cam. I was forced to go with the comp cams beehive springs because the installed height and lift made the pressure of the springs I have too much at both installed height and full lift. I almost went with solids but I just don't want to mess with them.

I am most certain there will be something else that needs changing but I think I have discussed it with Comp Cams enough to get it working with no problems.
By the time I am done ,the old stock car engine will still be less money than starting from scratch with my L82 I have in the garage. i just wish I had changed the cam when it was out of the car. I fought with that thought for a couple of months and the voices all around me said to run what I had and see.

I will have one less thing to want later and it should give me a lot more low end and a good idle along with as much usable top end I will be able to get from a gen 1 engine.

I am simultaniously doing other finishing touches to the engine bay so it will be a couple of weeks to get it all done.

We'll get there one way or another.

[Bow Tie 67]

Good going Jim, get that thing together. I have been slacking / burnt out, so my progress had been sloooooooow.

[Jim Nilsen]

Got the springs in last night and am happy about how well it went. It was a nightmare to start because the valve locks had really held tight to the retainers because of the high pressure.

Once I got the sequence down and the advice from Dave Pozzi about the best way to get them freed up it just took figuring out how to use the tool I had to the best of my advantage.

If the rest of the swap goes as good as the springs I will be happy and hopefully ready to start it up next week sometime.

April 17th is the day I am shooting for to be ready to go to Road America for a test of it's abilities.

Still enough time to get a lot done.

[Jim Nilsen]

Just pulled the lifters out and the rest of the story is out of the engine.

2 intake and 2 exhaust went bad. So much for luck. I knew I was taking a chance but I did get to drive it for 600 miles with them and didn't get stranded at least.

They all came out easy so at least it wasn't a mess and there really wasn't any metal to be found for the most part or the lack of material on them.

Haven't really seen the lobes to know what was going on there.

Now I am glad I pulled it all apart but wish I had done the whole cam and lifters when I did the rhoads lifters.

I will never do that again. Live and learn the hard way when trying to save money most of the time. You can't save money unless you spend it all in the right way sometimes.

I have to pull the water pump,balancer and timg cover now along with the radiatorand fan. Another couple of hours should get it out and the big picture will be there.

I am going to get it all in and pray for the god of engines to bless me.

[Motown 454]

Maybe it would be worth buying a Filtermag to help pick up any particles in the oil system. I hope it all works out for you.

[Jim Nilsen]

Maybe it would be worth buying a Filtermag to help pick up any particles in the oil system. I hope it all works out for you.

I have been running the Mobil one filters and tore the last one apart and didn't really find anything big or small.

There is minimal wear on 2 of the lifters and the other 2 are dished some. I didn't even have a hard time pulling them out.

I am considering pulling the pan since it is very easy to do on my car. If I have to loosen the front bolts to get the timing cover off the whole pan will come off.

I should have have put the new cam and lifters in before I ever put the engine in the car. I always thought I could run it it and see and it would cost me anymore to find out. It really did sound like a late model when I first drove it and it was something I didn't have to pay for to find out. I have a really good sounding video of it too.

I have had worse problems than doing a new cam.

I am looking forward to something that will be trackable and streetable.

I was also going to pull the front pieces off of the car to detail it all up so it really isn't a lot more work right now, so I am glad I didn't wait and have it get really bad after all of the details.

I so much keep thinking LS motor !

[Jim Nilsen]

The old heart of the engine is out and in goes the new.

Gonna get it all layed out and the tools ready to start installing tommorow.

I think this heart is a bit more up to the life it is going to lead.

[Jim Nilsen]

Just got done degreeing the cam with the intake centerline method and the cam is right on the money at 109 degrees.

Now it is on to putting it all back together. The rest of the parts I need are on the way and if all goes well I should be starting it up by the end of the week.

I have a new pulley on the way for the alternator drive to speed it up so I have good voltage at the new idle which will be much lower. I am hoping for a 600-700 rpm instead of 1000 rpm idle.

It should be straight forward to put it back together. The geometry seems to be good so far with the lift being so close to the other cam. I should be setting rockers tommorow night and starting to button it up.

Still lots to do but getting it back up and running is on top of the list.

[Jim Nilsen]

Just a few things left to do before firing it up.
Almost made it today but there is a lot to put back together and I am waiting for my new pulley. I won't wait since I can change it easily later.

Priming the oil system and putting the ignition back in and I should be ready to fire it up.

It is late and it has been a long day.

If all goes well I will fire it up tommorow.

[Bow Tie 67]

That sucks about the lifters. But like you said good thing it was caught now.

[Jim Nilsen]

Up and running again and it sounds good so far. It started right up and went to 3,000 rpm and then to 2500 and stayed there. I let it run for 10 minutes and then shut it off and let it cool to room temp so the springs could get broke in too. I just got done with the 2nd step and am letting it cool again to room temp and will run it again for another 10 to 15 minutes.

I sure hope it is breaking in the cam instead of my wallet again.

I might be able to drive it later if I get the grille back in and a few other things buttoned up.

So far so good

[dropit69]

thats awseome Jim. Gotta get out and enjoy the weather while we have it..had mine out last few days feels good to cruise and rip some rubber..

[Motown 454]

Glad to hear its going well for you Jim. Good luck with the test drive.

[Jim Nilsen]

Just got done going for a run up and down the street for a block or 2 just so I could get the car out and clean up the garage before going any further.

It purrs like it should and feels way more powerful than before.

I now have 35 kpa instead of 65kpa at idle and none of the other problem with tuning like the other cam had. All the practice with the other cam makes me feel like I know what I am doing when you tell it to and it does instead of the opposite.

Now it is time to put it all back together and drive it for a few miles.

I hope this is finally the last thing I need to have it just run like a normal car.

The weather was as good as it gets today even if it was summer.

I have some oil to change and hopefully that looks good too.

[Jim Nilsen]

There is a god of engines afterall.

Went for a good drive this morning and it is a beautiful thing. This car pulls really well and I haven't really got on it yet. Did a little tuning to the accelertion and it is responding well to all adjustments. It revs up no problem and the timing seems to be working like it is supposed to.

I am finally excited about the way it runs for the first time. Running is nice but when things aren't like they are supposed to be it takes all the fun out of it.

Now I can move on to the details and enjoy it as I go.

I am ready to go cruising this weekend and show everyone that hasn't seen the car and give rides to those who want one.

YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAA

[Jim Nilsen]

I have a smile from ear to ear right now !!!


I no longer suffer from engine envy. The old gen1 is cranking out some power that feels as good as anything could. The tires were screaming for help and the car was picking up and moving well in the parking lot of the machine shop I visited today. You can only go as fast as the tires will let you and we have enough to get them moving faster than the car.

This is where I wanted to be last year at this time and never made it. Just show to go ya that some things are not always in the order you want them to be. I really did have a good time last year just going to the events and seeing everyone and getting to drive Deadcat was an experience that left me with visions to be fulfilled and now with the engine running good it is happening.

I am sure I can count on a few friends to drive while I tune. It is such a handfull now that you can't even think about tuning and driving without bolting the laptop down.

I feel I now have the car it is supposed to be near completion. It is what it is and from a distance you are deceived and up close people are in amazement at the work. The feeling after 19 years of slowly building the car of my dreams on a budget leaves me still in awe as to how much cars like this are worth now. Who would have really known?

I will have a video after the weekend.

You know it is as close as it gets when the carpet goes in and all the finishing touches are ready to be done.

[Jim Nilsen]

I just posted a video up at youtube.

It isn't very good quality but it does give an idea of how it sounds when you get on it easy. It has a bit more tuning to go before we go to full to the floor throttle.

The title is..

The CORMARO 6

It may take a bit to load for everyone to see.

[John Wright]

I just posted a video up at youtube.


The CORMARO 6

Sounds good Jim......

[Jim Nilsen]

Thanks for linking it up John. It is getting better everytime I do more programming and was running really well at full throttle yesterday. Everyone who went for a ride thought it ran great and didn't even notice the qwirks.

I have a friend with a much better camera and hope they go for a ride and get me a good video with higher quality.

Cornering is still the cars best asset.

[Payton King]

I knew the cam and lifters were giving you problem. Glad you are heading down the right path. Looking forward to seeing you and your car at RTTH