Getting closer........

[Jim Nilsen]

Hey Jim, glad your day went well. Who was your instructor? You do find out those little problems a lot quicker when you run a track day. Back in 07 I had 60 miles on the car when I went up to RA for the MFBA event. I quickly found the need for a remote breather tank and found out that Baer's recommendations for adjusting the proportioning valve were way off for my car.

Enjoy tomorrow. See you in a couple of weeks.

Charlie is my instructor, can't remeber his last name right now.
I was lucky enough to talk to Jeff Schwartz on wed and he talked about making sure my brakes were realy bedded in and I had the chance to really set my bias and I had to take some out of the rear which would have been a bad thing for my car with no rear swaybar.

I have to think about a vacuum scavenge from what I can tell but it may be ok.

I have learned that I need to locktite everything because the car wants to shed the bolts for less weight,lol.

I have a bunch of stuff to address and may pass on my 1st run to make sure everything is good but I think I can get it ready before if the drivers meeting goes faster today.

Thanks for the deal on the spot, it will really help me in 2 weeks.

[Jim Nilsen]

I wish I had good news all around but I don't.

I had a blast on the track and the car ran like noone would have ever believed it would. It sticks like you would hope for and it had enough power to keep up and chase down C5's. I couldn't believe how it was doing and the instructor was more than impressed. The crowd of people around my car throughout the weekend was amazing. I felt proud considering it still needed to get finished in a few areas.

It is as much my fault as it was the the instructors for what happened and it could have as easily happened to me at least I keep telling myself that to feel better. I was lifting a lot on saturday to let the fuel pressure catch up when it lost pressure but the instructor was concentrating on the track and when I saw 10lb of pressure and he still had his foot in it the car obviously went lean and cracked the piston or that is what we though might have happened? but it didn't seem like it was that bad because it still ran. He thought I could make it home but I made it 75 miles which was 1/2 way before it let go. I figured broke was broke and it couldn't get worse than that. Now I am hoping the cam and lifters are still ok. The top end is probably still all good it seems, I will be taking a look in a bit to assess the whole amout of damage.

I learned a very valuable lesson and so did the instructor. Never drive someone elses car or let someone drive your car when it is having a problem like fuel pressure. I think I could have made it thru the weekend with it and fixed the tank when I got back so it would be good but I didn't speak soon enough to get his foot out of it in time.

I keep thinking now that the engine has been possesed from the day it was built.I have never told the whole story about the engine but figure it is time since it is coming out and never going back in and the reasoning about it all might not seem right for what I went thru.

I got this engine from my childhood next door neighbor who's son had just had it out racing for a time or two and was told by his wife she wanted a divorce. The kid then decided to take his own life over it all. Now I wonder if it wasn't the engine that had possesed him becuase it had given me thoughts like that several times when it was having problems but with what I have been thru I just wouldn't go there and persevered. Watch the moving the Shining and you might understand.LOL. I was sold this engine for $500 which had 3,500 worth of parts and labor in it along with a full clutch and bellhousing. It was really a good deal or so it seemed. I did everything a guy could do to try and get it to go and make good use of it. It seems that no matter what I have done to it the upgrades didn't work with it. I finally thought it was going to be alright once the cam,lifters and springs were in and it came to life like a real engine. It is a sad thing that it was running so well after all I went thru and now this. It did have some oil blow by but nothing a guy couldn't live with.The time it went to 10:1 A/F ratio it probably washed the cylinders and wiped out the oil rings a bit but it was livable. I had finally accomplished the goal of getting it together and tuning it myself to run really good. I was very happy with the way it finally ran and what I had achieved. Now it is all going to be history.

So there you have the history of the engine possesed and why I tried so hard to get it to run. My old neighbor was really happy to see his sons engine run. I am not usually a sentimental kind of guy but it was something I tried to do.

Now I am going to pray that the new cam and lifters are still good and will work in the L82 engine I was intending to use from the very beginning. It is ironic that my website for the car says it was going to have the Corvette engine in it and not the stock car engine.

Could it be that the car just wants to be all Corvette driveline? Do cars have a way with there own destiny?

I am going to try and put the thing back together in record time to make the May 1st event at Road America again. I have had a lot of experience taking it all apart and putting it back together again.

I know you guys have me in your prayers all of the time and if you can keep them going it sure wouldn't hurt.

Thanks for listening and I will post up the pics I bought from the track photograher with the money I saved on gas for the afternoon I couldn't go out and drive.

May the engine and my neighbors son finally rest in peace together.

[wmhjr]

Wow Jim - what a weekend you've had. Keep your chin up!

[Van B]

That really sucks Jim. Sounds like you may already have the parts to fix it but will probably have to go through and make a new tune for it. Hope to see you in two weeks.

Hell, I hope I am there in two weeks. My car was torn apart today to install the ridetech rear suspension. My fab guy swears I will have it back in time.

[Jim Nilsen]

Thanks for the support guy's. I just pulled the valve covers for the last time on this engine and found 1 rocker that was just a bit loose, it is not a good sign that the cam and lifters are ALL ok. I am kicking myself for listening to another person for advice again. The only consolation is that the tow cost me less because I made it 1/2 way home. I saved enough to buy another cam and some lifters from the quotes to get it home. $2.75 to $3.00 a mile plus $75 for showing up was the average. I don't know anyone with a trailer and kick myself for not leaving it at the track and looking for someone to help. I just wanted to get the car home. The towing company only charged me $260 and the driver was the best you could ever hope for, He took really good care of my car and di everything he could to not get a scratch on it and he succeeded.

Jeff, as far as the tune for the new setup goes I am not too worried because I had it tuned really good from what I could tell and that only took me about three hours worth of time and IF the cam and lifters survived the new setup should be closer to the tune I have compared to the one I started with.

I can't turn the engine over more than a half of a turn back and forth but it didn't seize or anything like that. The piston and rod are probably locking up on the block. I don't know what will be worth anything on the inside right now but all of the accessories are still good.

I have the L82 short block that could use some freshening up but might still be more than good enough to bolt everything on it as it is. i have to really think about it for a day or 2 while I pull the damn F'ing possesed piece of **** out . I may consider a long block for the right price and just sell all of the pieces I have to offset the cost and save some time. I have had enough of used parts in my life and am just sick of it trying to save money and getting the bad end of it.

I just can't figure life out right now. Some parts of my life are as bad as they could ever be and other parts are as good as they could ever get. I am trying to walk the middle path and just do what is right and am bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball in a Chinese match.

I will keep at it like I always have and get the car running even better but it may be bitter sweet in the end.

If anyone knows someone with a good complete engine that they know runs for a firesale price I might be interested.

I am going to go lick my wounds and spit out the bad taste I have in my mouth right now. I keep wondering when I am going to get a break on the car from all of the **** that keeps happening. Just when I think I have it under control someone or something comes along and takes it back a step or 2. If I hadn't beat cancer I would think that life was futile and that I had no control over things. I am glad I didn't ever listen to my doctors advice and told them they were F'ing idiots or I would be dead by now. Now I just need to do what I know is right and get this engine problem over and done with.

I am so thinking LS motor but that would really cost me way more time and money and the way the car ran today when it was still running it was amazing for a 1st gen engine and proved to me that an LS motor is not as bad ass as we would all think they are over a good 1st gen that is built right.


Thanks again for listening to me rant and pray and I will keep my chin up just for you Bill. Now get that GTO on a video so I can hear your engine run to cheer me up.

More to come tommorow

[MonzaRacer]

Jim, Sorry to hear of your engine issues but as for that engine, pull it, dissect everything for tell tale signs.
Heck what you learn from pulling engines apart broke make up for it when going back together.
Lets see, my foray into oh crap land was back in 97. I had wrecked my 70 Monte so I had picked up a 71 to fix up and sell. Well owners son worked at Jasper engines (he IS an idiot) and they bought it with supposedly cracked heads and he builds some heads, typical rustoleum paint inside, ground valve and seats.
So I am figuring its good to go for now, drove it for a week, tuned it up with new points/condenser/cap/rotor and LOF.
Well comes up 3500miles later one Friday night, car dies, "tinkle, tinkle, tinkle" oil light on. Crank no start clank clank.
Well turns out cam snapped behind middle journal, 2 lifter drop down bend one rod, broke another.
So I have a spare one piece roller block at home and Jasper engine has rear seal adapter and pans available at their parts outlet. So I figure out I need a set amount, dad had came to tow me home, loaned me cash to get engine running.
Well Saturday morning is half day at work so drove dads truck, picked up parts, and my front tooth feels funny, by 3 pm its all puffy and hurting, ah abbess tooth.
So I had picked up rings and rod bearings/gaskets and such from AutoZone , turns out I had deep groove rings and shallow groove pistons, well in pain I decide to check things, I was honing block ,and tapping holes and had stripped old rings(was warranty pull from dealer with less than 8k miles) well as I looked at them the rings/expanders looked same(ie same as HAstings rings I bought)Well after fussing for few hours I clean up old GM expanders, used new oil rails(those were same size only diff wa expanders).
Well asked buddy if he had any old stock CS274 cams kits as they always save stockers and install hotter. Score cam and lifters, also got offered his old SBC Chevelle headers, so I got those too.
Well dropped heads off at old machine shop I used to work at, jsut had them fix only bad valves on cyl with broke piston.
No issues there, they WERE fresh. Famous last words.
Ok so got car back together, go get all parts I need including a MSD5, new Taylor wires, etc. Picked up heads, went home dropped parts, went to dentist, root canal of tooth(mistake should have pulled it).
Come home finish up assembly, cut it short for some rest, went to work next day, came home, still miserable but engien is going in, friend show up to help but needs to get back home as he gets up early, car is fighting us to go together, close, then moves wrong.
So I go in take some pain meds, get drink, come back out and engine falls right in.
I get it bolted in and few other things done, and call it a night.
Dad wakes me up before Ineed to get up, tells me he got a call, he has new job and need truck Thursday no matter what, so car has to get done or I dont work Thursday.
Well hang exhaust pipes loose in headers and drive it with new engine, stock, and take it to ex shop on lunch.
I then take next 6 months dialing in the Qjet and putting miles on iteven took it on Power Tour 97.
Well next spring decide to install the HOT roller I bought off friend.
Get that in, it develops what seems to be vacuum leaks, or bad lifter, so I replace lifter, then find out it has 6 WIPED OUT exhaust guides.
So I build another set of heads, swap them, then go on 98 Power tour
Ok while on near zero budget i have had to build a lot of stuff from leftovers.
salvage what you can, after it breaks the bad JUJU is used up.
Just do whats right and not necessarily the cheapest.
And remember after you eliminate all possible issues, there are you actual problems.
As for FI issues, just remember garbage in/garbage out.
you have 90% of the parts you need already there, probably most you need will be some rebuild parts and gaskets and time to swap it all over to the L82.
Wish you was closer I would come help.
But Considering I wa going to start installing big block in Caprice this week end and now have ANOTHER Abscess tooth, I couldnt even get my mower deck welded up.
Good Luck
Lee Abel
AFTERMARKET PERFORMANCE

[ryeguy2006a]

Nice Build!!

[Jim Nilsen]

I had a terrible nights sleep, I am still in shock, I can still remember there were some really bright moments in the blur of it all but am having trouble believing they happened. I keep trying to stop beating myself up for not shouting to the instructor to get his foot out of it and let the pressure come back up.Why he couldn't do a better job at it than me at watching the pressure right in front of him like I did all day saturday still haunts my mind. We both knew better and I know it but just don't know why we screwed up so bad? I am trying to not 2nd guess it all but it is running thru my brain like a freight train off a track.

I am coming to a realization that I can't rush this or I will be right back at this spot again. I have more than an engine issue and the fuel cell needs to be modified and that will take at least a couple of days on it's own to get it right.

The economy being the way it is there could be an engine out there that would be faster and less expensive than messing with the parts I have. If the heads and the valve train are all still good I am ok but if the heads is damaged I will not be able to get it done in time for anything in 2 weeks.

I am so sick of it all at the moment and keep telling myself I am better off than the guy's who hit things this weekend but it isn't working too well.I want to just crawl in a hole and hide like a wounded animal.

It is going to be an interesting day with the impact wrench. I just want to assess the damage asap to see where I am at?

I haven't sent the $$$ for the optima event and don't know if I even want to go now? I was going to come back home from the event and finish the interior so it would be more finished and presentable for judging on sat.

I have some great pics from a proffessional photogragher and have hoped that some day my car would be in a magazine. My pics have never been good enough to make it from what I was told. Maybe the pics from the weekend and the story will finally get the car in there now? Steve , are you up to an article about a guy who has worked to build a car for 19 years and never given up to only have it turn out like this? It could be an inspirational story and one with lessons learned the hard way and pics to show that anyone with perseverence and a little money can attain someday in their life. The bright moment has become bittersweet.

I will keep hoping that there is a reason for all of this and it will have a better ending. I just don't want the ending to be like this so I will try to go on. There is a mail scam going on right now that says you can get everyone to send you a dollar and make thousands just by sending out 200 letters and 1 dollar to 6 people. Maybe if everyone here sends me a dollar I can finally get this car right? If you need my address I will email it to you,LOL.

Now I have to clean up an area to put all the good parts and be glad scrap metal is up in price.

If you want to stop by and cheer me up I could use it!!!

[Jim Nilsen]

Nice Build!!

Thankyou for the compliment.

The people who looked at my car this weekend were very impressed and those who looked long enough to see it all loved it. It is those moments right now holding me together.

Thanks agian for letting me know you like it

[John Wright]

Jim it was good to read about your car doing very well out there. I know it sucks to lose the motor, but motors will come and go...that is just the nature of the game. Main thing is to have fun and enjoy the fruits of your labor, that's why we spend the late nights under the car. Keep your chin up and get busy looking for a short block. It sounds like you were having lots of fun up until it broke, so that was good. Don't second guess and chew on the what if's too long, it will take away from the fun you had up to that point. Your car sounds like it is very capable, just gotta get the motor put back and...

...Be sure to get that fuel tank out and open it up to add some baffles. Gotta keep that pick up submerged in fuel.

I'll be praying for ya buddy. I get pretty discouraged not having the extra funds to finish up my car. I read about everyone else out there having fun and watching threads of cars getting build in record time while mine is just setting waiting for me to save up a few pennies to get another part or two. I feel a little bit better when I see how you and some others were able to fight through some tough times and numerous setbacks and still get to see your car make it to the track. Hang in there buddy and keep pushing forward.

[Jim Nilsen]

Jim it was good to read about your car doing very well out there. I know it sucks to lose the motor, but motors will come and go...that is just the nature of the game. Main thing is to have fun and enjoy the fruits of your labor, that's why we spend the late nights under the car. Keep your chin up and get busy looking for a short block. It sounds like you were having lots of fun up until it broke, so that was good. Don't second guess and chew on the what if's too long, it will take away from the fun you had up to that point. Your car sounds like it is very capable, just gotta get the motor put back and...

...Be sure to get that fuel tank out and open it up to add some baffles. Gotta keep that pick up submerged in fuel.

I'll be praying for ya buddy. I get pretty discouraged not having the extra funds to finish up my car. I read about everyone else out there having fun and watching threads of cars getting build in record time while mine is just setting waiting for me to save up a few pennies to get another part or two. I feel a little bit better when I see how you and some others were able to fight through some tough times and numerous setbacks and still get to see your car make it to the track. Hang in there buddy and keep pushing forward.

Thanks John, the number of times I thought I would be ready to go to the track are countless and when I finally got there I still wasn't all ready. the fuel problem should have made me not go until it was fixed but I just had to go and get some practice. I have ideas for the tank and they will wrok likethey have for others. i will have to keep the tank more than half full but it won't be running out of fuel with almost a full tank like it was. It is amazing that the fuel would move over like a wall and leave the pickup open but it does. A container that the pickup and the return line occupy is the next step.

You will get there when the time comes. I never thought I would make it at all but I have pics of the car at Road America that will live forever and they will live forever no matter how bittersweet it was.

Keep on Keepin on as they say

[Jim Nilsen]

I want to take a moment and talk about the good points of the weekend.

If you ever want to have the experience of a lifetime, sell your soul and go to an event at a big track. It is overwhelming to say the least.

The car handled like it was built to do and was able to actually keep up with C5's when the instructor was driving. I got experince that told me I am a good driver when I have my head in it.

The power of the car was more than I thought it was and the realy good parts did what really good parts do, they worked without problems. I never ran out of oil with the Canton road race pan and the gears were as awesome as can be and the instructor commented that he had always wanted a car geared like it is. He had a hard time with how I was driving until he drove it and then he understood. You just don't find a car geared the way the Cormaro is with off the shelf engineering.

Even with no rear sway bar it was holding it's own.

The people's comments about the sound of the engine amazed me the most. The words SWEET came from many people and I was self conscious about it before I went.

Several people said they had always dreamed of doing what I have done to it and couldn't figure out how to do it until they saw it on mine.

When someone would say it looked nice with the Corvette wheels I would reply with: It also has factory Corvette wheel adapters, and then they would look closer and see the suspension. Many were amazed at the engine bay and the engine setback.

I am now a better driver and have more experince at high speed.

Pics to come later.

[NOT A TA]

Jim:
Good to hear you were having a good time and were happy with the cars overall performance until the engine problem. Mechanical issues can be overcome.

In your own words :

"I had a blast on the track and the car ran like noone would have ever believed it would. It sticks like you would hope for and it had enough power to keep up and chase down C5's. I couldn't believe how it was doing and the instructor was more than impressed. The crowd of people around my car throughout the weekend was amazing. I felt proud considering it still needed to get finished in a few areas."

"The work never ends to improve these cars and to finally get this far and find that for the most part they are little things is nice but the thoughts of bigger brakes and 17" wheels will be there until they show up on the car."


"I am coming to a realization that I can't rush this or I will be right back at this spot again."


To custom build an entire car that can take the increased stress levels of road track use without anything going wrong the first time (or second,or third....) out is unrealistic. Stuff goes wrong, sometimes little things, sometimes big, and things will continue to go wrong as you become a better driver on track and increase the stress you put on the car. BUT, you will have a more reliable, better performing combination and incresased driving skills compared with not taking the car to the track. AND you get the thrills, adrenaline rush, memories, etc. along with an increased confidence level in both car and driver.

A friend was driving my car once (alone) on the way home from an event and hurt the engine (rod knock but still ran), I had the feelings you have today, however it was probably the best thing that ever happened in the long run. Pushed me to get another engine. Not having the budget to buy a freshly built engine I patiently searched for a "deal" for a short while telling everyone I knew I was looking for something to replace the engine in my car. Then I got a call about a potential engine donor. I bought the car which had been damaged in a fire with a known good engine that was more powerfull than the first. I parted the car out and used the money from parting the car to pay back the investment, so the engine was "free" not considering my labor. The engine is still in the car today.

Gen 1 small blocks are everywhere and perhaps a trip to some of the local machine shops and performance shops in your area might turn up something. A lot of high performance engines get built and very little mileage put on them afterwards. They get yanked to go BB or LS or whatever and end up sitting in someones corner on a stand. Maybe there's a project car with a brand new engine you could part out or resell as a roller to get the engine cheap.

[Bow Tie 67]

Jim,

I was going to give you a call, but life happened. I'm glad the good points were great, the engine part sucks. Think positive that it was not a huge investment. And like you said, your much more lucky that there is no bent metal. From experience that really sucks, I'm leary about fixing my quarter, I feel it helps ward off any other damage. lol

I'm busy all week and working different shifts all the way up to the event, otherwise I would be there to help.

Keep your head up, your a hell of a mechanic and this problem is a fairly easy fix.

[wmhjr]

I just can't figure life out right now. Some parts of my life are as bad as they could ever be and other parts are as good as they could ever get. I am trying to walk the middle path and just do what is right and am bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball in a Chinese match.

Jim, you have no idea how much I understand that statement - or how much it applies to my life too. It almost makes you feel bipolar, doesn't it? You've put my own thoughts into some pretty clear words.

[Payton King]

hate to hear about your motor. Read about it this morning and have been thinking of how to reply.

Maybe the instructor killed the motor maybe he did not. I found when I was having my sump uncovered durning a corner my car would start sputtering and cutting out. maybe the motor was hurt before you bought it and hammering on it made it finally let go. We could what if this thing to death. We all beat up ourselves whe something happens and think of what we should have done something different. That is the way we learn not to make the same mistake twice. Sometimes no matter what you do it happens anyway as many a person on these forums have lost brand new professionaly built motors.

As much as it sucks, you have to look at what happened and get a plan together and move on down the road. Now the biggest problem with advice the person giving it does not have the problem. LOL

I do feel for you and I have been there myself.

So what is your plan? My thought is get a motor in a soon as you can so you do not miss the rest of the driving season and the events you want to go to. Who cares if it makes 180 hp or 400 hp. As long as it is realiable and you are driving would be all that I would want. Spend the rest of the summer working out the bugs, IE your gas tank and the rest of the little things. Plan on doing the hot motor in the winter when you do not get to drive anyway. I bet you could piece another motor together stupid cheap and get by. 2 bolt main, cast crank, all used...you get the idea.

Keep your head up as you know I am pulling for you. Remember how much fun you had before you lost the motor and how good it felt to have your long hard work appreciated. Focus on that for motivation.

[Jim Nilsen]

hate to hear about your motor. Read about it this morning and have been thinking of how to reply.

Maybe the instructor killed the motor maybe he did not. I found when I was having my sump uncovered durning a corner my car would start sputtering and cutting out. maybe the motor was hurt before you bought it and hammering on it made it finally let go. We could what if this thing to death. We all beat up ourselves whe something happens and think of what we should have done something different. That is the way we learn not to make the same mistake twice. Sometimes no matter what you do it happens anyway as many a person on these forums have lost brand new professionaly built motors.

As much as it sucks, you have to look at what happened and get a plan together and move on down the road. Now the biggest problem with advice the person giving it does not have the problem. LOL

I do feel for you and I have been there myself.

So what is your plan? My thought is get a motor in a soon as you can so you do not miss the rest of the driving season and the events you want to go to. Who cares if it makes 180 hp or 400 hp. As long as it is realiable and you are driving would be all that I would want. Spend the rest of the summer working out the bugs, IE your gas tank and the rest of the little things. Plan on doing the hot motor in the winter when you do not get to drive anyway. I bet you could piece another motor together stupid cheap and get by. 2 bolt main, cast crank, all used...you get the idea.

Keep your head up as you know I am pulling for you. Remember how much fun you had before you lost the motor and how good it felt to have your long hard work appreciated. Focus on that for motivation.

I hear what you are saying and am going to do the best with what I can find asap.
The hard thing about what happened is that I spent a whole day with the instructor and hearing him tell me I had to get the fuel problem fixed so I didn't have it as a distraction and he told me he would not hurt my engine when he was driving it, then he forgot about it all when he was driving. I can tell you that he really liked the car and think he got a bit carried away at showing me what it could do for himself and I can't blame him for that because it was a blast to hang with the Vettes and other cars that I wasn't capable technically on the track to keep up with. We were going a conservative 25 to 30mph faster when he was driving in the straights and thru some of the corners and the kink we were catching up to the other cars. it gets addicting I think no matter who's car you are driving.

I also had the thought several times that I wanted to pull it out and freshen up the rings because of the blow by. I also contributed to it subconsciously I think. I can think of several times I wanted to blow it up with dynamite and start over,lol.

The sad thing was that the car would only lose a bit of power when it went way lean and was impossible to tell unless you checked the gauge. It was however right there in front of your eyes when you watched the tach. So if he wasn't looking he would not really have known it.

It was very funny when he was missing 4th gear and getting 6th and realized how much I was at it than he was but it still is something that will take practice for anyone to drive it.

When I get to concentrate on the reassembly I will be over it since the bad parts will not be slapping in the face. I really did just want to limp around and have fun more than be competetive but he wanted me to be a track racer and not a poser which is what his job was supposed to be in eyes.

The best compliment he gave me was how safe he always felt when I was driving, he could tell I wasn't a hotdog and yet not so conservative to be last on the track. I know from experience that you can't go anywhere broke down and to be called slow is a matter of opinion. I did however let the mechanicals hold me back none the less and that bothered him a bit and at one time we thought we should get the car and me off the track because of the problems which would have put a damper on the fun for both of us but when you start to get a train behind you because of wechanical problems it sucks for everyone. I of all people know what it is like to be held back by a slower car.

I know I will be glad to see it gone in more ways than one.

As always I thankyou for your support and insights, you know what it is all about and keep me more focused and I need that in times of disparity.

[Jim Nilsen]

I just went and looked at a 409 cu in 4 bolt main roller motor out of a car that caught fire because of a bad fuel line install. It is all apart because they were inspecting it. It looks like it is all ok and would go back together easy enough but it really needs to be gone over more than the L82 I have and I am hurting for time to say the least. The guy wants $1,000 for it. i would however be right back at the stage I was with the stock car motor not knowing what it has for a cam. without a bunch of work. We tried to look it up from the numbers on the cam and couldn't find anything, there is no manufacture name on it at all.

I am getting a quote for a short block with a 4130 crank and h beam rods that will hold up to the punishment and I was told I could have it by the end of the week if I decide to go with it.

So I am up to 3 choices and there is a place in California selling long blocks with much better heads and lower end also that I have to get a quote from making it 4.

By tommorow I should have it all apart and know the whole amount of damage.

I will hopefully be over feeling so upset by tommorow too.

I do like the idea of the 409 cu. in. for more torque but I am not that keen on the roller cam specs for the EFI.

I am still very tired from the weekend and am having trouble concentrating on it clearly with the anticipation of so many variables.

Decisions , decisions, hmmmmmm what to do?

[Ron.in.SoCal]

Hey Jimmie --

I started reading your thread from the beginning when you were having all your FI issues. You stuck with it and you beat it. It was no easy task and you ventured into a place you had never been before and conquered it. Just like your cancer. Which is WAY MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN FI, right?

Ok, so now it's time to stop all the negative thoughts and move on. Jim, I've been there. Custom bikes that nothing fit on and I wanted it done right then and there, a 600 cu in blower motor dies (as in blew up) two minutes out of the harbor with a whole group of friends who travelled very far to have a fun weekend on the water....and don't get me started on that repair cost!

You are a hell of a mechanic. Stop obsessing/losing sleep over it and make a repair plan. Do the right thing, no more shortcuts ever (the post above about getting an interim motor for the season is a good idea), and get the motor built in there that you want and can afford.

As Gaetano would say "Gitter Done"...everyone on this board is pulling for you!

Ron

[Jim Nilsen]

I really want to thank all of you for supporting me through this.

I realized that this is the first engine I have ever had blow up and I have tried to blow one up and couldn't one time , so it is really a new thing to get used to just like losing your first woman you thought you were in love with. I have to keep telling myself that the new engine will be a better one than the other and it is cheaper than divorce,LOL.

The 1st relief so far !!! I just got done getting the top of the engine apart and the lifters all looked really good and from what I can tell the cam is good too. It turned from end to end so it didn't crack the cam either. I was most concerned about the one intake lobe that the rocker was a touch loose for what ever reason. I had relashed them all just before the drive and tune so I know they were good then. It was probably good when pumped up and as you all know I do obcess about things that are small to the detail.

I have to take off the headers now to get to the head bolts and then we can see how the valves all look? I don't know if I will reuse the heads if they are good or swap out to something better. Some 190 cc runners would really move a lot more than the 160cc stockers and maybe be lighter if I go aluminum.

So far it is looking as good as it could be. I do know that there is a place for water to go out somewhere because I didn't have to drain the radiator of much.

Also on the bright side of things I will be able to get to a couple of other driveline nuances fixed up when I get the exhaust off , these had to get done sometime but weren't urgent. The car will be much better all around when it gets put back together. The extreme use of locktite is in the future of every nut and bolt. Damn car can shed them better than any machine I ever worked on, must be the 6400 rpm that makes them dance deep down and out.

I am going to call it a day and get the heads off tommorow.

The L82 shortblock is looking pretty good right now over anything else. The only shortcut about it is the rings, They were good when the engine was taken out of the car. I know that shortblock intimately and know that the assembly is rock solid and blueprinted right. It also has a ton of grinding and passage work done to the casting to make it stress relieved. The rods were also smoothed and polished to be as strong as they could be. It was good to 6000 rpm with no problem and the limitation was the cam and springs back then. The shop that did the work made it good to 7000 rpm just in case I would ever bump up the cam to something hotter.

It will be interesting to see what is in the oil pan when it comes off and also what damage was totally done to it. It should be an easy fix for me but it is a Sunday oil pan with holy mother of a hole.