The Cormaro......

[Jim Nilsen]

The new rotor didn't do the trick to get it to run. It started for about 20 seconds and then code 66'd again. I almost hought it would be good to go and I would be lucky and smiling again.

I am going to redo the plug wires to make them right and eliminate any possiblity for them to be the culprit.

The engine builder talked to Accel again today and the concensus is that the ecu was taken out by trying to keep starting it with a possible bad coil and 6a box. One good answer from ASSHELL would have kept it from happening.

I think I just might call it ASSHELL DFI from now on !!!! They have earned it don't ya think?

I will be pulling it out for the 2nd time to go back and be tested. How much do you want to bet they say it is good. If they admit it is bad and by their fault for not giving the right info when I called about the code 66 the moment it happened and couldn't find any info on their site or directions as to what that code is caused by.

I hate feeling like I am whining about this but I have to get it out or it is going to make me sick inside trying to keep my anger and frustration in.

I want to thank all of you who are helping, I would really go crazy without some kind of support group.

Now I just have get past the depressing part of ripping the car apart again to get it out.

[supremeefi]

Hi Guys,

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm the guy on the Accel website that does their "How-To" DVD. I've also done 2 mag articles with one of your other members, 1 in Corvette Enthusiast, the other in Pontiac Enthusiast.

Read all the posts, sorry for your troubles. But I have to say some of your problems are not the fault of Accel, but of your tuner.

Unfortunately it is an industry problem, but I've heard many people say the same support claims with FAST, Big Stuff and others. Too few good tuners out there that aren't in it for a quick buck.

If in the future any of you have a problem I'll be happy to help. If you call Accel and mention me, the rest will speak for itself. I don't know everything but I've done about 30 different applications, blown unblown and just about everything in between.

Good luck!!

P.S. If you want to drive your vehicle, IMO there isn't a better system out there for the money, period.

[Jim Nilsen]

Originally Posted by supremeefi

Hi Guys,

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm the guy on the Accel website that does their "How-To" DVD. I've also done 2 mag articles with one of your other members, 1 in Corvette Enthusiast, the other in Pontiac Enthusiast.

Read all the posts, sorry for your troubles. But I have to say some of your problems are not the fault of Accel, but of your tuner.

Unfortunately it is an industry problem, but I've heard many people say the same support claims with FAST, Big Stuff and others. Too few good tuners out there that aren't in it for a quick buck.

If in the future any of you have a problem I'll be happy to help. If you call Accel and mention me, the rest will speak for itself. I don't know everything but I've done about 30 different applications, blown unblown and just about everything in between.

Good luck!!

P.S. If you want to drive your vehicle, IMO there isn't a better system out there for the money, period.

It's good to hear from someone at Accel who seems to care, there needs to be more interaction on the forums from all of the efi manufactures so that more of us guys who can't or don't want to spend a lot of money can get in the game.

Please pm me your name and number so I can call you. I am intersted to know what part of the tune could do such a thing? I would have considered this a parts problem or an installation problem. How it could go bad just from going to a different long block and no other real changes is a mystery to all of us.

I look forward to some actual real help from an Accel representative, afterall it is the company you work for and who else should know or care more than you !!!!

[Jim Nilsen]

Hopefully things are going in the right direction and Supremeefi is going to get me further in my quest.

The ecu will be the key to what happened, if it is still good then the protective circuit will have done it's job, if it is bad then it will still need to be addressed as to why the ignition did what it did and finding the problem will still have to be done.He has never experienced a code 66 so it is a learning experience for him too.

He now has all the specs of my engine and a history of my programs so the direction things go will hopefully work out for the best. I keep hoping that he has already tuned an engine with the same cam and engine configuration and he has a program that will be a better base to go from.

It is nice to have an Accel EMIC stepping up to help. He has a lot to live up to when it comes to this unit, the way it has seemed to be possesed may prove to be a challenge for him since it is not the programming that is the problem rather it is the unit functioning well that that poses the problems. Let's all wish him luck with it since it has kicked ass on everyone it has come in contact with,LOL.

[69MyWay]

Jim,

You are in good hands now. Mark is passionate about tuning. I would have been lost without him. While the system performed well out of the box, Mark brought the full potential out. He has taken the time to go deep inside the tuning software and has a natural feel for how these things should run.

I was fortunate enough to have him do an in-car tune using the full system including the wide band unit. He made that Pontiac 400 run smooth as a LS3.

I'm sure he'll help get this figured out.

[Jim Nilsen]

Just got of the phone with Mark and I am already looking forward to the future with my setup.

He has sent me a program to show me the difference in what I have to what I need and it is night and day in some areas.

I also found that I had a good handle on things and was moving in the right direction but was in the wrong boat so to speak. Now I have a bigger boat, maybe even a speed boat,lol.

I still have to get the parts working but the programming is going to be a lot better when I start it back up.

I will keep you all up to date as things progress.

I am going to concentrate on the engine bay and interior for the next week or so until the ecu gets back and then get back on the engine.

[Jim Nilsen]

It has been a good week for making some progress, one step back 2 steps forward .

Went to fix the horn and turn signal problem and pulled the column out and tried to put in the other wiring harness and turn signal horn assembly and once it was out I would have had to tear apart the whole damn thing to replace it. The splines were a bit worn and the whole thing was just to much time to mess with only to have an old column. I found a place to rebuild it but that was about $200 and more than 1/2 way to a new one. Ididit wanted $640 for a new custom one and Flaming River wanted $440. I called my local HotRod Shop and asked what he could do on a Flaming River column since he is a dealer and I lucked out. He had a 30" column in stock and I went and looked at it compared to my modified column. The one he had was a double d just like I needed and he said I could take it home and see how it fit. I was delighted to find it was just what I needed and only $330. It moved the wheel toward the dash just like I wanted to do and still have room to tilt it. In a matter of an hour I had it mocked up and had my turn signals and horn working. the only thing I didn't like was the same thing the guy that returned it back into his stock didn't like, the mount let it hang down 1/2" too low. The mount was $80 and I was not going to pay that for it and be like it was. So I bought a piece of aluminum from Metal Express and made my own and raised it too. I will post a pic later of it.

I also finally bought some new inner fenders to make the front end a bit nicer. Now I have to modify them to work and am pondering how I want to tackle the job.

The best news of the week was when Accel called and told me that the ecu had a problem in the board with the est and other places. The Accel 6a box was still good and they also told me that it wasn't anything I did to cause it all. They replaced the board at no charge for the board and said they were sending it back out friday. So if I am lucky it will be here Monday and more than likely tuesday.

I am looking forward to getting it back in and getting it running again. It sure will be nice to drive it and finish breaking the engine in.

I should have a good running car by the weekend and be able to enjoy going to see friends and cruise a bit. I don't think I will be going to the Midwest Challenge since it is 5 plus hrs away but I might get brave and go see everyone?

So the mystery as to what caused it all was just the board going bad on it's own and I guess that is the way it goes.

The new tilt wheel is looking good and I don't know whether to paint it or not but it looks good 2 tone. I'll post up some pics of it too a bit later.

Things are looking up for now and we will see how the new board works when it gets back in.

[Jim Nilsen]

The new board works good so far ,it didn't cost me anything but shipping so they treated me right and the new tune from Mark is doing good for starters and is forming up with a few touches in the lower end and the drivability is pretty good. I can drive at 30 mph/1000 rpm in 6th and give it gas with no problem. has good midrange so far and haven't really wound it up under torque real far yet.

Good weather for the weekend and who knows? I might head down to the MMCC if the car feels up to it. 5.5 hrs away is a long way for a maiden voyage.

It feels good to be back on the road and there is a lot to do yet but I think we will just take it easy and get the rest of the things done and enjoy. I pushed it to the limit to see how it would go and found plenty of stuff that is good and other things need improvement and then the stuff that just has to be worked around.

I need to get back into my Racepak and get it upgraded to the latest and the greatest they have now and get the screens reconfigured to more of an information center than a warning/monitoring gauge on each screen . Learning to move the information around and view it is the next step. Setting up track configurations and just getting lap times would be nice so I could record it all and use it to its full capability, lots to learn coming up.

[GregWeld]

Good to hear Jim... glad it's working out. Accel is a good manufacturer and I'm happy they found the issue with your system.

[waynieZ]

Thats good to hear Jim.