frustrating spring commissioning

[nyvoyager]

So after a lot of work, I started the A4 yesterday and noted a bunch of issues.
1 - first it was hard starting and required a lot of cranking. this seemed to start at the end of last season. I am think it is a dirty carb.
2 - A water leak around the exhaust elbow and I hope that is what is causing the steam at the aft end of the exhaust manifold.
3- But what really surprised me is that while my daughter was in the cockpit hitting the start button, the starter would occasionally click and not spin. After repeated clicks on the start button it would spark between the flywheel housing and the starter!
I will unbolt the starter and have it rebuilt locally, clean the mounting surfaces and reinstall.
Any thoughts on what could be causing this? But ground, loosely mounted?

4 - Oh yes the shift lever was frozen....lightly tapped with a hammer and freed it up but what the heck is that about?
Thanks all

[zellerj]

I think that cold damp winters are hard on electrical connections. A layer of corrosion forms and resistance increases. This includes the points if you still have them. I would make every electrical connection you have nice and shiny again and see if your intermittent switch phenomenon persists. Switches also need to be cleaned if they act erratically If current can't go where it should go, it follows a different path of least resistance, hence sparks where you don't expect them.

[nyvoyager]

thanks Jim - will check points as well. it is running rough

[Al Schober]

NY,
It sounds like you have a lot of 'deferred maintenance' issues to deal with before you'll have an engine you feel comfortable with and can rely on.
Hard starting can be fuel or electrical. As for fuel, carbs don't get dirty by themselves. The crud invariably comes from the system. Pump a sample from the very bottom of your fuel tank and see what's there. Taking a sample from the fuel delivery line won't do it - that pickup doesn't go to the bottom of the tank. What do you have for filters and when were they last replaced?
Electrical stuff will drive you batty - if you let it. I think you're at the point where every wire and every connection is suspect. If you have a multimeter, learn to use it. I filed and sanded the probes on mine to give them a needle point - I can shove them right through the insulation an read the voltage in the wire. On low range, you can read the voltage drop across an individual connection or an individual length of wire. Some boat wires can be long, so you might want an extension lead for the ground lead of your meter.
A broken exhaust can ruin your day (if you're lucky) or burn down your boat. Strip the insulation off the entire hot section and inspect the pipe. Do this every few years. Plan on replacing all your hot pipe every 6 years or so - don't wait for it to fail.
I've had one loose starter give me issues. I think it was on a Triumph TR-3.
The shifters I've worked on are cheap mechanical things. Moving parts are brass with plastic bearings. Castings are some cheap alloy. Corrosion takes its toll, and hitting it with a hammer to get it moving doesn't get you out of the woods. You need to take it apart, clean it up, lubricate things, and reassemble. This assumes you can take it apart without breaking anything. Be prepared to deal with set screws, snap rings, etc. Perhaps post a photo or three? Preferably before you break it.

[nyvoyager]

Thanks Al - yes a number of things to deal with. I am getting close to pulling this one engine and calling Moyer

[Al Schober]

Most of the 'maintenance' issues I mention above will NOT be corrected by changing the engine! A new engine will not correct the fuel system issues, rotten wires with bad connections, or a corroded shifter.

[nyvoyager]

Update:
1 -still hard starting will check points and timing
2 -Water leak at exhaust elbow fixed, thermostat and gasket installed. replaced raw water hoses on water jacket side.
3- Starter bolts were loose causing sparking. These bolts should have lock washers on them. While at it, made a spacer for the alternator mount and tightened the belt.

4 Tranny is still the item I am concerned with. Any insight on how to make adjustments?

[JOHN COOKSON]

Update:
1 -still hard starting will check points and timing

Check to be sure the choke is closing all the way.

TRUE GRIT

[Dave Neptune]

Al makes a very good point. Have you checked voltages for bad connections? Have you tried an aux tank to confirm the fuel is not the issue? Did you check the choke visually?

Most all break-downs have little to do with the engine itself unless something breaks internally. Pretty much any other scenario has to do with what and how the engine is supplied.

Clean fuel, clear exhaust, properly timed blue spark all must be supplied to the engine only the compression is actually in the engine and that is often just a valve adjustment.

Dave Neptune

[roadnsky]

4 Tranny is still the item I am concerned with. Any insight on how to make adjustments?

Can you tell us a bit more info as to the issue?
"the shift lever was frozen"

[nyvoyager]

Yes I can - thanks
long story short - last fall just about to transit plum gut the engine started overheating...little water was flowing out the exhaust....new waterpump didn't help. it turned out to be a clogged elbow on the lift muffler.
Which meant i had pumped some water into the crank. Oil changed twice but i'm not convinced all of is out....and then the boat wintered
The lever on the engine was frozen. i gently tapped it with a hammer back and forth and it is free now.
I'm still on the hard but had it running for about an hour yesterday. it goes into forward and reverse...not sure if it is fully engaging
I am thinking of opening the case but don't have a clue what i would be looking at.
There is definitely thick mucky oil in the crankcase
Poured MMO into the crankcase . will run it again and change the oil this weekend once more

Can you tell us a bit more info as to the issue?
"the shift lever was frozen"

[JOHN COOKSON]

Yes
The lever on the engine was frozen. i gently tapped it with a hammer back and forth and it is free now.
I'm still on the hard but had it running for about an hour yesterday. it goes into forward and reverse...not sure if it is fully engaging

NY
After this event with the tranny\shifter check the adjustment to be sure the tranny is fully in forward\reverse when the cockpit lever is in that position.

TRUE GRIT

[roadnsky]

Here is the procedure for adjusting your reverse gear (see attached)

Also, there is a really good video by Don on this topic as well.

[nyvoyager]

Excellent - thanks everyone.
I'm heading to the boat in the next hour and will check the points made on this thread one by one.

[nyvoyager]

Okay. Getting there.
Adjusted choke cable
New plugs and wires
One of the distributor wires was loose and a bad plug on number 4. It looks like the electrode in the center is extended much further than the other Plugs.
Points up next