Shipping a motor
 

Hi guys,

I am now the owner of four atomic 4's. Two late models and two early models. Later this spring I will thin the herd, but I know next to nothing about shipping something as large as a motor. If anyone has experience with this, I would really like to know more.

For example, what do you do to prep the motor? What sort of shipping pallet or container is required? Do you have to deliver the motor or will they pick it up? What do I look for in a shipper? Are they listed in the yellow pages?

Thanks,

Mike

Mike,
Depending on who you are shipping it with, a hardwood pallet should do the trick. Just use a pallet and a fork lift can move it in the truck etc....build two rails secured to the pallet, then bolt the engine to the rails. Should you require a full protective enclosure just build plywood sides and top. Depending on who's doing it they may want oil removed.

Where are you? What are you planning on thinning out?
ml

If you are not a "known shipper" on record with a company, you may have some paperwork to do. Shipping stuff nowadays is test of will between you and the fearmongers of protection. They can wear you down with procedure and record keeping.
Perhaps a wrecking company can ship it for you.

I would definitely remove the oil, as there is no front seal. If it's tipped with the front down, the oil will run out and make a mess.

Anybody think of asking MMI how they ship their rebuilds?

Hey Scuppers, we are practically neighbors. I am in Grand Rapids, MI across the lake from WI.

What I have is the motor in my boat, two complete motors (one I know runs and the other I just got) and a short block. The short block cylinders measured 0.010 over so it should be bored out and oversized pistons installed if it was going to be rebuilt. Of my three motors, the short block has a 2:1 reduction gear and the others are direct drive.

I am looking to pass on one of the running complete motors or the short block. I would be happy to swap the 2:1 from the short block if someone needed that.

The story is that I cleaned, painted and refurbished a motor last year. It was a motor that sat in someone's garage for at least 30 years and it had remakably little wear so I did not need to rebuild it. I got the short block in the same deal and started to strip it down to rebuild. While looking for parts to complete a rebuild, I ran across a late model that was a running take out. The price was so good I couldn't say no and I ended up with the 4th motor.

So I am starting to go to work on the running take out. But the A4 lasts so well that I think that one or maybe two spare motors should last my sailing lifetime. And weirdly enough, my wife wants to park in the garage. So there you have it.

One A4 is not enough
 

I am in Traverse City and am now totally into our little engine. I already know I will miss this 'companion' I have had all winter in my shop and would like another to work with.
Howard

Blasphemy! :D