helping a Tartan 27 owner with an A4

[sastanley]

Tim-
One other suggestion for you...
Instead of just ordering the parts online, I'd encourage you to call Ken to place the order. (Just read him your list)
Ken will walk you thru the order AND may be able to make some suggestions/adjustments that we're not catching in a written forum.
Same price as online but with added service.

+1 - This is the best advice so far...and you help put Ken's kids thru college, or help with his retirement fund..not sure which yet.!

Ken, just like everyone here and at Moyer, really knows his stuff and it is worth the talk.

Also, John C. is right too, don't do electronic ignition right now, and resist the urge to just throw parts at it.. A new set of points & condenser are cheaper if they need to be replaced, and then can be put in the parts bin as back up spares with low hours when you do switch to EI. Adding lots of new parts into the mix complicates the troubleshooting.

[Fishguy]

Anybody out there know what the transformer looking device is in the above pictures? If nobody has ever seen anything like it, I'm thinking I should abandon it and rewire the ignition system?

Thanks,

Tim

[HOTFLASH]

Fuel/water separator non-metal bowl?

Is that white cylindrical thing aft and to port of engine a fuel/water separator? If so, and if its bowl below the filter is plastic or glass (which it appears to be), it must be changed to metal for safety's sake and USCG rules for gasoline engines.

BTW I have a T27 too.

Mary
s/v HotFlash
T27 Yawl #570

[tac]

Can you provide more info on the "transformer looking device" in the above pictures?

1. The left side has at least 2 terminals. One, with the white wire, appears to be labeled "BATT.". Does the terminal with the red wire have a label?
2. Where does the red wire go and what size (gauge) is it (it looks to be about a #8)?
3. Where does the white wire go and what size (gauge) is it?
4. On the right side of the silver case are more wires. How many terminals are there, and how many wires on each terminal?
5. Are these terminals labeled?
6. Where do the wires go and what size (gauge) are they?


It is possible this is a battery charger. If so, the largish red/white wires on the left are the DC output and ultimately go to the battery + and - terminals (or engine block). The wires on the right would be 120vac and go to a proper AC distribution or shore power connection; or even an improper 2 or 3 prong plug just hanging somewhere to connect an extension cord. Even if you now don't have shore power, the boat may have had it in the past.

[Fishguy]

I will be at the boat again this weekend and will investigate this further, all I really remember about where the wires are running is that I believe the two white wires(fairly heavy gauge) both are running to the input on the ignition switch.

[edwardc]

Could possibly be a big inductor that's part of an ignition noise filter, but that's a stretch. It really does look like an old style linear battery charger.

[Fishguy]

I just got my first order in from Moyer, Ken was extremely helpful. I'm glad I talked to him as opposed to just ordering online. I'm going to replace the ignition switch and choke cable, distributor cap, points, coil and condenser, clean out the carb and see if I can't get it running.On Amazon I found a cool oil can/pump with a flexible spout for better application of the MMO to the cylinders. Still need to source a metal replacement bowl for the Racor filter as was pointed out... I'm just going to temporarily hook up a 5 gallon gas tank with a priming bulb off of my kicker outboard for fuel. Wish me luck!!!

[CalebD]

Good luck with all those parts!
Ken rocks.

[alcodiesel]

Best wishes! Now I have oil can envy.

[Fishguy]

I'm getting closer! Got the stuck valve unstuck, oil can worked great and the Allen wrench did the trick! compression is now roughly 90 in all four cylinders. Replaced coil, cap, rotor, points and condenser. Cleaned out the carb once and it fired right up and ran beautifully for about 10 seconds then died... Then could only start and run with starting fluid. I'm thinking even though I am using good gas in a temporary tank, something must have made its way in and clogged it up somewhere... I Will clean it again... Is there supposed to be a spring or a wire holding in the inlet valve with the float? If there is, it is missing. I also need a new alternator. Any good options out there? Then I need to sort out the fuel line, pump, filters and valves.

[Fishguy]

Also, the mystery box had a big label I was unable to read or see from the front. It is an AFS-70 alternator filter and surge suppressor. From what I can find on the inter web edwardC may be right in that it is some sort of noise suppressor.( I do have a Loran C system that I removed from the boat if anyone is interested lol!) do you think the AFS-70 is good to leave installed? Or should I remove it?

[edwardc]

I would leave it for now.

[tenders]

Ha. I would take it out. There's a big capacitor in there with a finite life expectancy, which can leak, short, or otherwise fail. It was originally installed to suppress ignition noise, which was a problem with LORAN systems. Unnecessary today unless you listen to a lot of AM radio whilst running the engine, and one more thing to have to rule in or out if you have an electrical issue to troubleshoot.

[Fishguy]

Well, thank you everyone! For the time being the noise suppressor is still installed... And I was trying to upload a video from my iPad, to share.

The atomic 4 is running and running beautifully! I have approx 2 hours of run time on it, running coolish, sounds strong. Last weekend I replaced the alternator, installed a electric fel pump, all new fuel lines and cleaned out the carb two more times. I had about given up for the weekend, but tried one more time with a solid three second blast of starting fluid into the carb. For what it's worth it fired right up! Now it seems to start easily and runs smooth! I've taken the boat out motoring around the harbor, feels powerful, shifts into forward and reverse smoothly exhaust is slightly smoky, but I attribute that to the MMO that has been used.

I'm stoked and excited! Glad I kept at it and thanks for all the help! I can't believe I took what most people would have removed and thrown away and repaired it by myself on the boat and now it looks and runs Great!!! I'm a little bummed I can't get the short video to load up. If anyone thinks they can load it, I can email it.

Bottom Line, if anyone is on the fence about trying to bring one of these back, I say go for it!

Tim

[Administrator]

For security reasons, a video must first be loaded to YouTube. It can then easily be loaded in that format to the forum.

HTH.

Bill