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Old 06-04-2018, 09:00 AM
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edwardc edwardc is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GEM555 View Post
All I’m telling you is that I have an A4. It doesn’t start. ...
OK, then lets try to figure out what's going on. We will need a little more information. Since you indicated that you had the engine running for 5 hours, I'm going to assume that the starter motor works. That is, when you try to start, the engine turns over but doesn't run on it's own. (please correct me if I'm wrong).

So, already, we've eliminated one whole area as the problem.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GEM555 View Post
... In the first case the engine ran for 5 hours then failed. ...
So, how did it fail? Did it die abruptly, like someone flipped a switch? Or did it sputter and miss and run rougher and rougher until it stopped? The first case is usually a symptom of an electrical problem in the ignition system, while the second one is indicative of a fuel problem.


Quote:
Originally Posted by GEM555 View Post
The second, the engine doesn’t run at all. I don’t know where to go next with this.
The head got rebuilt over the winter - mechanic B pulled the heads and said he found a stuck valve. We had that fixed and the valves lapped. Hope that helps. ...
A stuck valve is a common problem with these engines, usually caused corrosion from by allowing water to back up into the cylinders via the exhaust system. To avoid this, you should always try to start your engine with the cooling water valve CLOSED until the engine starts. Prolonged cranking with the valve open will cause water to back up.
But the A4 is a robust little engine. It will start and run on only 3 or even 2 cylinders (although poorly). So a single stuck valve is unlikely to be your "no start" problem.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GEM555 View Post
...What is starting ether
Starting Ether (AKA starting fluid) is a spray can containing a highly volatile fuel (Ether or Hexane). It is used as a diagnostic tool. You spray a little directly into the air intake on the carb and try to start. If the problem is fuel, the engine will briefly roar to life as the Ether is consumed, and then quit. If the problem is something other than fuel, it will make no difference.


If the boat has set for a long time without use, a strong possibility is that the fuel is bad or dirty. One way to eliminate this is to run from a separate outboard tank temporarily to eliminate the main tank as the source of the problem.

There are lots of simple possibilities, but we need a little more info to help weed them out.

So, even if you don't feel you have the ability to work on this engine, we can provide you with information to help whoever works on it. One of your best bets would be to locate another A4 owner nearby.

Don't give up!
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@(^.^)@ Ed
1977 Pearson P-323 "Dolce Vita"
with rebuilt Atomic-4

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