How old is your Atomic 4 engine? Poll by decade.

[JonnyQuest]

Where to look up production dates from model/sn plate?

Fun discussion demonstrating how strong the A4 is.

I have a 1975 ODay and would assume the A4 is from same or earlier year, but perhaps a replacement? Where can one look up the production years?

[sastanley]

JQ, that serial # seems too high to be a '75...so I think you are right..likely a replacement.

The date the block was cast is stamped in the block just under the valve cover..The flame arrestor does a good job of blocking it, but you can see it..6digit number in MMDDYY format.

Don't confuse the fancy embossed number there too..I think that must be a casting number of some sort..

in this old picture you can make out my casting date above the arrestor 041976 - my serial is 17xxxx something..which on engines like mine where the flywheel is obscured, they also stamp the serial number on the flat area just under the oil fill.

[Whippet]

new pump

I may have entered incorrect data. My C&C was built in 1981 so i assumed A4 was too (serial number 204381), but way possible that C&C had a stock pile from 1980. I will go searching the block to get the truth and enter correct data.

[edwardc]

Where can one look up the production years?

If you look back at Post #20 of this thread, you can see two examples of the date stamp on an early model (upper pic) and a late model (lower pic) block.

Note that this is just the casting date of the block. The engine could have been assembled some time later than this, from a block stored in inventory. At it's peak, Universal was really cranking out these puppies.

[jwmurphy]

How old is your Atomic 4 engine

Bristol 27 built and purchased in 1975. A4 serial #194169.

[Laker]

If you have not changed plugs since 2008 and they have not fouled out in all that time , you must be doing SOMETHING right!

[capnward]

Hurrah for the Atomic 4!

Fellow Afourians;
The casting number above the flame arrestor is 112074 A, so I guess that means the block was cast on Nov. 20, 1974. Since I love my Atomic Four, I will now use this thread to give you too much information. This engine was rebuilt in 1990, again in 2001, and has had 1807 hours put on it since then. It has a mechanical fuel pump, electronic ignition, freshwater cooling, and the new Moyer freshwater pump without the grease cup. The plugs, cap, rotor, Racor filter, inline fuel filters,(one before the fuel pump and one after), and impellers are replaced every year. I change the oil every 50 hours, and put Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas and the engine oil. This year I installed a temperature alarm, glad I did, although it alarms well before the temperature gauge shows a temperature of 200. I had a few heat alarms before I replaced the salt water impeller, a Jabsco which had a small chunk out of the hub. I used to have an oil filter, but removed it on the advice of the rebuilder. He also removed the thermostat, but I installed a Thermostatic mixing valve, a Honeywell AM series, mounted next to the Moyer Heat exchanger. With it I can cruise close to 180F degrees, and can make it run colder if the alarm goes off. Since I stopped using ethanol fuel the filters don't clog as fast, and stuff stays out of the carburetor jets. I've gotten pretty good at removing, inspecting, cleaning and reattaching the carburetor. I replaced the jets once. I use about 200 gallons of premium non-ethanol gas a year. Someday i will install an adjustable main jet, but there seems to be no need for it, other than to increase mileage. I have never looked at the valves. The engine starts right up, the choke is opened as soon as it starts, and it runs very smoothly and quietly. I always leave the engine compartment open for ventilation, and keep the boat floating, covered and heated in the winter. I have a two-blade Performance Atomic-4 Perfect Pitch urethane propeller, which i replaced this year after a few years use, when during the haulout I discovered pieces broken off the ends. At 1750 RPM I can go 5.5 knots plus. I have a 1948 Blanchard 33 (built in Seattle of red cedar on oak, the original engine a Kermath) which I use to charter for daysails from Deer Harbor on Orcas Island, WA. I am now in my 13th season of operation. Last year I made over 200 3-hour trips, usually motoring less than an hour a trip. The Atomic 4, and the parts and information I have gotten from Mr. Moyer and this forum over the years, has made my business possible. I also live on the boat, which makes all this possible for me. I am having a great time with a great engine. I see no reason to consider re-powering ever with a noisy, smelly diesel engine, just to save maybe $500 a year on fuel, a fraction of my total expenses.
There's my testimonial.
Happy Sailing!

[Mo]

Fellow Afourians;
The casting number above the flame arrestor is 112074 A, so I guess that means the block was cast on Nov. 20, 1974. Since I love my Atomic Four, I will now use this thread to give you too much information. This engine was rebuilt in 1990, again in 2001, and has had 1807 hours put on it since then. It has a mechanical fuel pump, electronic ignition, freshwater cooling, and the new Moyer freshwater pump without the grease cup. The plugs, cap, rotor, Racor filter, inline fuel filters,(one before the fuel pump and one after), and impellers are replaced every year. I change the oil every 50 hours, and put Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas and the engine oil. This year I installed a temperature alarm, glad I did, although it alarms well before the temperature gauge shows a temperature of 200. I had a few heat alarms before I replaced the salt water impeller, a Jabsco which had a small chunk out of the hub. I used to have an oil filter, but removed it on the advice of the rebuilder. He also removed the thermostat, but I installed a Thermostatic mixing valve, a Honeywell AM series, mounted next to the Moyer Heat exchanger. With it I can cruise close to 180F degrees, and can make it run colder if the alarm goes off. Since I stopped using ethanol fuel the filters don't clog as fast, and stuff stays out of the carburetor jets. I've gotten pretty good at removing, inspecting, cleaning and reattaching the carburetor. I replaced the jets once. I use about 200 gallons of premium non-ethanol gas a year. Someday i will install an adjustable main jet, but there seems to be no need for it, other than to increase mileage. I have never looked at the valves. The engine starts right up, the choke is opened as soon as it starts, and it runs very smoothly and quietly. I always leave the engine compartment open for ventilation, and keep the boat floating, covered and heated in the winter. I have a two-blade Performance Atomic-4 Perfect Pitch urethane propeller, which i replaced this year after a few years use, when during the haulout I discovered pieces broken off the ends. At 1750 RPM I can go 5.5 knots plus. I have a 1948 Blanchard 33 (built in Seattle of red cedar on oak, the original engine a Kermath) which I use to charter for daysails from Deer Harbor on Orcas Island, WA. I am now in my 13th season of operation. Last year I made over 200 3-hour trips, usually motoring less than an hour a trip. The Atomic 4, and the parts and information I have gotten from Mr. Moyer and this forum over the years, has made my business possible. I also live on the boat, which makes all this possible for me. I am having a great time with a great engine. I see no reason to consider re-powering ever with a noisy, smelly diesel engine, just to save maybe $500 a year on fuel, a fraction of my total expenses.
There's my testimonial.
Happy Sailing!

Not bad at all. Thanks for chimming in there Capt.

[domenic]

How old is me Atomic 4 ya ask? Son, ya never ask an old gal her age...

[67c&ccorv]

1967 early model with some late model features...such as late model transmission cover with rear oil fill - hoping to change it back to the early version with hinged oil fill cover on the accessory drive.

(Photo is from early 2009 - things looking a lot different down below now!)

[biohead]

how old is your A4

Hi All,
mine is a 1980, still ticking, though ethanol gas caught up to me this year. time for new carb

[romantic comedy]

biohead, what happened to the carb? How did alcohol hurt it?

[HalcyonS]

I finally found what I assume is my serial number, under the flame arrestor.
265669, I think, and 'Feb', can't discern any more. What year would that be? Mid 60s I'm assuming.

[BadaBing]

by the numbers

My day has enough fun planned in it to get greasy so I was wondering about the actual age of my A4.
From what I can gather from this thread my block was cast on 5/31/72. Casting # 295369 U
Ser # 179077

Considering she is in a 1974 hull I'm assuming it took two years before she made her way into a boat installation .

I was half hoping for find she was younger than the hull which would suggest a previous engine swap.

[BadaBing]

the pictures I know you all love pictures

so she is 42. I wish I was 42 again