#276
IP: 174.65.54.224
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Bill, On the forward and reverse adjustments...I thought the same as you but when I got the engine back in the boat I had no movement in either forward or reverse.
Under load is a different story than on the bench. I know you are close to launch so I would adjust both tighter than you think is necessary, and adjust down later. At least this way you will be able to propel the boat once you get in the water. I'm sure you don't want to be making those adjustments while the boat is drifting. Thanks for the busbar explanation and pictures. My wiring is a mess and needs some cleanup.
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"Jim" S/V "Ahoi" 1967 Islander 29 Harbor Island, San Diego 2/7/67 A4 Engine Block date |
#277
IP: 148.170.241.1
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Well, I made no changes whatsoever to the clutch. I removed the reversing gear assembly as a whole unit - I didn't disassemble the clutch or even move the notched ring. So I'm presuming that forward should not be affected - it should be just the same as when I took it out.
As for reverse, I've got it adjusted pretty much to where (as I recall) Moyer says to have it - I snugged the band up to where it allows the gear to spin freely when there is no rearward pressure on the lever, but only about 1/16" clamping movement tightens it down. We'll see. I don't see how I can test it now, out of the water - I don't want to spin the prop shaft with my brand new cutless bearing and stuffing box out of the water. They do seem pretty tight, though, BTW. And I plan on having the boat tied up until I'm sure the engine and drive are working right, before I cast off and head back to my marina.
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#278
IP: 174.65.54.224
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Good plan. Didn't know you kept it whole. My bad.
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"Jim" S/V "Ahoi" 1967 Islander 29 Harbor Island, San Diego 2/7/67 A4 Engine Block date |
#279
IP: 74.110.198.83
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More baby steps, but progress is progress. I never manage to get as much done as I think I'm going to, and each task always takes twice as long as I think it's going to take.
Went up to the boat today. Bolted the engine to the beds and hooked up the prop shaft. To my surprised and relief, I found that the prop shaft and engine were very nearly perfectly aligned after just plopping the engine in there two weeks ago. A few very minor shifts and it certainly seemed what I like to call "pretty damn good." We shall see when I finally get the boat in the water, the engine running and the shaft spinning, I guess. Hosed out the bilge and aft quarterberths, because they were coated with all kinds of dust and dirt from all the sanding and grinding I had done on the bilge way back a couple months ago. Then I had to wrestle with my stupid Shop-Vac to suck all the dirty water out, because I don't have any bilge pump hooked up right now - and there are no batteries in the boat anyhow. I then installed my new Perko bronze sea strainer. Once I hung it on the back bulkhead of the engine compartment, I realized it's slightly overkill for my little A4, but what the heck - "overkill" is my middle name. I mounted the Moyer pump for the FWC system on the front of the engine and installed the drive sheave and the belt. One thing I will note is that it's pretty awkward to install both the additional FWC water pump and the T-fitting for the high-temp/low oil pressure alarm kit. The T-fitting with the temp sensor sticks out so far to the starboard side that it bumps into the pump. I'll probably reconfigure the T. I then hung the alternator on the engine. By that time, to my amazement, I had worked for nearly 6 hours and I was hot, sweaty, dirty and tired, so I packed it in and headed home. Bit by bit... I won't be able to do any more work on it for at least a week and a half because we're heading north next week to visit family and celebrate my father's 70th birthday. In the meantime, I'll do some more work on some of the woodworking stuff that I can do in my workshop at home.
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#280
IP: 98.89.131.9
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Thanks also for all the links to other suppliers that were posted during the discussion on bus bars-- I just redid some of the loose and corroding connections on my old busbar, perhaps its time to replace the busbar itself
Enjoy the birthday party, looking forward to more postings down the road.
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JonnyQuest Boatless right now. (Last boat, a fine 27' O'Day 1975) MS Gulf Coast |
#281
IP: 96.228.21.70
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Finally got back up to the old girl today - first time after the hurry-cane that blustered through here a week ago.
There still are some areas without power, and the evidence if Irene's little visit is still - uh, evident. Lots of trees and tree parts down all over the place - lots of places where the chainsawed-off hunk of a tree is sticking out on the side of the road, clearly having blocked the road but having since been dealt with. Fortunately, my boat - and the entire boatyard - came through entirely unscathed. Just a little bit of water in the bilge, which I fully expected, due to a couple leaks in the cabin roof that I have yet to resolve. In fact, though, there was less water than I had anticipated, so that was nice. Anyhow, here's how the old girl looked by the end of today: Got the heat exchanger mostly hooked up. Just need a couple bronze fittings to finish the job. The heat exchange will live pretty much right where it is in that pic, but it will be attached to the back side of the new raised-panel bulkhead that I've made, which will of course be installed across the front of the engine space. When that bulkhead is installed, this same picture will look quite different, because you mostly will see the face of the bulkhead, rather than engine. Also in that pic is the new battery box I made a few weeks back and epoxied in place today. It appears to be levitating, but in fact is supported underneath by a hunk of 2x6 that I epoxied into the hull a few weeks back. That box will hold the two house batteries. The cranking battery (actually just another deep-cycle battery, but pretty much saved for starting the engine) lives in a box under the port quarterberth, just off the right-hand edge of the picture. All that wiring down low on the left gets covered by a thin plywood cover. I took the old one off because it looks like hell. I'm going to use the old one as a template for a new one, which will get painted nice and white to match the rest of the nice painted white engine compartment, and then you won't see all that wiring. You can also see the big honkin' Groco sea strainer I splurged on (yeah, I realize now that it's overkill, but I still like it). Overkill, after all, is my middle name. Yup - Bill Overkill Taggart. That's me.
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#282
IP: 24.152.131.220
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It's difficult to know for sure from the picture but it looks like the fill cap on the exchanger is lower than the thermostat. If so, I suggest raising the HX so that the cap is the highest point in the system.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#283
IP: 96.228.21.70
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Yeah, the HX is just sort of sitting in there right now. When I attach it to the bulkhead, I will install is so that the top of the HX is just level with the top of the bulkhead - just underneath the lid that goes on top of that whole engine box. It will then be higher than the t-stat.
The expansion bottle will go over on the right side of the photo, on the back side of the bulkhead, in between the engine and the battery box. Also will be mounted right up under the lid. Still lots to do...
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#284
IP: 24.152.131.220
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I halfway guessed as much. That's why I didn't prattle on with all the reasons why.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#285
IP: 96.228.21.70
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I appreciate the reminder, though - I might well have merrily forged ahead and decided that it would give me a little more space to install it as low as possible in there, while forgetting all about that whole "air likes to rise to the highest point in the system" issue.
Who, me?
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#286
IP: 71.183.233.249
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Wow that A4 looks really great sitting there. Nice work!
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#287
IP: 193.253.220.149
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Great job Bill. You have one of the engine access set-ups that makes some of us salivate. My access is pretty good with an opening just over the engine, but your all-around open view makes putting wrenches on bolts that much easier.
Would you mind giving me the outside dimensions (diameter and length) of your heat exchanger core? I'd like to compare with my Sendur unit...and get to the end of an ancient overheating tendency. Thanks and keep us posted on your progress...it's a great thread!
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Kelly 1964 Cheoy Lee Bermuda Ketch, Wind and Atomic powered |
#288
IP: 96.228.21.70
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Quote:
If you think my engine access is good, you haven't seen Neil's... Quote:
This pic from MMI's on-line catalog shows you the relative size - you might be able to interpolate the dimensions by comparing to the diameter of the flywheel housing.
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#289
IP: 68.126.199.192
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Good luck with your rebuilt A4.
Last edited by domenic; 09-06-2011 at 11:29 AM. |
#290
IP: 148.170.241.1
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Um...
I had the engine hoisted out by the boatyard, using their crane, back in January or February, and just had them hoist it back in a few weeks ago after I spent several months doing the total overhaul. Using the boom to hoist it is pretty much a moot point now. Now I'm on to hooking everything back up to the engine and getting her back in the water. And then finishing the new cabin sole, and doing all the sanding, painting and varnishing below, and replacing the decayed wood on the deck, and...
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#291
IP: 96.228.21.70
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The latest pics, taken just today -
Test-fitting the new bulkhead: Looks WAY, WAY better than the crappy old one. And this gives an idea of the kind of access/workability I'll have once it's in place - still not bad, really: ...except getting at the exhaust and rear of the engine is a pain... Inching closer to getting her running!
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#292
IP: 24.152.131.220
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Of course you know that since you've done such a beautiful job on the bulkhead, everything else you do has to be as good or better. It's how these projects take on a personality all their own.
reference: my Westsail pics, been there - done that
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#293
IP: 174.65.54.224
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It's easily removable, right?
Looks good.
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"Jim" S/V "Ahoi" 1967 Islander 29 Harbor Island, San Diego 2/7/67 A4 Engine Block date |
#294
IP: 96.228.21.70
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Thanks - I do plan on holding myself to a certain standard, which in general is set at a level better than what currently is there.
Got a fair amount done today. I put on the Indigo prop, just to have it done. I'll have to remember spray the prop and shaft with the Petit zinc coating. I bought a can a while back just for that purpose. Gotta find it again. So much stuff everywhere in the cabin; it's a real mess. Installed the anti-siphon valve kit and the alarm for the water temp/oil pressure alarm kit. Took out the old water temp gauge - I'm betting it was original - it was rotted out so bad it almost broke in half when I pulled it out. Also pulled out the old engine hours meter. I see no reason to have that up in the cockpit, so I'll probably fill in that hole and install the brand new engine hours meter (from Moyer) down below somewhere. Continued to figure out the best configuration for the raw water intake. Hooked up a T fitting so I can attach a hose and run the engine on the hard, using the hose as the raw water intake - or to flush the system or to winterize, or whatever. Found - and removed - more random wiring. I think I'll end up removing more wires than will remain. Lots of abandoned stuff in there. I guess the previous owner didn't care that there were all these extra wires just hanging around in the boat. I do. Discovered I bought wrong size fuel hose to connect the pump to the carb and install the in-line fuel filter. I need 5/16" - I bought 3/8" because that's what had been on there (which makes me wonder about that... it's clearly not the right size - he musta really just cranked down on the clamps). So one more thing to be done next weekend. So a little bit o' this, a little bit o' that - all things that need to get done before she goes back in the water. Next weekend I'll go up again and focus on wiring. Hopefully I'll get it to the point where I can actually try to fire her up! I'm actually considering heading up there on Saturday night and sleeping over on the boat - so I can get going early, first thing, before it gets hot, and get as much progress out of the day as possible before heading home. There are several people staying on their boats in the yard, while working on them. It's almost like a strange campground.
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#295
IP: 96.228.21.70
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I will be removable - how "easily" depends on what you consider "easy." The heat exhanged and expansion bottle will be hanging off the back side of the bulkhead. So if you want to remove the bulkhead, you'll have to unscrew several screws to remove them. Unless I come up with some clever bracket system. I might also end up running a couple wires across the back, just to keep the engine space neater. We'll see. I don't plan on removing it all that often anyhow - I shouldn't have to. The reason I removed the first one mostly was because you have to in order to get the engine out. Then once I had it out, I decided it really was a hideous thing and had to be replaced with something more aesthetically pleasing. But the previous one had the battery switch installed in it, with lots of holes for wires going through it, and the engine compartment automatic Halon extinguisher mounted on the back (which reminds me, I gotta figure out where that's going...). I bet I was the first person to remove that bulkhead since the engine was installed in 1983.
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#296
IP: 174.65.54.224
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In my experience, removing the bulkhead to work on the engine makes working on the engine alot easier. I'll take a picture (tomorrow) of how my bulkhead is held in place and I'm sure you can find the fixtures.
IMO, I wouldn't attach anything to the bulkhead that can't be easily removed. My steps and bulkhead are easily removable. I remove them every time I work on the engine. It's so much easier.
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"Jim" S/V "Ahoi" 1967 Islander 29 Harbor Island, San Diego 2/7/67 A4 Engine Block date |
#297
IP: 96.228.21.70
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Just to prove that it does occasionally happen - last weekend my wifey came along with me and was a great help in making the old weatherbeaten cabin-top grab rails look a lot better:
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#298
IP: 148.170.241.1
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So I'm now approaching one area where my knowledge is sadly lacking...
So where do these wires go? Little yellow one coming out the "back" of the alternator: Red wire on the left, also coming out of the back end of the alternator: I'm assuming that little metal box hanging off the back of the alternator is an internal regulator? The fat red one on the right I believe is the output that goes to the "+" on the battery, yes? If needed I'll try to get better pics next weekend.
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#299
IP: 148.170.241.1
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Quote:
And to my tremendous satisfaction, I discovered that I'm pretty damn good and eyeballemetrically estimating dimensions, and from memory, no less!! Turns out it is, in fact, nearly exactly 16" long and 3" in diameter. So I was spot on in my guesstimate from memory.
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- Bill T. - Richmond, VA Relentless pursuer of lost causes |
#300
IP: 193.253.220.149
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Alternator wiring
We already know that you're "pretty damn good" so thank you for this display of awesome prowess...just confirms our beliefs.
I'll put the HX measurements to good use, thank you. And in exchange (pun intended), I think your small wire coming from the alternator would be the exciter wire...which runs to the + terminal of the coil. I don't have one of these but there are several threads where owners are discussing the placement and use of this wire. You should have one large wire running from the alternator (output) to the batteries. The connection could pass through the ignition "batt" terminal or go directly to the large terminal on the solenoid (which is in turn connected to the + post of your batteries). As to why you have two large wires coming from the alternator, you'll have to wait for a response from a higher authority... Here's a photo showing the exciter/output terminals as I have described courtesy of Moyer Marine (API alternator). P.S. I see you have the "Dutton" alternator belt tensioner. Way to go!
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Kelly 1964 Cheoy Lee Bermuda Ketch, Wind and Atomic powered Last edited by Kelly; 09-13-2011 at 04:03 AM. |
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