New to me 5 years on hard

[Rbyham]

Just purchased a 1966 Hinterhoeller 28 complete with original A4. I have zero experience with the A4 but am learning form lots of reading here as well as the manuals that came with the boat.

The engine was run for me on the hard for about 10 minutes. All appeared to be fine. Temp and oil pressure looked good. But here is my question. As I get ready to splash the boat in about 3 weeks, what basic maintenance would you recommend for an engine that has been stored for the past 5 years. The PO was an experienced sailor who claimed to start the engine regularly while on the hard. He was also a great believer in MMO. So I sense the engine has been fairly well cared for. But still I am seeing on these forums about various flushing. Should I flush or change anything? The A4 has been upgraded to electronic ignition for whatever that means.

[Sony2000]

Its just like any Chevy. It needs all of its liquids, all the time. Then step on the gas.

[Dave Neptune]

Welcome

Rbyham, first welcome to the Afourian Forum!! You have come to the right place for anything A-4 a pretty much anything an A-4 can attach to.
After a long layup I would take a good hard look at the fuel & filters and change the oil after a short run at temp.
You said it started and ran so the fuel is perhaps OK. I'd run that fuel out before adding any fresh fuel. If the fuel is bad in this manner you will have less bad fuel to deal with. Per Shawn don't add good fuel to bad you'll just get more bad fuel.
Other than the above just check the packing and the block for leaks.
As you comeup with questions just fire away good sir.

Dave Neptune

[hanleyclifford]

Before you launch write down specs on your prop and even take a picture of it.

[CalebD]

Welcome Rbyham

I've followed some of your posts on sailnet about your rudder...

The guys here know their A4 engines.

Main things to be concerned with on the engine after a 5 year layup:
Fuel system.
- fuel tank. Best to drain it entirely as there is likely a bunch of crap at the bottom if it was left with gas in it (see pic below of what came out of the bottom of my tank). Change fuel hoses if they are old.
- carburetor may need cleaning. If there are any black specks in the carb it is probably that the hoses are old and should be replaced.
- fuel filters. Change.
- fuel pump. If your engine has the mechanical fuel pump there is something in it called a sediment bowl. Good idea to clean this out and service the fuel pump with the overhaul kit available from Moyer.

Oil.
- oil. Change every 100 hours or so. Use a good oil like Rotella T 30W (or 40W-15)
Electronics.
- ignition wires & sparks. Have replacements handy (Moyer sells them).
- distributor cap & rotor. Have replacements handy.

Cooling system.
- water pump impeller. Most change this $20 item yearly.
- vinegar flush. You can run 1 gallon of white vinegar into the engine and let it sit overnight. This can help clean out the cooling passages (assuming your A4 is not Raw Water Cooled (RWC) and has a heat exchanger instead).

Make sure you have a Standard size wrench ratchet set and, depending on your engine access a hand held mirror may be a good idea.

Drive Train.
- Cutless bearing. Check for wiggle room where your shaft exits your hull. If there is wiggle room of say 1/16", you should consider replacing the cutless bearing which may require pulling the prop and shaft. You have already dropped the rudder which should make this easier.

- shaft log hose. Black rubber hose that connects the stuffing box to the hull/stern tube. Check this for resiliency. Does it have more years left or should it be replaced? This is a bad place to find out you have a leak.

- stuffing box packing. This may drip a bit when you first launch the boat. It may clear up after soaking up some water but it may not. It might not be a bad idea to simply replace the old packing with new before you launch the boat. You'll still have to keep an eye on it until it settles down but at least you will know when it was last re-packed. Best on-line tutorial on stuffing box repacking: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box

I'm sure there is more.

Welcome to the Moyer A4 forum.

[sastanley]

Mmmmm...the Caleb fuel/water/ethanol mix pic. Nice!

Caleb, pretty soon I think you are going to need to adjust your pic to pinpoint the fuel part and the water part...just for fun.

[jbsoukup]

what is that!? Looks like some kind of upside down black & tan boat cocktail

[CalebD]

Not an upside down black and tan.

Bottom of fuel tank. Black stuff is crud, eg, phase separated ethanol trapped water and junk. Amber stuff is closer to actual gasoline.

[High Hopes]

Before you launch write down specs on your prop and even take a picture of it.

I wish I would remember to do this. I still have no idea what size prop I have. When I am in the water I wonder about it. Out of the water I always think, "Oh yeah, it is easy to measure that now," and don't do it Grrrr.

[jbsoukup]

maybe you could use it on your bright work? ha ha

[Rbyham]

Rbyham, first welcome to the Afourian Forum!! You have come to the right place for anything A-4 a pretty much anything an A-4 can attach to.
After a long layup I would take a good hard look at the fuel & filters and change the oil after a short run at temp.
You said it started and ran so the fuel is perhaps OK. I'd run that fuel out before adding any fresh fuel. If the fuel is bad in this manner you will have less bad fuel to deal with. Per Shawn don't add good fuel to bad you'll just get more bad fuel.
Other than the above just check the packing and the block for leaks.
As you comeup with questions just fire away good sir.

Dave Neptune

I out fresh fuel in empty tank for test runs. No old fuel issues.

[Rbyham]

This past week on another test run I did find an issue. She starts and runs fine except she now requires at least half choke. Research says dirty carb and candidate for rebuild. Agree? A rebuild kit did come with the boat as a bunch of other parts :-) I might even have a fuel pump rebuild kit in there. Would that be advised as well? Fuel tank was empty so I just hit her with 1/4 tank fresh fuel. I have had the fuel pump bowl off and the fuel looked nice and clean after coming through racor and polishing filter. BTW, are those polishing filters some basic NAPA filter or do I have to but from Moyer? I am thinking the SS fuel pump bowl as well from Moyer. Mine is somewhat rusted.

Well keep the thoughts coming. I think there is lots of life left in the old girl and I want to see her brought all the way back (short of an engine rebuild which does not appear to be indicated at this point)...

[lat 64]

This past week on another test run I did find an issue. She starts and runs fine except she now requires at least half choke. Research says dirty carb and candidate for rebuild. Agree? A rebuild kit did come with the boat as a bunch of other parts :-) I might even have a fuel pump rebuild kit in there. Would that be advised as well? Fuel tank was empty so I just hit her with 1/4 tank fresh fuel. I have had the fuel pump bowl off and the fuel looked nice and clean after coming through racor and polishing filter. BTW, are those polishing filters some basic NAPA filter or do I have to but from Moyer? I am thinking the SS fuel pump bowl as well from Moyer. Mine is somewhat rusted.

Well keep the thoughts coming. I think there is lots of life left in the old girl and I want to see her brought all the way back (short of an engine rebuild which does not appear to be indicated at this point)...

Half choke to start, or half choke to run?

It does sound advisable to take the carb apart. Do some research on this forum for all the info for that. If you come up short on instructions, ask away.

Russ

[Rbyham]

Full choke to start... half to run. I have read the forum on the subject. Seems like an obvious clean/rebuild.

[Mo]

Full choke to start... half to run. I have read the forum on the subject. Seems like an obvious clean/rebuild.

Sounds like a partially plugged main jet or an air leak...I'd almost bet a beer on one or the other.

One of the most important thing resurrecting an old boat is cleaning out the fuel system. The tank needs cleaning, rubber lines replaced with ethanol resistant version, all new filters. The carb likely just needs a cleaning and not a rebuild.