Zero Compression cylinders 3+4

[Laker]

Sanding ?!?

Sanding valve stems scares me. I had the same problem as you , albeit one cylinder. With the head off I applied various lubricants to the valve stem , including carb cleaner , and gently rotated the valve. It took several tries , and a couple more head removals , but the offending valve has now been trouble free for 3 years.

Stick with it. (pardon the pun.) CK

[Sony2000]

T27, you can have a higher success rate stripping the carbon of the valve stem in the valve guide, by using ''Brake Cleaner" in aerosol. Put that little tube under the valve and blast away. Its fast acting, then evaporates. Finishing the job with MMO overnight. Warming up the valve before, can help.
While you are there do the other vales somewhat.

[Dave Neptune]

Work 'em loose

T27, you can use the starter to rotate the engine a spray a bit of penetrating oil on the stems. As the engine is rotating you can use "finger" pressure on the valves to assist them to work loose. It won't hurt the starter as there is virtually no load on it! Once they cycle fine it's time for the getting running part.

I would recommend a mix of "2-stroke (my preference) oil", or MMO in the fuel at around 100:1 mix. It may smoke a tiny bit but the oil will get to the stems as it's running and continue flushing whatever was broke loose in the guides. I'd run it thusly for about 10 gallons then go back to straight regular grade gas.

Dave Neptune

[Dave Neptune]

1 mo' ting

Using the brake cleaner or carb cleaner will really help getting the sludge off the stems. Once done with those go to the penetrating oil to lubricate and flush. The "cleaners" will leave the guides and stems clean and dry and just as ripe as they could be to gather rust.

Dave Neptune

[T27_478]

Its alive!!!!!

I just wanted to throw out a bit THANK YOU to everyone on this forum. After 4 hours of turning the engine by hand and tapping down valves while squirting a whole can of brake cleaner I got everything running smoothly. I didn't know that the atom bomb was supposed to run so smoothly and so quiet.

Here's what I can put together:

1)valves got stuck quite some time ago and the previous owner couldn't figure it out. This caused the motor to start sucking water in through the exhaust valves only making the problem worse.

2)previous owner turned the water pump WAY down to compensate and ruined the pump.

3) That still didn't solve the problem so they cut the exhaust in half so it could breathe which kinda worked and since they were on a bouy it didn't matter that the engine ran like crap.

4) I got it and started treating the water side issues assuming that the broken exhaust and pump were causing the crappy running. They were but indirectly.

5) two VERY stuck valves {took a hammer and dowel to free them and 4 hours of cleaning) later the engine runs like new.

I've now got a electronic ignition, new pump, new exhaust, rebuilt carb and last but not least a functioning set of valves. Many thanks again to everyone for the support and advice. Hopefully this atom bomb will keep on ticking and I can put away the thoughts of converting to electric.

[CalebD]

Good for you T27_478!!!

A well running A4 is a quiet thing of beauty. Some diesel owner's question whether our engines are even running as they run so quietly.

You did a great job debugging your engine. The guys here helped with suggestions but you did the work. Congrats!

Have you already joined our Tartan 27 owners group on Yahoo? It is called T27Owners.

[romantic comedy]

Question T27...

you say....

2)previous owner turned the water pump WAY down to compensate and ruined the pump.

3) That still didn't solve the problem so they cut the exhaust in half so it could breathe which kinda worked and since they were on a bouy it didn't matter that the engine ran like crap.


What do you mean, that they cut exhaust in half?

Also, how did they turn down the water pump?

[tenders]

I wondered the same things.

Maybe they didn't open the raw water intake all the way?

No idea how one would "cut the exhaust in half".

[T27_478]

You are correct, they turned the raw water intake nearly off and that in-turn wore out the pump. Not only was the impeller shot but the shear pin on the impeller sheared off.

as far as cut the exhaust in half a picture is worth a thousand words. The above photo was taken after I removed some exhaust patch materials that were nearly rusted through. I replaced the whole thing with galvanized {not a vote one way or the other on the black-iron vs galvanized debate, they only had the right size in the galvanized}

[T27_478]

tartan27 owners

Caleb,

I have found the owners site and have gleaned quite a bit of info thanks.

[tenders]

Wow! On or off a mooring, venting the exhaust inside the boat is a very convenient way of catching a permanent case of carbon monoxide poisoning.

[Mo]

Wow! On or off a mooring, venting the exhaust inside the boat is a very convenient way of catching a permanent case of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Doesn't take long though...then you get to be a musician...and play a harp.