Return to the home page...

Go Back   Moyer Marine Atomic 4 Community - Home of the Afourians > Discussion Topics > General Interest

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   IP: 24.152.132.140
Old 10-09-2018, 07:47 PM
ndutton's Avatar
ndutton ndutton is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Torrance, CA
Posts: 9,619
Thanks: 198
Thanked 2,208 Times in 1,425 Posts
Information needed

From the turn of the key/push of the start button, how long does it usually take to start your engine following a typical layoff (not over winter)?
__________________
Neil
1977 Catalina 30
San Pedro, California
prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22
Had my hands in a few others
Reply With Quote
  #2   IP: 137.103.82.194
Old 10-09-2018, 08:32 PM
joe_db's Avatar
joe_db joe_db is online now
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 4,474
Thanks: 49
Thanked 1,026 Times in 721 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by ndutton View Post
From the turn of the key/push of the start button, how long does it usually take to start your engine following a typical layoff (not over winter)?
Been run that day, fuel not run out - maybe 2 seconds if that.
Fuel run out - but primed before start and cold - say overnight - maybe 20-30 seconds.
Reply With Quote
  #3   IP: 71.222.35.40
Old 10-09-2018, 09:56 PM
roadnsky's Avatar
roadnsky roadnsky is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Lake Mead, NV
Posts: 3,104
Thanks: 24
Thanked 467 Times in 309 Posts
Cold start...
Starts right up. 1-2 seconds (Full Choke)

Warm...
Starts right up. 1-2 seconds. (No Choke)
__________________
-Jerry

'Lone Ranger'

1978 RANGER 30
Reply With Quote
  #4   IP: 174.204.16.237
Old 10-09-2018, 10:06 PM
edwardc's Avatar
edwardc edwardc is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Laurel, MD
Posts: 2,509
Thanks: 153
Thanked 595 Times in 388 Posts
In the summer, three tries, each try consisting of about 5 seconds of cranking followed by 5-10 seconds of waiting. First try does nothing but crank. Second try coughs once or twice. Third try starts right up.
__________________
@(^.^)@ Ed
1977 Pearson P-323 "Dolce Vita"
with rebuilt Atomic-4

Reply With Quote
  #5   IP: 131.162.167.190
Old 10-09-2018, 10:51 PM
Peter's Avatar
Peter Peter is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 297
Thanks: 162
Thanked 140 Times in 101 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by edwardc View Post
In the summer, three tries, each try consisting of about 5 seconds of cranking followed by 5-10 seconds of waiting. First try does nothing but crank. Second try coughs once or twice. Third try starts right up.
Almost the same as Ed except I do not get the coughing on the second try.

Peter
Reply With Quote
  #6   IP: 66.235.22.17
Old 10-09-2018, 11:50 PM
wristwister's Avatar
wristwister wristwister is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Arlington, WA
Posts: 166
Thanks: 0
Thanked 47 Times in 30 Posts
Pretty much the same as Ed and Peter.
__________________
"A ship in the harbor is safe ... but that's not what ships are built for.
Reply With Quote
  #7   IP: 138.207.172.243
Old 10-09-2018, 11:59 PM
TomG's Avatar
TomG TomG is offline
Afourian MVP Emeritus
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Kent Island, MD
Posts: 656
Thanks: 73
Thanked 93 Times in 53 Posts
I just cranked mine after a four week layoff and it started after a second or two. That's pretty typical. (Full choke, throttle off the stop.)
__________________
Tom
"Patina"
1977 Tartan 30
Repowered with MMI A-4 2008
Reply With Quote
  #8   IP: 71.208.62.184
Old 10-10-2018, 12:35 AM
romantic comedy's Avatar
romantic comedy romantic comedy is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: florida
Posts: 1,912
Thanks: 13
Thanked 118 Times in 100 Posts
Always starts right up....2-5 seconds
Reply With Quote
  #9   IP: 174.216.3.255
Old 10-10-2018, 12:57 AM
Mark Millbauer's Avatar
Mark Millbauer Mark Millbauer is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: WA state
Posts: 193
Thanks: 9
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Prime electric fuel pump, pull choke, crank 5 seconds or less to start . Carb is always run dry when shut down for the day. Average frequency of use once every 4 weeks
__________________
Mark
C30 "Kismet"
Reply With Quote
  #10   IP: 72.194.219.196
Old 10-10-2018, 01:51 AM
JOHN COOKSON JOHN COOKSON is offline
Afourian MVP, Professor Emeritus
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,500
Thanks: 54
Thanked 855 Times in 629 Posts
Starts on the first or second try after sitting for two weeks: I use 6-9 second cranking bursts with a 10 second rest in between trys.
Seems a bit more reluctant if the temp has been under 40 degrees sometime during the two weeks. Never have figured out why.

TRUE GRIT
Reply With Quote
  #11   IP: 24.224.195.189
Old 10-10-2018, 05:18 AM
Mo's Avatar
Mo Mo is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Halifax NS,
Posts: 4,470
Thanks: 292
Thanked 411 Times in 272 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by roadnsky View Post
Cold start...
Starts right up. 1-2 seconds (Full Choke)

Warm...
Starts right up. 1-2 seconds. (No Choke)
Same here.
__________________
Mo

"Odyssey"
1976 C&C 30 MKI

The pessimist complains about the wind.
The optimist expects it to change.
The realist adjusts the sails.
...Sir William Arthur Ward.
Reply With Quote
  #12   IP: 100.18.23.16
Old 10-10-2018, 06:16 AM
sdemore sdemore is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Pasadena, MD
Posts: 230
Thanks: 84
Thanked 43 Times in 33 Posts
Same as most here. If it has been started in the past several hours, it fires up 1st try, in 3 or 4 seconds. Normal starts, 3rd or 4th try of 5-10 second bursts.
__________________
Steve Demore
S/V Doin' It Right
Pasadena, MD
Reply With Quote
  #13   IP: 64.62.192.42
Old 10-10-2018, 12:59 PM
toddster toddster is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 490
Thanks: 10
Thanked 39 Times in 34 Posts
Summer time "cold" - one or two cranks 5-10 seconds
Winter time "cold" - two or three cranks 5 - 10 seconds
Warm - 1-2 seconds.
Reply With Quote
  #14   IP: 192.186.122.174
Old 10-10-2018, 03:35 PM
GregH's Avatar
GregH GregH is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Kingston, ON
Posts: 564
Thanks: 385
Thanked 103 Times in 80 Posts
this summer cold start, choke out, 2-3 sec.
Cant tell you about warm as I haven't had an opportunity to run it long enough.

I also believe it is running a little rich right now.
Reply With Quote
  #15   IP: 24.152.132.140
Old 10-10-2018, 07:53 PM
ndutton's Avatar
ndutton ndutton is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Torrance, CA
Posts: 9,619
Thanks: 198
Thanked 2,208 Times in 1,425 Posts
Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. I'm up to my armpits in an A4 project and your responses are most helpful.
__________________
Neil
1977 Catalina 30
San Pedro, California
prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22
Had my hands in a few others
Reply With Quote
  #16   IP: 72.45.254.133
Old 10-11-2018, 12:08 AM
Whippet's Avatar
Whippet Whippet is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 272
Thanks: 34
Thanked 18 Times in 16 Posts
fast

sorry late to party.

Since EI, proper timing, and new carb - it always fires fast. A few seconds even if cold. In old days with none of above - I would have used an hour glass to measure time to start

be well
__________________
Steve
Etobicoke YC, C&C27
A4 #204381, 1980
Reply With Quote
  #17   IP: 207.118.20.35
Old 10-11-2018, 02:16 AM
capnward's Avatar
capnward capnward is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Deer Harbor WA
Posts: 335
Thanks: 41
Thanked 147 Times in 107 Posts
A4s rock!

After a few days not running, engine turned off with gas in carb, with a cold engine, (but not very cold in the summer), choke out, throttle at half, fuel pressurized by mechanical pump bail, 2 seconds. Without priming with bail, 2 or maybe three five-second cranks, five seconds apart. If engine had been running the day before, usually one 4 second crank with choke on but no priming. I push the choke back in after a few seconds. Takes about 15 minutes to get up to 160 degrees. Indigo thermostat, FWC, EI. If engine is warmed up, no choke, starts in 1 second. She's been doing this all summer, running most days, 150 hours since May. After a winter layoff, who knows? Could be three seconds, or three weeks. I didn't run it dry at the end of last season, and had a bad (leaking, with rust around the top rim) coil. After cleaning carb and jets, replacing filters, fuel hose, coil, cap, rotor, plugs, oiling breaker plates, setting initial timing, and priming the fuel line, she still wouldn't start until we put a little gas in the air intake. Then she showed signs of life, and started after further turning of the distributor. Once timing was set under load at speed, she was good all season. Thanks to the old engineers at Universal, the folks at Moyer Marine, and this forum, I made some money and had a lot of fun with my trusty Atomic Four. They really are great engines, if you learn how to handle them. Plus they are quiet, can run at low speeds, and never smell like diesel, which is good for the passengers. Others may call them obsolete, and compared to the mileage diesels obtain, they are. But as long as devoted owners continue to use them and work on them, they will remain gems. Besides, I am obsolete, too.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to capnward For This Useful Post:
GregH (10-11-2018)
  #18   IP: 142.134.59.121
Old 10-11-2018, 07:14 AM
Joe Miller Joe Miller is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 25
Thanks: 0
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
After 4 years working on the boat and not starting engine, I did a tune up and engine started on 2nd or 3rd try of about 10 seconds each. A few issues now but working through them.

Joe
Reply With Quote
  #19   IP: 172.95.97.58
Old 10-11-2018, 05:21 PM
Dave Neptune Dave Neptune is online now
Afourian MVP, Professor Emeritus
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Grove, Oklahoma
Posts: 5,035
Thanks: 711
Thanked 1,289 Times in 839 Posts
Neil, old motor and poor compression. EI, manual FP, PCV and stock plugs @.040".

Warm start after running within 4~5 hours choke on 2~3 seconds and she purred. Release choke immediately.

Cold start after running within a few days choke 5~6 seconds and she purred. Ease the choke a bit immediately and completely after a 5~10 seconds down to around 50 degrees.

Cold start after being in the slip a while even a couple of months and I would run the gas out of the carb after docking. First open the engine box to get to my remote start switch and open the fuel valve. Then crank for around 10~15 seconds with the choke on and ignition OFF until I had both oil and fuel pressure. Then I would turn on the ignition and she would start in a few seconds. Then ease the choke a bit and after 20~30 seconds release it completely.

My idle was set for 700 and I would apply enough throttle to yield about 1500 any time starting cold and a bit less warm.

Dave Nep0tune
Reply With Quote
  #20   IP: 138.207.175.58
Old 10-11-2018, 06:25 PM
Administrator's Avatar
Administrator Administrator is offline
MMI Webmaster
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Chestertown, MD (Langford Creek)
Posts: 2,198
Thanks: 1,335
Thanked 365 Times in 182 Posts
Sniff, sniff....

Something's up?

Is there, uh, anything you might want to share with us?

Bill
Reply With Quote
  #21   IP: 24.152.132.140
Old 10-11-2018, 06:52 PM
ndutton's Avatar
ndutton ndutton is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Torrance, CA
Posts: 9,619
Thanks: 198
Thanked 2,208 Times in 1,425 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Administrator View Post
Is there, uh, anything you might want to share with us?
Not yet but things are looking promising.
__________________
Neil
1977 Catalina 30
San Pedro, California
prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22
Had my hands in a few others
Reply With Quote
  #22   IP: 67.175.171.96
Old 10-11-2018, 11:49 PM
Sam Sam is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 322
Thanks: 490
Thanked 140 Times in 109 Posts
It seems to me that I remember reading a past thread from our west coast engineering guru [which I always find educational] that due the "updraft" A4 carb design that a cold start with adequate choke could take 2 or 3 momentary start attempts. If it does start right up the main jet is set a little too rich.

It is cold here Chicago, around 45 F and my 1966 early model A4 initialy starts right up with choke [impresses folks all the time] This last spring among other things I cleaned the tank and the zenith carb and it runs well. Checked the plugs today, end of the season, and they look somewhat dark, running well but a little rich. On target again.
Reply With Quote
  #23   IP: 192.186.122.174
Old 10-12-2018, 09:02 AM
GregH's Avatar
GregH GregH is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Kingston, ON
Posts: 564
Thanks: 385
Thanked 103 Times in 80 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam View Post
It seems to me that I remember reading a past thread from our west coast engineering guru [which I always find educational] that due the "updraft" A4 carb design that a cold start with adequate choke could take 2 or 3 momentary start attempts. If it does start right up the main jet is set a little too rich.

It is cold here Chicago, around 45 F and my 1966 early model A4 initialy starts right up with choke [impresses folks all the time] This last spring among other things I cleaned the tank and the zenith carb and it runs well. Checked the plugs today, end of the season, and they look somewhat dark, running well but a little rich. On target again.
Sounds just like me. Cold start real easy and fast and dark plugs.

it's on my list this weekend.
Reply With Quote
  #24   IP: 199.87.176.212
Old 10-12-2018, 09:54 AM
zellerj zellerj is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 304
Thanks: 5
Thanked 115 Times in 69 Posts
when summer cold - just a couple of seconds with full choke, then no choke upon starting.
when spring/fall cold - takes two attempts, so 5 to 10 seconds and leave choke full for a little longer
__________________
Jim Zeller
1982 Catalina 30
Kelleys Island, Ohio
Reply With Quote
  #25   IP: 24.152.132.140
Old 10-12-2018, 10:13 AM
ndutton's Avatar
ndutton ndutton is offline
Afourian MVP
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Torrance, CA
Posts: 9,619
Thanks: 198
Thanked 2,208 Times in 1,425 Posts
Based on the responses it seems most if not all have their engine started in under 60 seconds regardless of temperature or layoff time. Sound about right?
__________________
Neil
1977 Catalina 30
San Pedro, California
prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22
Had my hands in a few others
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Moyer Marine has new contact information. Administrator General Interest 1 06-01-2016 09:47 PM
Troubleshooting help Needed emlesnick Troubleshooting 16 08-20-2013 09:01 PM
Engine Sputters and Coughs, and Needed Choke to Run Smooth CaptainChas Troubleshooting 9 06-30-2009 10:50 PM
Information about information and oil pressure issues Don Moyer Announcements 0 04-14-2009 08:30 AM
Basic Information on the Atomic 4. Hazelnut General Interest 0 09-05-2007 11:15 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:18 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.


Universal® is a registered trademark of Westerbeke Corporation

Copyright © 2004-2024 Moyer Marine Inc.

All Rights Reserved