1979 A4 stopped working

[ndutton]

Now we're gettin' somewhere

Good find. The crud came from somewhere upstream and there's no reason to expect it won't return after you clean the carb a second (and third and fourth) time. Go find the source of the contamination.

[smosher]

When you clean the carb make sure to poke wire though the jets. The jets are
too small for the carb cleaner to blast out the crud.

Steve

[HOTFLASH]

Polishing filter

Suggest considering an inline polishing filter placed after the fuel pump before the carb. It catches stuff the fuel pump and separater may pass along. Make sure your hoses are all USCG rated for alcohol in fuel. If not, the hoses may shed little flecks. See our host's catalog for the filter. Cheap insurance.

Mary

[Flaky Puff]

Fuel lines

Mary,
Our fuel lines are USCG approved for alcohol, will get a polishing filter ASAP
Thank You all

[Flaky Puff]

Atomic4 stopped running

Neil,
We tried the jumper, nothing. Have good spark in all 4 plugs and straight from the coil. The gas is clean coming out of the carb.
Any other thoughts?

We have new plugs, properly gapped, rebuilt the carb, and added a new coil!

Thanks, Phil

[ndutton]

You've hit most of the marks

I have a few disjointed thoughts:

• Fuel You report previous carb clogging and now clean fuel. Why is the fuel clean now and not before? Is it the filtration? If yes, in time you only moved the problem from the carb to the filter(s). Are you sure the choke is closing fully? Idle mixture screw 1½ turns off the seat? Are you certain the carb is clean from the last gunk-fest, even the tiny pores in the throat?
• Spark Good spark is a must but it must be at the right time. As a quick check rotate the engine to #1 TDC (careful there, see below) and remove the distributor cap to be certain the tab on the rotor points to the #1 post on the cap. Are you able to turn the distributor body by hand (hopefully not)?

TDC is the point where the #1 piston is at the top of it's travel after the intake valve closes as you rotate the crankshaft CCW facing the flywheel. Be sure you don't confuse the intake and exhaust valves.

That's about all I can think is left. You report good fuel, good spark and good compression. Accepting those three (you're there, I'm not) she ought to run.

[hanleyclifford]

In post #1 you mentioned checking the points; later you posted that you have EI. Which is correct?

[CVachon]

Electronic ignition

We have electronic ignition. Hanley, Flaky Puff left you a vm. Can you call when you have a minute?

[CVachon]

Distributor Cap
[*]Spark Good spark is a must but it must be at the right time. As a quick check rotate the engine to #1 TDC (careful there, see below) and remove the distributor cap to be certain the tab on the rotor points to the #1 post on the cap. Are you able to turn the distributor body by hand (hopefully not)?


The tab on the rotor points to #3 and not #1. How do we adjust it?

[hanleyclifford]

Call me. I sent the number to both of you.

[ndutton]

The tab on the rotor points to #3 and not #1. How do we adjust it?

BINGO!! Assuming you're truly on #1 TDC, place the #1 spark plug wire on the distributor post where the rotor is pointing. Then going clockwise around the cap place #2, then #4 and finally #3. Start her up and report back with the good news. Fine tuning comes after she's running.

edit: to be certain, the 'tab' is not the metal thing on the top of the rotor. It's the rigid metal 'shoe' on the outer edge.

[Flaky Puff]

We're finally running!😊

Fellow Afourians,
Binary Star is now up and running very nicely!
With a talk through from Hanley we got her functioning. TYVM!
So, we cleaned and rebuilt the carburetor, put in new spark plugs and properly gapped them at .035, changed our Racor gas/water filter, changed the filter & gasket in our facet fuel pump (purchased through NAPA@ $13.54), put in a new coil( from Moyer). We also purchased a timing adjustment tool, which came in clutch because it ended up our timing was way off. Hanley talked us through adjusting the distributor to be set for our timing. We also purchased new batteries, which the Admiral suggested we do earlier in the season. It took us a few tries to get the timing close enough to start, we then drove her to a Marina and had a mechanic go over her for a couple of hours where he slightly adjusted the TDC, and distributor, changed some wiring and installed a 2 level thermostat, which we hadn't had in 5 years of ownership! We appreciate y'all and hope 25yrs from now we'll know enough to help others!
Sincerely, Binary Star

[Flaky Puff]

Thank You

Neil,
Your advice was fantastic! Thank You so much!
We wouldn't have gotten there without you!

Phil Vachon aka Flaky Puff

[ndutton]

Glad to hear the goal was achieved by any means, that you're up and running.

Catalina 30, right? Do I recognize your name from the Yahoo site?

Please keep an eye on the carburetor and filters. I don't think you're done with that yet.

[CVachon]

Catalina 30

Binary Star is a 1979 Catalina 30, hull #1457. We follow the C30 yahoo group as well as this Moyer marine forum. We bought her as part of a midlife crisis, never having spent any real time on a sailboat. We basically took one week of sailing lessons and then bought a 30 foot boat, with very little sailing experience and no experience with gas engines or other marine systems. It's been a very fun, but sometimes frustrating, learning experience. Really glad that we bought the catalina 30 because there's always someone who owns or owned one that had the same problem.