Its finally here..... Fuel Injection!

[System_Error_117]

Hey gang,

I know its been discussed in the past to no avail, but it seems like Holley's new line of Sniper EFI kits might finally have something that will work with our A4s.

Recently here in Canada, the federal government has passed regulation that requires all pump gas sold, regardless of grade, to include 10 percent ethanol. Yes even shell V Power.

This means our only option is a 3 dollar a liter fuel at the marina, which for now, is allowed to sell ethanol free fuel because of their special marine designation. But the writing is on the wall....

Apart from the cost savings on fuel vs marina cost, if we could run ethanol fuel safely, I could also switch to regular (87 octane fuel), which the low compression engine is happier running on anyways.

This kit from Holley is designed as a direct replacement to the Autolite 1100 carburetor, which appears to have a very similar bore to the Zenith carbs found on our motors.

https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/fuel_injection/sniper_efi/sniper_1-_and_2-barrel_systems/sniper_efi_autolite_1100_1-barrel/parts/550-552

I've also found a gentlemen online who has successfully run this kit in an updraft configuration on an old gasoline 4 cylinder tractor, which is basically the same configuration as our A4 motors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khNRatbMfSI

1000 bucks is more then I'd want to spend for an experiment, but its definitely something to think about with our ever changing fuel situation and regulations making it harder to run our vintage engines reliably.

The number 1 issue I see for people looking into something like this would be finding a good spot for the O2 that is still well before the mixing elbow!

[Dave Neptune]

For what it is worth it is not the E10% that is bad for running in an A-4. It is the lack of use of the A-4 in a sailboat thus using very little fuel in many cases. The E10% fuel works just fine BUT does not have the shelf life and absorbs water from the marine environment.

For those of us like myself that did or do a lot of motoring the E10% is not an issue as it does not sit for long periods of time. In my Volador I used about a tank of fuel every month as I motored to Catalina Island 2~3 times a month in the early mornings and always sailed home in a nice breeze in the afternoon. The boat would sit for about 3 months and the fuel E10% easily lasts that long. I ran that way for 34 years and never had any sort of fuel or carb issue. I cleaned my carb about every 6~8 years. I did purchase my fuel from a gas station and took it to the boat in 5 gallon cans, no marina fuel unless absolutely necessary.

I have used some of the Holley FI sytems and they do work well but I could hardly justify the cost for the upgrade in an A-4.

Dave Neptune

[Antibes]

Main components affected by ethanol are the rubber parts. Gas lines should be changed to ethanol resistant. Like Dave said sitting fuel is main problem, so don't put more in the tank than you think you will use.
When the boat is switched to ethanol it will remove build up in the system, so time to change the filters more often.

[Sam]

My tank is directly below the cockpit. I've had the boat for 45 +yrs. Probably use a tank and half during a short Chicago season with most fuel consumed during spring and fall yard trips. A number of yrs back I had intermittent fuel issues in spite of using fuel stabilizers. I purchased an extended length stick type battery powered transfer pump [$40] and every spring after winter layup very easily pump out couple gallons from tank bottom, examine it and usually just dispose of it. If there is any water/crud etc that's when and where it is at. No fuel issues since then.