Claimed my A4 today

[Carl-T705]

I recently purchased an A4 and removed it from a Catalina 27 today. Man , that is one well built boat. I removed it in an unusual way. I cut the cockpit floor out, then I cut out the engine cover, after that there was plenty of room for engine work. I don't know how anyone works on these engines in this boat. A question I have is this, the entire engine was painted, hoses,wires and the distributor cap with a very heavy coat of paint , this didn't look like a spray can job, is this factory work? I got everything that was connected to the engine, gauge panel, morse cable controls, fuel tank, exhaust, prop shaft, folding prop, I forgot the stuffing box, I'll have to get back for that. This is a running freshwater engine with very little external rust most of which knocked off in 5 minutes with a 1 inch wire brush. This is a mid 80's engine, so I guess for $500 it wasn't a bad deal. After loading this in the pickup the seller mentioned he had another A4 at his house that had been sitting for a couple of years and would also sell it if I was interested. I was already there and his house was nearby so I stopped to look at it thinking it would be just a chunk of rust. Well this engine was complete no rust and the engine paint was still shiny, engine turned over, carb wasn't frozen and the shifter moved. It also came out of a 80's Catalina, what could I do, I offered $200 for this engine he accepted and I bought it as well. Some days are diamonds!! I should be set for repower on my Triton when I pick it up this week, it has a partially disassembled A4 in it now.

[jpian0923]

So now all you have to figure out is how to install both engines in your boat.

Is there a coupling that takes two engines output and transfers it to one prop?

[ILikeRust]

Better yet - twin props! Should make your docking much easier!

[joe_db]

Yes there is.
I have seen tugs with two engines and one prop or 4 engines and two props.

So now all you have to figure out is how to install both engines in your boat.

Is there a coupling that takes two engines output and transfers it to one prop?

[ILikeRust]

Yes, take a look at hydraulic drives systems. The engine drives a hydraulic pump, which connects via high-pressure hoses to hydraulic motors to turn the props.

[thatch]

"Any hydraulics experts?"

Bill,
You may have hit on a great idea. For those of us who have owned both mechanical (A4) and hydraulic types of transmissions, (Borg-Warner, Hurth, etc.), shifting and adjusting our antique gear boxes is probably one of the more "unpleasant" aspects of A4 ownership. Although adding a hydraulic pump, valves and slave motor would "clutter" things up somewhat, it could potentially make the "shifting experience" much more pleasant. In the case of the "Geo Duck", the left hand rotation problem could have been solved quite easilly. So, the question is, "how much power loss can be expected through the hydraulic pump and motor assembly?
Tom

[smosher]

Yes there is.
I have seen tugs with two engines and one prop or 4 engines and two props.

The ship I was on Blue Ridge LCC19, has 2 engines and 1 big prop.

Steve

[Bold Rascal]

Greetings fellow Gator

Hey there Steve.
I remember seeing the Blue Ridge @ 32nd street back in 79 when I was stationed on the Okinawa, LPH 3. I'd just completed my 2nd WesPac. Nice boat.

[jpian0923]

I was actually joking but...not so much anymore.

[smosher]

Hey there Steve.
I remember seeing the Blue Ridge @ 32nd street back in 79 when I was stationed on the Okinawa, LPH 3. I'd just completed my 2nd WesPac. Nice boat.

I was at 32nd street and made the move when it was homeported in Yokosuka

[Carl-T705]

I fired up this engine from the Catalina yesterday. I put MMO in the cylinders last week and let it soak all week, then yesterday changed the oil. Next I primed the fuel system from the manual pump and then hit the starter.. DOA, no spark at the plugs. I then pulled the cap and checked the points for contact, good, then cleaned the dist. cap contacts and replaced the cap still no spark. Next I pulled a plug wire, and it fell apart. The wires were copper cored and had a little clip on wire end. The ends weren't crimped just clipped on , never saw this before. I had some old Chevy plug wires laying around, so I put these on and then thought I would pull a spark plug and check for spark.. In the process of turning the engine over checking the plug, the old A4 fired up and just sat there idling pretty as you please. I shut it down and put the S plug back in No.1 and ran the engine for an hour, 50 lbs oil pressure at 160 degrees, charging at 25 amps. The engine was sitting on 2 4x4s and sat there and didn't shake or walk off the boards, what a smooth running little engine I cooled it by recirculating the water in a 5 gallon bucket. The waterpump leak for about the first 5 minutes and then stopped, so this will need attention. This engine was raw water cooled in freshwater but will now be freshwater cooled in the Triton for salt water usage. The raw water pump and bracket was pilfered from my boat are these parts available seperately?

[ILikeRust]

The raw water pump and bracket was pilfered from my boat are these parts available seperately?

Yup. From our benefactor.

Click here and scroll down to see Product No. - CFWK_04_267

[Carl-T705]

engine year

Is there a way to determine the engine year from the serial number? One engines serial number starts with 192xxx and the other starts with 202xxx

[sastanley]

Carl, from what I understand, there should also be a casting date on the block. It is between the carb & the breather tube...front port side (provided you don't have a v-drive)...just under the valve cover...six digit number..mine is 041976, as far as I can tell, indicating April 19, 1976, in a 1977 boat.

My serial number is 197258.

Check out this picture..you can see the date stamp on the block, just above the flame arrestor.

[Carl-T705]

sastanley , Thanks I saw a number located there I just didn't pay much attention with the built up crude covering parts of it.