#1
IP: 172.218.27.185
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Help! All sorts problems came up
First of all I been through 2 A4 in my boat over a long time period and able to fix pretty much anything A4. Including a head gasket and valve job myself. But I'm trying to coax my engine long until the as my marine mechanic has found a suitable diesel that will work. However I was getting some crappy/water in fuel (which did happened) and not running right. So I pulled the fuel system and pulled the carb to blow it out and clean all filters bowls etc. Not changing any of the settings. It san okay for a bit but not completely happy. Then running it in anger it was getting worse & worse. A lot of blow by with unspent fuel and exhaust/soot. Not proper power because of it. I get 4 knots maybe but it should be doing 6. Very recently I but in a new fuel filter, points, condenser, coil and drained the carb (again!) but still no go. Even tried some Seafoam that helped a little bit. But a little bit only.
But frankly I'm bamboozled. I thought about timing but I'm not sure that's it or? I thought about the choke too but? This winter with record rainfall to spring in a matter of days so I all mechanics are stupid busy and I can't get anyone to even look at it. 3 weeks maybe. Any thoughts? |
#2
IP: 71.178.84.173
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orca...too much..we need to focus.
water in fuel - I had a bad o-ring on the fuel fill...water washing down the side deck got in the tank. - Let's work on trying to solve one problem at a time. I am a proponent of Seafoam, but it is not a fixer for bigger issues. Replacing fuel filter does not fix an issue with the fuel tank..it just slows it down until the filter is overwhelmed again. My step-father, with a 2 cyl diesel in his boat, enjoyed cruising with me yesterday with the A4, he said, "this is nice and quiet...we can talk while cruising." - so don't rush to a diesel. I recommend we break things into pieces and solve each one until it is running like a top.
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-Shawn "Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109 "Twice Around" - '77 C-30, #511 with original A-4 & MMI manifold - SOLD! (no longer a two boat owner!!) Last edited by sastanley; 06-16-2017 at 12:19 AM. |
#3
IP: 24.152.132.65
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I forget where I heard it, maybe here but I got a chuckle out of the question to ask when someone is considering such a repower:
Quote:
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to ndutton For This Useful Post: | ||
Administrator (06-16-2017), chapster5 (06-16-2017), Easy Rider (06-19-2017), marthur (06-20-2017), sastanley (06-20-2017), sdemore (06-16-2017) |
#4
IP: 107.77.97.110
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Quote:
Water and crap in fuel: a diesel will do the same. exhaust/soot: a diesel will do the same. Sounds like it's just running way too rich. a properly cleaned and/or rebuilt carb can help. Not just "blown out". There's lots of tiny passages that need proper cleaning and also float setting needs checking. Your comments say "thought" about these issues. My old skiing buddy always said" if looks could fix it, it'd be running by now"! That is to say, you need to methodically verify each suspicious condition. LOOK in the intake and SEE if the choke is the problem. Procedure;
Keep calm and dig in, Russ
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Whiskeyjack a '68 Columbia 36 rebuilt A-4 with 2:1 "Since when is napping doing nothing?" |
The Following User Says Thank You to lat 64 For This Useful Post: | ||
Dave Neptune (06-16-2017) |
#5
IP: 71.118.13.238
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save the ales and yer A-4
orcaspirit, if you follow the tutelage on this forum you would be a better A-4 mechanic in 3 weeks than you could hire.
Start methodically one step at a time and the A-4 will once again purr away. I just recently went to a larger boat and I do miss the A-4 for the quiet and downwind motoring odors. Post a few pics if you can, they really help. Dave Neptune Last edited by Dave Neptune; 06-16-2017 at 01:50 PM. Reason: an oops |
#6
IP: 70.24.14.81
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Good to see you checking in Dave. Unbeknownst to you, I followed a lot of your excellent advise
Greg |
#7
IP: 98.125.68.222
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credit to Ray
Neil, I believe that was me, quoting Ray Magliozzi on Car Talk. He was talking to a caller with a diesel in his car, and he asked, "which do you like best, the noise or the smell?" Immediately I thought of the A4 replacement mania.
Diesels get better mileage; other than that, I see no reason to change. I would sooner buy a Moyer rebuild; after 20+ years of learning how these engines work, I don't want to become a diesel mechanic. The junkyards are full of engines that just needed to be tuned up. Like sastanley says, let's take it one issue at a time. You learn more that way. Orca: sounds to me like you're running too rich. Try rotating the distributor clockwise a bit while running with a load, as an experiment. That will make it run leaner. See if it runs better. If you have an adjustable main jet, it could be turned out too far. It could be the idle screw is turned in too far. It could be the choke is not opening enough. When you had the carb apart, did you inspect the jets for obstructions? To me the usual culprit is junk in the fuel tank. IMO, using non-ethanol keeps the stuff in the tank from dislodging, dispersing, and going downstream to get caught in the filters and the carb. I also recommend electronic ignition, to avoid points and condenser issues. How many rpm is "running in anger" at 4 knots? If I run mine too hard it starts being unhappy, with more blow by and soot, and little increase in speed. The vacuum gauge is a good indicator of how hard the engine is working. Fuel pressure gauge tells you if there is a fuel blockage. Orca, you will have better luck on this forum than from a mechanic you have to wait three weeks for, who wants to sell you a diesel. Being your own mechanic gives you peace of mind, but you have to work at studying your engine. This forum is the best place for that, along with the Moyer manual. |
#8
IP: 24.152.132.65
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Well then I owe you a thanks because it was pretty good.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#9
IP: 70.188.74.2
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Capnward, how does this make it run leaner?: "Try rotating the distributor clockwise a bit while running with a load, as an experiment. That will make it run leaner. See if it runs better."
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Bill McLean '76 Ericson 27 :valhalla: Norfolk, VA |
#10
IP: 71.38.68.214
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Quote:
To advance move against the rotation of the rotor (COUNTER-Clockwise) and to back off (retard) the timing, move in the direction of the rotor rotation. (Clockwise)
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-Jerry 'Lone Ranger' 1978 RANGER 30 |
#11
IP: 98.125.68.222
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the effect of timing on richness
Obviously my understanding of retarding timing, and it's relationship to the richness of mixture, is lacking. I was incorrect to say that rotating the distributor clockwise to retard the timing makes a leaner mixture. In fact, as roadnsky and alcodiesel suggest, doing so richens the mixture. This counteracts adjustments made at the main jet to lean the mixture. I hope I have that right this time.
I had an episode where the engine would 'diesel' and backfire on shutdown. Somewhere on this forum I found an interpretation of this as caused by too lean a mixture. I had been turning in the adjustable main jet to make it leaner, but apparently had gone too far that way. Rather than turning out the adjustable jet and enriching the mixture, I tried rotating the distributor clockwise a bit, I think because of something I saw on this forum, and the problem went away. I then made a note to myself that retarding the timing enables a leaner mixture. Thus the confusion. Maybe I should have just turned the main jet back out, instead. I appreciate any further enlightenment on this issue. |
#12
IP: 24.224.194.51
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Spark Plugs all working??? Just because they are getting fire doesn't mean they are sparking in the combustion chamber.
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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. |
#13
IP: 172.218.27.185
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Quote:
Thanks again for your input. |
#14
IP: 71.38.68.214
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Hopefully good news and a solution.
Also... hopefully you're off the "Diesel Re-power" ledge?
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-Jerry 'Lone Ranger' 1978 RANGER 30 |
#15
IP: 24.152.132.65
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Hold on just a minute. The manifold gasket does not seal water passages.
__________________
Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to ndutton For This Useful Post: | ||
Administrator (06-20-2017), Dave Neptune (06-20-2017) |
#16
IP: 98.171.168.92
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Quote:
+1 on what Neil said; Don't understand how changing the manifold gasket will solve a water leak. A picture would be helpful. TRUE GRIT |
The Following User Says Thank You to JOHN COOKSON For This Useful Post: | ||
Dave Neptune (06-20-2017) |
#17
IP: 98.209.31.214
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Quote:
If it is any help, Thumper stopped thumping on the delivery trip this May because of bad fuel (diesel bug and water). So that is a problem you can't avoid by going to the dark side.
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Mike Last edited by marthur; 06-20-2017 at 05:45 PM. |
#18
IP: 71.118.13.238
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MIke, which Yanmar do you have and in what?
Dave Neptune |
#19
IP: 71.178.84.173
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Quote:
Anyway, let's see what happens next. As Dave Neptune noted, pictures, or a short YouTube video REALLY help a lot.
__________________
-Shawn "Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109 "Twice Around" - '77 C-30, #511 with original A-4 & MMI manifold - SOLD! (no longer a two boat owner!!) |
#20
IP: 96.50.124.233
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"A lot of blow by with unspent fuel and exhaust/soot"
I also think he might be referring to the manifold /exhaust gasket.
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Chuck 71 Ranger 29 |
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