Winterizing your Atomic 4

[Ajax]

I think pouring 10w30 into the carb is bogus. I could see doing it with MMO, which is a much lighter oil.

Even better, would be MMO fogging spray.

[ILikeRust]

He had to hold the gearshift level down in reverse or it would pop out.

This is normal for the A4 reversing gear - there is a firm detent in forward, but none in reverse. You have to hold the lever to keep it in reverse or it will just slide back out.

When he shuts down the engine for the last time in the fall he pours oil in the spark arrestor until the engine stalls.

Depending on what oil he's using, that actually should be fine. Fogging oil or Marvel Mystery Oil are fine. I don't think I would do it with crankcase oil, though.

My Marine Surveyor mentioned the spark arrestor is covered in oil and should be cleaned.

Sure.

Keep in mind the Atomic 4 basically is a 1930's/1940's utility engine design, representing state-of-the-art technology of that era. It's a little brute of an engine, being all cast iron and steel. It is not a high-rpm, twitchy, lightweight, aluminum alloy motorcycle engine and is much more robust and simple than a lot of modern engines of similar displacement and power.

[joe_db]

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...&ci_sku=109292
I wouldn't use normal lube oil for this job.

[old-sailer]

Yes I could see "fogging" with a thin oil but not pouring 10W30 down the carb. That still bothers me. I see Don recommends removing the plugs and squirting.

The A4 tranny has a strong detent for forward ; no detent in reverse. Holding reverse is normal. A thread on oils for the A4 on this forum a while back made me a Rotella convert. I have stopped wondering about other oils because my engine is happy.

Fogging the A4 by feeding MMO thru the carb is a long established part of winterization , or pickeling. This applies to winter prep in cold climates (like 43 dg. north) , or warm climates in the case of prolonged inactivity. Yes , the plugs become a mess , but that is why God made spark plug cleaners. I use the gummy plugs for spring start-up , then , once the engine is recommissioned I swap out for new plugs , clean the dirty ones and keep them as spares. (Actually , after the gummy plugs are run through a cleaner they are perfectly good to go.)

I cannot guess why the PO bound the plug wires together. You are correct in flagging that.

All in all , your problems are minor and you should have a happy engine soon. Enjoy your Atomic Four!

[old-sailer]

Thanks guys...

Thanks for the responses. You've pretty much confirmed my thoughts.

I was happy to learn holding reverse is normal.

No more crankcase oil down the carb. I'll squirt in the spark plug holes.

I'm replacing the wires. plugs, and adding Moyer's dip stick extension.

I'm going to try the Mobil 1 motorcycle oil... I have great faith in Mobil 1.

I'm also going to drop a bit of Seafoam in the gas.

Hopefully I can make it happy.

I have already added the 3 blade prop to get more poop out of her as suggested by others here.

[old-sailer]

Many of these items that you folks see at West Marine in the US are illegal in Canada because of their pollution value, so it's really hard to get an equivalent product at times. We have a West Marine here in Kingston and the manager explained to me that many of these products in the catalog are not available here because of this. They are attempting to acquire replacement products that meet Canadian Clean Air requirements but it's a tough road. We are no longer allowed to use insecticides for Pete's sake. Only soap. I have to sneak over the New York and smuggle the stuff home to kill the ants that love my home each summer. If it keeps up I'll move into the boat for the summer. At least there's no ants.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...&ci_sku=109292
I wouldn't use normal lube oil for this job.

[jhwelch]

You will be doing something of an experiment using Mobil 1 motorcycle oil. At least for your first season stick with what has been proven to work by others (I have used 30w Penzoil across 2 motors for a total running time of about 8,500 hours).

[old-sailer]

True, but my concern is the wet clutch. 30 weight oil from the 70's and 80's is substantially different from the modern oils. Oils now have additives not available back then. While possibly good for the engine parts they are not good for the clutch. I have seen wet clutches destroyed by modern oils. Thus my experiment as you call it.

Actually Robert Hess, our Canadian equivalent of Don Moyer recommends 10W40 oil for use up here because of the operating temperature in which the A4 is expected to run in our colder water.

You will be doing something of an experiment using Mobil 1 motorcycle oil. At least for your first season stick with what has been proven to work by others (I have used 30w Penzoil across 2 motors for a total running time of about 8,500 hours).

[Laker]

Rotella. If that fails , use Rotella.

[lapls]

Pouring oil is the old way of winterizing, if you look at an original A-4 manual this is the way to winterize it, remove spark arrester, pour engine oil while engine is running until it stops, then close intake and exhaust with waxed paper to prevent moisture to go into engine..

I used to drain the block with the 3 drain plugs only but since the threads ar stripped I now put anti-freeze after having removed the thermostat ( late model ).
Once anti-freeze starts exiting the exhaust I rush into the cabin and squirt fogging oil until it dies ( you must manually increase speed in order to fog it properly before it dies ).
I then put a little in the cylinders and replace spark plugs. In spring I just need to clean the plugs and it starts within a few seconds.
Of course I also winterize the fuel system and remove the water pump impeller in fall.
BTW, I have been using Castrol motorcycle oil for the past 12 years and it does a good job ( no slippery agent , good rust protection ).

[old-sailer]

We're of like minds... I like the motorcycle oil also.

Pouring oil is the old way of winterizing, if you look at an original A-4 manual this is the way to winterize it, remove spark arrester, pour engine oil while engine is running until it stops, then close intake and exhaust with waxed paper to prevent moisture to go into engine..

I used to drain the block with the 3 drain plugs only but since the threads ar stripped I now put anti-freeze after having removed the thermostat ( late model ).
Once anti-freeze starts exiting the exhaust I rush into the cabin and squirt fogging oil until it dies ( you must manually increase speed in order to fog it properly before it dies ).
I then put a little in the cylinders and replace spark plugs. In spring I just need to clean the plugs and it starts within a few seconds.
Of course I also winterize the fuel system and remove the water pump impeller in fall.
BTW, I have been using Castrol motorcycle oil for the past 12 years and it does a good job ( no slippery agent , good rust protection ).

[prstack7]

Is there any problem with simply draining the block instead of filling with anti-freeze? Secondly, is there a need to drain water out of the entire exhaust?

[Mo]

I think you are better off to use auto antifreeze mixed 50/50...then you won't have to worry about exhaust or engine....it will be fine. Those of us that do that don't end up with frost related repairs.

[ILikeRust]

As Mo indicates, it seems to me the main concern would be whether you actually got all the water out.

[Laker]

Is there any problem with simply draining the block instead of filling with anti-freeze? Secondly, is there a need to drain water out of the entire exhaust?

This has to be a contender for most trodden topic.

Pickling with anti-freeze is , in my opinion , easier than wrestling with the drain plugs each year. The plugs eventually get mangled , many of us have poor access to them , and I hate that "I wonder if I got all the water out" feeling. Plus , the water jackets benefit from the green stuff's rust protection ; empty jackets do not.

I see no downside to anti-freeze pickling , except for the odd tree hugger who thinks that life as we know it will cease if you blurp a couple of ounces of green stuff out the exhaust and onto the boatyard pavement.

(Note : Do not allow a friend or your dog to wrap their lips around the exhaust discharge when you do you first spring start-up. After that it is OK.)