To overhaul or not to overhaul. That is the question.

[tim@idrathersail.com]

I need advice.

I'm buying a 1968 Irwin from a boatyard. It has been sitting in the yard untouched for years.

Any advice on what to do before i try to start the A4?

[Don Moyer]

The attachments may help you get started.

Don

[sastanley]

A-4 newbie suggestions

Tim,

That fact that it has been sitting may be a blessing in disguise. It can also mean that you need to do some work before you even try to start it.

As a general motorhead, but newbie to A-4s, my suggestion is to squirt liberal amounts of Marvel Mystery Oil in the spark plug holes..can you turn the engine over by hand (i.e. with a hand crank?) - turn it over, squirt some more in there to loosen up all the likely rusted parts that aren't supposed to be rusty. This will get oil down the valve guides, and into the cylinder walls. It may help free up sticky valves, etc.. cranking by hand may do less damage than a battery.

After you do that for a day or two...make sure there is fresh motor oil in the thing (sitting for years = bad oil, do an oil change), probably need to clean the carb too...any fuel hanging out is no good and has likely clogged the jet(s). Can you drain out the bad fuel and get good fuel in the system?

This seems like a lot of work, but the oil is a $1.xx/quart, and right now fuel is $1.75/gal. The labor is the only real issue..but these steps may determine whether the motor will run or not before you buy it, and also whether an overhaul is necessary. If you can get the motor running..run it for a bit, and then do a compression check...that may help determine if the motor is worth rebuilding, or not.

In the long run, you've spent $10 to see if you need to spend hundreds on a rebuild...maybe.

edit - whew..I am glad Don posted some stuff while I was typing..anything he says supersedes my suggestions, he is the master.

[tim@idrathersail.com]

Thanks!

Thanks Shawn and Don!

Wish me luck!

[Dave Neptune]

The lil' tough one A-4

Tim, I understand your concernes. Double check everything and give it a try!

A quick story for you---24 years ago I bought an old E-35 with a stuck raw water cooled A-4. The previous owner said it hadn't been stuck (frozen up) for to long. It was actually so rusted up that water would barely pass through the block. I pulled the head dug out the rust with all sorts of things being used as tools. One of the valve seats had a grove rusted in it so I decided to do a valve job. After getting the valves out I used a 2X4 and a "dead blow" hammer to knock the pistons loose so I could rotate the engine to set the valve tappet's. I had to get the boat from Oxnard to Long Beach by the end of the month and I wanted to have the engine for docking at the very least. I figured on replacing the A-4 with a Universal diesel when I got the boat to it's new home. When I got the motor started it ran like crap but kept sputtering away. After I got it started I ran it for about 15 minutes then shut it down to change the oil again. When I shut it down I did a compression check, I had between 50 and 75 lbs of compression so I KNEW I would need to replace ASAP. By the time I got to Long Beach the engine was running pretty smoothe as it shook out most of the rust from the rings. Well I have been running that same motor for 24 years now and the compression is from 80 - 90 psi on all cylendars and after a few upgrades it runs like a champ. The A-4 is truly an amazingly durable engine, give it a chance.

I have a mooring on Santa Catalina Island and make about 15/20 trips to the Island every year and it's usually motor over in the morning and sail home so the engine has a poop load (tech. term) of hours on it from me and I have been using it for only 24 of it's 38 years in the boat. My only worrie now is that the steel mount for the motor will colapse befor the engine fails.

Dave
1970 E-35 MkII #146

[msauntry]

Cosmetically the engine is probably horrible, but mechanically it might be fine (as the above story relates) with a little bit of work to undo the neglect.

Often times these engines can be brought back into service, and this board is a great resource for it.

I don't know about your boat but if the engine access isn't good, take a good look at things that can be removed so you can make it right. Chances are you'll be spending a bit of time on it and it helps to be able to get to things without causing bodily injury. Cut an access hole or remove panels or whatever you need to do...