Overhaul'n an A4

[Administrator]

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Bill

[Loki9]

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Loki - were you running the motor under water pressure from a household hose attached to the motor?

If so...it's likely the municipal water pressure was far higher than that generated by the engine water pump and is showing leaks that would not occur during normal engine running conditions.

Ford blue eh?

Cheers!

Ford blue, yes!

Pressurized water, no. I ran the garden hose into a 5 gal bucket and let the A4 suck out of that.

Still, the pressure from the Oberdorfer must be fairly high as it will empty the 5 gal bucket in no time. One thing that I know I did "wrong" was to use lock washers on the bolts when Moyer recommends using brass flat washers for just this very reason.

[67c&ccorv]

Ford blue, yes!

Pressurized water, no. I ran the garden hose into a 5 gal bucket and let the A4 suck out of that.

Still, the pressure from the Oberdorfer must be fairly high as it will empty the 5 gal bucket in no time. One thing that I know I did "wrong" was to use lock washers on the bolts when Moyer recommends using brass flat washers for just this very reason.

Flat (for sealing purposes) is where it's at...I would think a flat washer followed by a lock washer would not be a problem though?

Don?

[edwardc]

...I would think a flat washer followed by a lock washer would not be a problem though?

No, that would still provide a leak path, along the shaft, through the center of of the flat washer, and out the split in the lock washer. You need flat washers so all the sealing surfaces are put under pressure when the bolt is tightened.

Have you considered going with the stud kit that Moyer sells for the side plate? One kit does two studs. I replaced all of mine preemptively when I did the rebuild, and they have been leak-free from day one.

[Loki9]

No, that would still provide a leak path, along the shaft, through the center of of the flat washer, and out the split in the lock washer. You need flat washers so all the sealing surfaces are put under pressure when the bolt is tightened.

Have you considered going with the stud kit that Moyer sells for the side plate? One kit does two studs. I replaced all of mine preemptively when I did the rebuild, and they have been leak-free from day one.

I replaced the lock washers with flat washers and that stopped the leaks. I'm still curious because the motor had lock washers on it and showed no signs of leaking before I tore it down.

Studs would be nice, but I didn't feel like spending the $120 on MMI's kits when $1 worth of washers solves the problem.

[ndutton]

MMI's kit is intended to resolve broken block syndrome where the sideplate bolts into the casting. If your threaded holes are intact you can simply thread new studs in there. I bought mine locally for less than 8 bucks for the full set - and they were stainless.

[Loki9]

Update:

I fixed the idle circuit and it now idles nicely. The problem was a clogged jet. I sprayed carb cleaner and hit it with high pressure air to no avail. Finally, I poked a small copper wire through the jet and that did the trick.

Before I fired it up the first time, I checked the compression on each cylinder and got readings between 60 and 70psi. That's a lot lower than the 100+psi I was expecting, but I figured that nothing was broken in yet and compression would improve after running it a bit. After I ran it a few times and worked out the idle problem, I checked the compression again and got 100psi on #1 and #2, but still just 65 psi on #3 and #4. I also noticed that #3 and #4 are weaker than #1 and #2. That is, I can pull the plug wires off #3 and #4 and it will keep running on #1 and #2 only, but if I pull the wires from #1 and #2, it dies. #3 and #4 are firing, but they don't seem to be doing as much work.

I can't find any evidence of leakage around #3 or #4. I've retorqued the head bolts and double checked the valve lash. All seems well except for the low compression. I'm out of ideas here. Any ideas what might be amiss?

[lat 64]

Hey,
I just caught up with your progress. Good work!

I guess you could check the valve lash again.

Ford blue is good too.

Russ

[edwardc]

Any ideas what might be amiss?

Sticky rings from running on a bad mixture? Try a couple of long soaks of cyls 3 & 4 with Marvel Mystery Oil. That may loosen them

[Loki9]

Well I talked to the machine shop and gave Moyer a call today and between them, they convinced me I'm just being paranoid. The motor isn't broken in yet and running it on the bench with no load isn't going to break it in. Thus, I am declaring my overhaul completed, and swapping the motor into "Santosha" as soon as possible.

Thanks for helping and following along. I'll probably start a new thread when I get the current A4 out.

[Bold Rascal]

Good luck Loki

The new engine looks great, awesome job!
In regards to the swap, how are you planning to extract the old engine?

And if you don't mind me asking, can you give a ballpark figure on what your machine shop costs were?

[Loki9]

The new engine looks great, awesome job!
In regards to the swap, how are you planning to extract the old engine?

And if you don't mind me asking, can you give a ballpark figure on what your machine shop costs were?

Getting the old engine out will be a trick. I'll have to disassemble part of the galley. Then the plan is to drag the A4 out of its hole into the main cabin where hopefully I can get the yard's crane to lift it out. I'm not looking forward to this operation.

The machine shop tab was:
1 set STD rings $70
Mic up and polish crank $75
Reface valves $40
Reface seats $60
8 valve guides $56
Remove/Install guides $80
Clear hone cylinders STD bore $80
Reface head and block $150
Total $611

[jpian0923]

Looks like mine!

[jpian0923]

"Then the plan is to drag the A4 out of its hole into the main cabin where hopefully I can get the yard's crane to lift it out. I'm not looking forward to this operation."

You can do it yourself! I did it yesterday in fact...and several times prior. But, flip the main blocks opposite of what I have...this way you are pulling up instead of pulling down.

[Loki9]

You can do it yourself! I did it yesterday in fact...and several times prior. But, flip the main blocks opposite of what I have...this way you are pulling up instead of pulling down.

My boat is on the hard, mast down.

I thought about disassembling the motor in the cabin and carrying it out piece by piece. That would work, but I'm going to need a crane to lift the rebuilt motor in anyway, so might as well have them do both jobs.