New to the forum and A4 world

[Sailorsb]

My son just purchased a C&C 35 Mk I with a late model A4. The Po installed a MMI Short block and head in 2004. The engine is in great shape and has no current issues. I’m enjoying the forum and learning all I can before any problems surface and I am called into action. This engine brings many good memories from from 1970’s High School auto shop days.

Steve
X-102 w/ Yanmar 2GM owner and C&C 35 mechanic in my spare time
Port Huron, MI

[ndutton]

Welcome Steve.

Do you have the Moyer Marine engine manual yet? It's a good, almost mandatory, first purchase from the Moyer Marine Online Store. Stay up on your maintenance, proper winterization and follow the advice on this forum and in the manual and you'll continue to have a great experience with your engine.

GUARANTEED!

[TimBSmith]

Cannot say enough positive about this forum. Entering my 4th year here and learn so much preventive and diagnostic advice. Reminder to use the thread following and ranking function as well as tagging, all very useful. I also create a google document with links that I have found useful.

-Buy the manual from our host. A few early lessons...
-Winterize thoroughly.
-Preventive care of carburetor a good winter project.
-Might be worthwhile to inspect carefully the raw water wet exhaust riser, seems like a common area trouble for new owners. And easily rebuilt.
-Fuel filtering vital for these motors and install a pressure gauge for fuel line if electronic fuel pump in place.
-Learn wet and dry compression check, seems to help eliminate a lot of speculation about compression related/indicated trouble.
-Replace hoses and clamps early.
-Replace fuel filter and monitor and replace early water pump impeller
-Consider fresh water cooling conversion.
-Bracket any problems and collect diagnostic data that will help this community help you.

Weclome to the A4 through your son's new to him boat..

[joe_db]

FYI:
The C&C 35 MK I has potentially very dangerous issues in the fuel system.
1. If the original ternplate tank has somehow survived this long, it is not going to last much longer. It will rust from the inside out as well as outside in.
2. The fuel fill hose is not ethanol compatible and will drop rubber bits into the tank, which will then clog the pickup tube.
3. The rubber elbow that does the 90 degree turn into the tank is some random plumbing store thing that is NOT ethanol compatible and will leak. I put 5 gallons of gas in and got about half in the tank and half in the bilge A 35 was lost because of this.
I got a 90 degree elbow made at the local welding shop that the fill hose slips over. There are commercial fuel elbows around as well.
Long story short is ANY part of the original 50+ year old fuel system needs to go ASAP.

* one of these might work
https://www.fillernecksupply.com/fuel-hose-elbows/
Also I think nylon 90 degree elbows work. Mine is a work of art, electropolished and with special knurled grip areas cut in a pattern into the metal. I actually just wanted a piece of metal, no one can see it, but they went all out anyway and the price was

[Sailorsb]

To all,

I bought the MMI manual as soon as the deal was closed. The Po also had the original Universal operation and service manual which is fun to read.
-We completed Winterization this week as per the manual
-plan is to replace all fuel and cooling hoses over the winter
-I will check the carb and fuel pump (mechanical) also
-the plugs looked good (dry with chocolate brown insulators) when we pulled them to squirt in the Marvel Mystery Oil
-we still have points ignition which I am fine with unless then some reason to go electronic
- I believe it’s the original alternator which was overhauled in 2004

Joe, the fuel tank is metal (Po said it was inconel), there is no visible rust externally, I have an electronic inspection probe I can use for the internals. Thanks for the info on the filler hose, I will check it.

Steve

[joe_db]

The filler hose drove me nuts. The rubber bits would get suctioned on to the fuel pickup and make the engine quit. Then the vacuum would bleed off and the rubber would fall back off. Rinse-Repeat
The only way I figured it out was with two vacuum gauges, one before the fuel filter and one after. Most boats only have one after the filter and you can't tell from one if it is the tank or the filter that is clogged.

[Dave Neptune]

I too recommend what Joe says. Replace all hoses including the filler and vent as well with USCG approved hose.

Since you are old school you may still have a dwell meter. In these old A-4's due to there running in a very harsh marine environment the distributor cam lobes tend to be worn. So checking the dwell is the only good way to set the points and since they wear and move the timing around I highly recommend going to an EI. The biggest plus with the EI is that the cap rotor and plugs last far longer by years!!! Also you can run a much larger gap (.040~.045") on the plugs which really enhances the idle qualities of the engine. Just checking and lubing the C-advance is really all that is necessary periodically and hopefully the felt lubing pad is still under the rotor. It makes things much easier as far as regular maintenance is concerned. There are 2 good EI options readily available the Pertronics form out host and the Indigo from Indigo. The Pertronics is a "hall effect" trigger and the Indigo is photo optic. I like the Indigo better just because it has a LED that flashes when all is well making any diagnostics with ignition easier. Do change the springsThey are both excellent products.

Dave Neptune

[Sailorsb]

Originally Posted by joe_db

The filler hose drove me nuts. The rubber bits would get suctioned on to the fuel pickup and make the engine quit. Then the vacuum would bleed off and the rubber would fall back off. Rinse-Repeat
The only way I figured it out was with two vacuum gauges, one before the fuel filter and one after. Most boats only have one after the filter and you can't tell from one if it is the tank or the filter that is clogged.

Does this look like the original set up? From a quick google search Hewitt-Robins is an industrial supplier right
Steve

[Sailorsb]

Not sure how that happened