ATOMIC-4 NEEDED asap

[dhow]

I'm needing a good running A-4 from the area of CT,MA or RI. My 76' Catalina 27's engine appears to have taken her last ride. The ships in the water and sailing but it's alittle big for me to row around, though I've read some do. At the very least I need a manifold and head. The originals both rusted out so I hesitate to continue with the old block and prefer another engine.Thanks for any leads. Charlie

[scottyt]

moyer marine in baltimore will have all the parts you need from boltsw to complete engines

[dhow]

Thanks, but that's out of my price range.

[tommays]

I think you stuck searching craigs list and getting lucky because moyer is pretty much the whole game

[jaschrumpf]

There was a poster on the Moyer site just last week that had a seized A4 he was giving away to whomever would come get it. He was located in Baltimore.

We tried to convince him to keep trying to free it up, but he was in a hurry and was buying a new engine.

Here's the link to the Moyer post. I never saw where anyone picked it up, so he might still have it around if you feel like a little shop work.

[merc2dogs]

I think the A4 just likes to *^$# people off!

when I bought my Triton, the A4 was frozen solid. That was expected though, see pic here:
Picasa Web Albums - ken - triton

I couldn't turn it either direction in gear using the prop, or even with the hand crank in nuetral.
Started to tear it down to see if it was rebuildable, pulled everything off so I could get to the head, and pulled that, poured ATF and mineral spirits etc on the pistons, still couldn't turn it. So I took everything else off and pulled the mounts and got ready to pull it out.
THEN I decided to pull the flywheel cover off, and found a bolt jammed in between the flywheel and cover, looked at that bolt and said NO WAY. Pulled the bolt out and the motor rolled over just as pretty as you please.

After getting all new gaskets and putting the thing back together I dug up a plastic cap to put over the hole in the flywheel cover so I don't have to worry about that happening again.

Ken.

[pschoonveld]

dhow,

If Moyer's out of your range, there are some salvage yards in FL. You'd have to do some searching and calling around.

It sounds to me like you should pull the motor, get it on a stand and start a rebuild. If you can handle it yourself and the block / pistons are in good shape, you'll be out a less than a grand (plus head and manifold) and have something you can trust.

If you can't handle it, a good mechanic (not marine, those guys like to charge) should be able to do a tear down and buildup for less than another grand, assuming you pull it and drop it off at their shop.

It's just an old gas motor. So, there isn't anything fancy about it. Any tractor or otherwise motor builder will be able to rebuild it. Trying to buy a cheap second hand motor is likely to leave you in just about the same place.

[dhow]

Ken, Life can be cruel. We could never label an atomic 4 as a boring toy to own. Mine has kept me continuously entertained since we crossed paths.
The next suggestion for rebuilding my engine was thoughtfull but probably overly optomistic. This is a 32 year old salt water cooled engine that has run for 2 years with JB Weld stuffed into the ever increasing number of geysers flowing out of the rust holes in the head. Lately, its been the salt water in the rear cylinders and carberator from the rusted out manifold that has stalled the beast. Time for a replacement.

[pschoonveld]

Sorry, then. Sounds like you need to bite the bullet and repower. You might try some salvage yards in FL or hunt around for a Great Lakes model. My inclination is to call Moyer and drop the cash. At least you'll know what you've got instead of getting someone else's basket case.

My A4 just met salt water 2 months ago after 30 years in the Great Lakes. I'm hoping it doesn't choke for a couple years until I decide to get a bigger boat. For now, it spins like a top. Damn, I love that motor.