New A4 owner

[Crazer]

Bought my A4 over the weekend. Kind of a nice boat came with it. Owner said the engine was original, but others say it's a later model and the engine was replaced at some point. Thoughts?

Avery
Triton #268

[ILikeRust]

Glad to see you made it over here from Plastic Classics!

The boat is mid-1960s, yes?

The engine definitely is newer than that.

My boat was made in 1968, but the engine was made and installed in 1983.

Doesn't really matter, because the changes in the Atomic 4 between the 1960s and the 1970s - 80s were not huge. It's still pretty much the same engine.

[hanleyclifford]

Definitely a late engine. Look for a date stamp behind the flame arrestor just aft the forward oil gallery plug. What year is the boat?

[ILikeRust]

Here is what MMI says about determining the age of your engine:

There is no sure way to relate your serial number to a particular engine manufacturing date. However, there are certain features that you can use to identify the latest engines: The very late group of engines (circa late 70's) had flat sheet metal flywheel covers. These engines generally had serial numbers starting around 190,000. The very latest engines (circa early 80's) came with electric fuel pumps, and the blocks of these engines were no longer drilled to accommodate the small push/pull rods used to operate mechanical pumps. You would, of course, need to remove the electric fuel pump mounting bracket to determine whether or not your block had this hole drilled into it. The serial numbers of these engines generally started around 200,000.

The only other way to approximate the date of an engine is to check the manufacturing date stamped onto the carburetor side of the block. Unfortunately, this date only applies to the date of the block. In many cases, blocks didn't find their way into an engine for several years.

Which can be found here (http://www.moyermarine.com/faq/11.4.html).

The fact that yours has the sheet metal flywheel cover is what led me to state that the engine definitely is newer than 1960s.

[Crazer]

The boat was built in 1961. Interesting that the engine was replaced. I know it was rebuilt fairly recently (approximately six years ago) and has been run intermittently since then. It turns over and has a spark, but the last time the PO tried to run it, it had bad gas in the tank (the boat had been on the hard for a couple years) and it didn't start. That was about three weeks ago. He hasn't tried running it since, because it made registration easier (registration isn't required if you have a non-running or no engine.) I'll drop the boat in the water, change the oil, put some good gas in and see where I am.

When I go up to the boat next, I'll try and find out what model it is and report back.

[Mark S]

Is the boat a Triton? Looks like it. Most if not all of them had early model A4's, certainly not late '70's A4's which this appears to be.

Mark

[dvd]

Crazer,

See if you can indicate what the fuel tank is made of and if it has ever been replaced. If its aluminum or Stainless steel it may be a keeper but if its a sheet metal galvanized tank or possibly a fiberglass tank you may have to replace it. Be sure to check very carefully if you can, if the tank has crud in it. Most of these old boats have or had completely fouled gas tanks and this I believe is a major source of a poor running or not running a-4. You may even want to use a temporary tank with clean fuel to do your initial survey of the motor before you pump all kinds of crud (or more crud) into the fuel system.

From one who has been there. Btw welcome to the forum.

dvd.

[ILikeRust]

Crazer -

Get yourself a Moyer Marine Atomic 4 Service and Overhaul Manual (http://www.moyermarine.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?search=action&category=MANL&keywords=all&template=Templates/B000_storebuilder.html).

It is an entirely worthwhile investment.

When I bought my boat, it came with a big pile of documentation, including a used and dirty Moyer Manual that the P.O. had bought. I actually read it over a few nights lying in bed before going to sleep - my bedtime reading was learning how the Paragon reversing gear worked and mysteries of the Atomic 4 cooling circuits (which I'm still working on understanding).

I would not have been bold enough to pull my engine out of my boat and tear it completely apart had I not had the Moyer Manual to hold my hand through the process.

[Kurt]

As others have correctly answered your question about having a late model A4, I'm just curious -- does anyone else have a battery set-up like that (as shown in one of your pics)? Completely exposed right in front of the engine. Maybe that is fine, but that would make me a little paranoid. Seems like that battery should be in a plastic box or relocated. The battery switch appears to also be mounted inside the engine compartment as well and I have only had boats with the switch mounted in the cabin on a bulkhead - not inside the engine compartment. Just doesn't appear to be the best or safest set up to me. I've seen plenty of car batteries spark when tinkering around with old engines and I could see myself dropping some metal tool on a battery terminal while working on the fuel system -- you see where I'm going here. I'm no electrician, but my boat batteries have always been boxed up. I did see a newer Beneteau with your same battery set-up, but it had a diesel. What do you all think about that set-up?

[ILikeRust]

does anyone else have a battery set-up like that (as shown in one of your pics)? Completely exposed right in front of the engine. Maybe that is fine, but that would make me a little paranoid. Seems like that battery should be in a plastic box or relocated. The battery switch appears to also be mounted inside the engine compartment as well and I have only had boats with the switch mounted in the cabin on a bulkhead - not inside the engine compartment. Just doesn't appear to be the best or safest set up to me.

I agree completely. I actually hadn't really noticed it until you mentioned it - that second pic is kinda dark.

But based on the appearance of the wiring, I would guess it's a temporary setup - check out the wiring going up the outside of the cabinet and hanging down in the upper left.

But yes, I absolutely would move that battery to a safe, secure and enclosed location, and protect the terminals by covering them up. And run the wires somewhere neatly and out of sight - and yes, relocate that battery switch.

[Mark S]

A drawing on a Triton Association website http://www.tritonclass.org/pix/accomo.html shows the battery in the same place as in Crazer's photograph. Seems to be under the companionway stairs. Maybe this boat isn't a Triton, but it certainly looks like one.

Mark

[Crazer]

Thanks all for the tips and advice. Yes, one of the early projects will be buying/building a proper battery box and getting all the electrical sorted. It's currently a disaster, functional but completely disorganized. I'll try and figure out what the tank's made from. I believe it's original, which means it's made out of monel IIRC. Should be useable, but I'll check it out when I go to clean it.

I'll be ordering a Service and Overhaul Manual in the near future. :)

YES, she is a Triton, hull #268. I think the battery location is original to the design, but obviously it's less than ideal. I'm not sure where I'll put it yet, possibly under the cockpit seats on the opposite side from the fuel tank. I'll have to check and see what others have done.

[Mark S]

I have many happy memories generated on a trio of Tritons in the sixties. A very comfortable sailing boat with those classic Arlberg lines, and quite ably powered by the A4. Good luck with her.

Mark

[Triton106]

Avery, welcome to the Triton/A4 family. As a fellow Triton/A4 owner I can tell you that the value of having the MM A4 Forum and the Plastic Classic Forum is immeasurable. I think you will love both.

[ILikeRust]

I'll try and figure out what the tank's made from. I believe it's original, which means it's made out of monel IIRC.

That jives with what I've read - to my knowledge, Pearson used Monel gas tanks. Much to my satisfaction, mine is Monel - it says so right on it.

[Laker]

The Pearson Triton is a wonderful boat. Very graceful fractional rig. Be careful , though - the way those boats were built it's probably only good for another 50 years of service.

Once you get a good fuel supply to your A-4 I'll bet it starts.

Have fun , Laker

[keelcooler]

Avery, Your motor is one of the last runs with that sheet metal fly wheel cover. You may find that battery location preferred with the weight low and as far forward as possible. I made a custom box and squeezed in two under the stairs. Your battery switch is approved and yes you need to secure and cover the battery.

Most East Coast Pearson built boats had monel or aluminum tanks. For a good cleaning you will find removing the fill tank top hose connection is most beneficial for the sucking hose sweep arm access. Look for cracks in the false keel and pink bronze on all of the below water hardware prior to splash.

After launch check scuppers and sink drain. Pearson did not install cocks, only fiberglass tubes and hoses. More Tritons have sunk from broken fiberglass scupper tubes than any other reason.

[ILikeRust]

More Tritons have sunk from broken fiberglass scupper tubes than any other reason.

That's interesting. My Wanderer has fiberglass tubes going from the cockpit drains straight down through the hull below. I've been thinking of cutting them out and replacing them with big, fat bronze mushroom through-hulls and proper seacocks, with a heavy hose up to a proper scupper in the cockpit. All that's in the cockpit right now is a hole molded into the cockpit floor, which goes to a short section of hose, which connects to the fiberglass tube.

Another project for next year, I think. While I'm at it, I likely will make them larger diameter for faster draining. It actually was something the surveyor recommended - the existing setup does not meet current ABYC standards for rate of cockpit drainage.