[Alberg30] a-4 paint and maintenance

[George Dinwiddie]

> J Bergquist said:
> 
> I am going to do some maintenance on my A4, and one of the things I'd 
> like to do is repaint some of the parts to prevent them from rusting. I 
> noticed that Moyer Marine sells A4 paint for $18 per can. Is there 
> something special about this paint? It seems awfully expensive to me.

Yeah, it matches the original color.  If that's not important, you
can use any high-temperature paint.  I've not decided what kind I
want (I've heard of some really tough stuff, but I don't know where
I filed the information), but I plan to use a light color.  It
brightens the engine compartment and encourages me to keep things
cleaner.  I used white before and found that true, until I burned
it (cheap ACE Hardware paint).

> 2 other things I want to do are replace the rear seal, and replace one 
> of the manifold studs (the aftermost one), which is broken. Has anybody 
> recently replaced a rear seal? Is that difficult to do? Should I be able 
> to do it without removing the engine from the boat? I am planning to 
> take the engine off its bed and put it on blocks in the cabin.

I've not done it.  Do you have Moyer's manual?  I *think* it describes
the process.  I'll have to check.

> As far as replacing that manifold stud, I heard that I should be able to 
> drill it out and then put in a new one, but that a helicoil is not the 
> best thing to use. Has anybody got a good suggestion about procedure for 
> doing this job?

Helicoils tend to leak when they go into oil or water passages.  There
are solid inserts that are better.  I'd bet that if you take off the
manifold, you'll be able to remove the stud.  I've got a cheap stud
remover you can borrow.  It destroys the stud, but that won't matter
if it's already broken.

> I also plan to rebuild my fuel pump (so that I can make sure that 
> diaphragm is brand new), and *MAYBE* convert to freshwater cooling (I 
> already read the previous discussion on that score). Any other 
> recommended maintenance that I *might as well* undertake to do as long 
> as the engine is in such an easily accessible position?I would love to 
> install a diesel, but it just doesn't fit this year's budget or my 
> current operational profile.

I would clean out the block.  You may have difficulty removing the
cleanout plate but it will be much easier with the engine out.

I also recommend joining the Atomic 4 list at sailnet.net.  You'll
find better advice than I can give you.

 - George


-- 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Hope your road is a long one.                        George Dinwiddie
  May there be many summer mornings when,       gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
  with what pleasure, what joy,                 http://www.Alberg30.org
  you enter harbors you're seeing for the first time;
                                           from 'Ithaka' by C.P. Cavafy
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

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