I been told by a mechanic here in the Marina that a Canadian company has designed and is manufacturing a new fuel injected Atomic 4! Has anyone heard anything about this, and if so where do I get one? JB
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Atomic 4
Haven't heard anything at all about this, but thats no surprise. My question is why would anyone start out designig a new gas engine in this day age. In my very humble opinion, a gas engine is out of the question for a boat. The explosive capabilities or gasoline are reason enough, but add in the fuel economy of the diesel, plus the elimination of an ignition system, which I have found to be the biggest single cause of problems, and there is just no contest. As usual, my opinion and a dollor or so will get you a nice hot cup of coffee.
Haven't heard anything at all about this, but thats no surprise. My question is why would anyone start out designig a new gas engine in this day age. In my very humble opinion, a gas engine is out of the question for a boat. The explosive capabilities or gasoline are reason enough, but add in the fuel economy of the diesel, plus the elimination of an ignition system, which I have found to be the biggest single cause of problems, and there is just no contest. As usual, my opinion and a dollor or so will get you a nice hot cup of coffee.
How about cost
If you bring in that A4 at half the price of a diesel, I bet people will buy it. Nice N Easy, what do you cook with? If propane, then you have the same potential explosive hazards as a gasolne engine. Both have vapor that are heavier than air and will sink into the bilge. Both are very difficult to extinguish. I am not saying that having an additional explosive source is better but if you eliminate gasoline because it can explode, then we should all be eating sandwiches;-) I have CNG as a cooking source and I know sailors who once had CNG but swapped it out for propane because propane is cheaper. Propane is easier to find but these are sailors that did it for cost savings. I pay about $100 per year for CNG. BTW, I had an A4 in my Pearson and loved it. It ran smooth, always started and had lots of power in reserve. I grew up boating so running the blower and checking the engine compartment for fumes is second nature to me. My point is that there are many cheap boaters out there that will sacrafice safety for savings. My opinion of course Tim R.
If you bring in that A4 at half the price of a diesel, I bet people will buy it. Nice N Easy, what do you cook with? If propane, then you have the same potential explosive hazards as a gasolne engine. Both have vapor that are heavier than air and will sink into the bilge. Both are very difficult to extinguish. I am not saying that having an additional explosive source is better but if you eliminate gasoline because it can explode, then we should all be eating sandwiches;-) I have CNG as a cooking source and I know sailors who once had CNG but swapped it out for propane because propane is cheaper. Propane is easier to find but these are sailors that did it for cost savings. I pay about $100 per year for CNG. BTW, I had an A4 in my Pearson and loved it. It ran smooth, always started and had lots of power in reserve. I grew up boating so running the blower and checking the engine compartment for fumes is second nature to me. My point is that there are many cheap boaters out there that will sacrafice safety for savings. My opinion of course Tim R.
Nothing wrong with gas, but...
Gas is safe if one uses a little common sense - good bilge ventilation and a good nose go a long way. I sailed for 25 + years with gas inboards and am still here. A diesel is a much nicer boat engine. Higher torque of the diesel gives you better boat handling capabilities - out the hole a diesel gets you going faster quicker and has the guts to power one through head seas more efficiently. Fuel usage is another big plus for a sailboat. A 20 gal. tank w/ a diesel gets one close to 150 miles, while on a gas, 100 miles would be good. I have found that fuel consumption is more predictable with a diesel as, with its better torque at low RPMS, it does not seem to be effected as much by head seas. I am no expert on power curves, but this is my experience in practice. diesel is the best way to go, but if I really liked a boat that had gas, it would not stop me from buying.
Gas is safe if one uses a little common sense - good bilge ventilation and a good nose go a long way. I sailed for 25 + years with gas inboards and am still here. A diesel is a much nicer boat engine. Higher torque of the diesel gives you better boat handling capabilities - out the hole a diesel gets you going faster quicker and has the guts to power one through head seas more efficiently. Fuel usage is another big plus for a sailboat. A 20 gal. tank w/ a diesel gets one close to 150 miles, while on a gas, 100 miles would be good. I have found that fuel consumption is more predictable with a diesel as, with its better torque at low RPMS, it does not seem to be effected as much by head seas. I am no expert on power curves, but this is my experience in practice. diesel is the best way to go, but if I really liked a boat that had gas, it would not stop me from buying.
If I ever found a diesel engine that ran
as smoothly and quietly as the little four cylinder engine on a IH Farmall Cub tractor, I would change in a flash. Gasoline engines are smooth and quiet and diesels are noisy and rather rough. I have a one cylinder diesel and 2 cylinders are smother and quieter but they can't even come close to a little 4 cylinder gas.
as smoothly and quietly as the little four cylinder engine on a IH Farmall Cub tractor, I would change in a flash. Gasoline engines are smooth and quiet and diesels are noisy and rather rough. I have a one cylinder diesel and 2 cylinders are smother and quieter but they can't even come close to a little 4 cylinder gas.
A single cylinder...
is going to shake your filling loose. My first gas engine was asingle lunger Palmer and it was a vibrator. Newer diesels with modern engine mounts and good soundproofing are pretty damn smooth and quiet. Having used an A4 for over 1o years, I find the diesels in the new boats to be pretty much as smooth and certainly as , or more quiet. Most of these I speak of are 3s or 4 cylinders.
is going to shake your filling loose. My first gas engine was asingle lunger Palmer and it was a vibrator. Newer diesels with modern engine mounts and good soundproofing are pretty damn smooth and quiet. Having used an A4 for over 1o years, I find the diesels in the new boats to be pretty much as smooth and certainly as , or more quiet. Most of these I speak of are 3s or 4 cylinders.
Is it going to be based in the same Atomic
block or is it a totally new design? I either case I would not want one. Fuel injection and electronic ignition alone do not tame the beast and if it is a new design what's left, the name and an unproven engine? The only advantage the engine had was ample power and other than that I cannot think of a single reason to prefer it as a power plant in a sailboat application. My Yanmar Diesel runs smoothly, burns less than 1/2 gallon per hour, is simple to work on and does not depend on the electrical system to get me where I'm going. I grew up with a feeler gauge in my hand and a box full of points and condensers. I rebuilt more carburators than I can remeber. I would not want to go back to that. Nothing against gas engines or their fuel as thay make for the best outboards in the market. Them atomic 4's bring back no nostalgia for me. Half price? I don't beileve in fairy tales.
block or is it a totally new design? I either case I would not want one. Fuel injection and electronic ignition alone do not tame the beast and if it is a new design what's left, the name and an unproven engine? The only advantage the engine had was ample power and other than that I cannot think of a single reason to prefer it as a power plant in a sailboat application. My Yanmar Diesel runs smoothly, burns less than 1/2 gallon per hour, is simple to work on and does not depend on the electrical system to get me where I'm going. I grew up with a feeler gauge in my hand and a box full of points and condensers. I rebuilt more carburators than I can remeber. I would not want to go back to that. Nothing against gas engines or their fuel as thay make for the best outboards in the market. Them atomic 4's bring back no nostalgia for me. Half price? I don't beileve in fairy tales.
Atomic 4 replacement
A UK company marinetize a line of tractor diesel engine for a lot less money than traditional marine engine. They have a drop in replacement for Atomic 4. http://www.betamarinenc.com/
A UK company marinetize a line of tractor diesel engine for a lot less money than traditional marine engine. They have a drop in replacement for Atomic 4. http://www.betamarinenc.com/
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