That 42 year old Atomic 4 . . .

[john6206]

Hey everyone -
My current front runner in the "let's get a bigger boat" reality show is a 1983 Catalina 30.
Low price, lots of gear, great condition, new-ish sails and running rigging, new dodger and Bimini, standing rigging seems to be in great shape . . . etc. Seller has put a lot of time and money into this boat in the time he has owned it.

I've done a pre-survey inspection, and scheduled a professional survey for hopefully sometime when the temperature is above freezing.

My concern is the A4

I just now accidentally held the shift key down when I typed the "4" and it came out "A$."
My concern is the A$.

Owner states that the engine remarkable and works like a champ. The engine compartment and the engine looked clean and good, the seller has records of maintenance and he seems like a pretty meticulous guy.

The surveyor does visual inspections of the engine, he doesn't test compression or do an oil analysis or anything like that.

The boat is enough under our budget that if we had to put a new engine in it - it wouldn't be the end of the world - and yet you have to wonder what we could get for the price of this boat plus the $15k the re-power would cost.

42 year old A4??? Opinions?

Do you get a separate "engine survey" after you get a boat survey?

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

No reason at all if it was well maintained. Check to see if the engine has all new hoses. How many hours ?

 

[john6206]

@jssailem thanks!

 

[jssailem]

Seller has put a lot of time and money into this boat in the time he has owned it.

This is typical of a boat owner who likes his boat. It must be said... It is a boat; they eat money. You put 10,000 in, maybe you get 2000 back when you sell. The difference is fun on the boat.

My concern is the A4

What is the concern? It is a gasoline engine built by the Universal Motor Company between 1949 and 1984. About 40,000 were built, and maybe 50% of them are still doing what they intended to do.
They were installed in many boats of that era as auxiliary sailboat engines. They have a standard carburetor and spark plugs to burn fuel. If small four-cylinder gas engines are not your thing, have a mechanic take a look and give you an opinion. It sounds like the current owner may be well-versed in the maintenance of the engine. He/she could be a valuable resource.

 

[dmax]

Replacing an A4 will cost you way less than $15k - these guys sell rebuilt ones: moyermarine
As long as you're ok with a gas inboard engine, an A4 is fine. Uses more fuel but quieter than a diesel. If it's well kept and you run the blower, you shouldn't have any problems. Generally, the regular surveyor will just run the engine at various RPM's and make observations - in this case, you would be well advised to get a mechanic to check out the engine, run a compression test, oil test.

 

[jssailem]

John, Member @stevenhagberg had some information about the A4 here in this link.

inspecting a Catalina 30

Hi Everyone - Quick background on me: I've been sailing 25 years or so, almost exclusively on trailerable boats. I've bought two sailboats in my life, and built one (11' dinghy), my current ride is a Capri 18. My wife would like standing headroom, a galley and a head, etc. I am certainly...

forums.sailboatowners.com

It is consistent with my experience from the early 70’s on a 26ft sailboat with an A4.

 

[john6206]

@jssailem - Yup - I certainly read that.
I thought maybe posting a separate thread specifically about the A4 might attract different voices.

 

[fred1diver]

Only 42 years old? That one is young, mine is turning 53 years old this year.
Simple motor, easy maintenance, way to fix, Moyer marine is great to work with and their forum is wonderful for anything about the A4

 

[DArcy]

My A4 was 46 years old when I sold it and still running strong. They are not very fuel efficient but otherwise they are good engines. Like any engine, they do take maintenance to keep them running. I never did a rebuild but I replaced almost everything outside of that on mine over the 20 years I owned it (fuel pump, carburetor, alternator, manifold, ignition...). Everything was straight forward if you are inclined to do the work yourself. One of the most important things to consider with old engines is parts and labor availability. Moyer Marine is a fantastic source for parts (but not the only one) and you can easily find a mechanic familiar with them in most boating regions.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

My friend has one on his 1968 40 footer. He rebuilt it over the winter and bought a new carb. It purrs like a kitten

 

[Indysailor]

Mine is 47 years old this year. The key is maintenance, which you cannot be totally sure of, but if the previous owner has stacks of records indicating oil changes, carb rebuilds, ignition upgrades or upkeep, etc., then that's a good indication. Secondly, if it's raw water cooled, then consider taking a pass if it spent time in saltwater. Thirdly, hours. Mine has less than 900. Of course, those clickers can break, so take that with a grain of salt.
Support is good through Moyer Marine and the associated user group.

 

[shemandr]

My A4 was the last engine I understood.