A boat I am interested in .. Alberg 35. It still has the Atomic 4,,
Universal Engine .. GAS.

Access to the engine is very easy. And, I am not against a gas engine, per
say. So, to save money [oopps], I want to take the engine out of the boat,
get the engine rebuilt and put back in.

I know about Moyer in PA. I have been on his Web Site and read all the
info.

My first thought,,, drive to Moyer's shop and drop off the engine; have him
rebuild, go and get it and put it back in the boat.

Second thought,,,, take engine out. Bring to local engine rebuilder, have
him rebuild the engine, get the parts from Moyer,,, and put the engine back
in.

QUESTION;; CAN A LOCAL ENGINE REBUILDER DO AS GOOD A JOB AS MOYER?

WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST ECONOMICAL METHOD TO FOLLOW?

"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:zHLAf.882$Jn1.287@trndny01...
A boat I am interested in .. Alberg 35. It still has the Atomic 4,,
Universal Engine .. GAS.

Access to the engine is very easy. And, I am not against a gas engine,
per
say. So, to save money [oopps], I want to take the engine out of the
boat,
get the engine rebuilt and put back in.

I know about Moyer in PA. I have been on his Web Site and read all the
info.

My first thought,,, drive to Moyer's shop and drop off the engine; have
him
rebuild, go and get it and put it back in the boat.

Second thought,,,, take engine out. Bring to local engine rebuilder,
have
him rebuild the engine, get the parts from Moyer,,, and put the engine
back
in.

QUESTION;; CAN A LOCAL ENGINE REBUILDER DO AS GOOD A JOB AS MOYER?

WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST ECONOMICAL METHOD TO FOLLOW?


Uhm, get a quote from each and compare?

Yup,,, and I threw in the towel on the free boat. Too many issues. You
know,, "when something is free, it is because ............ "

Will be a good boat for the right sailor in the right place who can do what
is needed to the boat.






"Jim" wrote in message
k.net...
Thomas Wentworth wrote:
A boat I am interested in .. Alberg 35. It still has the Atomic 4,,
Universal Engine .. GAS.

Access to the engine is very easy. And, I am not against a gas engine,
per say. So, to save money [oopps], I want to take the engine out of the
boat, get the engine rebuilt and put back in.

I know about Moyer in PA. I have been on his Web Site and read all the
info.

My first thought,,, drive to Moyer's shop and drop off the engine; have
him rebuild, go and get it and put it back in the boat.

Second thought,,,, take engine out. Bring to local engine rebuilder,
have him rebuild the engine, get the parts from Moyer,,, and put the
engine back in.

QUESTION;; CAN A LOCAL ENGINE REBUILDER DO AS GOOD A JOB AS MOYER?

WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST ECONOMICAL METHOD TO FOLLOW?



Didn't you start off asking this question about a "free boat"?

"xSoldier" wrote in message
news:lxNAf.1333$jO3.570@trnddc07...

"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:zHLAf.882$Jn1.287@trndny01...
A boat I am interested in .. Alberg 35. It still has the Atomic 4,,
Universal Engine .. GAS.

Access to the engine is very easy. And, I am not against a gas engine,
per
say. So, to save money [oopps], I want to take the engine out of the
boat,
get the engine rebuilt and put back in.

I know about Moyer in PA. I have been on his Web Site and read all the
info.

My first thought,,, drive to Moyer's shop and drop off the engine; have
him
rebuild, go and get it and put it back in the boat.

Second thought,,,, take engine out. Bring to local engine rebuilder,
have
him rebuild the engine, get the parts from Moyer,,, and put the engine
back
in.

QUESTION;; CAN A LOCAL ENGINE REBUILDER DO AS GOOD A JOB AS MOYER?

WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST ECONOMICAL METHOD TO FOLLOW?


Uhm, get a quote from each and compare?


With weight on the better mechanic. There is such a thing as false
economy... a boat is about the best example there is. You can go with a
less expensive mechanic for your car. If it breaks down, you pull to the
side of the road and wait for one of the next 150 cars per minute to offer
assistance. In a boat it isn't quite the same.

Can a local mechanic do as good a job... hmmm. Pretty goofy question. If
you need to ask, you don't even need to ask. The fellow next door could do
as good a job or better in his driveway if he's a good mechanic and has the
right tools.

Economical. What is that? Lowest cost, or most cost effective?

Ed

Ed Edelenbos wrote:

"xSoldier" wrote in message
news:lxNAf.1333$jO3.570@trnddc07...

"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:zHLAf.882$Jn1.287@trndny01...

A boat I am interested in .. Alberg 35. It still has the Atomic 4,,
Universal Engine .. GAS.

Access to the engine is very easy. And, I am not against a gas engine,

per

say. So, to save money [oopps], I want to take the engine out of the

boat,

get the engine rebuilt and put back in.

I know about Moyer in PA. I have been on his Web Site and read all the
info.

My first thought,,, drive to Moyer's shop and drop off the engine; have

him

rebuild, go and get it and put it back in the boat.

Second thought,,,, take engine out. Bring to local engine rebuilder,

have

him rebuild the engine, get the parts from Moyer,,, and put the engine

back

in.

QUESTION;; CAN A LOCAL ENGINE REBUILDER DO AS GOOD A JOB AS MOYER?

WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST ECONOMICAL METHOD TO FOLLOW?


Uhm, get a quote from each and compare?



With weight on the better mechanic. There is such a thing as false
economy... a boat is about the best example there is. You can go with a
less expensive mechanic for your car. If it breaks down, you pull to the
side of the road and wait for one of the next 150 cars per minute to offer
assistance. In a boat it isn't quite the same.

Can a local mechanic do as good a job... hmmm. Pretty goofy question. If
you need to ask, you don't even need to ask. The fellow next door could do
as good a job or better in his driveway if he's a good mechanic and has the
right tools.

Economical. What is that? Lowest cost, or most cost effective?

Ed


There is nothing magic about rebuilding an engine, marine or otherwise.
There may be issues with corrosion protection in a marine engine that
need to be detailed, but the actual rebuilding is something that any
competent engine rebuilder can do. Chances are, your yellow pages will
provide you with several rebuilding shops in your area which will be
glad to give you a quote.

If the difference is not too large, go to a shop you are comfortable
with. But it still comes down to parts plus labor plus machining.





--
"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them;
the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences." - Proverbs 22:3

On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 13:23:43 GMT, "Thomas Wentworth"
wrote:


QUESTION;; CAN A LOCAL ENGINE REBUILDER DO AS GOOD A JOB AS MOYER?

Yes. I have done this, twice (don't ask, but it wasn't the Atomic 4's
fault, and now I have a spare). Total cost to me: $1,200 Cdn. There is
nothing about an Atomic 4 that will faze a competent gas engine
rebuilder, particularly of cars from the 40s to the 60s.

My A4 did 100 hours last season, from just August 1 to October 15,
after it was reinstalled. It's a rebuilt '73 with several mods. The
only thing I want to do further is to add a PCV kit and rig both water
and oil pressure alarms. The engine starts within 2 seconds in the
summer and in about 4 seconds on near-freezing days. I added a basket
filter ($20), a Vetus waterlock (free to me), new exhaust hose ($60)
and a new fuel tank ($200? can't remember) plus a fuel/water separator
and a couple of sensors. This has made it a happy and reliable engine
that doesn't backfill the exhaust anymore, which was due to a dead
waterlift muffler, NOT a cracked block as I mistakenly and
despairingly assumed.

WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST ECONOMICAL METHOD TO FOLLOW?

I would say that depends on where you are, your time frame and your
need to replace spares. Moyer may command a premium and may have a big
waiting list...but you'd have to ask. On the other hand, he probably
has the biggest collection of spares, and is generally acknowledged as
the most expert mechanic of these engines. I've used his manual for
six years, and its grubby state and many notations reflect how much
I've used it for rebuilds.

At this point, I do most of my own work, including spark gapping,
rebuilding of carbs, points, timing, compression, oil changes,
coupling alignment, etc.

Oh, and I am getting a folding Gori prop for little money this spring,
which I hope will aid my prop walk issues and gain me a 1/2 knot or
so. I also may upgrade to a 55 amp alt from the stock 35 amp, although
as I gradually switch over to LED everything, this may be unnecessary,
as my battery needs when not on shore power are modest (GPS, VHF, a
couple of lights).

Going diesel would just blow $10,000 in my situation. The A4 is
reliable and still worthy of consideration.

Hopes this helps. If you are on the west side of North America, I
would recommend Robert Hess in B.C.

R.

"rhys" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 13:23:43 GMT, "Thomas Wentworth"
wrote:


QUESTION;; CAN A LOCAL ENGINE REBUILDER DO AS GOOD A JOB AS MOYER?

Yes. I have done this, twice (don't ask, but it wasn't the Atomic 4's
fault, and now I have a spare). Total cost to me: $1,200 Cdn. There is
nothing about an Atomic 4 that will faze a competent gas engine
rebuilder, particularly of cars from the 40s to the 60s.


The problem is that it is harder and harder to find someone who knows how to
(competently) work on these things. If they can't hook a computer up to it
and get a diagnostics printout, they are lost.

It's a shame because those A4's are real gems.

Ed

Moyer has moved to Maryland.

Buy a short-block from him and ship your old block after stripping it and
installing the new short block. Best bang for the buck and time!

John

"Ed Edelenbos" wrote in message
news
"rhys" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 13:23:43 GMT, "Thomas Wentworth"
wrote:


QUESTION;; CAN A LOCAL ENGINE REBUILDER DO AS GOOD A JOB AS MOYER?

Yes. I have done this, twice (don't ask, but it wasn't the Atomic 4's
fault, and now I have a spare). Total cost to me: $1,200 Cdn. There is
nothing about an Atomic 4 that will faze a competent gas engine
rebuilder, particularly of cars from the 40s to the 60s.


The problem is that it is harder and harder to find someone who knows how
to (competently) work on these things. If they can't hook a computer up
to it and get a diagnostics printout, they are lost.

It's a shame because those A4's are real gems.

Ed

Where in Maryland? That is closer to my home! Might make things easier.

Where?



"John Cassara" wrote in message
...
Moyer has moved to Maryland.

Buy a short-block from him and ship your old block after stripping it and
installing the new short block. Best bang for the buck and time!

John

"Ed Edelenbos" wrote in message
news
"rhys" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 13:23:43 GMT, "Thomas Wentworth"
wrote:


QUESTION;; CAN A LOCAL ENGINE REBUILDER DO AS GOOD A JOB AS MOYER?

Yes. I have done this, twice (don't ask, but it wasn't the Atomic 4's
fault, and now I have a spare). Total cost to me: $1,200 Cdn. There is
nothing about an Atomic 4 that will faze a competent gas engine
rebuilder, particularly of cars from the 40s to the 60s.


The problem is that it is harder and harder to find someone who knows how
to (competently) work on these things. If they can't hook a computer up
to it and get a diagnostics printout, they are lost.

It's a shame because those A4's are real gems.

Ed

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 01:02:01 GMT, "Thomas Wentworth"
wrote:

Where in Maryland? That is closer to my home! Might make things easier.

Where?

================================

Chestertown

http://tinyurl.com/b8j7u