Author |
Message |
Dave Sage
Member Username: sage
Post Number: 9 Registered: 01-2004
| Posted on Thursday, February 25, 2010 - 10:03 am: |
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I restored an Acadia 4hp a few years ago - there are some pictures around the forum here somewhere. I recently borrowed a copy of the "Old Marine engines" book and have found it excellent reading. According to the book the Atlantic engines were the only ones that had a connecting rod with a hinge and that pistons were cast iron (except mabe the newer ones when they finally figured out the expansion of different alloys - not sure). My Acadia has a connecting rod with a hinge and it also has an aluminum piston. I doubt an Atlantic rod would be a direct sub into an Acadia (stroke length, journal size etc) and I'm not sure how it got an aluminum piston unless Acadia started using them later on. I never thought about it much when I restored it. I just thought that's the way it should be, but the book states otherwise. Now I'm confused. Can someone shed some light. Thanks Dave Sage |
Ernie
Senior Member Username: ernie
Post Number: 1168 Registered: 01-2002
| Posted on Thursday, February 25, 2010 - 11:51 am: |
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Dave, Every Acadia I have had apart has had a hinged rod. Atlantics too... From what I have seen the aluminum piston engines were the later years Hope this helps Ernie |
Dave Sage
Member Username: sage
Post Number: 10 Registered: 01-2004
| Posted on Thursday, February 25, 2010 - 05:16 pm: |
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That's good Ernie. I feel better now. I suppose the book is mis-leading or not complete in the history. Mine is likely fairly new since the head is in really good condition, the name plate had no disernable serial numbers which someone here suggested was because it might have been a replacement head somewhere long the way. If the book is correct then maybe the rod and piston were newer vintage as well. I have another question. I ran the engine quite a few times on and off to demonstrate it. Maybe a total of an hours running time. At the end I happened to take the drain plug out of the bottom of the ctankcase and out came about a cup of gasoline. Is this normal? I'm thinking maybe all the (normal)shaking causes the float to overflow a bit and that it might be ok. It might also be running rich although I've tried cutting back the needle and it won't run well at any other setting. The engine runs really well. Thanks Dave Sage |
Ernie
Senior Member Username: ernie
Post Number: 1169 Registered: 01-2002
| Posted on Friday, February 26, 2010 - 12:10 pm: |
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Dave, Gas/oil mixture in the base is normal. Just replace the plug with a petcock. Some engines will start to run krappy if isn't drained often and some don't seem to care. Running slowly with no load only makes the fuel in the base collect quicker. I will take a look at my 4 HP in the next day of so and see if it has an aluminum piston. Hope this helps Ernie |
Richard A. Day Jr.
Senior Member Username: richardday
Post Number: 850 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Friday, February 26, 2010 - 05:34 pm: |
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Old time engine makers often shipped petcocks wired to the cylinders with a pipe plug in the bottom of the crankcase or crankcases of single or multiple cylinder engines. These were used by the boat builder to pipe the drains of each cylinder in a two stroke outside the mounting rails of the engine bed. |