A-25 Barn Find

[Treeman]

I love to tinker and I'm also a fan of knowing exactly how everything looks/works so I'd dig in to the engine you have. Pull the head and oil pan and you're just a few bolts away from honing cylinders and new rings. Grinding the valves is cheap. I'm sure you can get parts. I'm just finishing rebuilding my AD21 and got most of the parts as high-end aftermarket.

[mkh8911]

Pulled rocker covers and found bent push rod on center cylinder intake valve. Pulling heads tomorrow to find cause. All valves open okay but plan to find out what caused bent push rod. Have a feeling I won't like what I find. Anyone know if this is common on these engines?

[mkh8911]

Heads now off. Rust in rear cylinder wall keeping crank from turning. I don't think its significant but will seek professional opinion. Still can't explain bent pushrod. Guys at Boatdiesel say valve stuck up and got slammed shut by piston.

[mkh8911]

I finally got the fuel tank pumped out and removed. It had about 1/4 inch of black varnish or whatever diesel does when it sits for 20 years. Radiator shop wanted $150 to dip and boil out tank. I started thinking about the tales of woe when folks let their boat sit and then take a trip into a seaway and the filters clog because of the agitation stirs up the sediment in the tank.
So... I poured 2 gallons of degreaser into the tank, strapped the tank onto a 5x8 trailer and pulled the trailer around for a couple of days. I then put in a gallon of car wash soap and filled up the tank (still strapped to the trailer) and drove around for a couple of more days. Then drained the the whole mess and washed it out with a garden hose. It looks like new inside and out. I don't see how a professional could have gotten better results. Just a FYI to save yourself some money. Plan to use the $150 toward my new engine. The Admiral will be proud!!!

[sail149]

That's pretty clever. Not to be a E nut but what did you do with what you drained out?
W

[mkh8911]

The local solid waste center has a place for liquid disposal. I dumped it there. I'm going to post my latest progress in a few days. Mostly been collecting parts for the refit. Stripped the boat to bare hull, including thru hulls. What a job. If any of you MD3B owners need any parts, let me know and I'll make you a deal you can't refuse.

[DesertAlbin736]

Great tip on tank cleaning. Will keep that in mind. BTW, my 1971 A25 "La Dolce Vita" has that same original wiring schematic glued to the wiring panel door as yours that was moth eaten. Next time I'm over to the boat (it's 115 degrees outside now here in Phoenix and probably 140 inside the boat) I'll photograph it and post it for you.

If you're real ambitious and would rather have a hard top and canvas enclosure, here's what I did:

[mkh8911]

Wow DesertAlbin, your top looks fantastic! I've got a ways to go before I'm to the stage of trying to keep the sun off of me. I thought I saw a thread with some photos of your project but I don't remember it looking like that. Its great. I'd love to have a pic of your schematic. No rush, just when it cools down some.