www.iFourWinns.com

Hi, I just bought a 1995 190 Horizon with a 302 ford 2b carb. What is the best prop? this thing is a dog. I had a 1986 190 Horizon with a 4.3l chevy. That preformed better in my book. I am running a 19 pitch on it now. 38 mph at who knows what RPMs because of this wonderful instrument cluster deal Four Winns installed.

According to the Four Winns Fast Facts that boat and engine package came with a 14 1/4 X 21 prop. Top speed was listed as 46-49 mph. My '95 190 with the 5.0 EFI did 52-54. Max rpm range is 4200-4600 for that engine, and shoudl be close to the 4600 rpm mark. If your boat has the original outdrive gearing and is running well the engine should be turning as much as 4900-5000 rpm with a 14 1/4 X 19" prop. 2" of pitch is usually good for a 300-400 rpm difference. I had a similar performance issue with my 190 that was caused by an exhaust flapper valve coming loose and lodging downstream in the Y pipe in the area of the transom. This restricted the exhaust so I could maybe get 40 mph and maybe 4000 rpm instead of 52-54 at 4600 rpm. You can check this by loosening the hose clamp and disconnecting the forward end of the lower (exhaust) bellows and looking forward through the transom into the exhaust system. You can also remove the anode on the bottom of the Transom shield and look in there. The flapper valve is an oval plate and pin that can block off the exhaust if water surges back up the exhaust system toward the engine. A Volvo service bulletin in the late 90s or early 2000s called for removing these flapper valves. If you find the flapper valve has come loose, you have to remove the exhaust elbow between the upper end of the Y pipe and the manifold to get it out. On mine the engine ran smooth, but didn't develop the power. Once I removed the loose flappers the engine ran normally again. Hope this helps.

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Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

You note the pitch but what diameter?

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NEW - 2000 Cobalt 246 w/454 Magnum 385HP | SOLD - 2000 FW Horizon 180 LS w/5.0Gi 250HP Volvo Penta

14 1/2 on one prop i tried and 14 7/8 on the Marige plus 19 pitch prop I just tried.


I did take the drive off and looked up for an exhaust obstruction with a bore scope. Found nothing. Maybe I should take the carb apart again.

Maybe get a tach you can temporarily hook up? It would be needed to know what max RPMs you are hitting as each manufacturer recommends a range of RPM you should reach during WOT. Being under the RPM range could be bad just as going over. So, the first step will be trying to see what RPMs you are running.

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NEW - 2000 Cobalt 246 w/454 Magnum 385HP | SOLD - 2000 FW Horizon 180 LS w/5.0Gi 250HP Volvo Penta

Yes - Pointless to offer advice without knowing your maximum (trimmed) RPM.

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

Yes, your right. Good job on Four Winns on this cluster system that don't work and nobody want to fix.

I would like to know what the boat should run for mph and what Prop. I believe it should run 4400 to 4600 rpm at WOT.

I found the Coke was not coming off all the way do to a Lever being on the wrong side of the coke kick off lever. It was only 5 to 10 degrees but enough to make a difference. I took it out again with the 19 pitch 14.5 diameter Quicksilver aluminum (not the best condition). I got 42 mph out of it at what was some were up near 4500 rpms after running a separate ground to the cluster. Then I tried the 19 pitch x 14 7/8 Mirage prop (new condition) what look like 4200 at 42mph. *(slower hole shot, too much prop) This is all at 90 heat with high humidity. This boat also has a rebuild engine that who know what camshaft they put in it. I bought the boat last fall, took it out twice. Once it didn't run for crap. Cleaned card, fuel filter, check timing. Brought timing light with built in tach. It run 42 mph with that 19 pitch Quicksilver prop at 4200rpm in cold weather second trip last fall.

I should have a 19 pitch Ballistic coming this week,not ordered yet. That should be about right?

Sorry, but I hate this Cluster!!!! I will end up selling the boat just because of the cluster.

Don't sell the classic!
Considered a replacement cluster?
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12745&hilit=cluster+upgrade+vdo

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

I would also recommend going to the 14.25 inch diameter by either 19 or 21 inch pitch. The smaller stock diameter should help speed and holeshot. With that you may be able to run the stock 21" pitch and get the all around performance you want. In my experience this boat is not big enough or heavy enough to need a prop with more than 14.25"dia. Some others have gone to 4 or 5 blade props, but the you would want an even smaller prop like 13.5 or 13.75 dia. More blades and blade area enables the smaller diameter.

_________________
Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

Speaking of the instrument cluster, there are threads with different ways to fix it (adding a ground wire, sending it to VDO for repair, etc) and even complete replacement with standard gauges (like link above). Don't get rid of an otherwise good boat because of the cluster.

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NEW - 2000 Cobalt 246 w/454 Magnum 385HP | SOLD - 2000 FW Horizon 180 LS w/5.0Gi 250HP Volvo Penta

I tried a 19 pitch 14.5 diameter Ballistic prop. Results are 44.5 mph at 4200 rpms with light load. I have a 19 pitch 14 diameter Vengeance prop in the mail. I do have the stock 1.6 ratio. We will see how that does.

If I remember right, my 1986 190 horizon with a 4.3l 185hp 1.84 ratio would run 42 mph with the 19 pitch 14 diameter Stainless Quicksilver average load.
I seen some ware that this 302 ford was only 175hp?

In the early 1990s they started giving horsepower ratings at the prop. This brought the horsepower rating down approximately 25 hp for the same engine. The 1995 Four Winns Fast Facts shows a 190hp 5.0 Liter and a 215 hp 5.0 Liter EFI. I had understood that the carb version was a 4 bbl, but maybe not. Mine was an EFI.

While prop performance can vary between brands with the same dimensions, 2 inches of pitch is usually going to make a 300-400 rpm change. A quarter of an inch change in diameter will affect rpm, but not as much as the Pitch.

_________________
Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

this is just a 2 barrel carb. On my last two boat going from a 14 diameter to a 14.875 diameter made a good 200 rpms. That 200 rpms different was not only WOT but also at 3000 rpms to 3200 rpms.

also i feel that people should not the number of blades.

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Not Penny's Boat

1993 190 Horizon 5.0L EFI
http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11136
1977 14' CMF Skiff SOLD
2015 Emotion Stealth Angler 11

I have my Vengeance prop. 19 pitch 14 inch diameter and Three blades. Top speed is 44.5 mph at a my mystery four winns tach, 4500 on tach, but guessing 4300 or so. This is on a 1995 Horizon, 302 ford, 2 barrel, 1.6 gear ratio