www.iFourWinns.com

Hi,
I just bought my first boat, a 1999 Four Winns Horizon 180. I was getting ready to get it out on the water when I ran into a problem.
FYI I'm a newbie to the forum and was looking to tap into your collective expertise.
Here's some background:
1. The boat is a 1999 Horizon 180.
2. I hooked up the boat battery in the garage and immediately heard a humming noise.
3. The bilge pump light on the console was lit, but I could not toggle the console switch to turn the pump off.
4. After doing just a bit of research online, it appears the bilge float switch may be stuck open or defective, thus resulting in the bilge pump running constantly.

So my simple question is, where is the bilge pump and switch located? It sounds like it is under the motor but I could not visually see the pump or float.
How do I access it, from the back compartment or from inside the boat? It seems like such an easy fix once I find it and I stuggle taking this to the shop, when I am competent doing car repairs myself.
Please help shed some light so I can get this baby on the water.
Thanks so much!

Welcome Mr. Stein,
The best way to access the bilge is to take the motor cover off completely then if you have snap in carpet, pull it up and you'll find some stainless screws in the floor in front of the base for the motor cover. Remove all of the screws and un-plug the wire that goes to the courtesy light, then remove the bottom front part of the motor cover base. You'll see the back part of the fuel tank and you will have pretty good access to get under the motor and look at the pump. Mine is a separate pump and switch. Let us know what you find.

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1999 180 Horizon LS 4.3 L GL Volvo SX
1994 Powerstroke
2002 Jeep Wrangler
not@work.gon
Happiness is an Empty Boat Trailer!!!

Welcome mate & a cracker choice of boat!
Here is the location of my OEM bilge pump & float switch:

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

Those sneaky FW trolls, why did they do that? Mine is right in front of the engine where you can see it and reach down and test that all important auto switch...oh....I forgot....thats because that was the first thing I fixed 12 years ago when I bought it....
Putting something as important as a bilge pump UNDER the engine, is just plain sadistic.

Here's how you can do a better job....take a piece of aluminum stock...bend it at a 90* angle...mount the pump and switch on the bottom leg of the 'L' shape, then use wood screws with sealer to secure the vertical leg to the bulkhead right behind the gas tank. This way if there's a problem you remove two screws and lift the whole thing out. In 12 years all I had to do was replace the switch (last year). Sure Bail, best switch ever, used to have the ultra reliable mercury switch...not any more tho....got a spare one before they stopped making them that way.....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Hats off to you all! Thanks to you, I was able to access the pump and float. It turns out the float was just stuck open. I cleaned the area out, tested both the pump and float, and now I am ready to go!
Much appreciated!

A word of caution with your factory bilge pump...
It is too small to keep your boat afloat in the unlikely event of wave/s coming over the front.
I've only recently been advised about this (from this Forum!) and plan to replace my p1ssy 450GPH pump with an 1100GPH.
A bowrider is just a bathtub with an engine in the back & not really the safest design to be on the water!

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

Very good thanks Deafwish for the info!

I replaced mine last year with a 2000 GPH, had to upgrade the through hull and hose, this is an old picture showing the temporary setup

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

Welcome to the forum.

OK, I'll bite... How did you get the name "Stankenstein"?

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

+1. Exactly where I put mine. Straight down below pulleys. Can see it clearly and test it.

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1988 215 Sundowner 5.7L OMC

Welcome Stankenstein. Post some pics when you work it out !
Where are you based ?

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2012 H180 ss
1976 Swiftcraft