www.iFourWinns.com

Any idea what this might be?

We have a 2001 Four Winns Candia 234FS. We’re on a lake in South Carolina. Took the boat out on Saturday for the second time this spring. Got about a half mile and I heard a clunk sound come from the prop area. It didn’t sound good. Sounded like metal on metal but under water.

About thirty seconds later the engine cut off. I put the throttle in neutral and started it up again w no problem. But when I put throttle in forward, the engine cut off. Started the engine again in neutral with no problem, but when I tried reverse, the engine cut off again. I tried it a few more times with the same results. Engine starts up in neutral, but it cuts off as soon as I put it in forward or reverse.

As I tried this a few more times, it was increasingly harder to move the throttle to forward or reverse. I felt like I would have broke the throttle handle if I kept trying to force it into forward or reverse.

Again, no electrical issues; engine starts, radio works, etc. And the prop looks fine. Doesn’t look like it was damaged. I was not in shallow water.

I will say we had a guy (that was new to us) work on it to do an oil change a few months ago. But I am assuming this would be unrelated.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

Transmission? Transfer case?

Thanks in advance.

Did he change the gear oil in the lower unit to? Sonds like maybe lower unit problem (lack of oil) or maybe a bad u-joint? Check you gear oil first to eliminate that as a problem. If it is low or has metal flake in it you found your problem. I had this happen on my old boat. Lost a bearing in my lower unit and it took out a lot more with it and it prevented the engine from starting at all.

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

What engine?

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Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

Guessing it's either a 5.0 or 5.7, Volvo. Definately sounds like a drive unit issue. Broken drive shaft/u-joint seems likely.

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H210SS 6.2
F150 Platinum

Sounds like the outdrive to me too. What drive does it have? The VP has a dipstick under the top cover.

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97 205 Sundowner

Agree with the others on it being a drive related issue.

Sounds like a drive issue. Can you put the drive in neutral and give it gas with no issue?

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Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

Thanks for all the feedback.

I can't put it in neutral and give it gas. I dont know what type of drive it is. It is a volvo, but not sure if its a 5.0 or 5.7.

I'm away from the boat (I'm not at the lakehouse) for another week or two, so I can't look at the technical specs.

My concern is that it may have had no gear oil in it. Did the guy drain it and not replace the gear oil??? Not sure, but that would be bad news.

Got a guy coming to look at it next week.

Thanks for the help.

Good luck - make sure to get a good mechanic on it.

+1. Good luck, this may be ugly. Could be the coupler too, but more likely the drive. It's not hard to imagine a mistake or miscommunication happening where the drive got drained but never filled. I always pull my dip stick after bringing the boat home from the shop for drive service, 'cause I want to see the fluid on the stick with my own two eyes.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Guys,

I might be missing something here but if he can't even put the engine in neutral and give it gas would sound to me like it is not just the drive right?

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Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

"Neutral" might no longer be neutral depending on what happened

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

My guess is that it's something in the outdrive after the clutch, probably in the lower unit. When the engine is running, the U/Js and input shaft are turning, as are the upper shafts in the outdrive, so it's free up there. Maybe a piece from a chipped cog from the lower right angle gear set is jamming things up.

Graham