www.iFourWinns.com

Hello everyone,

I'm a new member to the forum, but have been here many times seeking advice. Well now I'm stumped and can't find an answer. I have a new to me 1998 Four Winns Horizon 180 volvo penta sx with the 5.0 GL motor. I got it before winter last year ran it a few time and it ran great. I winterized it and waiting till spring to enjoy my new toy. Before we put her in the water I went through the lower unit, replaced seals and bent prop shaft and bearings. I also did a full tune up, rotor, cap, wires, spark plugs, and a fresh oil change with new oil filter. When I tested her on the hose she ran great. I took her out and after she was fully warm it started back firing a bit here and there and just got worse where we couldn't drive it. Funny thing is after letting it cool down it seemed to repeat this cycle where I could drive it then it would run like crap and we'd shut it down and wait. The mechanic side of me would not let me keep using it in its current state. So I pulled her out and started diagnosing the problem. We couldn't figure it out or get it to run poorly on the hose so we put it back in to get it to act up again. This time when it was acting up my brother dug around in the engine bay while the problem was occurring. Turns out if he pushed on the distributor cap a bit the boat would run fine (pushing it towards the rear of the boat). When he did touch it it would run crappy again. I am not sure how this issue comes up but we are thinking that it needs a new distributor. Has anyone dealt with a similar issue like this before? Where can i find a reasonably priced distributor? What are my upgrade options (MSD?) and what would need to be done to run an after market distributor. Probably have many more questions but this is a good start. Trying to get this thing running top again so we can enjoy it.

Try replacing the cap and rotor first. I'm amazed that the mechanic did not suggest that first!
If when you pull off the cap you find lots of play in the dist shaft then you may need a new dist becsuse of wear in the bushings.
PS my '88 still has the original dist!

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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

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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

Ok but did you check the dist shaft for looseness?
Another way is to hook up a timing light and see if you have timing variation at idle..
Also an engine that runs bad after it warms up could have an ignition coil breaking down when it gets hot, or a vacuum leak at the carb gasket/throttle body gasket that is evident when the engine warms up and the mixture leans out (choke open or EFI cold enrichment off).

_________________
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

Can you replace distributor bushings?

My '84 does too.
I would also check timing, ignition sensor and coil if the distributor shaft seems sound.

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-Andrew

1984 Four Winns 225 Sundowner
5.0L Mercruiser, Alpha 1

Sorry forgot to mention replaced coil as well. Main reason we think it's a distributor is why would the problem go away with a little pressure on the distributor then come right back when pressure is removed?

I'm assuming that this is an electronic dist, take the cap off again, and check for loose or corroded connections inside the dist where the electronic control unit is wired up. When you put pressure on the dist and it runs better, its changing something. Perhaps a loose connection.

http://www.crowleymarine.com/johnson-ev ... /57008.cfm

This is the OMC version of your engine (the OMC and Volvos in this year range were the same product). I see you can still buy the bronze bushing. Not saying that's definitely it, but as least you can get it.

http://www.volvopentastore.com/Ignition ... _id.770819

This is the Volvo version, note that the dist part # is the same as the OMC part #

Is your model # 5.0GLPBYC?
Is this a 2 bbl carb engine?

_________________
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

i will be taking another stab at it tonight when I get home from work. Family will be upset if I can't figure it out before the holiday weekend. It would be nice if it was something stupid I missed.

Suggestion....if you kept the old dist cap tray using an Emory board nail file and freshen up the contacts and put the old cap back on. If itsolves the problem then your new cap fits like crap.

I had this issue on my tractor and the new cap wasn't seating snuggly....hope its that simple. Sounds like a contact issue between rotor and crappy cap.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

That'd make sense.

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