www.iFourWinns.com

When I put my 1995 240 Horizon in reverse, it accellerates forward. When it's in "neutral", it moves forward at slow idle speed. It starts fine, which means the neutral cutoff isn't affected.

Yesterday was the first day of the year on the water, and when I first launched it, it worked normally. I was able to use reverse and neutral to pull out of the launch ramp normally, but then out on the water the problem started.

Two questions:
Is this controlled electronically, or is it fully mechanical?
Any drection as to how to check the shift linkage to see what's going on?

Guess this is why I run a shakedown cruise each year.

What motor/drive does your boat have?

Did you make any changes since last year?

One time I bought a prop on ebay & had the same problem you discuss - turns out it was a left-handed rotation as opposed to standard right hand.

You need a new lower shift cable.

It needs to go to the dealer.

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1987 Four Winns Liberator 211, formerly OMC 460 King Kobra powered, replaced in 2006 by a 1997 Mercruiser 454/Bravo III

No changes since last year. It has the 5.8L EFI OMC/Ford V8.

I have a friend who had I think that same year and model and when it was about a year old they were pulling into a slip with his wife on the bow to catch the dock with her foot and ended up braking her ankle because of this problem. They sued Four Winns and if I remember correctly settled out of court. I thought Four Winns had a recall over this but it's been a long time ago so I'm not sure.

Ross

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1999 200 Horizon

I had the exact same problem with my old sundowner. There is a plastic piece that is molded around the outer part of your shift cable that is about 3/4" long and about as big around as your pinky. It sits in your shifting housing and holds the outer part of the cable still so that when you move the throttle and shifter, the inner cable will move. What happened is when it broke off, the outer cable will no longer stay still so that when you put it in reverse, the inner cable won't move, only the outer cable. Unfortunately, you can't fix just that little .05$ piece. YOu have to replace your whole cable. When I did mine, it was about $350.

I hope that helps and good luck.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Thanks for the advice - now I know what I'm in for. The boat is at the dealer - we'll see what the final $$ tally is.

BTW - First time here - this is a great site!

Keep us posted. I would like to see how it turns out. And yes this is an awesome Site!

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Wow - can't believe they could get away with not having to recall/replace all of the cables like that.

The boats are 12-15 years old. I wouldn't expect them to cover them under a recall or warranty.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Update: Sorry it took a while to get back here.
The problem was the Shift Throttle cable, as you guessed.

Total job: $600! I think the part was about $80, and the rest was labor. The boat was at the shop for over 3 weeks, which was kind of disappointing.

I've run the boat twice since I got it back, and so far so good. At least I'll have it for the 4th.

Thanks again for your help.

Which never should have happened. It's a phenomenally dumb plan to use any part of yourself to guide or stop a multi-ton object like a boat. I tell all my guests not to do this, adding "you're meat and you will get crushed if you get between the boat and a piling. Do not do it, EVER." It's a bad captain that's solely to blame if they let a passenger get injured in such a manner.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

It wasn't FW that did the recall, it was OMC. ALL the Dog-Clutch Cobras had a problem with the lower shift cable (which was originally thought to be a dog-clutch/gearset problem)

OMC replaced as many of the cables they could under the recall. It was not a safety recall (but maybe should have been)

You now have an engine and drive made by a company that no longer exists and has been out of business for more than 10 years.

The engine and drive warranty was completely OMC.

Here's a little background on the problem. http://www.hastings.org/~stuart/cobra/

I fixed mine a different way.....


Cheers,

Rick

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1987 Four Winns Liberator 211, formerly OMC 460 King Kobra powered, replaced in 2006 by a 1997 Mercruiser 454/Bravo III

If the power package in this boat is really a 95, it could be the joint venture Cobra (really was a Volvo SX) and not a dog clutch Cobra...but it does happen that boats can have power packages older than the hull year....you can tell by looking at the top cover of the upper unit...the dog clutch Cobras were straight across the top...the joint venture ones (94-98) had a hump on top...my dog clutch used to stick in gear when I first got it....shift to neutral...opps we're still in FWD....sometimes happened in REV also....took it to a good OMC mechanic and all has been well for 5 seasons since...shifts with 2 fingers....

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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