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Very similar thing happened to me last weekend. Maiden voyage (of the season) and it ran for about 8 minutes like normal, then sputtered and quit. By then I was about 1/4 mile from the ramp. A H200 is a bitch to paddle with only one paddle!

Anyway, I had the same thoughts as you did, and assume a fuel issue. It would crank and crank, I checked the safety cord (because I know the boat will crank but not fire if the lanyard is removed), but with no luck. The boat was filled before storing, and stabil was added. My winterization was also done at a four winns dealer. Mine is a 2008, and the same dealer (same tech, I think) has done it each year since new. I finally paddled the *&%#ing thing back to the dock, and dragged it up to the dealer the next day. They were back to me in a few hours with the news that it was an air lock in the fuel line, likely caused when they changed the fuel filter last fall. No charge, other than my ruined afternoon, the $50 in gas to take it to and from the dealer, and my newly reduced confidence in the boat.

So, I assume this is your issue. I kept wondering why the boat doesn't have a ball you can squeeze like an outboard has? That would surely have solved the problem? Hopefully your dealer doesn't charge you to fix it, since they likely caused the issue by being careless.

Author:	rmarini [ Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:13 pm ]
Post subject:	Help PLEASE!!!!
So...Here I am...in the sunny Okanagan Valley anticipating every moment until the boat hits the water next week in it's new home at a new marina slip. Today I threw on the muffs ands turned the key for the first time since winterizing. Followed all steps....so hit the key and after 6 cranks all 8 cylinders were purring. After about 30 seconds...the engine began to knock and ping very loudly and it then stalled out. I repeated this scenario 3 times before I stopped. It was "professionally" winterized at the Four Winns Dealer in October last year. They said that all I have to do is drop it in the water and turn the key....yeah right. So...please help....any suggestions? All lubricants and filters were replaced at the winterizing service. Bad fuel perhaps??? 5.0L TKS (Carb) Closed Cooling Thank you...

Author:	Winedown [ Sun Apr 17, 2011 5:09 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
I see you haven't gotten any responses yet so I'll give you the obvious one....start with a call to the service dept at the dealer that winterized the boat first thing Monday morning. See what they have to say. You asked about the possibility of bad gas....hard to say. Was your tank drained last season or did you top it off and stablize it for the winter?

Author:	Winedown [ Fri Apr 22, 2011 10:42 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
Any updates?

Author:	jjker [ Wed May 11, 2011 12:23 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
Very similar thing happened to me last weekend. Maiden voyage (of the season) and it ran for about 8 minutes like normal, then sputtered and quit. By then I was about 1/4 mile from the ramp. A H200 is a bitch to paddle with only one paddle! Anyway, I had the same thoughts as you did, and assume a fuel issue. It would crank and crank, I checked the safety cord (because I know the boat will crank but not fire if the lanyard is removed), but with no luck. The boat was filled before storing, and stabil was added. My winterization was also done at a four winns dealer. Mine is a 2008, and the same dealer (same tech, I think) has done it each year since new. I finally paddled the *&%#ing thing back to the dock, and dragged it up to the dealer the next day. They were back to me in a few hours with the news that it was an air lock in the fuel line, likely caused when they changed the fuel filter last fall. No charge, other than my ruined afternoon, the $50 in gas to take it to and from the dealer, and my newly reduced confidence in the boat. So, I assume this is your issue. I kept wondering why the boat doesn't have a ball you can squeeze like an outboard has? That would surely have solved the problem? Hopefully your dealer doesn't charge you to fix it, since they likely caused the issue by being careless.

Author:	rmarini [ Wed May 11, 2011 2:14 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
Ended up being foul gas. Had to disconnect the fuel line going into the carb, hook up a garden hose to it, jump the electric fuel pump and empty out the 20 gallons of bad fuel out. Put in a fresh tank and she fired up ever so smoothly...

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Author:	ridepate [ Thu May 12, 2011 7:21 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
jjker wrote: Very similar thing happened to me last weekend. Maiden voyage (of the season) and it ran for about 8 minutes like normal, then sputtered and quit. By then I was about 1/4 mile from the ramp. A H200 is a bitch to paddle with only one paddle! Anyway, I had the same thoughts as you did, and assume a fuel issue. It would crank and crank, I checked the safety cord (because I know the boat will crank but not fire if the lanyard is removed), but with no luck. The boat was filled before storing, and stabil was added. My winterization was also done at a four winns dealer. Mine is a 2008, and the same dealer (same tech, I think) has done it each year since new. I finally paddled the *&%#ing thing back to the dock, and dragged it up to the dealer the next day. They were back to me in a few hours with the news that it was an air lock in the fuel line, likely caused when they changed the fuel filter last fall. No charge, other than my ruined afternoon, the $50 in gas to take it to and from the dealer, and my newly reduced confidence in the boat. So, I assume this is your issue. I kept wondering why the boat doesn't have a ball you can squeeze like an outboard has? That would surely have solved the problem? Hopefully your dealer doesn't charge you to fix it, since they likely caused the issue by being careless. Any tech worth his salt knows you need to fill the empty/new filter with fuel before installing...............

Author:	Thalasso [ Thu May 12, 2011 7:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
Not if it is FI.Mechanical pump I might agree.

Author:	ridepate [ Thu May 12, 2011 7:58 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
Thalasso wrote: Not if it is FI.Mechanical pump I might agree. F.I. will air-lock also. Been there done that. Merc and OMC.

Author:	298VISTA2000 [ Thu May 12, 2011 9:27 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
Thalasso wrote: Not if it is FI.Mechanical pump I might agree. I have never had an issue with filling up my fuel filters on my EFI either. It makes sense to fill them up though but I would rather not have to mess with the gas if I don't have to.

Author:	skidaddytn [ Thu May 12, 2011 10:26 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
The instructions I had for my h200 fi said nothing about filling it first. It was pretty much plug and play when I did it last year... no issues... I put a Sierra one on as well since they didn't have the volvo brand... it works fine...

Author:	ridepate [ Thu May 12, 2011 11:21 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
I had it happen twice on my 5.0 (Merc) Sea-Ray, two times when I changed the filter. It ran for about a min then quit and would not re-fire until I purged the air out of the fuel-rail, after that, I'd fill the filter first and no problems. On my current OMC 5.0 it happened again after filter-change, me not remembering to fill it first. Maybe it has to do with the year of the motor?? Maybe the newer-ones self-prime?? The S/R was an 02, and the F/W's a 93.

Author:	Decision [ Fri May 13, 2011 7:45 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
Interesting discussion. Personally, I have never thought to fill the fuel filter(s) on my boats over the years when changing them at the end of our boating season. Oil filters, absolutely I fill them before installing. Maybe I have been lucky but I have not had any air lock issues with not filling the fuel filters in approximately 13 years with carburetor 5.7 litre engines. I have only had one year on our fuel injected 328 Four Winns but when changing the fuel filters last fall I did not fill them with fuel before installing and this spring the boat has run fine so far. So are we saying the very best thing to do is to fill the fuel filters before installing new ones whether it is carbureted or F.I.? Mike.

Author:	jjker [ Fri May 13, 2011 8:51 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
I can tell you that I will be asking the dealer to fill the filter with fuel before installing, and I'll be running it on the muffs for a while before I launch it. Paddling it almost killed me. Mine is a 2008, VP 5.7 EFI. I get it back today, and it better run well!

Author:	Walt [ Fri May 13, 2011 11:16 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
I've never had the same issues. However, after replaceing the filter (FI and Carb), I would cycle the ignition to run (but not start) about 3 times, and seems get fully purged. A fuel press gauge that screws into the fitting on the fuel rails isn't expensive. You can cylce the pump on/off a few times to ensure pressure. I will use mine next time I do this to be certain. Unfortunately I cannot fill the oil filter before start, as it is inverted on top of the engine... that would be MESSY!

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Author:	pet575 [ Fri May 13, 2011 2:11 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Help PLEASE!!!!
Walt wrote: Unfortunately I cannot fill the oil filter before start, as it is inverted on top of the engine... that would be MESSY! I'd have the same issue but I'm curious now as to why one would even want to fill the oil filter before installing it anyway. What harm would be done by and oil filter being "dry" (in theory, anyway) when running an engine after changing it? It isn't like the filter is going to fail or something. Not to mention that any engine which would allow you to fill the filter and then install it is probably going to allow some oil to collect in the filter by way of gravity anyway.