www.iFourWinns.com

I have a 2008 H220SS with a 5.7 Gi engine with 300 hp, which method is better to flush the engine and outdrive the muffs at the outdrive or hooking up a hose to that blue connector in the engine compartment. I live in South Florida and she will be in Salt Water. I haven't received the boat yet but you can take a look at her if you like she is on youtube. Search 2008 Four Winns H220SS and she is on the third video. Yellow and white located in Mooresville North Carolina. Let me know what you think and thanks for any help figuring this out. I have no clue this is my first boat. Thanks again Joe from Miami

Hi Joe, I'm saltwater also.

My dealer told me from day one to use the muffs to flush the engine. I also use a product caled Salt Away to neutralise any salt left behind after the flush. then use the remainder to rinse down the boat and trailer.

So, I'm a muff man!

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

Thanks I will definitely be a muff man also when I finally get her home. I love your boat it is similar to mine I love your color scheme. The trailer looks really cool with the mag wheels I had to purchase a trailer in North Carolina that wasn't a Four Winns because they wanted 5 or 6 grand in North Carolina for one that was ridiculous I think, so I got a Continental or a Loadrite I forgot which one I finally ended up telling them to put her on. I hope to have her down in Miami by this weekend or at the latest Tuesday of next week. Have you had any problems with your engine that are particular to the Four Winns that I should keep an eye out for? Thanks for your input.

If this boat has never been in salt water I'd think strongly about getting a closed cooling system installed before running it in salt, that will make the engine last longer and prevent corrosion in the block. It also makes winterization a bit simpler since you don't have to drain the block, only the manifolds as most Volvos usually have a half system (block only cooled with AF).
Also I hope for sure you are getting a galvanized trailer, a painted trailer will not last in salt. My old Load Rite is 17 years old and the frame has no rust on it. Consider also adding the best quality Kodiak disc brakes to avoid constant brake maintenance. I have drums on my trailer but my boat is moored so the trailer doesn't get dunked in salt that much....

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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

Good advice on the closed cooling! I was thinking the same but I haven't researched the cost of the system. She has never been in Salt water she has been dunked at a local lake in mooresville. I am going to start researching for the closed cooling system. Thanks for the advice.

Good advice on the closed cooling! I was thinking the same but I haven't researched the cost of the system. She has never been in Salt water she has been dunked at a local lake in mooresville. I am going to start researching for the closed cooling system. Thanks for the advice.

I actually didn't like the trailer that came with the boat so I ordered a 2011 load-rite. It can accommodate a boat up to 23 or 24 feet but it needs to be fitted to my boat. It does have disc brakes the salesman was making a big deal about it but he might as well been speaking french. He said it has a quick lube system on it also. I had no idea they would last that long. He ordered the better tires Radials I think he said, also the mag wheels he made it a point to tell me they need to be tightened every 50 miles for the first 300 miles. I felt like I was doing a preflight inspection. Well I wish they came in colors though black looks very cool.

Joe, had no problems with the engine at all - it's a Chev Vortec engine and she runs like a clock. The key however is regular servicing and maintenance.

I change the oils every year, and the impeller every 2 years. I religiously flush the engine after each outing and use salt neutralising solution.. last time they had the manifolds off for a check and told me they looked brand new which means I must be doing something right

If your boat has been in freshwater, it probably has the factory aluminum anodes - you will need to change these to zinc anodes for use in salt water - not a big job - takes about 10 mins max.

My trailer is galvanized and gatorhyded to survive the salt water - also why I chose mag wheels over steel. Has 4 wheel disc brakes which are probably the highest maintenace items on the trailer, but they stop really well which is whay I got them.

Hope you get your boat home OK!

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

Thanks for the tip on the anode I would have left it with the one it came with. That is nice to know because I can do the regular stuff. Saw that the gear oil on the outdrive is pretty easy to change,but so she gets home ok and she is turn key.I opted for the dealer to do a complete annual. They said it didn't need it but I am starting from square one. Do you change the oil yourself if so what do you use to get the oil out?

Yep, I change the engine oil myself. I use a suction pump to suck it out of the dipstick tube - plenty of different types from the regular boating suppliers - I just use a cheap hand one and it seems to work fine.

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

I use one called the Topsider, and I rigged up a fitting to use the garden hose threads on the oil dipstick tube, that makes it a faster oil change than shoving that thin tube down the dipstick tube. Thats the easy part, unless you have a remote oil filter mount, if not getting at the filter can take some doing, I'm lucky in my boat because after I remove the rear seats and slide back the battery, it's pretty easy to get at....

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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

I run in fresh, but Volvo says in their book to flush it with the blue flush adapter at idle... I own muffs, but don't use them anymore, even when doing my startup test each spring in the driveway... the blue flush port goes down to a T hose connector which goes both to your drive inlet and the raw water pump... when you turn the hose on you will see water coming out the back... I'm not claiming to know everything, but this seems sufficient to me...

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

I haven't received the boat yet but you can take a look at her if you like she is on youtube. Search 2008 Four Winns H220SS and she is on the third video. I change the engine oil myself. I use a suction pump to suck it out of the dipstick tubeplenty of different types from the regular boating suppliers - I just use a cheap hand one and it seems to work fine.

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