www.iFourWinns.com

I removed the aft bench and bulkhead to access the engine for service. Made it easier but the bench removal was awkward work. Hard to imagine they designed the fuel filter so close to other components a filter wrench will not work. Anyway...now I'm ready for season after new impeller, oil and filter, fuel filter, new steering fluid <trying to track down a leak>, and replace drive oil.

http://m974.photobucket.com/albumview/a ... 1.jpg.html

http://m974.photobucket.com/albumview/a ... 9.jpg.html

http://m974.photobucket.com/albumview/a ... 3.jpg.html

http://m974.photobucket.com/albumview/a ... 5.jpg.html

http://m974.photobucket.com/albumview/a ... 6.jpg.html

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


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

I dont miss that tight work area. Nice work

_________________
"Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes "

1996 238 Vista dlx "Casper's Toy Too"
2006 5.0GXI w/closed cooling, DP-sm 1.95 drive
Previous boat:
1998 Sundowner 205

Honestly when I look at the I/O versions of their smaller bowriders at the boat shows I think they let mechanical fools design the 'glass back there. They should be punished for their stupidity by having to change starters and non remote oil filters for a year straight before they are allowed to design any more boats. Oh and what about the rocket scientists that put bilge pumps under the engine, they too deserve a ratchet wrench smack to the fore head....
If you haven't worked on it yourself and gotten down n dirty in the bilge you don't anything about good boat design and the guys doing some of their boats really should be fired.

_________________
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

Yes Lou !

Access to the engine on my 2004 245 Sundowner is to be honest pretty good. Better in fact than the access on my 1999 225, So, they went the right way for a while. The access on the 245 would be a lot better if I lost 30 lbs , can't really blame that on the boat designers ! Still, this year I finally figured out a quick, comfortable way to change the impellor ( less than 10 minutes; the VP fresh water cooling heat exchanger prevents access from above). Then I was well pi**ed off when I found a leak from the water pump so I had to take it all off again !

Here's a tip for you as you are also a salt water boater. If you ever have to split the upper and lower drive housings, (like to replace the water tube gaskets, or clean barnacles out of the water intake area) it can be difficult to get those housings apart because of salt build up on one of the o rings that seal the upper to the lower housings. That is of course assuming you can get the 6 bolts out that hold them together. Here's how I did it...
I got a piece of threaded rod about the same length and diameter as the rod that fits in the trim rams and slid this through the holes on the upper drive housing that the rod for the rams normally fits in. Then I got 2 4" long bolts and nuts and installed them in the 2 lowest mounting holes on the front end of the drive unit. Next I put the drive on my wooden storage stand. I then put a small scissors jack under each end of the rod that I slid through the gear housing. And next put one under the 2 bolts I installed in the lowest mounting holes. This way I could apply upward pressure in the areas that were likely the strongest since they are normally mounting points. All I had to do was screw each jack up a bit and off it popped. This was after trying to pry the housings apart for a few days via more conventional methods.
My mechanic advises doing this every other season or so to clean out the barnacles in the water intake area (you can also paint that area with anti fouling paint at the same time) and just to make it easier to get it apart. If not done for a long time it could be a bear of a job....

_________________
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

Lou..you are right on target..its like the boat designer's figure if the opening is enough to cram a motor in then their job is over.

The impeller bolts are a joke on the VP, not to mention they line up with the deck 3 inches away. Flat head screws...really? Inserting an access panel a spider monkey couldn't reach through is stupid. The whole backseat pullout design is a failure too....the side seat storage is inaccesible without making everyone stand up.

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


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

I would give up some sundeck to have a removable doghouse that allows complete engine access. Or..they could have the adjoining side portions of sundeck fold up to allow for the doghouse removal.

Most salesmen have no clue about maintenance...paying gigantic fees for service isn't in my budget. I asked one salesmen at boat show to show me how to access oil filter on the easy to maintain boat (no remote oil filter) he was selling. After searching for a few mins he said here it is....Nope I said, that's da fuel filter. I then told him its hard to change it if you can't touch it.

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


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

I have the sunsport seating and guess what no one sits on that sunpad, hardly ever gets used. It does give a lot of storage though and thats the only reason why I did not just put in a dog house and a pair of jump seats when I re did the interior 8 years ago.
The ironic thing is that Volvo used to cite the engine mounted pump as an advantage, and it is, if you don't stick a bench seat right in front of it! Good design really is not complicated or hard and does not have to cost more. It takes a little intelligence and mechanical common sense. Salesman do not like me. I am the guy who looks under new cars in the showroom to see how easy the oil filter is to get at.

If they want to offer the sun sport design, well then make the seat in 2 halves like I did, or design it to fold and flip forward and make the rest of the partitions come apart with wing nuts like I did.
You work on a car you open the hood and work on it. Boats don't have to be a project just to get at the filters etc.

_________________
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

My old Larson with the 4.3 I had to literally stand on my head to change the oil filter. I'm soooo glad I have the drop in filter type remote oil filter in my current FW!

_________________
2008 FW F204 - 5.0 VP "Stand On It"
Former Boat: Larson 186 LXI - 4.3 VP

Got some new shoes today and ordered a wheel for a spare. Also picked up a new set of pfd's and a spare mount.

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


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi