www.iFourWinns.com

Hello all,

I just purchased my first boat. It's a 2000 190 Horizon with the 4.3L GL motor. I bought it last week and today was the first chance I've had to get it out.



I backed it in to the water and then took the trailer to park and left my brother-in-law with the boat. He tried starting it and it wouldn't go. When I got back I tried a few times with no success either. It would chug but never sounded like it wanted to fire. I finally put it in gear and then back to neutral, and it fired right up after that. It was completely fine the rest of the day. Any ideas on what it might have been? I'm hoping I can chalk it up to possibly not being completely in neutral, but I'm not sure about that.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ryan

This is just a shot in the dark, but did you pump it a few time before trying to start it? If not.....maybe when you put it in gear it gave it just enough gas to start.

Anyway...welcome and congrats on the new boat.

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2010 H190 4.3VP
Tow Vehicle:
2007 F150
Previous boats:
2009 H180 3.0VP
1996 Horizon QX 3.0VP

I think that's fairly normal for a carb engine on a cold start. My carb engine is a bit tough to start cold. I have to 'pump' it a few times and then she fires right up. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Congrats and get out and enjoy your new boat.

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'99 Horizon 200

Never pull it off the trailer until the engine is started...

Before you start the boat for the first time after sitting for awhile you need to press the button on the shifter to disengage the drive and give it a pump (move to full throttle position then back to neutral) to prime the carb. I have found that if it has been a week or more mine takes two pumps, if a day it can take no pumps, or one pump.

Didn't know this the first couple of times I started mine, and started getting a little paranoid about its ability to start given the 2 minutes worth of cranking it took to start after sitting for a week or two. Learned the above priming technique and it fires up after about 5 seconds or less of cranking the last couple of times I have gone to start it after sitting.

After that initial start mine usually fires up within a second or two of cranking for the rest of the day.

Yes, lesson learned. We had boats all along when I was younger, but it's amazing how little I really remembered or knew about things.



Thanks, that makes me feel better. I haven't had anything without fuel injection in so long that I forgot about "pumping" it.

Hey

I bought the same boat about 5 months back. Mine runs fine now but I did put an additive in it to clean the carbon build up. Before that it didnt want to start and ran rough until warmed up, it also knocked alot on shot down.

It had a 23 inch pitch prop and at full throttle it only pulled about 3600 rpm. I thought that to be a bit low. It couldnt pull me out of the whole either. Its got a 19 inch pitch on there now and the eng rpm seems more inline with other boats Ive had access to.

I am having trouble w the VDO. gauges though.

Brian

Welcome and congrats on your "new" boat. I had the same prob, was so used to fuel injection, forgot about the ole pump it twice and hit the key trick from my youth....enjoy!

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1996 205 Sundowner DLX
5.0FL Volvo SX Cobra
Tow Veh: 2012 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

Yup, carbs need pumping! Remember back in the day with old cars, u always pressed the gas once or twice before starting?

My carb'd H180 always needed a stab or two when not started for 5-6 hours to fire right up. If it's a cold day or sat for a week, I'd have to idle it up with the throttle for a minute. Carb's have their cons, but also pro's. Nothing to break on a carb'd boat. The most expensive part, the carb, can be replaced for under $400.. or rebuilt for $30. Something breaks on an FI boat and you're $500 deep to even look at it.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

I have same year same engine. Couple years back auto choke stopped working so had the same issue. Very easy to watch. When you start the throttle plates should be mostly closed and open up to full over the next couple minutes or less. Cheap part to replace if not acting properly. (12 V signal always on when running heats up a spring which expands and un-coils to open the plate up. When engine shut off, sping coil cools, contracts and closes the plate)

And like others said, always prime one time even if only stopped for 30 minutes. I also now run with an additive all season long. Cheap and it keeps everything smooth. I did not for my first three seasons and was always chasing engine running issues. New spark plugs every season too.