www.iFourWinns.com

I have the above mentioned Four Winns boat. I am experiencing some electrical issues that I am hoping some one can help me with. I posted my question in the electrical etc part of the forum but apparently thar was not for outboards. Can some one tell me where I can post my question specific to my boats configuration?

Please post in correct forum. This was moved from forum issues.

_________________
2006 FW 203 FS
2005 Dodge Laramie 1500
2003 CRF 247F SuperMoto racer
2001 CBR1100XX

Tell us about your problems...

_________________
99 Horizon 190 - Volvo 5.7
06 Sea Doo RXP (79 GPS) / 05 Sea Doo GTX Limited (74 GPS)

I have a '99 Horizom 180 with a Johnson 130...

Let us know what exactly the issues are and we may be able to diagnose it.

_________________
1999 180 Horizon OB Fisherman Pkg
2013 Grand Cherokee 4x4 w/ 5.7 Hemi
San Antonio, TX

Here it is in a nut shell. At the end of last summer and for the first part of this summer when I would try to start the boat this is what would happen. I would turn the key half way and the four warning lights would beep, come on and then shut off as they shoudl. When I turned the key the rest of the way more often then not nothing at all would happen. No clicks, no attempt to turn over, nothing. I would repeat this several time and eventually the motor would turn over. Now what's happening is nothing at all. I turn the key and the warning lights and beeps don't even come on. I thought maybe it was the battery so I replaced it with a known good one. Same result. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

It sounds like a wiring issue.

I would guess there is a bad connection somewhere.

You need to trace every wire that is related to the ignition and confirm that there are no loose connections or corrosion.

In another post you mentioned you had a new ignition switch installed. Did the motor start normal after that?

_________________
Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

Here is a link to the wire schematic:

http://www.fourwinns.net/ownman/Sport00/Wiring.pdf

It should be the 3rd page of this pdf for the OB version of the boat.

_________________
Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

Thanks for the link, I guess I better wait to have a few wobblie pops until after I have looked at this diagram. The new ignition switch did not solve the problem unfortunately.

Yeah, hold off on anything that would cause you to lose focus.

When the new ignition switch was put in, was the old one already not responding at all? Or was the new switch put in, then there was no response?

With that motor you probably have to push the key in to choke the motor as you crank it. When you turn the key to crank and push in on the key does the choke close?

With an outboard the wires come from the battery into the motor cowling, the + (positive) goes to the starter solenoid and the - (ground) goes to the block of the motor. Have you checked both of those connections?

The ignition wires go from the motor up to the helm station. Have you checked the connections in the wire harness?

_________________
Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

The motor behaved pretty much the same before and after the new switch was put in. I must confess I don't know a lot about outboards. I think I will have my son come with me and we will do things like see if the choke closes. I have not checked the connections at the motor but that may be a good place to start. If the connections at the motor were the issue would that cause nothing electrical to work?

I agree with Rotary....this sounds exactly like an electrical connection issue.

I would also start with all the connections at the motor, specifically the starter and starter solenoid. Also check all your ground connections. A little bit of corrosion on any of the gounding points (and there seem to be quite a few) will cause havoc similar to this.

Something else you may want to try to help eliminate items, is to set up a remote start switch on the starter. You can find these at just about any auto parts store or Harbor Freight. I would not try to start the motor with it, just use it to see if the solenoid and starter are actually working. If it cranks with the remote switch, then you know your problem is somewhere between the battery, ignition switch, and the starter.

_________________
1999 180 Horizon OB Fisherman Pkg
2013 Grand Cherokee 4x4 w/ 5.7 Hemi
San Antonio, TX

im curious what is your top speed with 90hp ?

Well I finally got my starting problems solved. It appears that last year when the starter switch was replaced it was not done by some one qualified to do it. I took it back to the same place and the owner took a look and found that it had been wired incorrectly. Now it runs like a dream.

In answer to your question Scott, I can get up to about 38 mph with my 90 horse Johnson

I was going to say... my boat does this randomly...

You just have to reach under and wiggle the fuse.

_________________
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

Mine was weird. It did it randomly then it would not start at all. Now, turn the key, prime it and it turns over right away