Opinions on H190 and volvo drive

meinmelb · **Posted:** Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:05 am

Hi Guys

New to the forum so be gentle :lol:

. I have sold my last boat and now looking for a new one and the FW seems to tick all the boxes as a good all round family boat.

I have searched some topics but would like your collective opinion on the 2005 H190 with a volvo 5.0 GXI (270hp?) as I am looking at one this weekend. It there anything I need to look out for?

How does this boat perform as we will be cruising, skiing, wakeboarding, barefooting, tubing, arsing about etc. Understandably it is not a competition waterki boat but how is the wake, flat enough not to get launched? top end should be good for 50mph?

Also what is the opinion on the volvo sx out drives, and more specifically the trim pump that has a reputation of failing ($5000 repair)?

finally if not the H190 then what else in that price bracket???

Thanks Guys, appreciate any constructive opinions.

Cheers
Mark
Melbourne Australia

ric · **Posted:** Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:45 am

meinmelb wrote:

Hi Guys

New to the forum so be gentle :lol:

. I have sold my last boat and now looking for a new one and the FW seems to tick all the boxes as a good all round family boat.

I have searched some topics but would like your collective opinion on the 2005 H190 with a volvo 5.0 GXI (270hp?) as I am looking at one this weekend. It there anything I need to look out for?

How does this boat perform as we will be cruising, skiing, wakeboarding, barefooting, tubing, arsing about etc. Understandably it is not a competition waterki boat but how is the wake, flat enough not to get launched? top end should be good for 50mph?

Also what is the opinion on the volvo sx out drives, and more specifically the trim pump that has a reputation of failing ($5000 repair)?

finally if not the H190 then what else in that price bracket???

Thanks Guys, appreciate any constructive opinions.

Cheers
Mark
Melbourne Australia

A H190 with a 5.0GXi will do everything you want.

The SX-A trim pump sucks and was recalled. If your boat (i don't think 2005 is SX-A, might be) if it ever fails complain to volvo and you'll get another.

SX-A =

SX-M (the good drive)

deafwish · **Posted:** Thu Feb 27, 2014 3:22 pm

Hey Mark & welcome!
That boat with that drive package should do most of what you want, excellently.
The shape of the wake will not be anything like a dedicated wake boat, but you can add fat sacks and a tower to assist in some watersport activities.
Invest in a 4 blade prop.
PM me if you'd like some additional help, as I'm also in Melbourne (Notting Hill).

Daz.

LouC · **Posted:** Thu Feb 27, 2014 4:15 pm

As ric noted an '05 should be the older SX style, these were set up like an OMC Cobra or Merc Alpha with a separate trim pump in the engine compartment where is should be. No need for it to sit in the water. Sterndrives are enough work as it was. Those really don't have any real bad points, yes you can have a leaky seal or a leaky trim piston but other than the normal sterndrive issues, the SX series is quite good.
The boat itself is a good one, I'd think it will move along nicely with a 5.0 V-8. My only criticism is the poor engine access for maintenance on some models. It makes changing a starter a tough job (sooner or later in a salt water region you WILL have to replace it) and ditto on exhaust manifolds (5-7 years in salt so its past due).
My old '88 H-200 has a much bigger engine compartment so I can get at everything pretty easily. I re-engineered it so the whole rear seat comes completely out.

Surface Interval · **Posted:** Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:46 pm

Not every boat will deliver the same durability, but I can say that I had a '95 190 Horizon with a 5.0 Ford EFI and the Volvo SX drive. I put over 2000 (2thousand) hours on the boat, engine, and outdrive. I pulled the drive every year to inspect and service the u-joints and gimbal bearing, but I never had to open up the engine or the drive up to repair anything.

meinmelb · **Posted:** Fri Feb 28, 2014 1:39 am

Thanks Guys

Sounding promising. I will check the drive model and pump tomorrow. Boat looks awesome but only see photos.... Will see in real life!

The wife and I slalom and barefoot while the kids wakeboard, but the reason for a FW is it's versatility. We can hit the bay, ski the river, or just cruise around. We also have mates that join us a lot so 4 adts and 4 kids. We all fitted in a Searay 180 with a 135 merc and I could still ski so the FW should be perfect.

Ric that info is just what I need thanks.

LouC I will have a qualified mechanic service the boat so access is low on the list. I have however replaced a starter motor in the 135 merc... I have hands like a shovel so it was not easy.

Daz thanks for the offer, might take you up on that if I need. I had a Hi5 prop before and loved it and I believe the newer 4 blades are very good as well.

Also good to hear a FW is capable of 1000+ hours as we do about 150-200 hours a year.

Will let you know what it looks like, I'm in no hurry.

ardy · **Posted:** Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:25 am

And by the way welcome to the forum. Sounds like it should be a great boat and now for some pics please

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Feb 28, 2014 7:05 am

I do all my own work so bad access is a deal breaker for me. If I were getting a newer FW I'd have to go up to at least an H-230/240 because the smaller ones are a beast to work on. Keep in mind even if you have a mechanic doing it he will charge more for that reason.
I have a very good ex-OMC shop that services Merc and Volvo, and will do OMCs for their good customers. The mechanics there told me a story of a boat that had to have the engine lifted out to change a starter!
The later model small bowriders have a lot of un-needed fiberglass molded in around the rear seats and down the sides of the engine near the exhaust system. All this does is get in the way and makes minor jobs cost 3x as much because of the time it takes. On some its common to have to remove the manifold&riser in order to reach the starter. There is no excuse for such poor design, especially since on the older models they were much easier to service.

Here's what the older boats look like in terms of servicing after you take the rear seats out....

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4pl2e40z9rono ... %20015.JPG

meinmelb · **Posted:** Fri Feb 28, 2014 11:23 pm

Hi Guys

Went to see boat today.... MMM not sure now. Love the boat but there are a few more issues then I expected, but then none seem to be terminal.
Positives:
Boat looks great with the usual nicks and scratches for the year but nothing unusual or unsightly. Motor starts first time from cold (felt it before starting). Has factory tower, wake board racks and bimini, factory Clarion up graded sound system, built in cooler box, clip out carpets, table, stainless steel rails and pop up cleats. Upholstery looks good with no tears or damage. Full covers, new tyres, and reasonably clean.

Negatives:
Trailer - has a lot of "surface" rust in the typical places on American trailers..... I felt the rust spots and none are soft, but it will need a fair bit of work to sand back, treat and paint. My issue is what is on the inside of the box sections that I cannot see, and how do I treat that rust?

Volvo Motor - can see some rust from the manifold / riser gaskets and I doubt they have ever been changed... therefore what is the condition inside the manifolds and the non-return flaps? How long do these last in Salt water and what do they cost to replace?

SX Leg - has trim pump inside boat (Perfect), but shows some corrosion on the top of the shield, and in places on the leg. Is this a simple sand back and paint or sign of a bigger issue? Bellows are soft and still fine.

Throttle is very stiff compared to my Old Sea Ray. Thinking either cable, throttle handle mechanism, linkage on motor? Is this common and any ideas on cost?

I will try to attach pics

Cheers Mark

meinmelb · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2014 4:34 am

Drive with corrosion, sorry about finger..... :roll:

meinmelb · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2014 5:56 am

Pic of boat and then the manifold / riser gasket?

schoolsOut · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:03 am

My SX-M has similar corrosion on the outdrive. It bugs me, but I have tried to convince myself that it is cosmetic (hope that is correct). I got a quote to have the outdrive repainted for $500 if I remove and bring it to the shop. That would not fix the transom shield corrosion though. Pretty sure removing that is much more significant. I'm just living with it for now. I have the 5.0 GXi/SX-M combo and it runs great. Very pleased overall after two seasons with the boat.

The tower is a great feature. I don't have one but want one. I really like Samson towers, but several thousand to add one.

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:58 am

If used 100% in salt water, 5-7 years on the manifolds + risers. What happens is the surface where the gasket seals starts to corrode and then you start getting water leaking into the exhaust gas passage. That can start to rust exhaust valve stems and cause an engine miss (sticky valves).
In Australia there is a company called Hi Tek marine and they make one piece stainless steel exhaust manifold/riser units for marine engines. If I were you I'd check them out, they will probably last 2-3x as long as the cast iron units if you boat in salt water 100%. They are expensive but you do it once and then don't have to worry about again in 5 years.
The corrosion on the drive is common and if you do a search on painting aluminum you can fix it yourself. I paint my 26 year old Cobra with antifouling every year and am always fixing a bit of corrosion.
The stiff shifter is probably a corroded shift or throttle cable. Best to replace both with Teleflex Extreme cables. Sometimes you have to replace the remote control but the cables are a more likely cause.
That piece on the transom mount is removable and can be taken off and re finished.

ric · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:29 am

VP drives corrode, even in fresh water. They don't quite have their coating department nailed down like Mercruiser does.

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2014 1:57 pm

http://www.cpperformance.com/c-1455-sma ... chevy.aspx

if and when you need em. I think deafwish has em on his boat....

www.iFourWinns.com

Opinions on H190 and volvo drive

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