www.iFourWinns.com

Ok, need some help, I'm having some overheating problems that myself or dealers can not find on my boat. My temp gauge pegs out at 250 and everything shuts down. I have changed temp gauge, temp sensors, water pump, impeller and ECU 3 different times for the past 3 years. Yesterday, it done it again, we disconnected the batteries and ECU for 3 hours hoping to clear any codes. I changed the temp switch, water pump and impeller again yesterday and the temp gauge is still pegged out at 250. I am not sure what the heck is going on, the engine is not overheating at all. I am thinking it has a very serious electrical problem that we can't find. Any ideas or thoughts that might be going on here.

Volvo Penta Engine #s
3869364
4012194784
5.0 GXI-G

Thats a lot of $$$ for replacing things that aren't broken. Have you checked your engine/manifolds with an IR gun to see what the actual Temp is?

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

I know it's a lot $$$, I'm at the point of cutting my losses and buying a new one.Yes we have done that, all the temps are consistent with each other. We have went through all water jackets or ports to make sure that there were no blockages. The thing is that the first 2 ECUs were fried and that is why I keep going back and thinking there is a electrical problem some where.

Have you tried hooking up an external temp gauge near the engine just to rule out any dash/gauge issues?

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

do you have a code reader, or just randomly replace stuff? I bought a Rinda after a dealer couldn't figure out why my boat was mis-firing a few years back. Turned out to be a bad plug wire. http://www.rinda.com/marine/marinemenu.htm I use it for regular maint and check-ups. Well worth the $400, and something I can keep in the boat incase my Temp gage goes funky like it did last summer.

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

Are you sure that the wire from the sending unit to the dash gauge is not grounding out on the engine or other metal? Does the dash gauge suddenly go to full overheat? Check all the wiring it's the o ly thing left.

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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

Yes it suddenly goes to 250 degrees and shuts engine down.

Thanks I will look at for a new investment.

You really just need to better troubleshoot the temp gauge circuit.

http://www.boatinghowto.com/content/tro ... auges-124/

I'm still thinking somehow your wire from the sending to the gauge is grounding when it maxes out the temp.
As a test, you could disconnect the factory wire that connects to the sending unit and the gauge. Then make up a temporary test wire (just use appropriate terminals on it) and make sure it does not ground anywhere. Run the boat for a while and see what happens. If you do not have a repeat of the problem, you know the original wire is grounding somewhere on the engine or on a bracket, etc and you have to find the bad spot.

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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