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Hi, I have a 1992 Four Winns 190 Horizon with 5.0 and OMC cobra sterndrive. The carb was rebuilt last year. The boat fires up pretty easy cold. I pump it 2 times and give it a bit of throttle and she starts up. It will run great and shift into forward and reverse easily for the first start up and cruise. Once I park it after 30 mins of driving and let it sit a couple hrs. It will start up but I cant get it to shift into gear without dying. The shift cable is pretty smooth and easy to move. I don't think is has to do with the omc cable adjustment issue, but maybe the shift assist module. It will idle around 650 RPMS in gear per OMC requirement. My questions is does the system sometimes work or just not work at all if it is broken. Is there any sort of adjustment for the system as it lowers the rpm to shit the gear? It will die going into gear very easily and after multiple times of trying and you get it into gear if you are going fast then quickly move into neutral it will die... if you move the shifter slowly it will make the shift to neutral. The carb was rebuilt by a marine shop and was done fairly well but not the greatest.

Right off hand, I would look for a vaccuum leak, or loose/faulty electrical connections. Maybe something that would cause a voltage drop.

Good luck!

I agree with the vacuum leak. RPM at 650 sounds a tad bit low.

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In Neutral it idles around 800-900 RPMS then this model OMC stern drive is made to drop the RPMs so the clutch can engage and should run 550 - 650 RPMs in gear idling. So that part should be correct. I'll look for a vacuum leak. But does any have any experience with the shift assist module This is the controller that lowers the RPM so the gears can engage without stripping them. Anyone with a 93 or 94 and newer FW will not have this system because you have the SX Volvo penta stern drive.

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1993 Horizon 190 LE, 5.0L Cobra

Were you able to address the problem? I had a similar problem with mine, and it was a vacuum leak.

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1993 Horizon 190 LE, 5.0L Cobra

Actually the ESA drops rpm when you shift to neutral not when you shift into gear.
Idle in gear should be 500-600. 900 in neutral is too high. You may have a vacc leak or carb problem. If the float level is off you can have stalling.
A engine in good tune should be able to idle at 600 with no problem.

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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

Outside of the stalling when you shift to gear, how does it start up after it sits? Does it start right up or does it surge and have a hunting idle (RPMS up and down)? Is it worse when its really hot out and the engine compartment is hot inside (possible vapor lock). That is a common problem on some engines and we had a Ford with a 302 (5 liter) with a 2 bbl carb that did that in hot weather. I solved it by insulating the metal fuel line that was picking up heat from the intake manifold.

The ESA should not be engaging AT ALL when you shift to gear from neutral. If it does, either the switches could be out of adjustment or the transom shift cable might be getting sticky.

As I said above, if the carb is not set up right this can also cause this problem, because in neutral in the water there is no load on the engine. You shift it to fwd and the load of the prop against the engine can drag the idle down a bit. If you have a vaccum leak or the idle mixture is set too lean, you could have stalling.

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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