www.iFourWinns.com

i got out first time this year today and got stuck on the water one hour away from home destination.we stop at the restaurant to eat and when we went back i started the boat but heard a big noise so i stop the engine and open the engine bay cover and notice both starter bolts on the floor and the starter sitting there.i pick up the bolts and they are missing the tread side they are brocken in the block o my god i can't beleive it.this thing is new and have 20hours on it and never got it touch or service only oil change and i did it my self.i have a question when the boats come to the dealer does the starter is install or the tech need to installed it on the pdi?this is a big problem and i think the engine will need to be removed and drill out the brocken bolts....

The starter is installed by Merc or Volvo, I believe - before the engine even gets delivered to FW. It sounds like the bolts were either over-torqued (weakening them), or the starter was misaligned with the flywheel, and when you tried to start it, it just kind of self destructed. The good news is it should be covered under warranty and is certainly fixable, the bad news is that you're probably right about having to pull the engine.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Given the high amperage power delivered directly to the starter you're damn lucky it didn't short out and start a fire.

Get the heads of the bolts (or the nuts if that's what fastens it). I'm no expert on fasteners but I believe there are marks on the heads of them that indicate what grade they are. It entirely possible that the wrong grade bolt was used. It's also possible that the marks on the bolt may be correct, but the bolt was defective. So you really want to see that bolt.

Engines don't always have to be removed to drill out a bolt. But given the close quarters that may be the most practical means. Having clear access to the broken bolt is important to make a clean hole in it. With luck it'll be a simple matter of drilling into the bolt and using an extractor bit to remove it. If not the next step is drilling out the majority of the bolt and chasing the threads. Next it's drilling out the entire hole and tapping all new threads into it (or using a Heli-coil).

You're right to be ticked off about it. Hopefully the dealer and the factory will recognize the value of keeping a new customer happy and get it fixed asap.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Hey that does stink but stuff happens its not a perfect world. I had my oil sender puke 2 quarts of oil in the bilge after 6 hours and if you read my other thread my drive was messed up with corrosion and I had to fight to get it replaced. take it to the dealer, remember its not his fault it broke and he will fix it for you, volvo will reimburse him no matter waht it takes to fix it.

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Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

I replaced a starter on my 20 year old 4.3/OMC last spring and the bolts are threaded into the bottom of the block, you can just about get at them from underneath depending on how the boat is set up space-wise. If they both broke, it's possible that they were just slightly too long and allowed the starter to flex slightly and then that jammed it and the bolts broke from the torque the starter is able to apply. Stinks to have that happen on such a new boat, they have to pull the drive (easy) then pull the engine (less easy but not bad for an experienced mechanic) to fix those broken bolts.

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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

update!!!
i stop in today at the dealer...the boat has been there 2 weeks.i spoke to the mechanic and he called volvo and explain the problem and he had to pull out the engine to drill out the brocken bolts and he told me volvo are aware of this problem.the bolts are a grade 5 streight and they are sending me updated bolts for it. so the engine is back in and waiting on the special bolts from volvo to re-installed the starter.shoulb be back in the water by the weekend.

Which engine do you have?

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Good news. Hope you have it back in time for the weekend.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

Ok, so I have to ask. Is this a problem that Volvo is aware of on all 07 180's or did you just get the magic lemon? I'm driving hundreds of miles over the next couple weeks, should I be worried?

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2008 Four Winns 224 Funship 5.0 GXI/DP Black w/ Tower
2007 GMC Crew Cab Short Bed / Bose Ed.
2007 Fourwinns H180 (SOLD)

"There are no stupid questions, only stupid people"

hmmm yea should volvo be replacing all the bolts? Someone should give them a call and check on this.

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Four winns 180 horizon