www.iFourWinns.com

I called my dealer to talk to them about time frame and cost to get my boat ready for summer. When I winterized, all the fluids were changed, so I am good there.

He tells me they need to replace the impeller (and I totally agree), need to put in a chemical in the intake to dissipate the fogging agent they use, put back in all the plugs and such...for $369.00. He says the impeller is about $56.00 and its 2 hours of labor to do it.

Seems on the high side to me, when I spent $369.00 to get it winterized. Am I wrong here? I am considering doing this myself at this point.

_________________
Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

5 bolts on the impeller (including the access door) and some B-12 carb cleaner. The plugs are so easy we been pulling them after every trip for the last 2 months just incase.

_________________

Why do you need an impeller already? How many hours do you have on it? Just did my plugs the other day. Only took about 1/2 hour for all eight.

_________________
1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

In 7 years of owning my last boat I never replaced the impeller at the beginning of the season, or "summerized" the carb.
To me, "Summerizing" means charging/testing the batts and installing; Loading in all the life jackets and such that stay in the boat all summer; checking all the lights and electrical; installing the prop, and running on the muff's. After that, I take it to the lake and drive it like I stole it!
After running the last of the gas out, I re-fill and add FI cleaner, but this is usually getting close to Memorial Day weekend!

A 2008 boat should not need an impeller change yet. I know peep's that have had boats for 4-5 years before knowing an impeller needed service. We changed it (very easy) and didn't look bad. Don't worry going 2 or 3 seasons between impeller service, depending on the water (and mine's all silt!).

_________________
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.

Do it yourself.

Charge the batteries, clean her up, and hit the lake.

_________________

2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

I change my impeller every year. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard "its a new boat why did the impeller go bad". Thats why the book says change it so if it goes bad its not under warranty. An impeller will get brittle if water sits on it and it freezes.

_________________

I'd check the maufacturer's recommendations on impeller changing, here even in salt water I've gone 1-3 seasons without a problem, but if you get into shallow water and pick up a lot of sand, or run over a plastic bag it can toast the impeller. I never heard of using something to dissipate the fogging oil. I just start her up and the smoke usually kills any bugs within 100 feet of the house! I run it for a while on the hose, then shut it off, let it cool and put a new set of sparkplugs in. I think it's important to check the bellows for any water, and the gimble bearings and ujoints. I pull the drive off in the fall just for this reason. I lube up both the gimble and the ujoints and all the pivot points in the shift linkage and then reinstall the drive. My last impeller was installed in 06 (but did not use the boat that season because the deck was getting replaced) so I will probably replace it this spring. I also give it a good tune up, replace the cap and rotor, replace points if necessay and check the idle speed and timing. Replacing the drain plugs is no big deal, I put some marine grease on them so they don't rust in place.

_________________
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

Don't forget to lube your props!

_________________
2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

Did Phil Dill do your winterizing? $369 is a rip - Nathan over there could probably show you how to do it yourself in 10 minutes and for about $20. I had the marina do it for me on the slip and it was $150 - they also recommend summerizing, but all they really do is check for any leaks in the hoses and then hit me for $150. I have a battery charger for both batteries, and the plugs are back in after draining the block, so I really don't need to pay someone to give it the old once over. I have never summerized a boat before - start it up, let the fog do it's thing, then go.

As for the impeller, Four Winns recommends every 100 hours I believe, but all the dealers want you to do it every season. No mystery - it's about a $40 part and they charge you $200 in labor to swap it. I have 20 hours and they recommended I do mine too - I think I'll wait since it's brand new. I did it every two seasons before and never had a problem.

Yes, I had them do my winterize, which was their "8 point special" and it seems like I paid $349.00 plus tax for that. I am all about good maintenance, but I am against taking it up the corn hole and thats how I feel right now.

Right or wrong, I am a fan of the change the impeller every season program, no talking me out of it. I just need to learn what needs to be done as this is BS to pay that kind of money.

_________________
Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

After having an impellar go bad on me on 4th of July Weekend, I replace it every two years religously. Oh, and it takes about 20 minutes, not 2 hours.

_________________


"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Anybody have a step by step sort of guide to replacing it?

_________________
Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

If you want to do all this yourself, and no doubt it's very doable, the best thing you can do is get the maintenance manual from the engine manufacturer and just follow it. I did this with my OMC powered FW and even though it's going on 21 years old, this boat has been very reliable because it's been serviced at regular intervals and things that needed repair were fixed right away. I have both the OMC original owners manual and the OMC factory shop manual for more involved repairs.

I am not that much a fan of getting information such as this off the 'net because things can get left out and people will read things and interpret them differently. With just about every vehicle I have owned, I have bought the factory manual and done all the maintenance myself. And I can say after 35 years of doing this that you learn a LOT having the manuals yourself and reading through everything. After a couple of seasons you will find that as long as you have good access, regular maintenance on most sterndrives is not really hard, the engines are for the most part pretty simple, the drive systems main maintenance is making sure there is no water in the bellows or gear oil. I built a drive stand with casters under it so I can pull off the Cobra drive each fall and check everything out. If something needs attention that I can't fix myself I can take it to the mechanic over the winter and it's all done for the spring.

_________________
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

In the cooler hatch, remove the access panel on the back wall, un hook both hoses to the water pump, remove the 3 bolts that hold the housing on the front of the pump, wiggle it off. To replace it, lube the housing up GOOD, bend the fins on the new impeller in the same direction as the old one you just took out. Wrap a zip tie close to the end your sticking in the housing to compress the fins, wedge the impeller in the housing enough to hold the fins, then cut the zip tie, push the impeller in the rest of the way. Then replace the o-ring and lube it. slide the impeller/housing on the pump shaft and align the bolt holes. Replace bolts, hoses and access cover DONE.

_________________

Not very familar with VP yet. Where is the impellar on the VP? On my old OMC it was in the outdrive and very easy to replace. Never mind I found my answer.

_________________
1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)