www.iFourWinns.com

Hi Everyone!

I had my money pit on the water yesterday and after running about 16 miles (3 Miles @ 2500 RPM; 1 Mile No Wake; 6 Miles @ 3500 RPM; 6 miles back @ 3500 RPM) my temp alarm went off. The weird thing is that it went off after that final 6 mile run at 3500 RPM when I cut it back to 1200 RPM to go into the channel. I immediately shut the boat off and inspected the engine. To my surprise, the engine didn't seem that hot & my temp gauge needle was sitting on 120 (the lowest mark). Note: the temp gauge is a secondary temp gauge I had installed because my sh*tty VDO cluster gauge doesn't work. I was able to hold my hand on all major parts and tubes of the engine without even a sting of heat. After sitting for about 20 minutes, I fired it up and started idling back. I got it about 20 feet into the channel and the alarm went off again. Since I was in the channel, I had to keep running it to get to a more open area. When doing this, the alarm stopped sounding and the temp light on my VDO cluster started to blink. When I got out of the channel, I cut it again and inspected the engine. Again, not hot to the touch. I sat there for 10 minutes and fired it up again. This time, I made it about 3 miles increasing the speed little by little until I was on plane at 2500 RPM with no alarm. Then, when I got to the launch, I cut it back to idle and the temp alarm went off again. Finally, I put it on the trailer and started thinking about the questions I should ask you guys. Here they are...

With the temp alarm sounding, would the engine be hot to the touch?
What does it mean when the alarm sounds, cuts off, and the gauge light starts to blink (I would think that alarm would keep sounding if things continue to be hot)?
How can I tell on the water that the engine is getting cooled properly if I don't trust my gauges?
Has anyone had a VDO issue where the temp alarm was sounding when it shouldn't?

All and All, I am wondering if this is a VDO alarm issue or an issue with my new temp gauge and the engine was actually over heating?

I appreciate you guys reading this novel and any insight you can give me. My boat and engine are listed below in my signature.

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2001 Four Winns 180 Horizon
4.3L Volvo Penta

We both have the exact same problem. Same boat, engine, and VDO instrument cluster.

Have you been to: http://www.cdielectronics.com/LinkClick ... uage=en-US

You mention that you have a new temp gauge. Where is the ground for that new gauge connected? I think the problem is with a faulty/intermittent ground connection between the dash and the engine. If your new gauge has a ground wire going to the fuse box, that could be your problem. I plan on running a 16 gauge ground wire from my dash to my negative post on the battery, but I don't know which pin to cut.

Erik

I know I was asking a lot in the initial post of my issue. I am wondering if someone can answer the main question I have...

I am probably going to look into the replacement dash, but in the meantime, how can I tell if the engine is truly overheating without trusting the gauges or warning alarm? Will part of the engine be really hot to the touch?

Thanks!

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2001 Four Winns 180 Horizon
4.3L Volvo Penta

Get an IR thermometer - every boater should have one anyway IMO - and shoot the top of the t'stat housing. At operating temp, it shouldn't exceed ~160-170F.

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

Agree with Mike's suggestion...I don't have one yet but plan to get one....I will check the temp of manifolds (usually warm to cool) and therm housing (warm to hot) by hand to make sure things are as they should be...I have the old style gauges and they work just fine....but even with a working gauge...it's a good idea to check the temp of the exhaust system...it's possible for the engine to not overheat but the exhaust system to start running too hot and it won't show on the gauge till it gets really bad...and by then you may have oveheated the rubber hoses from the risers to the Y pipe....

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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

I have diagnosed that my thermostat is stuck open by running the engine on the muffs for 15 minutes and taking the temp of the thermostat housing with an infrared thermometer. The temp only got up to 92 degrees. I know that it is supposed to be closer to 150 degrees. I called my service guy and he won't be able to look at it until Thursday, so I am wondering if I should still take it out this weekend? I called the Four Winns dealer and he said it is okay to run it at 92 degrees and that it will just run "rich" with less efficiency (i.e. pour gas mileage and a little less power).

Do you guys agree with this recommendation or should I leave the boat on land until it is fixed?

It is Friday and the weather is supposed to be nice on Sunday, so any recommendations you can give me to not lose a day will be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

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2001 Four Winns 180 Horizon
4.3L Volvo Penta

Replace the thermostat yourself. I did mine at the beginning of the season without any problems, very easy job. The parts, the thermostat and gasket, was about $20 and it took about 20 min due to having to scrape the old gasket off.

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Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

Go ahead and run it this weekend! Keep in mind that if the thermostat housing or the manifolds get hot to the touch then you are developing a problem.... Better that you are running colder rather than hot. Enjoy your boat! the summer is too short. Replacement is quite easy if you have even the slightest mechanical knowledge

There aren't too many things I'm interested in doing myself on a boat engine, but changing the 'stat should be a no-brainer and if it was mine, I'd want to change it before the next outing.

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

I ended up picking up a new thermostat kit and am going to attempt to replace the bad one. Since I have never done this before I wanted to list my plan to validate it is correct. I plan to remove the bolts at position 1 & 2 in the photo below which I am expecting to allow me to lift up the thermostat housing. I am NOT planning to remove any of the hoses from the TStat Housing unless I have to remove the one at spot 3 to get to bolt 1. From there, I am expecting to lift up the TStat Housing and see the old thermostat somewhere around position 4. It is my understanding that I should be able to simply pull out the old thermostat, gasket, and O-Ring and pop in the new ones. Please validate I am on the right track or let me know if there is anything I should do differently or watch out for. THANKS!!!!

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2001 Four Winns 180 Horizon
4.3L Volvo Penta

If you don't have a gasket scraper, pick one up for a few bucks. Make sure both mating surfaces are nice & clean with no traces of old gasket before putting it back together. And don't make one of the classic mistakes - putting the new 'stat in upside down.

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

Looks like a good plan to me. Make sure you follow what Mike said, watch how you pull the old t-stat out and put the new one in the same way and make sure all the old gasket is off. You'll be set. Good luck

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Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

Well, I got the new T-Stat in. It wasn't that bad a job except for getting that damn rubber O-Ring in place to hold the T-Stat up in the housing. That took me forever and I even drew some blood. I could only get one of the hoses unattached, so I couldn't get a good angle on the underside of the housing where the T-Stat goes. After I got everything back together, I ran it on the Muffs for about 20 minutes. It got up to about 145 degrees, which I don't think is hot enough to trip that 160 degree T-Stat, so I guess the only way I can really test it is to take it out for a day. It is definitely no longer stuck open...now I just hope it opens up when it needs to. I guess we will see tomorrow. If there is any other way to test that I did everything correctly, please let me know. Thanks for the help!!!

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2001 Four Winns 180 Horizon
4.3L Volvo Penta

Out of curiosity, how do u know the alarm u heard was temperature and not oil?

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Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

captwalt,
When the alarm sounded, the dash lit up the temp indicator light.

Everyone,
I had the boat out yesterday for a full day or sun, relaxation, tubing, and skiing...no alarms sounded. I checked the engine temp a few times and it was running around 125 degrees...still barely enough to get the gauge off the bottom, but a lot warmer than the 92 degrees it was running at before the T-Stat replace. Should I consider this fixed or is 125 degrees still too cold for that engine to be running at. Note: the T-Stat I installed is a 160 degree.

Thanks!!!

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2001 Four Winns 180 Horizon
4.3L Volvo Penta