www.iFourWinns.com

Hey gang, first time boat owner here. I bought my boat last weekend, and have currently scheduled it for service at a local shop that is mercruiser premier level service center. Now my Horizon is a 2006 180 w/ a volvo pentax 3.0L. This shop does work on the volvo engines, and are strictly a service center no sales here. I am too far to go to a Four Winns dealer unfortunately.

This shop's pricing is lower than all of the other boat dealers I have called in the area. However I am curious about what they are telling me. Keep in mind I have no hour meter on my boat.

List of stuff they want to do:

1) Full service of changing all fluids and filters on the boat, she called it the "annual service" which is apparently some thourough inspection of the boat's mechanical. This is 339.00

2) They are telling me I should service the gimble? I am not familiar yet w/ this service. This is 180.00.

3) Also I am being told that the volvo pentax recommended service states the impeller and water pump needs to be replaced annually?? That is 140.00 to be done.


This is 659.00 plus tax and any misc charges they have. Not to mention if they find something else. Does this seem excessive to anyone? Does this sound right for a maint. schedule?

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 180 3.0L Volvo Penta
Towed by 1978 Chevrolet Pickup 4x4 (Yeah it's old but it has family history)

Are we talking US Dollars here?

I personally disagree with the gimble service. Fluids and impeller ok. Still seems pricey to me.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Honestly...for a boat you just got, and you being a first time boater, its probably best to do what they are proposing, simply because you do not know the service history of the boat AND at the least...this will basically bring it "current". An alternative would be to tackle the majority of it yourself. Between buying a good manual and getting some info here, I am sure you can do many of those fluids, impeller etc...yourself.

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

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

Any suggestions on the best place to buy a manual? I guess do I just need one for the engine or am I looking for a specific manual for the horizon 180? Like for my car I got a chilton manual for the specific make and model of the overall vehicle not just the engine.

Yes the price is in dollars, the guy who had it before me was the original owner, the boat is super clean and ran very well. He stated it was serviced every year by the dealer except for last year as he did not take the boat out that much. The boat runs great as I tested it prior to buying it, and I have no reason to doubt him. However I can appreciate having things checked out prior to spending time on the water. Which is what I intend to do. I am very mechanical, I work on all of my cars, my motorcycle, atv's, and lawnmowers. I basically am mechanically inclined, but I need to get a manual as you have suggested.

Does anyone agree w/ the annual replacement of the impeller and water pump? I am fine w/ doing it, but if it is really not the recommended service interval then I know the place is blowing smoke up my butt, and that I should move on.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 180 3.0L Volvo Penta
Towed by 1978 Chevrolet Pickup 4x4 (Yeah it's old but it has family history)

I would change the impeller, that is what picks up sea water to cool your engine if you are raw water cooled. As for the water pump? Sounds a little pricey but not far out of line for all that work. An impeller will run you $40 and you can have the job done in 20 min in your driveway.
I have the clymers shop manual and find it to be good. You will look for your engine year and type of outdrive and they cover all engine sizes in the specific years of the manual

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2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

I will have to wait until tomorrow to get the exact volvo model # so I can find the right service manual. I really appreciate everyone's advice. Does anyone have the actual maintenance schedule for the 2006 Horizon 180 volvo 3.0l? I looked on fourwinns.com and couldn't seem to locate it.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 180 3.0L Volvo Penta
Towed by 1978 Chevrolet Pickup 4x4 (Yeah it's old but it has family history)

Here is the link to the previous Four Winns product information including the maintenance schedules.

http://www.fourwinns.com/past_product/owners_manuals

I'm confused....the gimble service is refering to the Gimble bearing? If so is that price including changing the bellows??? If not, I would consider doing that too (I mean they have to remove them to get to the Gimble bearing). Maybe it's me but 339 to change fluids seems high to me (oil, oil filter, fuel filter, trim, power steering, and drive oil...Check boat mechanical (?)). Does the "check" include a tune up? If so the price seems like what I'd expect to pay.

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'90 Horizon 220 5.8

The impeller is critical, made of rubber (can wear, take a set, etc.), and is specified for annual change. Most people will change it every 2nd year, sometimes even less, but I wouldn't do it any less than 3 years. If you aren't 100% certain when it was last done (don't take his word for it), then absolutely get that done. Unless they have to remove seats or otherwise have a big problem getting to the impeller, it shouldn't cost more than $100 to do it, and that's including parts and ridiculous labor rates. And the water pump shouldn't need anything done to it. An impeller kit costs about $45.

Gimbal bearing - unless there's a reason to suspect it has a problem, it needs to be greased once per year. That's a 5 minute job requiring nothing more than a grease gun.

Fluids & filters - That consists of engine oil, drive lube, oil filter, and fuel/water separator. This should not cost more than $200 MAX including all Volvo parts and ridiculous labor rates.

One thing they apparently didn't mention is your drive anodes. These are hunks of sacrificial metal bolted to the drive to protect it from galvanic corrosion. They're intended to wear away (so your drive doesn't), and be replaced every so often. Some high-use owners have to replace them every year (or even more), some go several years between replacements, but you should get up to speed on them, how they work, and the different materials they're made of.

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

I can't comment on US part prices and labour rates.

You can download an engine/ drive owners manual from the Volvo Penta website; it covers maintenance etc.

Graham

There prices seem inline to me. Buddy has a 2008 H180 3.0L and paid about the same for the annual service, but if you dowork on your cars, truck, motorcycles ect. you should be able to work on the boat yourself also. Will save you a lot of money in the long run. Once you gather up the correct tools and parts it is actually very easy. On special tools you might need is a pump to change your oil and also a gear lube pump for changing the drive oil. You can pick up both at any marine store or numerous places on line. Check out Marinepartsexpress.com and if unsure what to buy give them a call and they will tell you exactly what you need. If you do everything yourself you can probable expect to maybe spend $200.00 or so for parts including impeller (which I would change for sure with no proof it was ever done), oil filter, fuel filter, and required fluids. If you need help or have questions just ask here. The board members have a lot of knowledge and can guide you through it.

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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)

If (1) includes pulling the drive to check for alignment plus changing fluids/filters then that is about what I paid to have mine done last fall. If it's only fluids/filters then it seems high.

As for (3), My boat is older but I just changed my impeller myself and I agree it is very easy. It took me about an hour total and I had to remove seat bases to get to it. Impeller was around $45. Next time I change it, it will take me even less time. This is a do it yourself item for sure.

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Terry
Current: 07 Crownline 255 CCR cuddy - 350 Mag MPI/B3 "Casi Cielo"

Previous:97 245 Sundowner 5.7GI/SX

Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400

The boat's going on 4 years old now...keep in mind...any sterndrive boat has a bellows...that usually lasts at least 5 or more years...but if it leaks...water in...then you can have rusting in the gimble bearing and ujoints..which if left unattended...can cause a major expensive failure...
It can get so bad that the driveshaft gets rusted into the coupler and then you can't get the drive OFF!
So I'd recommend doing all the maintenance that Volvo says should be done paying particular attention to fluids...impeller...REMOVE DRIVE TO INSPECT BELLOWS....lube the gimble (with the drive off you can rotate it with your fingers and see if it turns smoothly and see the grease coming out of the races)...lube the u-joints if they are still the kind that can be lubed...grease the driveshaft splines (this part should be done even if you have a non-lubable gimble and ujoints)...

You should really not skimp on the drive service....the bellows is the Achilles heel of all sterndrives and if they get water in it will cost you a grand by the time you are done if you let it go...and could cause a serious failure stranding you on the water with a damaged gimble housing...

Sorry to say a sterndrive is NOT a low maintenance power package...if you want low maintenance an outboard is far superior.....

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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

Some comments from someone mid way into this project.

I bet the gimball service is a greasing. A simple job if you can get to the zerk fitting. Mine is on the starboard side in the housing, but the way my hull is recessed, you cannot get at the zerk fitting. The factory should have put a 90 degree fitting. I will fix this, but I believe it is because of the impossible means to get to, the previous owner did not grease it.

Ask If they will pull the stern drive on the gimball service. If yes, why not replace the gimball while there ($36 from Volvo) and replace the bellows $? ( forgot price but cheap)(rubber tubes accordian like). Replacing the bellows is simple and will be new and not old and dry as the gimball and u joints can rust as per other guys recommendations if water gets in the bellows. U Joints from Volvo are $390 for the two and the miscellaneous parts.

Impeller is $40 for the kit and easy to get to on our engines. I have the engine cover so it is easy to remove for comfortable access.

How about the belts? They ok?

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

Thanks for the responses everyone, a lot of valuable information going on here. Yes, being mechanical I will do the next services myself. I didn't do this one as we just wanted to get the boat ready for the water ASAP, and have someone "trained" to look it over.

I am going to get the service manuals for the boat ASAP. I will inquire about the full details of the gimble service. I am not sure what is going to be done. I will be mad if it is just greasing at the zerk fitting. The belts looked fine on the boat so I am not worried there....

Where do you buy your volvo parts?

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 180 3.0L Volvo Penta
Towed by 1978 Chevrolet Pickup 4x4 (Yeah it's old but it has family history)