www.iFourWinns.com :: View topic - New Sundowner Owner 1996 205

Hi All! The wife and I were in the market for our first boat and found this 1996 Sundowner 205 in excellent condition! It has the 5.0l V8 and the interior looks brand new. I have learned a lot lurking on the forums already. Among the first orders of business will be replacing the VDO cluster (Speedo and Trim no-worky) with individual gauges, and adding a GPS/Sonar unit. Here are a couple pics, it really is in great shape!

Regarding the VDO cluster... it is true that lots of them have problems, but there are also lots of them that are working just fine (mine included). The Trim indicator is almost certainly a problem with the sending unit, so a new gage won't fix that. The Speedo on the VDO's has a paddlewheel type sensor. They are very accurate (within 1mph of GPS). I would check the paddlewheel on the transom and make sure it is not damaged or jammed, or broken wire. Since you found a boat with a well preserved interior (aka kept dry and protected from the elements), your VDO cluster may have many more years of service ahead of it.

rpengr wrote:

Yeah, my speedo has a pickup tube, do you think it could be plugged or clogged? Is there any way to flush those out?

Is it possible to fix (or at least test) the trim sending unit?

Finally, did these boats have automatic bilge pumps? I turn on the dash switch and nothing happens, I'll check the fuses tonight.

Author:	NickH [ Mon Aug 04, 2014 9:45 pm ]
Post subject:	New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
Hi All! The wife and I were in the market for our first boat and found this 1996 Sundowner 205 in excellent condition! It has the 5.0l V8 and the interior looks brand new. I have learned a lot lurking on the forums already. Among the first orders of business will be replacing the VDO cluster (Speedo and Trim no-worky) with individual gauges, and adding a GPS/Sonar unit. Here are a couple pics, it really is in great shape! -Nick

Author:	NiagaraChillin [ Mon Aug 04, 2014 10:48 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
Welcome! Excellent choice in boat, but you can say I'm partial to that year . Great boat for a couple or small fam, we have loved ours since we got it. Lots of stuff to customize too (if you into that sorta thing). I've done a bit on mine, so if you ever need advice, ask away. Oh, except for tightening transom plate bolts, I'm still learning on that one (don't ask).

Author:	204Angler [ Tue Aug 05, 2014 7:25 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
Awesome man, welcome. I can't see the pictures you posted but it it's what Niagara has, that's a good looking boat!! You'll have lots of fun with it.

Author:	NickH [ Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
Thanks Guys! Sorry for the bad link, somehow my hyperlinks got all banged up. We made a shopping trip today for supplies, and can't wait to drop her in the lake Friday! -Nick

Author:	rpengr [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 7:33 am ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
NickH wrote: Hi All! The wife and I were in the market for our first boat and found this 1996 Sundowner 205 in excellent condition! It has the 5.0l V8 and the interior looks brand new. I have learned a lot lurking on the forums already. Among the first orders of business will be replacing the VDO cluster (Speedo and Trim no-worky) with individual gauges, and adding a GPS/Sonar unit. Here are a couple pics, it really is in great shape! Congratulations. Great looking boat. Regarding the VDO cluster... it is true that lots of them have problems, but there are also lots of them that are working just fine (mine included). The Trim indicator is almost certainly a problem with the sending unit, so a new gage won't fix that. The Speedo on the VDO's has a paddlewheel type sensor. They are very accurate (within 1mph of GPS). I would check the paddlewheel on the transom and make sure it is not damaged or jammed, or broken wire. Since you found a boat with a well preserved interior (aka kept dry and protected from the elements), your VDO cluster may have many more years of service ahead of it.

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Author:	LouC [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 9:22 am ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
Great lookin boat, obviously well kept by the former owners. Nice size, etc. Not too small not too big.

Author:	john55c [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 11:13 am ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
Nice, clean boat! Welcome!

Author:	ric [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 11:26 am ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
Love it!

Author:	NickH [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:07 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
rpengr wrote: Regarding the VDO cluster... it is true that lots of them have problems, but there are also lots of them that are working just fine (mine included). The Trim indicator is almost certainly a problem with the sending unit, so a new gage won't fix that. The Speedo on the VDO's has a paddlewheel type sensor. They are very accurate (within 1mph of GPS). I would check the paddlewheel on the transom and make sure it is not damaged or jammed, or broken wire. Since you found a boat with a well preserved interior (aka kept dry and protected from the elements), your VDO cluster may have many more years of service ahead of it. Yeah, my speedo has a pickup tube, do you think it could be plugged or clogged? Is there any way to flush those out? Is it possible to fix (or at least test) the trim sending unit? Finally, did these boats have automatic bilge pumps? I turn on the dash switch and nothing happens, I'll check the fuses tonight.

Author:	sjross17 [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:21 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
Congrats! Great looking boat! I recently got the Garmin 531S and have been happy with it so far. Have fun spending all your extra savings on toys : )))

Author:	LouC [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:23 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
Most of the time they came with a standard manual bilge pump that was not what I'd consider adequate (like a 500 gph unit). A boat that size should have at least an 1100 gph unit hooked up to both the dash switch and and an auto bilge switch. For emergencies I keep a 2000 GPH unit that is hooked up to a bilge hose and has wiring with alligator clips on it. If I had a big leak I can drop this in the bilge and hook it up right to the batt and hang the hose over the side... PS I have a Garmin 441S and it fits well on the top of the dash of these smaller boats.

Author:	rpengr [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:29 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
NickH wrote: rpengr wrote: Regarding the VDO cluster... it is true that lots of them have problems, but there are also lots of them that are working just fine (mine included). The Trim indicator is almost certainly a problem with the sending unit, so a new gage won't fix that. The Speedo on the VDO's has a paddlewheel type sensor. They are very accurate (within 1mph of GPS). I would check the paddlewheel on the transom and make sure it is not damaged or jammed, or broken wire. Since you found a boat with a well preserved interior (aka kept dry and protected from the elements), your VDO cluster may have many more years of service ahead of it. Yeah, my speedo has a pickup tube, do you think it could be plugged or clogged? Is there any way to flush those out? Is it possible to fix (or at least test) the trim sending unit? Finally, did these boats have automatic bilge pumps? I turn on the dash switch and nothing happens, I'll check the fuses tonight. Yes, the pitot tube could definitely be plugged or clogged. Disconnect the tube and blow backwards through the pitot tube and/or pick out the bottom hole with a small wire or paper clip. You should be able to hear and feel air coming through the hole. You can also blow into the tube towards the speedometer and get it to register 20-30mph with mouth pressure. (I don't know if the power needs to be turned on with that model, but most pitot tube speedometers use pressure only, not electrical). The Trim sending units can be replaced, but it is a labor intensive job because the wiring passed through a waterproof plug in the transom unit. Then the new one is likely to fail in a few years because they live in the water. So many of us give up and do without the trim gage. They can be tested with an ohm meter (and therefore the cluster could be tested with a variable resistor). You could do a search here or on http://www.iboats.com for more information on the trim sender. Yes, they had an automatic float switch, and the instrument panel switch should turn on the pump in a manual mode. Four Winns used very small bilge pumps (500gpm), and most members here agree that you should replace it with at least an 1100gpm or 1250gpm with a good float switch. Some members recommend two larger bilge pumps. Search "Bilge Pump" for a number of previous discussions.

Author:	97_245_sd [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:29 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
I'm not sure if there is a difference internally with the gage cluster but yours is like mine and does not have the VDO branding on the gages. They VDO gages have a different layout and look to them. Mine still works fine for all the gages and the speedo, well its a pitot tube speedo so it does indicate a speed but isn't really accurate.

Author:	NiagaraChillin [ Wed Aug 06, 2014 11:59 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
NickH wrote: Yeah, my speedo has a pickup tube, do you think it could be plugged or clogged? Is there any way to flush those out? Is it possible to fix (or at least test) the trim sending unit? Finally, did these boats have automatic bilge pumps? I turn on the dash switch and nothing happens, I'll check the fuses tonight. I have the same gauge cluster and pickup tube, and my speedo works occasionally. I use a pipe cleaner, but to be honest I don't really care about MPH. I'm more of a cruiser, happy to just putt around. As far as the trim unit/gauge, you'll find that messing with the trim while underway on the 96' SD 205, can cause some pretty wild porpoising. I have found that trim all the way down provides the smoothest ride. Bilge pump should be replaced for sure, even if you get it working, order one from Walmart http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sahara-1100-Automatic-Bilge-Pump-12-VDC/11071141 Just be aware that as you go up in GPH, the size of the discharge hose gets bigger and you may need to cut a bigger thru-hull to accommodate it.

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Author:	Graham R [ Thu Aug 07, 2014 4:33 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: New Sundowner Owner 1996 205
The VDO cluster on my 1999 Sundowner was very reliable. Very accurate speed indication ( paddle wheel sender), The pitot tube Speedometer on my 2004 Sundowner was inaccurate and useless at low speeds. The trim gauge senders are very unreliable indeed.