www.iFourWinns.com

I must not of done a good job draining my hot water tank on my 2005 348 it has a huge gash in it, has anyone ever removed ( changed ) theirs before?
Looks like I am best to take the rear starboard seat out and lift the floor, I just can't imagine getting it out past the motor with out doing that. Also any idea of the cost of that puppy.
Thanks

_________________

Terry
2005 Vista 348
5.7 Volvo I/O

I am not familiar with the 348 but if the water heater is trapped and can not be removed with the manifolds or engine in place the usual solution is to reach in and cut/dismantle the heater until the pieces are small enough to be removed. This does mean that an identical replacement heater will not go back in by the same route.
I replaced the water heater in my Vista 278 and replaced it with a smaller unit, the pictures are in the following thread viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10158&hilit=hot+water+heater
I removed the outer casing of the old heater and the tank came out in one piece.

If you want to use the boat while work is in progress, take the heat exchanger pipes (the black rubber pipes from the engine) off the heater and join the ends together with barbed fittings and clamps to put the engine coolant in to a loop. Remove the hot and cold water connections from the heater and cap the ends.

_________________
John
2006 Four Winns Vista 278 (sold)

Thanks John.
I think with the starboard rear seat out the floor panel comes out enough to make the removal possible, forgot about the hoses coming from the engine thanks, now I need to find out the size of them so I can bring the proper parts to make it loop.

_________________

Terry
2005 Vista 348
5.7 Volvo I/O

Search is your friend here. I've replaced the heater in my 348 and posted about it here.

The trick is you need to remove a part of the deck above the heater. It's designed for this purpose. You remove the seat bottom, then the back and then the screws in the bottom of the locker under the starboard seat. Once that's done you can lift that whole section. This will include the floor of the locker along with the front upright side that faces into the cockpit. It can be done by one person but having two people makes it MUCH less hassle. You will probably also need to cut loose some of the caulk where that section meets the rest the engine room hatch.

Once it's out you can lift the heater out whole and replace it likewise.

This same section needs to be removed to replace the trim tab pump, toilet vacuum flush or the outside starboard engine riser & manifold. And I guess it would also facilitate removing the fuel tank, but that would likely require removing all or part of the engine too.

It's good they have this deck section. I tried removing the heater in my 348 before asking the factory about the process. I had to remove the square shroud around it and then muscle out the tank inside. But once the panel is removed it's dead-simple to do it whole.

I've probably already posted about how to do just about anything to a 348.

_________________
-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Thanks Bill that is exactly what I ended up doing.

_________________

Terry
2005 Vista 348
5.7 Volvo I/O