www.iFourWinns.com

Just wanted to post some info on a ignition/hatch design issue on the 2004 288 Vista. The same issue may occur on other year 288s as well since I don't believe the hatch design has changed. We have the 5.0 L Volvos. The ignition coil is located on the rear right hand side of the engine.

The port engine's ignition coil is sitting directly under the end of the gutter for the engine hatch. If the drain get at all clogged the water in the gutter will drip onto the ignition coil. Also, if the carpeting in wet in the cockpit, opening the hatch will allow the water to drain off the carpet and drip again right on top of the coil.

If it happens, dry off with a towel and spray down with some WD-40 to dry the coil wires. I have filled the wire boot with spark plug dielectric grease and coated the ignition coil , connectors, etc with Boeshield. Boeshield T-9 drys nicely to a waxy coating which I find is not tacky and doesn't attract dirt.

We first encountered the problem while crossing Tampa Bay in 5 foot seas. Coming off plain we had a wave splash up on to the swim platform and a bit of saltwater made its way into the cockpit transom door. It was just enough to splash out of the gutter onto the ignition coil. It sucks to have one engine in a 4 foot chop! After about 15 minutes we figured out what happened and I was able to dry off the ignition coil and dry it out starting the engine.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Thanks for the heads up jvalich.

I will keep an eye on that.

Take care Bill

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2001 Sundowner 235

Thanks for the heads-up.
I'l grab some dielectric grease and T-9.

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You can't have everything...where would you put it?
Crownline 285 SS
288 V -- sold
278 V -- sold
268 V -- sold
245 S -- sold
214 F -- sold
190 H -- sold

Thanks Jvalich ! Will keep an eye on it !
Rich

The possibility for water ingress into engine compartments due to design seems to be something FW are sometimes oblivious to; at least the 288 has a gutter. The 245 Sundowner, certainly in 2004, just has a 1/4" wide vertical gap the full width of the hinged end of the engine cover where water pours into the engine compartment and onto the electrics; no seal as standard; maybe later ones have a moulded in gutter ( Easy to mould in!). I fitted a seal and stainless steel gutter myself.

Graham

Same on the 225.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Had the same problem. I had the coil replaced because it became corroded.

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Chris
04 288 Vista

Ditto here. And then, the replacement was bad out of the box... lasted 2 hrs. Really sucks coming back to the ramp on only one engine after you have traveled 2 hrs away from your starting point on plane for a couple hrs.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Another level of added insurance would be to fabricate a rubber boot out of an old inner tube or such and use a zip tie as a tether to hold it in place. You can cut pieces and glue them together (super glue with it's appropriate primer bonds clean rubber rather nicely or use "Marine Goop") to resemble an inverted can cooler. Don't make it tight. it should be an oversized fit so you don't insulate it causing premature heat failure. Cut a hole or two near the bottom edge for the zip tie and zip it to something below and adjacent to the coil to keep it from hopping off & heading to the bilge. You don't want to seal off the bottom by zipping around the coil. That would prohibit air flow around the coil. Wires may possibly need to be lengthened depending on your arraingement. Use good practices if that is necessary. But really, the skirt does not need to be very long. It just needs to act as an umbrella of sorts.

Boeshield is a great product. I used to race S-2 7.9's against the inventor and I supervised the making of the stuff in 1000 gallon batches when I worked for Guardsman & Sherwin Williams here in Holland (yes, I used to be a blow-boater).

Good luck!

That does suck.. How long did that take to get back not on plane? I blew an oil line a couple of years back. It was painful to go back only a few miles.

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Chris
04 288 Vista