www.iFourWinns.com

My mechanic (highly trusted...also maintained our prior Vista 248) almost had a heart attack replacing the generator impellor on my 2005 Vista 288 with twin 5.0 Merc I/O.

This should be a quick/easy fix. But on our '05 Vista 288 it took TEN HOURS because there is no ACCESS for maintenance provided for the generator impellors. Impellor is squeezed BETWEEN the generator and the starboard gunnel/hull -- inaccessible.

Required removing starboard Merc engine manifold, then detach and slide generator away from gunnel/hull to reach the impellor. Anyone else experience this? Is this some unique engineering/space issue due to twin engines & generator configuration? I now fear a costly reocurrance of what should normally be a minor maintenance item.

Have you spoken with Four Winns customer service about it?

The impeller isn't that hard to access on the unit itself. Do you have a picture of how it's arranged in the engine compartment?

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I've changed my impeller myself once since I've owned the boat. It's time again. It took me (unexperienced and first time) about 3 hrs to change it out. I removed the starboard side exhaust elbow to give space to reach the impeller area. There is a small panel that snaps into place covering the pump. I removed it, removed the screws and removed the impeller. I used a cable tie to hold the impeller fins in the right orientation and once the impeller was in place I worked the tie off. I lubricated it very well for it's first "dry" start and it worked perfectly. Once I figured out how to access the impeller, the actual work to remove the exhaust elbow, remove the impeller and replace it, reinstall the exhaust elbow with a new gasket was perhaps 1.5 hrs. I used a mirror leaning up against the transom to view the back of the genset.

I took the opportunity to inspect my exhaust elbow for any defects or weak areas. It is a pain in the "arse" to change, certainly more difficult than need be, but is doable without having to unbolt and slide the unit.

I will be changing it again here in the next month at which time I will be removing all the exhaust elbows for both engines to do inspections.

I can't see 10 hours to do the work. I think quite a bit of that was the mechanic's learning curve.

When I do it, I plan on taking pics and putting a write up on the process on Boat-Projects.com

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Yikes, that IS tedious. I won't complain anymore about accessibility in the 348. I likewise question what portion of those ten hours were "learning curve". Hell, even yanking a whole engine doesn't take THAT long if you know what you're doing. That and a lot of jobs on a boat take longer if you don't speak with customer service FIRST. I know it took me longer to figure out my water heater issues on the 348 because of it. Once I talked with them and found out about removing the seat panel it became a much different job. Not 'quicker' but significantly less hassle than the alternatives involving removal of exhaust components.

The only good part about removing the elbow is it gives you a chance to inspect it for corrosion.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

That's why I didn't complain too much. It forced me to do something that is a good thing to do periodically but is often pushed off until too late.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Should have taken less than 3 hours, we had the Volvo package and did not have to remove anything on our 288 other than the batteries so we could slide up the generator for access.

Can't you just remove the batteries and slide the generator forward to do this? It should take less than 1.5 hours.

Craig C.

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2003 Vista 248, VP 5.0 GXi-C, DP