www.iFourWinns.com

Hi all.

I just bought a 2008 vista 258, it was a bank repo and a great price.

However, my boating experience is limited (but I’m a fast learner), I has a 20ft boat a few years back but this seems a lot more technical.

The brokerage told me it was running a little rough and needed new manifolds and risers which I have already ordered.

However, I cannot seem to get it to turn over. The ignition comes up but does nothing when turned to start position. I check the gear selector is in neutral and fuses all seem OK.

It does not even click, no attempt to start or turn over, nothing.

I could really do with some pointers of what to check for fellow vista owners please. There are 2 batteries in the engine back one to start the engine and one for the system, they both have good charge in them.
I cannot find any other cut out switch around the engine and nothing mentioned in the oline manual.
Please excuse my inexperience, we all have to start somewhere, I owul dbe very grateful for any advice on what to check first,

Thanks

terry

My 268 had a battery switch in the back left corner of the cockpit, battery 1, batter2, both, or off.

_________________
2008 - 318/350 mag's
HAPPY HOUR
Lake Norman
Cornelius NC
Previous 2000 - 268/7.4

Make sure kill lanyard is in place.
See if starter is getting 12V, if not work back towards ignition.

Doug

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2003 Four Winns 170 Freedom Cincinnati, Ohio / Cape Coral, Florida

First:
Pull the batteries out and get them load tested; they can have 12v but not have enough amps to crank over the starter.
Next:
Check all the battery connections; dis mount the batt switch and check the connections on the back of it; also check the engine ground on the bell housing. Turn on the batt switch and check for 12v at the big terminal on the starter solenoid with the red battery cable attached to it. Then when some one turns the key to start, check for 12v at the small terminal with the yellow/red wire attached to it.
If you have 12v at the yellow/red wire; then you may have a bad starter or a hydro locked or seized up engine . If no 12v at that wire you have to work back and see where the problem is: ignition switch, Assisit solenoid, etc.
Merc or Volvo?

_________________
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

Thanks for the replies. Volvo 5.7

I cannot find a battery switch anywhere, mine just has single battery for cranking and the other for accessories, but no switch that I can see

also I can not see any power to large cable on solenoid NOR to the fuses on top of the engine, am I missing something obvious here

finally the battery is showing 13.1 volts and does not drop when I turn then key to crank it

all dials come on, kill switch is OK and neutral switch seems fine

will kick myself if I have missed a simple 'ON' switch here

thanks again for the help, I do appreciate it

OK we how stupid do I feel?

After all that wire tracing, checking with multimeter etc, I went back and searched the whole boat again for a battery disconnect switch and lo and behold, there it was behind the transom door. Huge red switch set to OFF

I guess it takes all sorts lol

Now its just making a terrible grinding noise when I try to crank it, engine is not turning over

Does this indicate starter or solenoid or something else please?

Are you sure it's a "grinding" mechanical sound, or could it be a chattering sound of the solenoid? The ground connections on those VP engines are very prone to corrosion; especially the ones (there are 2) on the starboard side, as the exhaust manifold drain dumps water over them (and they are an electrochemists dream as far as mix of metals goes). Check the ground connections at the engine first . Then the connections to the solenoid; they also are drenched by water from the manifold drain.

These starters are not expensive to replace; you can use either a Sierra or Arco aftermarket marine starter. If your old one is bad you can get it rebuilt and save it for a spare.
You might try taking out the spark plugs and seeing if it will crank then. If so it could be water in the cylinders (from bad manifolds/risers).

_________________
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

I have ordered and new starter to be safe, hope that cures it

thanks for all the advice

The reason why I said to try cranking it with the plugs out was that they said it needed new manifolds and risers. Often if the gasket leaks between the manifold and riser; you can get water in an open exhaust valve.
It depends on what engine package you have; if it's a Merc by 08 they were using dry joint manifilds and were not prone to those issues. Volvo was still using conventional ones that might have this issue.
Was this boat used in salt water?

_________________
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

its a penta 5.7 and yes I'm pretty sure it had salt water use

starter just arrived today, same grinding noise so I am guessing the engine is locked

I cannot get a breaker bar on the crank pulley bolt as there is a water pump sitting in front of it (I think)

Is there any other way of moving this crank?

I am going to soak pistons in Marvel Mystery oil, I see two of the plugs had rust on them so figure water may have gotten into those two cylinders

the cheap deal was not so cheap after, will teach me to believe the salesman 'runs a little rough as needs manifolds and risers' lol

Salt water use + needs manifolds + runs rough = what you found.
You might get lucky trying to get the engine turning but even so the likely damage is rusted valve stems and rusted piston rings/cylinders.
Did the salesman even say it ran?
We replace manifolds/risers here every 5-7 or so years.
I'd pull off the manifolds (drain them first) and look in the exhaust ports. If it doesn't look like mine in this pic (notice that the exhaust valve stems are not rusty) then most likely the engine needs to come apart, for it to run right.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u3w9g3qvuxycb ... 1.jpg?dl=0

_________________
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

forgot to mention I replaced the manifold and risers today along with starter motor.the seller said it ran but was rough due to needing manifold and risers

did not look too bad, but I did see rust on 2 plugs

is there any other way the hand crank the engine other than on the crank bolt which is not there (just water pump), I had a stuck 550 mercedes engine once, managed to free with with oil in pistons and rocking crank back and forth, cannot try the same here with no dang crank bolt

There's gotta be a crank bolt you'll just have to get the water pump off . I can't help with that, both boats I've owned have the pump off to the side.

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

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Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400