www.iFourWinns.com

Lou

Here is the backside of the shift cable assembly...this is a shot of the ESA. I assume since it has writing on it and stuff, this is an electronic ESA and not the stock one??????

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1990 Four Winns 170 Freedom, 3.0 OMC Cobra 4 cyl.

I did some research on the brp parts website and your engine package if its really a 1990 (keep in mind a '90 boat could have had an '89 engine package, you can only tell for sure by the serial #) came standard with the electronic distributor and that ESA module you have part # 986610 is the original part number for the boat. So if the switches and module work, it should be right for the boat. An easy test to do to check that the switches and module work is to have the engine running in neutral at about 600 rpm. Lift or lower the load lever as I have labeled in your pic in this link. It should lower the idle from 600---->400. If not it could be either the switches or the module. I changed the switches because they were worn out and sticking after 28 years and then I found the OE module had died so I just got a replacement one from CDI Electronics. After that it was back to perfect shifting with 2 fingers. On your other question yes that cap with the chain on it is for the oil drain. The water drains they could have changed because my pix are from my '88 manual, just check the other side to make sure you got the only one.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ppbuyb06mv2f0 ... c.jpg?dl=0

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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

props to Lou for continuing to give good advice and sharing his experience with the wrench turners on the forum. 3 years ago I printed his directions for my 4.3.....went out and kept coming back typing more questions that got promptly answered. I still have that greasy crumpled sheet in my toolbox that I will refer to in a few weeks.

Here's to Lou....one of the good things left of the internet

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Jon Miller
1998 four Winns Horizon H200
Volvo Penta 4.3 GL
Newtown, CT

untitled-545 by millerjont, on Flickr

Oh I 100% agree with you! LouC has helped me out the last several months with his excellent advice, and posting photos with illustrations for us "slow learners".....LOL

I thank Lou from the bottom of my heart, he IS the real deal, and I can't thank hi enough for his continued help

Dan

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1990 Four Winns 170 Freedom, 3.0 OMC Cobra 4 cyl.

LOU....so you are saying the ESA in my boat is the ORIGINAL. And it's obvious that my engine is newer with Electronic Ignition, so wouldn't that mean that the ESA would be incorrect for this engine??

Dan

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1990 Four Winns 170 Freedom, 3.0 OMC Cobra 4 cyl.

Nope actually what I saying is yours came from the factory with the electronic distributor so it has the correct ESA. The question is does it work?
And thanks for the thanks guys...

Of course you could remove the dist cap to make sure...see if it's a points dist or not. In the BRP catalogs for your year they show only the electronic dist...

_________________
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

Ok...good to know that I DO have the correct parts...now I am going to just do the "test" you told me about to see if I see RPM drops when I move the Load Leveler. I'll report back.

Dan

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1990 Four Winns 170 Freedom, 3.0 OMC Cobra 4 cyl.

Hey Lou....the Crowley Marine website in their winterizing the 3.0 doesn't say anything about putting in Antifreeze in the system. Thoughts?? I mean, when I had it professionally done, they always put in Antifreeze.

Also, I have a grease gun, does the gimble/shift/universal joints use just regular lube that I use to do wheel bearings and such with my grease gun?

Thanks

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1990 Four Winns 170 Freedom, 3.0 OMC Cobra 4 cyl.

OK this is an epic debate on boating forums, but I will quote from the official OMC and Merc manuals I have looked at to start...
"You drain to prevent freeze damage, you add antifreeze to reduce corrosion". So if you are in a fresh water region, and you follow the steps carefully, you don't need to add AF unless you want to give your engine the best protection. But many will say its unnecessary. And using AF the wrong way (ie the suck AF up the drive kits that can result in a cracked block because the 'stat did not open) can be a disaster. So you can just drain, seeing as how you posted your manifold pix and really there is not much corrosion at all for the age of the boat. I add AF because of my use pattern in salt water and for me I do think its worth it. Keep in mind that:
I use the most expensive -100 marine AF because the lesser versions slush up at close to zero and a bit above zero (-60 and -50) and that didn't give me a real warm n fuzzy feeling. I put all three samples in my freezer and the -100 was still liquid at about -10*F. The others started to slush up but they do not expand. So it is an individual choice.

Yes you can use a grease gun with regular wheel bearing grease for the gimble bearing and u joints. For the gimble you can actually do it with the engine idling on the water hose because that way it gets all spread round the rollers. U joints obviously you have to pull the drive.
I do the winterization over one weekend and then pull the drive and do the rest the next. A lot of climbing around on the I/O getting old at my age. But she runs so well and has served me very well for her age I can't really complain....

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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

OH Lou

I should also just reiterate, as you and I talk..that I replaced the engine 6 years ago. I know I posted this before on here, but it gets lost...so yes my boat is a 1990..BUT the engine was brand new 6 years ago. SO it's not a 1990 engine. (why it looks really good)

Dan

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1990 Four Winns 170 Freedom, 3.0 OMC Cobra 4 cyl.

But was the manifold and riser pix you posted original to the first engine?
In any case if you want the best protection certainly you can add AF...

_________________
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

nope....all new.

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1990 Four Winns 170 Freedom, 3.0 OMC Cobra 4 cyl.

Hey Lou

well I started winterizing my boat tonight. I took a short video for you to watch, of me testing the RPM's when I went from neutral into reverse and again neutral into forward...I think the ESA is working fine, as it does drop the rpm's. Also, I wanted you to "hear" how "loud" my exhaust is when its running. I just want to see if it's "normal" or not, or if I may need a new bellow.

Anyway, I purchased a topsider oil pump, and unscrewd the oil drain cap...NOW I understand why a cap with hole in it to suction the tube is PREFERRED, as the topsider tube is TOO stiff to go down that drain tube, make the first LEFT 90 degree turn and then go 8 inches and then turn a RIGHT 90 degree angle before entering the oil pan in the bottom of the engine. the hose would have to be very flexible to get down there. SO........I had to insert the Topsider pump tube just down the actual oil dipstick tube, until I felt it "bottom out"...I pumped up the topsider, and then clicked open the clamp, and it took about 5 minutes to drain the oil out.

I already know, I am going to do a makeshift cap for the topsider to screw onto the actual oil drain hole, so it'll create suction there, and pull it all out. But, that's next year!

I didn't get all done before dark..so tomorrow I have to drain the water out, and put in antifreeze. Then I should be good for the winter.

Dan

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1990 Four Winns 170 Freedom, 3.0 OMC Cobra 4 cyl.

sounds like you did good, where's the vid?

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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

here ya go:

https://youtu.be/f6HxjgyqSrg

let me know if you can view it.

like I say in the video..the ESA is working..not sure you can tell from the video or not, but it drops the RPM's when going from Neutral into reverse, or Neutral into forward..it's just a bit "stiff" when shifting from neutral into forward...neutral into reverse seems pretty easy.

Can you hear the shift from neutral into forward? It makes a bit more "noise" for lack of a better term. Neutral to reverse is smooth as silk

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1990 Four Winns 170 Freedom, 3.0 OMC Cobra 4 cyl.