www.iFourWinns.com

Call Four Winns, ask for tech support, get them involved. I still say

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Your not the only one. I have winterized that same way for 10 years. Never a problem doing it that way for me.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

So no need to drain the block?

As far as your water pump, no way that is right. If you dropped off the boat working, and it is now overheating, the mechanic did something. Document everything from this point forward, coversations with who, and time they took place.

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

I spoke to FourWinns....they directed me to Mecury Marine.....they said..."nope...waterpumps are not covered under warranty....it's between you and your dealer".

Awesome! I'm so happy to be a new boat owner.

Thats BS. It's covered under a new vehicle warranty. Do you have warranty paperwork?

I still say, if your boat was running fine when you dropped it off, your mechanic must have done something. I don't think timing of water pumps going out is that good.

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

firecadet, I never drained the block. Pumping all that antifreeze through the muffs, up into the engine and back out the drive is all I ever do. It will not hurt to drain the block, but I never found the need to do it. Many cold Michigan winters and it starts right up in the spring.

otoolea, That is a shame about your water pump in such a new boat. I hope your dealer re thinks that ludicrous estimate, and makes it right for you.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

I know people have done the suck it up the drive method and not had a problem, but many have had a problem. How close to you want to cut it, only way to know, is to open a block drain, drain some of the mixture in there a paper cup, and put it in the freezer. I tried this method the fist time I winterized, drained some out and what it looked like was dirty water. At the time I didn't have a hydrometer capable of measuring the strength of a PG antifreeze solution. So I just drained and backfilled the block and I've done it that way ever since.

I also do have a concern with Merc dealers doing something, that is not approved by Merc, to save time and then by coincidence the customer has a problem. If you know for sure they winterized it this way, NOT the way Merc says to, I'd call Merc back and tell em that. I bet they would not be happy that their engines are being treated that way when it's them that will pay for damage in the end, unless it turns into a finger pointing exercise (likely!)

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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

Raise holy hellfire until you get satisfaction. Did you buy the boat from this dealer? Get your sales guy involved ASAP and take it as high as you can, raising Cain the whole way. I'm not a proponent of being an a**hole all the time, but sometimes you have to be one to get something done. Roll over now and you'll be an unhappy boat owner with a crappy dealer forever. And find another service department as soon as you can.

Got me thinking about checking the raw water impeller in my '07 220 and here's what I found today:



It appears that there was an inclusion in one of the fins and this may have caused the failure. 90 percent of the fin was torn off before I ripped off the remaining bit. It was obvious this had run for a while as the edges of the torn portion were quite rounded from rubbing on the housing. The bit where I tore the fin off seemed to be much smoother with a finer grain appearance. Lucky I keep a spare and the boat is ready to go if we get a good day before Oct. 18.

This motor only has 60 hours on it but does date to Aug. of '06. Seems like the rule of replacing the impeller every two years is a good one.

Steve

Make it a better rule to replace your impeller every year. All my boats present and past have had a tore fin at least once. Super hot water and rubber, not a good mix.

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sounds to me dealer or the other term l think sounds better stealer is trying to make up a payment somewhere with the economy like it is. Dont be the one that to make it for him i would threaten with better buisness bureau or Atty Gen. Office for shady buisness practices. See where that will get ya.

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Riley Fitzgerald, Jr.
Wyatt, MO
Smooth out the Waves in Life with a little TRIM!!!
08 GMC Crew Cab Duramax
08 H310 Twins 5.7's

Any resolution on your issue, otoolea? Reading back through this thread, I would like to clarify that I get the engine up to temp by either running it on the water or on muffs (prefer a late year cruise) and then I drain all of the water out of the block BEFORE hooking it up to the antifreeze bottle. That way, I know that I'm putting my antifreeze solution into an empty block instead of trying to force out water and risking dilution of my antifreeze solution. Just in case anyone cares, given that this thread is nearly 3 months old now.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

Well here's how everyting panned out. After being told I'd burnt out my water pump, I asked to see it....then the story changed, 'actually, it's not burnt out, it doesn't pump because of scoring from some sand you must have sucked up'. (no explanation as to why the initial diagnosis was a burnt out pump).

So I tell them I'm taking my boat ($300 later), and brought it to another dealer for a second opinion. The guy takes one look at the pump and says 'yah there is scoring, but it will still work, I've seen a lot worse work just fine'. They reinstalled the pump and sure enough it worked. ($700 because they had to clean up the mess left behind but the other dealer).

So not only did the original dealer try to make me buy a new pump, the must have done something wrong to prevent and water suction and in doing so, probably caused the minor scoring I have.

I could complain to them all I want, but it won't matter. Where I live the economy is still booming and they sell so many new boats they could care less about 1 customer.....Just ask anyone else from Edmonton!