www.iFourWinns.com

I could use the pics too, so posting them again is probably the best route. I attempted this solution on my 2001 180H and it didn't solve anything, so I am wondering if I did something wrong.

Thanks!

_________________
*************************
2001 Four Winns 180 Horizon
4.3L Volvo Penta

Looks like many people have the same problem.

I have been visiting the CDI electronics website to fix my problem, which is with the temperature gauge and alarm. It sounds right away when I start the engine. I've replaced the temp. sending unit, the impeller, and the hoses. So I'm convident it's the VDO Instrument cluster (like everyone else).

I think the problem is with the ground between the instrument cluster and the fuse box.

Goes anyone know which ground wire to cut? There are three grounds coming from the instrument cluster connector:
Pin 2: GND Depth
pin 3: GND Signal
pin 4: GND Power (bare wire)

Which one to I connect to the ground on the battery? Noting that my problem is with the temp. gauge.

Cheers,
Erik

Erik,

I didn't cut any existing wires. I ran a new ground back to the negative on the battery from the trim ground. From what I understand, the cluster shares a ground so I picked the trim ground as that is what I was testing with.

Link to pictures.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-8/1319687/2024651

How did you ever get the connector unplugged? I tried pressing on the clip, but it doesn't seem to budge. Was yours pretty stuck too?

Thanks for the pictures.

Erik

It may have been a little hard to unplug, but not that difficult.

I haded this new ground cable and removed ground on pin 2 & 3, but still the same problem :

- alarm when I start
- wrong water temp
- no speed
- wrong fuel level

what can I try more ?

thanks

Can you supply a little more info on your boat? Year and such?

_________________
Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

Four Winns 190H of 2000 with motor Volvo Penta 4.3Gi
VDO software version : 3.1
Deph gauge and speedo/temp gauge are separated physically

I don't know for your year, but ours the Speedo is Mechanical. Our Depth Finder is in the dash but has a totaly seperate box that controls it. The temp gauge might have a loose wire at the engine.
For your Speedo. Check the Pitot tube or wheel at the transom of the boat make sure the hole isn't clogged.
Depth Finder. Check under the dash and make sure everything is plugged into the sending unit good. Something didn't come unplugged when you installed your other ground wire.
Temp gauge. Check your engine to make sure the wire didn't come off your temp sender.
Alarm when starting. Our friends that has a newer Four Winns 190 (2005 I think) always gets an alarm when starting. Don't know why. It alarms when the key is turned on for a split second then starts up.
Hope this might help a little.

_________________
Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

i have a 2000 190 horizon and ever since owning it we've always got an alarm sound while starting it. if it's not trimmed down all the way and bringing in fresh water it will sound for the temp alittle longer till it gets cooled. but every time we start it up we get an alarm sound briefly.

for now i think all my VDO issues are ok but have even thought of running the ground to see if it helps. but i'm usually lean more towards the don't fix what isn't broke.

_________________
2006 Nissan Titan SE 6" Lift
2000 Four Winns 190 Horizon 5.0GL

Ok, so this winter when boat will be not in water I will test manually the speedo !

thank you

I always get a long beep when I first turn on the key. I assume it is some kind of a systems check. Currently I have no trim indication (I believe due to a bad sensor on the drive), my depth, water, temp, hour meter, run time hours, mileage sometime scroll sequentially as I am driving along! Hitting my mode button will allow me to cycle to what I want to see but it doesn't stay very long. I also get a series of beeps when I shut down the motor too.

i too am of the opinion that until it completely stops working it won't get messed with for the fear that it may get screwed up worst.

_________________
Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Did you ever find the ground wire that c.d.i electronics tells you to remove on the fuse pannel. I sent my 1999 220h vdo gauge cluster and it came back with a dedicated ground wire hanging out the back cover,can not find the existing ground wire that goes to the fuse pannel. have you had any luck.

I left mine attached and ran the one out of the cluster directly to the battery.

My name is Michael and I'm new to boating myself. I purchased a 2002 Bayliner 192 Capri Sport just a week ago from a good friend of mine. I purchase the boat very inexpensively due to the issue with the VDO cluster. My mechinic and I had look all around hoping to find a loose gound wire but only to come up short not finding one. After doing quite a bit of research and stubbling around ifourwinns.com's site, I see that the Winns boats have the same issue in regards to the crappy VDO setup. If you don't mind, please send me the pictures of your handing work to philip.m.charles@gmail.com. If this ground wire project works, I would be more than happy to repost my handy work even though I own a Bayliner. Thank you very much..

Philip Charles
2002 Bayliner 195 Capri Sport