www.iFourWinns.com

Just came across this site...Good to be able to communicate and share with other Horizon lovers out there.

So here is a problem I am having - hoping someone can help.

I have 2008 Four Winns H180 with a Volvo Penta 3.0 GL/SX 135 - when I take the boat out Friday night after being in outdoor storage all week, I get the boat in the water for a spin on the lake and I turn the blower on (safety first) - prime the engine buy pressing the button 3-4 times, turn the key and the engine turns over, but it will not catch.

I have to repeat the above process 5-6 times before the engine catches and I am good to go.

While I am out, I am able to turn the engine off and start it up first turn - even if it is off for a couple of hours or even the next day. It seems I am only having issues once the engine sits for a day of two.

Any thoughts? Am I doing something wrong during the start process?

Signed "Want to get on the lake faster after a long week at work"

Dack Heslop
Toronto, ON Canada
2008 Four Winns H180
Volvo Penta 3.0 GL/SX 135 hp

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Dack Heslop
Toronto, ON Canada
2008 Four Winns H180
Volvo Penta 3.0 GL/SX 135 h

Welcome to the site. It seems like you are not getting the needed fuel pressure to get it started after it has sit for a day or two (or longer). Try priming it 6 or some times rather than 3-4...see if it seems to help. The only other thing I would think to be an issue is your fuel pump....but thats not likely since its fine once its started.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

The button you're pushing is not a primer. When you push and hold the button in the center of the throttle....you can move the throttle handle forward and the prop will not turn. You are basically putting it in neutral. The only way to start the 3.0 is to move the throttle back and forth a few times to pump the gas. It will then start right up.

Look in your owners manual. If you don't have one you can download one from the Four Winns website.

EDIT:

Here's a better description from my owners manual::

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2010 H190 4.3VP
Tow Vehicle:
2007 F150
Previous boats:
2009 H180 3.0VP
1996 Horizon QX 3.0VP

Must be a young-un that never drove a car with a carb engine....
You have to learn how an automatic choke works on a carb engine. It's not like a 2 cycle yard equipment engine with a primer bulb. You are going to follow the instructions above, disengage the shift system and the be able to advance the throttle in neutral. Here's how an auto choke works:
You advance the throttle all the way forward, that allows the choke plate to close (which it must do, to provide a richer mixture for starting). Then give it a couple of more pumps. Next set the throttle at about 1/4 foward (again, you must dis-engage the shift system and be able to run the engine in Neutral) and crank the engine over, it should catch. As the engine warms up, the thermostatic spring or electric heater element will cause the choke plate to open fully.

So the main points:
1) Choke plate must close on a cold engine
2) you have to set the cold fast idle manually with the throttle lever
3) as an aside, although the choke plate will close all the way when you advance the throttle fully, when the engine starts, a vaccum operated linkage (called the vaccum break or choke pull off) will pull the choke plate open a fraction of an inch to give it enough air to keep running.
4) if you have a sticky thermostat and your engine never warms up, the choke will stay like half closed and the engine will run too rich and will carbon up (not good). So make sure the engine reaches normal operating temps in a reasonable time frame (most newer I/Os will run at 160-175 or so).

Got it?

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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

Well look at that you learn something new every day...By that I mean reading the manual that is still sealed in the plastic would have been a start.

Thanks for the help - I am sure the boat will start like a dream tomorrow.

And LouC - when you say I must me a young-un...I guess that depends on your definition of
young-un

Thanks guys...happy and safe boating!

Dack Heslop
Toronto, ON Canada
2008 Four Winns H180
Volvo Penta 3.0 GL/SX 135 hp

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Dack Heslop
Toronto, ON Canada
2008 Four Winns H180
Volvo Penta 3.0 GL/SX 135 h

As in you started driving in the 90s not the early 70s like me.
My first car with fuel injection was an 89, all the older ones had carbs....

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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

Too funny...

Started driving in 1989...first car 1991 and it has always been turn the key and go...

Heading out on the lake now...

Dack Heslop
Toronto, ON Canada
2008 Four Winns H180
Volvo Penta 3.0 GL/SX 135 hp

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Dack Heslop
Toronto, ON Canada
2008 Four Winns H180
Volvo Penta 3.0 GL/SX 135 h

see told ya!
the first car I drove with EFI was a family member's 87 Mercury Grand Marquis with a Ford 5.0 engine, it was like magic how it started and ran on a 20*F day, as if it were 80 degrees out...

back in the old days, we used to like our cars based on if they were a good starter, or bad starter. Good ones started reliably the first crank over, bad ones took 3 or more.
Bad: 72 Chevy Impala 350, Rochester 2bbl, took 3 times on a cold start, ran terrible till warm
Good:75 Olds Delta 88, 350, Rochester Quadrajet 4bbl, started first time and didn't stall warming up like the Chevy.
Fair: 70 Ford, 302, Autolite 2bbl, had a problem with the choke not opening, even though the engine ran at normal temp, turned out there was a vaccum leak in the choke heater assembly and after I fixed that it worked fine.
Awful: 80 Honda Civic 1300 CVCC, stalled 2-3 times every cold start, ran bad all the time (constant surging)...
Good: 82 Mazda 626, 2000 2-bbl, ran well from cold, didn't stall warming up.

After that, all fuel injected except boat, which has a 4.3-Rochester Q-Jet 4 bbl just like the 75 Olds...it's a good starter, will catch the first crank unless sitting for more than 2 weeks...does not stall warming up and has good power for 23 years old....

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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

wow...LouC you know your cars...thanks for the info

Starting troubles fixed...primed the engine, started on the 1st turn.

Thanks guys

Dack Heslop
Toronto, ON Canada
2008 Four Winns H180
Volvo Penta 3.0 GL/SX 135 hp

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Dack Heslop
Toronto, ON Canada
2008 Four Winns H180
Volvo Penta 3.0 GL/SX 135 h