www.iFourWinns.com

Guys, I have a VP 5.7 in my Sundowner 255 with a badly corroded engine ground stud where the 2 battery leads are connected. I can replace the 2 battery leads and connectors no issue there, but the engine ground post is unuseable (too badly corroded). Where can I relocate these battery cables on the engine block? Can I connect them to the engine mounting bolts perhaps? thanks in advance for your advice......

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2006 Sundowner 255
Volvo Penta 5.7L GXi 320HP DuoProp

You can ground the neg batt cables to another bolt or stud on the engine as long as its the right size and you have enough cable length for it to reach. But why on a 2006 boat do you have that much corrosion, I'd want to find out why and correct whatever is causing it. I have each batt separately grounded to a stud on each side of the bell housing and believe it or not they have no rust on them at all, 24 year old engine used at least half in salt water. You must have a water leak somewhere, correcting that will prevent other problems....

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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

Lou,

The engine compartment on a 2003 on 245/ 255 is unfortunately a wet, humid place, especially so in a warm climate like Australia. FW made scant effort with the design and build to keep rain water water out:

As standard there's a gap of around 5mm at the stern ( hinge) end across the whole width that allows water in ( I fitted rubber seals plus a stainless rain gutter to mine, which drains overboard)

The moulded in gutter on the sides of the engine compartment are too shallow and overflow over the sides, rather than directing the water rearwards ( where it would just dumped be in the bilge in any case !)

The 2 lockers are not water tight; They fill up with water and the water overflow into the bilge as the "tubs" are not sealed to the engine cover. Later ones have drains which as far as I can tell drain into the bilge, plus the cockppit cover covers the lockers so less rain can get in. I fitted drains to mine which direct water to the rain gutter.

The vent covers on mine had the seals fitted inboard of the holes for the mounting studs, so water got in that way.

There was no sealant on the cleats, so water got in that way.

There was no sealant on the anchor light receptacle so water got in that way etc etc !

After 7 seasons of ownership and constant effort to prevent it, rain water is still getting into the bilge of my 2004 boat somehow ( albeit not as badly as when I first got it!)

I also had a lot of corrosion on those studs/ nuts, not made any better by the mix of metals FW used, but I spotted it rather more quickly and it's a lot cooler here. I could clean mine up and reassembled them with plenty of waterproof grease on top.

Graham

I can see how that would be, on my bowrider, I keep the bow and cockpit covers on all the time so only a bit of water gets in when it rains, and the engine compartment stays pretty dry. I was concerned because with corrosion that rapid on a 2006, there could be salt water dripping from a cooling line. I had this happen once, the starboard side exhaust manifold drain is right over the starter solenoid. It just dripped a bit one season and turned the solenoid into a rusted up ball of corrosion. I wound up having to cut off the pos batt cable! After I put in a new starter (kept the old for a spare and put on a new solenoid) I put OMC gasket sealer on the drain plugs and no more drips or corrosion.

I'd take a look at the raw water intake hose from the transom mount to the P/S cooler and see if there are any leaks there.

I was suprised when I got this boat (14 years old) that the engine and most nuts/bolts had very little corrosion.

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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

Lou,

My 1999 225 Sundowner always had an absolutely bone dry bilge; There's progress for you !!!!!!!!!! Form over functionality seems to have become more important !!)

Graham

Graham & Lou, thanks for the replies. Fortunately, after much filing and cursing, I successfully removed the rusted corroded bolt below the starboard exhaust drain (after cutting off the two battery leads!). There are 3 earthing points I found, the 2 others being port side lower bell housing area, and another under the power steering heat exchanger. The only one that was badly corroded was the starboard one, leading me to suspect that Lou's comment about a possible leak of salt water at some stage caused the issue. Anyhow, all new bolts on the battery leads, 2 new battery leads, now separated across two bell housing bolts instead of one, the other 2 earth points also cleaned up, and everything covered in protective grease, and exhaust checked for leaks. My 255 is on a trailer always covered with a tarpaulin, so pretty much water proof from the rains. Cheers guys, and a Happy New Year! Brian......

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2006 Sundowner 255
Volvo Penta 5.7L GXi 320HP DuoProp