intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

[jeffreym6438]

Hello to all, My name is jeff. I'm new to this site but not to boats and mechanics. I consider myself a good mechanic .

Didn't know where to post this so put it here but know if I'm wrong Don will move me to where I should be posting Lol.

I'm buying a used 94 Four Winns 180 Horizon SE. It's a joint venture omc/volvo sx drive. (all the reading here has helped me figure that out. Thanks for the good reads).

I've ordered a service manual and it should be here in a few days. Plan on rebuilding my lower unit myself and will keep a running post and pic's to help others.

a little about myself.....I'm a retired master certified RV tech. That got hurt on the job. I've been in the automotive field and RV field since I was 16. So their isn't anything out there that i'm afraid of tackling. I love to help others out and have fun while doing it. I also love building RC scale helicopter and flying them


Also there is no stupid question except the unasked question!!!

 

[Don S]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Didn't know where to post this so put it here but know if I'm wrong Don will move me to where I should be posting Lol.

Welcome to iboats. What's the full model number or serial number on your engine? That will be what determines if it's a Volvo or OMC.

 

[jeffreym6438]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Don, I can't read those and don't have boat in hand yet. I've read here that cobra sx has a seven digit prod no. starting with 386 and mine is a 3868076 with ser no. T0786994 1.66 ratio. It also has the hump on top.




Also trying to edit bottom line but it won't let me.

should Say: There is no stupid question but the unasked question.

 

[Don S]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

The T in the serial number (T0786994) indicates it's the OMC version of the joint venture. The Volvo version would have been 10 numbers long and no T.
Not really much you can do with the product number, or the serial number for OMC. The 1.66 ratio indicates the engine is a 4.3L
You can download the OEM manual (Poor quality at best) for that drive is you want to look at it. Pictures not good at all.
7796484_SX_Drive_TSK MD model.pdf - 4shared.com - document sharing - download - Don S
It's also going to take a number of special tools to rebuild it.
You mentioned in your original post you was going to rebuild the lower. Did you mean just the lower unit, or the complete drive?

 

[Don S]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Also trying to edit bottom line but it won't let me.
.

Don't you have an Edit Post button at the bottom of your post?

 

[jeffreym6438]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Don't you have an Edit Post button at the bottom of your post?

View attachment 174938

tried that a number of times. Don

1994 FOUR WINNS 180 HORIZON SE
Here's the info off the motor plate
5.0FL
Motor
502ACPMDA
TO1273846

TRAN
3868030
T000348508

DRIVE
3868076
T0786994
RATIO
1.66

Hope this helps and yes mean the upper unit only. But with the prices (860.00) I just got for a gear set it has stopped me in my tracks. May just save up and get a new unit upper and lower and be done with it. The boat is worth that. It's in great shape.

 

[Don S]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

5.0L Ford, yeah, about the same as a 4.3L in power. Keep in mind, that a lot of the Ford marine accessories are NLA, or getting expensive to buy.
Things like ignition parts, exhaust manifolds, couplers. Ford has been out of the Marine side since the mid 90's.

On the edit button. That should show up after you get past 3 maybe 5 posts. If not, let me know.

 

[jeffreym6438]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Don you sure that a ford code? The motor looks like a chevy 305! wow if it is then I'm at a lost for words. :facepalm:

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Howdy,


If you look at your model number at BRP -- Parts Catalogs you can find part numbers and illustrations........ etc.

The illustration for your model 5.0L engine block shows the oil filter mount at the front left side of the block (FORD 302) . GM has the filter mount at the left rear of the block.

You can also look up other parts such as distributor, ignition module, etc....

I did a quick search for your distributor ignition module for example and found the following.....

List Price:	$194.75
Price:	$194.75
You Save:	$0.00

PRODUCT OBSOLETE

It's certainly possible that in the last 18 years or so, someone went to a LOT of trouble and swapped out that Ford for a GM engine......big job, but possible I suppose......



Good luck.

Rick

 

[Don S]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Easy to check, a Ford has the distributor on the front of the engine, the Chevy has the distributor on the back of the engine.

Plus, neither OMC nor Volvo used the 5.0L Chevy engine in the MD model year (94) only the 5.7 was Chevy.

 

[jeffreym6438]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

thanks guys. I stand corrected. Yes it is a ford motor. now I have to re think everything. the boat is only 2500 but do i buy it and have problems with finding parts or can I use automotive parts on it? I know the motor runs sweetie but.

 

[Don S]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Marine fuel system, ignition system, starter, alternator, exhaust, are all marine rated for fire and explosion safety, and not the same as automotive. Internal engine parts, pistons, rings, bearings, cam, lifters etc. are the same as automotive.

2500 is too much for a 94 boat with an obsolete engine and a dead outdrive.

 

[jeffreym6438]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Marine fuel system, ignition system, starter, alternator, exhaust, are all marine rated for fire and explosion safety, and not the same as automotive. Internal engine parts, pistons, rings, bearings, cam, lifters etc. are the same as automotive.

2500 is too much for a 94 boat with an obsolete engine and a dead outdrive.

Well call the seller and backed out of the deal and he's even refunding my deposit I put on it. I told him about the problem about the obsolete parts and he was very understanding. I would like thank Don and Rick for their help in this thread.

Going to keep looking and know where to come if I have Questions.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: intro and where to post??? joint venture four winns

Well call the seller and backed out of the deal and he's even refunding my deposit I put on it. I told him about the problem about the obsolete parts and he was very understanding. I would like thank Don and Rick for their help in this thread.

Going to keep looking and know where to come if I have Questions.

Good plan. In your search, try to avoid any boat with the letters OMC, the numbers 470 or 3.7L in the description.


This time of the year is a pretty good time to find good deals on a boat EXCEPT that you usually cannot easily lake-test it......that might be a good reason to have a known marine "surveyor" check it out for you.

Spending a couple hundred up front might save you thousands later.....