I have a 1994 FW Horizon 180 with a 5.0L V8 cobra (Ford 302) Model #: 502ACPMDA.
I am having an issue where as soon as the boat warms up and reaches operating temperature (150F) then engine dies. When you drive along it dies it feels like someone just turned off the key. If you try to restart it right away it feels like the battery is dead (slow churning of the starter). Give it 1min to cool and it fires right up like no problem. The gauge shows the alternator functioning properly and charging the battery.
While the boat is cool there are no issues. There is plenty of power out of the hole, I can reach WOT without any issues and the engine sounds like it is running at tip top shape. I don't get any smoke at start up or during use....and nothing when the engine dies.
Brief history: Bought the boat from the original owner 3 years ago. First season we had no issues. End of last season and the beginning of this year we had a hesitation issue. We started with what was easiest to change, wire and distributor cap. Both seemed like they had seen better days and needed to be changed. After those were changed the hesitation issue remained. I then bit the bullet and changed all the spark plugs. That is no easy feat on that boat. During the spark plug change I found 1 plug that was "wet" from unburnt gas. It was the 3rd plug I changed so without changing the other 5 I started and ran the boat and that resolved the issue (no more hesitation). I then finished the job and replaced the other 5 plugs.
This dieing problem is new since changing the plugs and distributor cap but I don't think it is related. Since there are so many aftermarket distributor system out there now I am not even sure what I have. I think (from what I read) that in '94 they moved away from the traditional points and when to an electronic ignition system. Can someone see the attached photos and tell me what I have? I think the issue is the ignition module getting too much heat and cutting out or the coil.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 8ddeb8.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... d172fd.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 1bd28c.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 8240cd.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 632fb0.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 9fa56c.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... d3ac7c.jpg
I am having an issue where as soon as the boat warms up and reaches operating temperature (150F) then engine dies. When you drive along it dies it feels like someone just turned off the key. If you try to restart it right away it feels like the battery is dead (slow churning of the starter). Give it 1min to cool and it fires right up like no problem. The gauge shows the alternator functioning properly and charging the battery.
While the boat is cool there are no issues. There is plenty of power out of the hole, I can reach WOT without any issues and the engine sounds like it is running at tip top shape. I don't get any smoke at start up or during use....and nothing when the engine dies.
Brief history: Bought the boat from the original owner 3 years ago. First season we had no issues. End of last season and the beginning of this year we had a hesitation issue. We started with what was easiest to change, wire and distributor cap. Both seemed like they had seen better days and needed to be changed. After those were changed the hesitation issue remained. I then bit the bullet and changed all the spark plugs. That is no easy feat on that boat. During the spark plug change I found 1 plug that was "wet" from unburnt gas. It was the 3rd plug I changed so without changing the other 5 I started and ran the boat and that resolved the issue (no more hesitation). I then finished the job and replaced the other 5 plugs.
This dieing problem is new since changing the plugs and distributor cap but I don't think it is related. Since there are so many aftermarket distributor system out there now I am not even sure what I have. I think (from what I read) that in '94 they moved away from the traditional points and when to an electronic ignition system. Can someone see the attached photos and tell me what I have? I think the issue is the ignition module getting too much heat and cutting out or the coil.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 8ddeb8.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... d172fd.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 1bd28c.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 8240cd.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 632fb0.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... 9fa56c.jpg
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u42 ... d3ac7c.jpg