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I just purchaced a 1998 Johnson 200hp carb motor. The original owner assures me he has never had any problems with the oil inj system but several friends and mechanics have had only one response,great motor but unplug the VRO ASAP. I would like to use the rule if it ain't broke don't fix it but I need some advise.Thanks
If you want your motor to smoke more... have probably more "gunk" in the system...
probably start harder... etc... sure disconnect it...........If you want to run the motor
the way Johnson intended.... Id say leave it in tact.
I would say disconnect I did on my old Evinrude (after a friend wiped out his motor - the VRO failed and didn't alarm). Why risk the motor blowing? Just be precise about your oil/fuel mix after you disconnect. Peace of mind is priceless.
I certainly don't want to remove it but a lot of folks seem to have had a problem with this system.I am looking for the best solution for a long running motor. For what its worth the mechanic I talked to said this system ran at 50:1 anyway so I would not see any difference.
i have a 1988 evinrude 140 with the vro still running great.the first vro's had problems
(uptill 1986 model year)then in 87 the came out with vro2 & it has been a good system
I had one go bad (twin set up) on '92 175 Johnsons, I replaced it. Boat ran offshore often, and in this day and age who wants to be bothered with mixing. IMO it was worth replacing to have separate systems, mentally who wants to keep track! It took over ten years for only one to go bad. Maintenance, maintenance.
The newer VRO systems have all the updates. I wouldn't touch a thing. Those who say disconnect them are going on when the VRO systems were troublesome. You very seldom hear of anymore VRO problems.
This was just discussed in an earlier post within the last 2 days. As stated, VRO was replaced by VRO-2.
In addition, your motor doesn't even have a VRO , rather, it has the newer OMS, which is an Oil Metering System.
These have the reputation to be bulletproof ... personally, I wouldn't fool with it.
Buy the OEM manual and learn how to confirm ALL alarm conditions if you're worried. Prop it right, use a sensible cruise speed, use good oil, change water pump/impeller/t-stats every 2 seasons, decarb it every 50 hours ... and you'll be VERY happy !
__________________ [red]MISS TEAK[/red], 25' Parker mod-V Sport Cabin "Life's too short to own an ugly boat ..." www.classicparker.com
It has always seemed silly to me that some people want to disable the VRO. Your mechanic is also mistaken - no VRO, OMS, etc mixes at a constant ratio. That is the whole concept behind them. VRO originally stood for variable ratio oiling. When you are idling, a ratio of 150:1 would be perfect. While at WOT, a ratio of 40:1 might be optimal. As a COMPROMISE, when you mix oil, you use 50:1 to cut down on the excessive smoke & fouling at idle speeds, yet still provide decent coverage at high RPM's. With micing it yourself, you get too much oil at low speeds, and not quite enough at high speeds.
Variable ratio is superior to mixing yourself. Bypassing it on the chance it may fail is kinda silly.
We ride snowmobiles in the winter, which follow alot of the same principles. My Arctic Cat has a liquid cooled fuel injected Suzuki 500cc engine that puts out 96HP. While that may not sound like alot, it's enough to get me going about 100MPH. If the VRO failed while I'm zipping across an open field doing 90mph and the tach is pushing 9000RPM, I'm fairly certain bad things would happen. That doesn't mean you see a bunch of snowmobilers mixing their own gas & oil.
Some mechanics are quite knowledgeable - others just repeat things they heard.
Pre 1994 VRO's had some problems with alcohol eating at the seals, they also got blamed for everything.
Your motor does not have that system and should not be disconnected. Also your motor burns oil at different level depending on rpms. More at high, less at low. You can't pre mix to get that.
Thanks for the replys,Danielb regarding yours I don't think the starter or solenoid would make the motor BLOW UP,which was the reason for the question in the first place
The previous owner of my Hewes removed it from my 120 looper. I kinda wished he'd left it. It's too easy for pre mix to un mix. I bought stock in Champion. My Uncle disconnected his off his OMC SeaDrives and, still blew powerheads. Roll the dice, I'd leave 'em on and, see how it goes. Especially if it seems to be working. Just pay close attention to them.
Regards,
Jason Swift
Trailer Boats Magazine. February, 2000 issue. Article Titled "Bad Rap".... "Own an Evinrude or Johnson with variable ratio oiling (VRO)? Here is the real story and some easy fixes for this much-maligned system"
Here are some excerpts from the article:
" ... VRO introduced in 1984 ... gasoline reformulation in those early years contained alcohol and solvents that softened the internal rubber components, causing pump failure ... OMC improved the pumps considerably with the VRO2, introduced in 1986 ... But the damage was done. VRO became the scapegoat for many OMC engine malfunctions ... Actually the much-maligned pump is simple and reliable ... There is no mechanical maintenance to be performed on the pump itself, but the VRO/OMS (oil metering system) should be inspected occaisionally for cracked lines and broken clamps. One of the most common causes of engine failure is water in the remote oil tank. Condensation and spray can build up over time and like water in a fuel tank, it stays in the bottom to be sucked up at the worst possible moment. Use a turkey baster to draw some fluid from the base of the tank and squirt it into a clean jar ... If you see any signs of contamination, the tank should be flushed clean, the filter (part No. 174377 from your OMC dealer) changed, and oil line purged. Be sure to read and understand the service manual before performing any of these procedures. You should replace the clear plastic cap with the later model's solid black filler cap (part No. 176217) that provides better water intrusion resistance. The oil line should me OMC's 1/4 inch I.D. "rubber" hose (part No. 333485) without any splices. (Early systems had smooth vinyl oil line that hardened after a few years and sometimes caused air leaks ... a one piece oil line eliminates air leaks , which can trigger "no oil" alarms ... Avoid plastic tie-wraps or worm-gear hose clamps on this system. OMC's rachet clamps (part No. 339277) give the best seal and full 360-degree clamping action ... Keeping everything airtight can't be stressed enough ... If your engine was built before 1993, make sure it has the blue pulse limiter to protect the air motor and check valves in the pump ... A new VRO/OMS pump can be used to upgrade all the previous years and model outboards. The new 438400 Series contains variious fittings for different outboards ... Contrary to boat ramp banter, the VRO/OMS is a simple and reliable oiling system ... Most of the misinformation about it's reliability originates form those who either do not understand how the system works, or fail to maintain it."
Leave it in. I too have wondered about taking it off, but after reading a lot info on the VRO/OMS system, it is very reliable. A failure in the oil pump would also be accompanied with a fuel pump failure. That's not to say it's maintenance free.
Blown powerheads have been blamed on VRO's, however a careful post-mortem analysis on the failure needs to be determined. If you have one blown piston, then that's a carburation problem not a VRO problem.
Every time I go out I check that the oil tank priming bulb is hard and visibly inspect the oil lines and fittings.
Thanks guys, after all the debate I think I will leave it alone after checking all of the things in the above referenced article.Most of my past experience has been with Yammies,so this is all good info. This motor sure is strong and pushes the boat very well{2250 Hydra Sport Vector WA} so I hope it keeps it up.
VRO To remove or not to remove 
, rather, it has the newer OMS, which is an Oil Metering System.
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