The OLD VRO story re told (70hp 86 VRO Johnny)

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    Posted: 23 Oct 2018 at 9:50pm
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So today we tried to head out make sure our new charging system was all go, hoping to run into some snapper while we were at it too!

She started rough, but I had not run it recently. It idled poorly and smoked a butt ton....this is all odd for the reliable old jonny. 

It always started with a oil alarm since we have had it, you would pump the oil pump and it would stop and that would be it for the day. This time the alarm did not turn off. So into shore, found some leaks in the oil line connectors, which we sorted at the ramp. 

Re prime, no leaks, re start - still an alarm....no fishing today.

Come home sad and angry, check random bits and i check teh oil in the oil tank  - it is super running, like petrol runny barely oily.....smells of petrol.....full of petrol.

The VRO somehow pumped petrol into my oil tank, im assuming this caused the rough running and smoking like a *******. So ill be pulling the VRO system and go to pre mix.

I loved the VRO setup, but it seems another reason to be weary of what is not broken which is putting oil in your gas tank your self.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 2018 at 7:28am
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It always started with a oil alarm since we have had it.you would pump the oil pump and it would stop and that would be it for the day. 

That is something that should have been looked at long time ago

found some leaks in the oil line connectors,
How long since had a service.. at least a compentant servce that incudes these checks?

The VRO somehow pumped petrol into my oil tank,
Maybe age, lack of good maintenance, maybe a better place to start rather than blame the VRO??

seems another reason to be weary of what is not broken

A System that has worked for many yrs .. and thru most proberly several fuel formula changes?
And now most proberly on ethanol fuel (gull, some mobil, and several other retailerers) which is not recommended by the manufacture....

I do have a problem .. a warning alam runs, even intermittently, and its not fixed.. most probably the red idiot light is on as well?

 I have had 2 occasions that my alarm has gone off.
1/ When fired up the evening before in the water tank.. turned out a little moisture in the bottom of the oil tank.
2/ At the ramp.. just loaded the boat back on..turned out to be a fault in the alamn itself.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Dagwood Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 2018 at 1:25pm
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As a VRO owner, I found this article interesting: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxhtIuXVXoscalBxTnV5MnpSV1U/view?usp=sharing

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Oct 2018 at 4:34pm
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Titanium
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Yes I came across it or very similar, a while back while back when going thru power/ weight propping stuff.
Also had a chat to our local OMC workshop manager, who said " yep pretty well sums it up, its the nail on the head squarely. "

One thing he did add thu was don't attempt to rebuild a unit yourself, which is where most issues lay...even thu kits are available.

 Interesting about fuel line worm drive jubilee clips...totally agree IF they are over tightened..  that is the same for brass plumbing/ LPG fittings and reason why taps leak out of the stem and engine sump pans leak.. most things.. 
screw them up as tight as possible and yeah they are screwed all right
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote neil_cb125t Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Oct 2018 at 4:03pm
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The VRO had been serviced just before we bough the boat, so just thought as the boat sat for a few months in between uses it was normal to prime the oil line like a petrol one. Which you do each trip anyway.

Boat has done no more than 20 hours since the VRO was serviced, the boat has had a water pump replacement and inspection 10 hours ago.....The boat gets used around 5 times a year so not sure how more often you should service the machine. 

The VRO intel document I studied when we got the boat, as I had heard stories. I was also brought up on premix boats so was very interested in all the stats and specs on the mixing system. I liked that it had an alarm - and trusted it. And to be fair the alarm always going off and boat running a tad rough is what stopped us going out. So that did its job.......but

If there was no oil tank water cant get into it, if there was no extra oil lines they cant fail/leak, if the oil pump didnt exist it couldn't fail. The cost to replace the VRO is alot.....removing it and running premix is not.

 
Bottom line is its an old machine. So things will fail/deteriorate, charging system has now been completely overhaulled and the tilt motor failed last year. The newer tech motors will be much better, but when its old, keeping it simple will have to do for now.


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