1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

[FarmerSid]

Hey all! I think I'm going to jump on a 85 Doral 164 bowrider with a 120 Evinrude VRO. A marine mechanic buddy says the VRO was not very good from the beginning and says I need to eliminate it first thing. Owner says it doesn't charge and speedo either acts up or doesn't work. Mechanic says the voltage regulator ($114 CDN his cost) needs to be replaced. The water pump needs to be replaced as it hasn't been in the water for 2 yrs. Mechanic says $2000 for this boat is a steal and wants it if I don't. All this work and parts will be around $5-600 CDN.

I'm kinda hoping you all here would show me how to do this myself as after the purchase, funds will be tight. I'm quite mechanically inclined and have a shop at home with all the tools. I have and still rebuild automotive and antique tractor engines. I'm totally new to these outboard engines and can't afford to fix these things wrong. Some pages out of the factory service manual would be great it it's not too much to ask.

Thanks to all that offer their time to help a new boater.

 

[hidef]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

You can find steps to disconnecting the VRO under the top secret files http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=299680
You will want to purchase a factory service manual you can find one at http://www.marineengine.com/parts/parts.php#manuals just enter your model number. Changing out the water pump is pretty easy. The manual will have all of the steps to trouble shoot the regulator to make sure that is the issue. If the boat has been kept covered and not left out in the weather it is most likely a very good deal. You will want to make sure the transom isn't rotten and the floor has no soft spots. Also is the interior all beat up or is it in good shape?

 

[rtek816]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

I hate to see that everyone's impression of the VRO is to remove it. The VRO system is reliable and convenient. I have a 1986 140 w/VRO that works fine. I rebuilt the pump for an unrelated problem and it continues to work fine. Mixing gas and oil in a 15 gallon tank is a pia. I don't use all 15 gallons everytime out. The VRO changes the mixture (on your and my year I think, definately mine) from 50:1 at high speed to 150:1 on low speed. I've used my motor for trolling all it's life and can assure you, the 50:1 premix will kill all the bugs within a 150" swath of the length your troll. VRO at 150:1, not so much. If you were me, change the impellar kit ($40.00 approx) on your own, drain the oil tank and check the screen, voltage reg is simple but a little more expense (clean battery conections?), change lower unit lube, get the manual as ^^^^ said and save your money for gas, it's a thirsty engine. Thank God it's coming down but still ridiculously high.

 

[FarmerSid]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

Thanks for the replies. I was reading here on iboats about disconnecting the VRO but not sure I should remove it. I asked the owner about it and he said that he never had a problem with it and then the mechanic buddy says to remove it right away. Not sure what to do. The boat does show it's age but has been looked after from what I can tell. A stainless plate has been added to the transome as owner says a litttle crack appeared and had it fixed. Is there wood under the floor or anywhere I should look? Owner says that the boat is all fibreglass. There is a little cover that opens in the floor that has a white plastic tray inside about 16" square and about 5" deep. I took the tray out and you can see fibreglass underneith but looks to be over plywood. The interior is pretty good. The seats fold down flat and underneith is good. Not rotten at all. The seat covering is not cracked or split open but shows age. The burgundy carpet is faded and ripped where it makes the 180 degree bend on the sidesof the boat between the seats and boat. It does need a good cleaning and polishing. I forgot to get some pictures but I think (wife says OK) we will get it and post some when I get it home. I think price is too good to turn down even if it needs some work. As far as I can tell, all it needs is the motor repairs, a good cleaning, maybe new tires and it's ready for the kids to have fun in.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

Verify the VRO by adding oil to the fuel (50:1) with full tank, mark the oil tank, burn at least ten to 20 gals. of fuel, add a measured amount of oil and refill fuel tank. Oil use should be ~ 60:1. You should also verify that VRO was upgraded to VRO2, which came out as a NC upgrade in 1986 I think. I had a VRO2 pump on my '85 140HP I sold in 2005, and it was still working perfectly when I sold it.

Do yourself a favor and buy and OEM shop manual (Ebay or outboardbooks.com). Don't even think about any third party book.

 

[FarmerSid]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

Forgot a few questions. How does this VRO alarm system work? Does the alarm go off based on low oil level in the reservoir or if no oil is going through the pump? If your pump goes bad, not good! Don't know if I'd like to take that gamble. I have no problem mixing fuel but the no mixing is nice too.

rtek816, would you mind telling more on your VRO rebuild?

 

[hidef]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

I don't believe the 1985 VRO outboards had the alarm system. Premixing is pain in the rear but the chances of having an engine failure is greatly reduced. The OMC oil systems were not very good, while the VRO2 was not bad it could have been better. I have 35 triple which I have removed the oil system from after talking to my BRP dealer and reading forum posts about it. The oil mixing system on the small triples were a complete disaster. The system is easy to disconnect won't cost you much money and you will have peace of mind. You can also fill the tank and run 50:1 until you are certain it is working fine. You will want to watch it like hawk though if you start running straight gas.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

Get the shop manual ... it will answer you questions. The rebuild is easy, but only do it if needed. The VRO/OMS system is all vacuum operated. Depending on vintage, there is a low oil level and low oil flow alarm.

Horn sounds rapid, short
tones that vary with engine
speed No oil flow from pump STOP engine or limit RPM it speed to a maximum of
1500 RPM

Horn sounds
one short tone every 20
seconds Low oil level in oil tank Refill oil tank

If I recall correctly, VRO2 had both alarms for oil.

 

[rtek816]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

I thought I had a fuel delivery problem and ordered the pump repair kits (1- for oil side and 1- for fuel side). It's just replaceing the diaphrams in the pump. Anyway, you must run 50:1 premix any time you disrupt the oil flow side and verify that it is drawing oil from the tank. My alarm chirps when you turn the key to on, every 20 seconds beep is low oil in the tank, faster beep (5 sec) is no oil at the pump, solid horn is overheat. Pump failures can and do happen but I would guess it's a very rare thing. Usually someone burns up only one cylinder in their powerhead. Usually due to lack of maintenance (ie. gummed up carb). Each cylinder must be treated as an individual engine and all things need to be right for it to work. If you lose fuel flow to just one cylinder, you've lost oil to that one and it's going to fail.

 

[FarmerSid]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 120 VRO repairs

Hey All! Got the boat home and took a look at the engine. The VRO has a white tag on it that says VRO2. Engine is super clean under the hood. I was suprised. Compression read 130 on the two right hand cylinders and 140 on the two left hand cylinders. Left and right is as if you were standing at the back of the boat facing the front with the prop in between your feet. When I put a battery in it, everything worked other than the light on the nose. Power tilt and trim works, starter and horn. I also took the breather cover off to inspect the carbs. From what I can see down in the throttle body, they are super clean with no signs of varnish.

Here's a few pics until the battery died.