Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

[godesshunter]

At some point in my engines life, (Johnson 200 outboard) the oil injection system had been disabled. So pre-mixing it is. Pre-mixing is a bit of a pain as we all know.

Pre-mixing isnt an issue with a 1 or 5 gallon can for yard tools and such. But very annoying to try to figure out how much gas will go in the boat's large fuel tank and get the oil quantity correct before it gets full with gas. Especially when there is an unknown amount still in the tank.

I'm new to boating so please excuse me if its a dumb question but is there another option? Perhaps some sort of oil pre-mixer somewhere in the fuel line between the tank and the engine.

 

[Outsider]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

No magic gadget here (at least that I ever heard of). Put in 12 gal, add a quart of oil, repeat until tank won't take 12 gal, top off with correct amount of oil; bump up the numbers if you know you'll take a significant amount of fuel. If only partially filling, add 1/2 oil at the beginning, add other 1/2 when finished with fuel ...

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

At some point in my engines life, (Johnson 200 outboard) the oil injection system had been disabled. So pre-mixing it is. Pre-mixing is a bit of a pain as we all know.

Pre-mixing isnt an issue with a 1 or 5 gallon can for yard tools and such. But very annoying to try to figure out how much gas will go in the boat's large fuel tank and get the oil quantity correct before it gets full with gas. Especially when there is an unknown amount still in the tank.

I'm new to boating so please excuse me if its a dumb question but is there another option? Perhaps some sort of oil pre-mixer somewhere in the fuel line between the tank and the engine.

Mix it in 5 gal cans before putting in boat. Fuel oil mix is then always right on.

 

[emoney]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

Go to your local Wal Mart and pick up a "pre-mix" measuring bottle". It's got lines showing ratio & number of gallons. Simple as pie.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

I fill my boat on the trailer most of the time so it it at the same level unlike on the water. I started with an empty tank and put 6 gallons of premix in at a time the first time I filled it. I then recorded the reading on the fuel gauge for every six gallons. Now when I get gas I turn the switch on and and by looking at the fuel gauge I have a pretty good idea how much gas I can add. I put the amount of oil I need in first and then add the gas. Not perfect but very good and I always err on the side of a little to much oil. I have a 40 gallon tank and this works good for me. When I add fuel on the water I always use cans of premix. I also tried to find a magic premixer device with no luck.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

Premixing and injection are the standards. There was some inline oiling ideas, but I do not know how they turned out.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

I also tried to find a magic premixer device with no luck.

Funny thread. The "magic premixer" device the you're referring to is the VRO pump that was supplied with your engine.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

Welcome to iboats.

A few questions for the "new" owner"

Do you know what size the tank is in the boat?

Do you know how old the gas is that is in there now?

If the boat/motor you just purchased was not run often (at least every few weeks) then it is best advised to pump out all of the old fuel and use it in your lawn mower. Without knowing the age of the fuel, if it was mixed properly, and if it was treated with anything I would absolutely get rid of it. It could destroy that 200 hp motor on your first trip out - no kidding.

Your VRO pump probably went bad and they are big bugs and on some motors they are picky. To re-establish the VRO properly could cost well over $1000 in parts plus labor so......... you might want to stay with pre-mix

Buy your oil in the gallon jugs since this is a better price. I usually buy a single quart bottle and refill the quart bottle. Here is a 50:1 fuel chart http://www.challengers101.com/files/FuelMix.pdf You need to print it and get it laminated. I would keep copies in the boat and truck glove boxes or stick one inside a tackle box. There is no shame to refer to the chart.

Yes places do sell the plastic measuring cup but I promise you will forget it. I do not like the cups since they are always sticky with oil, blow out of the boat or leave aan oil spot when stored.

Sorry my friend no magic bullet for you Go take care of the old fuel, get fresh pre-mix and go fishing/boating!!

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

Motor does not never did have a VRO pump. Magic premixer was something I could just put in the gas line and add oil automatically to an older engine.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

The VRO is integral to the fuel pump so its possible that's it been there all along and all you need to do is install a new oil tank and connect the hose back up

 

[JB]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

Back in the '80s I used to buy premix right from the pump at a couple of marinas on the ICW in S. Florida. I thought it was expensive, but it probably wasn't much more than unleaded regular plus TC-W3 oil.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

I had trouble with a VRO pump years ago, and also with an injection system on a 2-stroke motorcycle. For me, pre-mixing is the ONLY way to go. I would'nt own anything but a premix motor.

When I bought the boat brand new, I put in 4 gal, then checked the gauge, then 4 more, checked again, etc. My other boat has a translucent tank where you can easily see the level. All the tanks are calibrated as such. Look at the gauge and you know exactly how much gas to add.

Put in x oz of oil, then add y gal of gas. Works perfect every time! I only fill to 95% full....never had an overflow.

 

[godesshunter]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

Thanks everyone for responding!

Welcome to iboats.

A few questions for the "new" owner"

Do you know what size the tank is in the boat?

Do you know how old the gas is that is in there now?

If the boat/motor you just purchased was not run often (at least every few weeks) then it is best advised to pump out all of the old fuel and use it in your lawn mower. Without knowing the age of the fuel, if it was mixed properly, and if it was treated with anything I would absolutely get rid of it. It could destroy that 200 hp motor on your first trip out - no kidding.

Your VRO pump probably went bad and they are big bugs and on some motors they are picky. To re-establish the VRO properly could cost well over $1000 in parts plus labor so......... you might want to stay with pre-mix

Buy your oil in the gallon jugs since this is a better price. I usually buy a single quart bottle and refill the quart bottle. Here is a 50:1 fuel chart http://www.challengers101.com/files/FuelMix.pdf You need to print it and get it laminated. I would keep copies in the boat and truck glove boxes or stick one inside a tackle box. There is no shame to refer to the chart.

Yes places do sell the plastic measuring cup but I promise you will forget it. I do not like the cups since they are always sticky with oil, blow out of the boat or leave aan oil spot when stored.

Sorry my friend no magic bullet for you Go take care of the old fuel, get fresh pre-mix and go fishing/boating!!

I read somewhere online that my boat has a 120 gallon tank. Not sure if its true or not.

Here's what I do know about the boat learned from the previous owner: The guy I bought it from had the engine rebuilt in 2004. At that time the mechanic that did the job purposely disabled the oil injection system. Apparently he was very weary about the possibility of it going bad and blowing the freshly rebuilt engine.

In 2005 the previous owner developed a back problem and could no longer use the boat. It sat in his yard until last week. Roughly 7 years. Today a buddy and I literally spend 12 hours on the boat getting various things done to it. But that's for another subject.

As far as fuel is concerned, The tank was empty. Bone dry. I had to put in almost 10 gallons before it would actually reach the pick-up so we could prime the fuel lines. We put in a new squeezy primer bulb thingy (the old one ripped) and a new fuel filter. It has roughly 15 gallons in it now and the fuel gauge hasn't moved yet. I hope it works.

Our plan is to try to take it out on the water tomorrow so I intend to stop at the gas station and drop in another 50 gallons or so on the way to the launch.

What got me started on all this pre-mixing talk was my previous boat. I made the mistake once of filling the tank at the gas station not realizing how big the tank was. When it was full there was not enough room in the tank after to add the oil. So my mixture was too rich on gasoline for the first half hour or so before I could add more oil (while on the water. not fun). I was very nervous about ruining the engine. I want to avoid that problem with the new boat.

It seems if I stop every 5 gallons and add a quart of oil I should be good.

 

[JB]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

It seems if I stop every 5 gallons and add a quart of oil I should be good.

That would be a 20:1 mix, hunter. Your engine is a 50:1 engine (1 pint per 6 gallons). 20:1 would not harm your engine, but it would double your oil cost, increase smoke and smell, etc.

Good luck.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

I recommend you "bootstrap" your way to he right pre-mix. If you know you will be putting a lot of gas (say about 50 gal), Add a qt of oil and pump 12 gal. Now repeat that twice more. Now add a pint of oil and then 6 gal. Now add 1/2 pint oil and 3 gal more. When she looks like she is about full, stop. You will get within 3 gal of full each time, which on a large tank is fine....

 

[godesshunter]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

That would be a 20:1 mix, hunter. Your engine is a 50:1 engine (1 pint per 6 gallons). 20:1 would not harm your engine, but it would double your oil cost, increase smoke and smell, etc.

Good luck.

So it would seem. For some reason I had 1Quart = 12 oz on my head.

It didn't make sense at first because I was confusing pint with liters. As 1 liter is pretty close to one quart.

Thank for clarifying.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

That is why I sent you the PDF Chart to help you with the quick math!

 

[dingbat]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

To re-establish the VRO properly could cost well over $1000 in parts plus labor

Chances are he can have his oiler back up for the cost of a new oil ank and hose which runs less than $200. I replaced the entire system, oil tank, OMS pump and hoses on my 200 Evinrude two years ago. It cost less than $500 in parts and it took a little over an hour to tear out the old and replace it.

For the 432th time here is the story of the Myth of the Mixer for the VRO nay sayers. http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/VRO.html

 

[godesshunter]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

So I filled the tank up today. Its about a 50 gallon tank. Give or take a couple gallons. I ended up buying a graduated premix labeled bottle from the boat store. I stopped and added the appropriate amount of oil every 10 gallons during the fill up.

And, or course, the fuel gauge doesn't work. We took the boat out for a couple hours. But naturally I had the constant nagging feeling that we might run out of gas.

That is why I sent you the PDF Chart to help you with the quick math!

Yeah that was where I got confused. The oil measurement in that chart is in pints. In looking at it at first I thought I read liters. I got it cleared up in my head now though thanks.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Oil injection and pre-mix aside, Is there another option?

Now you need to determine if it's the dash gauge, the sending unit, the wiring or a combination of all three.

Keep in mind your consumption could be as high as 20 gallons/hr at WOT.