VRO pump life? How long??

[joetheis]

I have a '91 70 HP 'Rude.
Last fall when I brought the boat/motor home, I did a MASSIVE tune and inspection before putting her to sleep for the winter. All good compression all even 120 PSI.
Ran her @ all summer on the St. Lawrence River, maybe most running time at a shot was 45 minutes er so,(I'm easy on the throttle never past 5000 RPM, nice easy ramp up to speed too. I'm not out there to race, just fish.
Fall is here, I got a free tow to get her home, (a few weeks early, but,WTF, it's free).
Don't have too much to do to the boat this fall, clean her up, move batteries to centralize the weight, new bow trolling motor fish finder.
But the VRO?.....
I did a test on it last fall, (got the specs somewhere,maybe here, pumping cap.).
Was good.
How long can a VRO pump last (I don't use E fuel, non E high test from a land pump, Sea Foam additive)??
It looks like the pump is orginal from '91.
$300 and some change is expensive, but to have it sheet the bed on the water, well that makes the cost seem easier to swallow!
I don't want to remove it, hobb in a cheaper pump and mix fuel as I run my Honda 5 HP 4 stroke off the same spin on fuel filter and main tank.
I don't want to add a tank for the Honda as room is limited in the boat and it's just another fuel system to keep an eye on.
Should I change it? Should I leave it alone?
Thoughts? Ideas? Jokes?
Joe
Many times I'm too anal and worry about stupid stuff!

 

[racerone]

?????----Take the time to learn how to test the pump !!------Not only that they are easy to take apart and re-assemble too.-----You can not go wrong with them.----No parts required to take apart and inspect either.----Nothing to them at all.

 

[sutor623]

You sound like a guy I'd be happy to buy a used motor from

 

[joetheis]

It's the anal mechanic in me!
I raced motorcycles for over 45 years and only had a handful of DNF's form breaking down!
Parts wear out, Sh** happens at the WORST time!
Better to replace "high used" (like the rubber diaphram in a pump) BEFORE it goes, than to pump the primer ball, go like He**, pump, go....
I'm too old for that nonsense!
It's not really the pumps I worry about but the "non rebuild able" side of the VRO (the oil pump) side I worry about.
When I sell something, I think "What would I do if I bought this and it was a P.O.S.??, so I do make sure it nice, or tell the new owner the scoop!
Joe

 

[WernerF]

So you have a tested, good working VRO. And a 4-stroke kicker running on the same fuel tank.
Leave it that way!

If the oil side fails (happens almost never), you can add oil to the fuel to get home. Have oil and a funnel in your boat.
If the fuel side fails (can happen to normal pumps as well), you have your kicker.

I just sold my '89 60hp Johnson. The new owner was happy that the VRO was still in its original state.

 

[racerone]

????-------The oil side of the pump is nothing but a metal tube and a piece with an o-ring that slides in it !!-------As stated , hardly anything can go wrong with the oil side.

 

[Fed]

Take the time to learn how to test the low oil & no oil alarms.

 

[joetheis]

Thanks!
Although I haven't "split" this pump, (it's working, chances are if I take it apart, it won't!), IF it's like most fuel pumps, there is a rubber dia. that moves back n forth.
There has to be reeds? rubber "plates"? over the inlet/outlet ports.
The test is for the oil pump side, If I remember it correctly. (I have it printed somewhere), a lenght of clear of hose, 10"? 12"? marks every inch. Fill the tube, get it stabilized by running the motor at high RPM. At idle after so many pulses the oil should drop like 1" if I remember.
The fuel side I just checked the output, was like 6 oz at idle or something. I figured that was enough to keep the bowls filled.
Most "Land Cruiser" (either bikes or years ago cars/trucks), the "pump" dia. edges will fail after so many years/pumps.
I SURE this will happen to this one.
I thought about a kit, but that only does 1/2 the pump (the oil side is non serviceable or I'd be getting a kit).
I CAN wait til it fails on the water, but as you get more "Mature" you just want to deal with the B.S. of limping in, (once the 'Rude failed to start, I flooded it. Had to limp in on the Honda like 3 miles, made it but what a pain in the... transom!!)
(I am a member of "Boat U.S.", (like AAA for the water, as long as I'm in U.S. waters, I can be towed to home port).
The boat will be on the hard for 6? months, long boring winter, just wondering if after 24 years the pump has reached it's end.....
Joe
All moving things have a work life, they like to die when you need them the most!

 

[sutor623]

(it's working, chances are if I take it apart, it won't!)

There is a lot of truth to this statement!! The pre-1998's did not have a rubber gasket in between the fuel diaphram housings. When I tightened one of my screws down on it it cracked the housing just a hair. This plastic degrades over time, especially being in constant contact with petrol. I bought a rebuild kit ($150) for mine just to trash the housing. That makes it even tougher to drop the $$ on a new VRO.

Not that you can't successfully rebuild it, but for cost of parts, may as well just get a new one when the time comes.

 

[racerone]

I have lots of good pumps on hand .--Repair parts too.-----I would never invest in a new pump.--Prefer to invest that money in other liquids !

 

[sutor623]

I have lots of good pumps on hand .--Repair parts too.-----I would never invest in a new pump.--Prefer to invest that money in other liquids !

I agree, but the issue is people want so much $$ for a used pump online. But yes these pumps are very simple to work on!!

 

[racerone]

Find a shop that knows how to convince folks to buy new pumps.-------Offer them say $20 each for " as is used " pumps.

 

[joetheis]

It's was "used but still good", why is it in the shop, save me" basket?
I won't get one of those as a spare.
I can see it now, the weather closing in, the pump on the motor is a anchor, I get to shore, climb out in waist deep (cold) water to swap out the pump.
"Ok, let get outta here"......., crank, crank, crank, nothing.......
The line of curses that would come out of my mouth would make a old salt sailor blush!
Joe

 

[racerone]

Was given a VRO pump some time ago.--Owner of motor was " sold " a new one.----Took it apart to find that there was nothing wrong with it.--It appears you are afraid to find out how simple these pumps are to work on !

 

[joetheis]

Nope, I have split fuel pumps many times on older cars, trucks boats, bikes.( A lot of bike carbs are like fuel pumps also), as well as lawn mower carbs. It's pretty simple, a cap, a diaphram, a plunger, 2 "reeds one letting the fuel in, one out.
I've been tinkering with systems like this for decades, (for us "Mature" people, remember the vacuum operated wipers???!! Same system, a diaphram on top of the fuel pump that ran the wiper motor)!!
If it were just the fule side, I have a kit.
But, the oil side is non serviceable.
That's the side that has me.
If it stops pumping fuel/mix, no problem, stalls..... If the alarm goes off- no oil, (if it goes off, yes I have tested it, yes it does 'chirp" when I turn the key, but you know that will be the time it doesn't!), and it's the OIL side, the motor is next, you can limp in but won't get far with no lube on the bearings. a motor fried from no oil is a waster motor, just about all is junk inside.....
I carry a qt. bottle of 2 smoke oil in case I run low on the water, but trying to figure the amount of fuel in the tank, I have out on the water, then the amount of oil to mix in, (hope it not too much to foul plugs, or not enough- burn the motor up), isn't worth the price of a good new pump!
I have a theory that it's sitting that smokes the rubber, plus today the E in the fuel eats it, (although I don't use e gas)......
Joe

 

[joetheis]

Another thought has also popped into my head, (coffee is kicking in)
Over the years I've replaced a few pumps, took them apart.......... nothing.
I call it "pump floating"
It pumps fine, then as the carb fills and the pump pumps but no fuel is needed, a reed (the check valve that open and closes the port in or out to/from the dia. chamber will not seat and the pump pumps dry.
You drain the carb split it, all looks good, re assemble it'll work of a while then.................
It MAY have been the case of that, or maybe they "Sell Service" and talked him into it.
A good Service Write can scare the bejesus out of a customer, have seen this sadly more than once.
Joe

 

[racerone]

Yes I remember the vacuum wipers on my 1940 Plywouth.----Had to back off the throttle when going uphill in the rain.--------You would do well to take one of these VRO pumps apart to see how simple they are .-----When you inspect it once a year you can go boating with confidence !!!!--End of my coaching attempt for now.

 

[Fed]

How did you test the 'no oil alarm' Joe, disconnect the oil line and wait for the VRO to trigger it?
Testing the horn is really only testing the horn.

Guessing the amount of oil to add to fuel shouldn't be a problem, surely you would have an idea how much fuel is in your tank at any time and outboards only need 50:1 at WOT, any less RPM the ration drops off.

Had to back off the throttle when going uphill in the rain.

Brings back some memories there Racerone.