Prime oil right into the fuel line...1989 Evinrude 120 VRO

[benjiboy]

Long time lurker, now to start posting...


I primed the oil bulb for a startup on a motor that sat for two years and was unable to get the bulb hard. What I did was produce sufficient force to push oil through the VRO pump and collect a quantity into the fuel filter.
I primed the oil line prior to priming the fuel line.

Did I trash the VRO pump or is that by design? (I have read both options are correct)

 

[benjiboy]

Ok, so in my research I have found it is advised to prime the oil line BEFORE the fuel line BUT with the oil line disconnected from the pump (which in my thinking would make the order irrelevant). However, I have also found there is no check valve of sorts to prevent pressurized oil from entering the fuel chamber of the VRO pump.

I'm getting myself more familiar with pressure/vacuum testing the VRO pump as we speak but does anyone have anything to comment?

 

[racerone]

When a VRO equipped motor is put in service you do this.---Mark oil level in the oil tank.-------Run with mixed fuel in your tank at 50:1.----Ater using 10 or 15 gallons of fuel you check and see how much oil needs to be added to the oil tank to go back to the mark.-----Motor may smoke a lot but you will not damage the motor !!!---When you are satisfied that oil injection is working you can go to straight gas.

 

[jakedaawg]

I would start by cleaning the fuel system, drain carbs,drain fuel lines, replace filter, etc. I would then run the engine with 50:1 in the tank as mentioned above. Perform the test where you install the graduated clear tube on the oil inlet and count the clicks of VRO as it runs. Compare results to manual. If it passes great.

You should never have to prime the oil bulb except on initial set up of a new pump or when oil line has been disconnected. period. squeezing that bulb while oil line is hooked up can only hurt things and help nothing.

As far as the fuel bulb not getting hard...you have a leak somewhere or a bad bulb.

 

[WernerF]

Yes, the oil bulb is normally rock hard compared to the fuel bulb.

 

[emdsapmgr]

The factory service manual says to prime the oil bulb only till the oil is visible at the sight tube just before the VRO pump.

 

[pn]

there is a writeup on how to eliminate the vro at the top of the page

 

[benjiboy]

Thanks for the replies everyone. The motor smokes pretty heavily which could be combination of the fogging oil left in from winterization a couple years ago, a fuel line leak (which I have confirmed I have at the bulb), or a broken diaphragm inside the VRO pump causing it to over oil.

I really don't want to loose the VRO function, however, I am having an issue with the factory alarm horn bring broken and a test horn I wired in for diagnosis on constantly when the ignition is on.
Unplugging the VRO 3-wire connector causes the alarm to cease, however, I can't get it to chirp once at initial key on so I'm confused.