92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

I have a 1992 Johnson 120 hp v4 (vro) with the automatic oil injection for the 2 cycle gas oil mixture. I have heard a lot of things both good and bad. My question is would it be a good idea or bad idea to remove the automatic oil injection system and go with pre mixing my own fuel??? Also if I keep it on there is there any kind of warning sytem that alerts you if there is a malfunction with the oil injection system? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated I am a novice at best when it comes to boats and outboard motors!! THANKS

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

In my opinion there isn't much bad associated with a VRO/OMS. I have never had a problem in 20 years of having them.

A lot of the stories you hear are just that, things that people who don't know any better keep passing along, mostly caused by bad mechanics blaming the oiling system for a completely unrelated problem and people not knowing any better.

If you do a Search here, you will find countless posts about this.

Originally they didn't have warning systems on them, but as they advanced OMC came out with different warning systems, known as System Check. I would think that your Tach may already have it in there, unless the Tach was replaced with a non OMC tach.

Originally there would be a different sound for each problem associated with the motor, like overheat, low oil in the tank, no oil, or fuel restriction....overheat will be a long loud alarm, low oil will be a short intermittant alarm, and so on for each different problem.

But the newer of the system checks use the same sound, a long loud alarm, and then light up a different light on the dash for each problem above.

In any case, I would leave it on if it were me, it makes life a lot easier and is a pretty reliable system. Just my opinion.

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

VRO is not OMS. The VRO system was suspect hence the update to OMS. I am not sure which system was fitted to your motor. Check the fuel coupling at the Pump. If it is grey it is an OMS. These are reputedly to be reliable. All the systems have warnings such as lack of flow and tank level low.
Frankly, in my opinion, anything other than a gear driven pump is a questionable system. Suzuki developed the first system and that was gear. Yamaha followed suit. Omc and Mercury, in their wisdom, decided to go with a Diaphragm system. Both had problems. Mercury now use a gear system. BRP still cling to their Diaphragm.
I welcome any correction if I don"t have the correct information.

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

I think Mr. Hebert's article may help to clear up some myths: http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/OMCvMERC.html

Also: http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/VRO.html

BTW, the 1992 pump was a VRO2.

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

hi i would stick with what you have engines have different oil demands at different rpms this system provides accordingly unless it isnt working and you cant afford to fix it. if you premix you get problems with plugs fouling hard starts ect.

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

I always premix all of my motors...VRO sux IMO. I have never had any problems at all with premixing, and i do a lot of idling/trolling, and i do not foul plugs, or have hard start issues, I currently have a 1988 110 Evinrude, 1989 200 Johnson, a 1995 115 Evinrude and a 1995 150 Evinrude, all are premixed with no problems at all. besides OMC has way over priced those VRO/OMS fuel pumps..$350 is ridiculous. you can rebuild the fuel side but even the kit is over $100. I know many people use VRO/OMS with out any problems..but there has defiantly been cases where people have blown engines because of oil side failure.

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

ezeke said:

I think Mr. Hebert's article may help to clear up some myths: http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/OMCvMERC.html

Also: http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/VRO.html

BTW, the 1992 pump was a VRO2.

Click to expand...

Thank you for this link. Very helpful!

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

IMHO, get rid of it and mix your fuel 50:1. That way you know what you've got everytime you take the boat out.

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

I have a 92 90 hp v4. My VRO went out and it was pumping way too much oil and fouling my plugs. My mechanic gave me the price to replace it and I couldn't believe the price. He just plugged off the oil line and I now mix my own. My motor has never ran better. Plugs don't foul and engine runs very smooth. My boat does have an alarm, so I chose to just keep oil in the resivor and it keeps the alarm from sounding. Hope that helps. John

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

you can just unplug that alarm if you want

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

You can unplug the alarm from the oil tank and use the oil to mix with your fuel and take the oil tank out of the boat. Make sure your warning horn wires are also disconnected from the VRO.

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

That was my problem, I couldn't figure out which wires to disconnect. Is it easy to tell, because I would like to take that oil tank out of the boat but that darn alarm drives you crazy. Thanks. John

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

jadssh said:

That was my problem, I couldn't figure out which wires to disconnect. Is it easy to tell, because I would like to take that oil tank out of the boat but that darn alarm drives you crazy. Thanks. John

Click to expand...

Need to disconnect the pigtail on the bottom of the VRO pump.

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

As Dargel said disconnect the wires from the vro. Then look for the brown wires coming from the oil tank and disconnect them. When you take the oil line off the vro put a cap on the oil fitting. Don't forget, 50:1 mix in fuel tank.

Re: 92 Johnson 120hp W/ (vro) Removal Good Idea Or Bad Idea?? Help!!

Mix. I've always disconnected the oil injection on all my engines. I also cut im 50:1 mix a little. It doesn't hurt and when I idle a lot I don't have any hard start or plug fowling problems.