Re: Evinrude vro
1 - Any old oil in that oil tank should be discarded. The oil line from that tank should have been disconnected from the engine... if not, disconnect it and pump out any old oil that may be in the line. Install new good quality 50/1 oil to the oil tank, then pump the oil primer bulb until the new good oil is present at the end of the oil line.
1a - If the VRO pump is still installed and the oil line is connected from the VRO to the fitting at the engine's hood pan, pump the oil primer bulb just to make sure that the good new oil is still there with no air present.... then connect that oil line to the related fitting at the hood pan, after which apply pressure to the oil primer bulb one time and one time only. To continue pumping will cause the carburetors to have excess oil in the float chambers.
2 - The oil tank will have a two wire lead (looks like lamp cord) leading to the engine. One lead that obviously takes a screw/bolt is a ground. The other lead connects to a TAN wire (plug in) that should be just the other side of the large electrical plug at the engine, connect it.
2a - the VRO will have electrical wires leading from the rear portion of it to a round rubber electrical connector. The related portion of that plug should be nearby... find it and connect the two together.
With the engine not running but having the key in the RUN position, ground out one of those TAN wires or the wire leading from one of the heat sensors that is protruding from the cylinder heads. The warning horn should sound.... and if it does not, find out why as that is the only warning you will receive as per the following setup.
(VRO Horn Warnings)
(J. Reeves)
NOTE: I retired around 1991/92. Possibly some of the later V4 engines and others may also incorporate a fuel vacuum switch that would enable a fuel restriction warning to sound as mentioned below, an unknown factor to myself.
1 - A steady constant beep = Overheating - The V/6 engines, possibly some others, have a fuel restriction warning which is also a steady constant beep.
2 - A beep every 20 or 40 seconds = oil level has dropped to 1/4 tank. (Late model engine = Every 40 seconds)
3 - A beep every other second = VRO failure, air leak in oil line, oil restriction, (anything that would result in a lack of oil being supplied to the engine).
NOTE - If the warning horn is the black plastic (overpriced) three wire type horn, the warning horn should beep once when the ignition key is turned to the ON position. If it does not, it is either faulty or someone has disconnected it (a stupid move!). At any rate, if it does not beep which indicates that the horn is non functional, find out why and do not run the engine until the problem is corrected.
Now, print this out and put it where you'll remember it is come Spring.
