Max and Cruse RPM for 84 or 85 185 johnson 185 VRO

[FlightSouth]

What is a safe crusing rpm for my 84 or 85 185 hp VRO outboard? it is on a 1989 198CXL Chaparral. Seems to run great but worried about over working the older engine. Tach goes to 6000 and it will peg out if I keep the throttle full.
<flightsouth@alltel.net>

Thanks,
FlightSouth

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Max and Cruse RPM for 84 or 85 185 johnson 185 VRO

5000-6000 you are over reving if above. what prop are you running.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Max and Cruse RPM for 84 or 85 185 johnson 185 VRO

First I'd check the setting on the tach, if it is a tach for an outboard. make sure it's on position 6. While turning it over 6000 won't hurt a thing you may not be getting a good reading. I'd be way more concerned about only getting 5000 than getting 6000.

 

[FlightSouth]

Re: Max and Cruse RPM for 84 or 85 185 johnson 185 VRO

Thanks for the reply. I'm new at boating so I really don't know the specs on the prop. I bought this boat and motor in August 07. It is a ss prop that was in place when I bought the boat. I've been afraid of over reving the engine so I usually run abought 4200-4500rpms. However if I run at full throttle the tach pegs on 6000. Is that ok?

FlightSouth

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Max and Cruse RPM for 84 or 85 185 johnson 185 VRO

Explain what you mean by "pegs on 6000." The correct OMC / BRP tack is likely a 7000 rpm tach. If you have some other brand tach it may be a false reading or wrong setting.

 

[FlightSouth]

Re: Max and Cruse RPM for 84 or 85 185 johnson 185 VRO

By "pegging on 6000" I mean the tach indicator needle progresses clockwise to the 6000 rpm indication where it can mechanically go no futher. The boat was origionally an ib/ob that later had a jack plate and outboard added to replace the origional engine.

Thanks,
FlightSouth

 

[steelespike]

Re: Max and Cruse RPM for 84 or 85 185 johnson 185 VRO

If your running the same tach it surely isn't accurate unless you were able to
change the setting.I don't know that there is a setting to allow it to work with a V6 2 stroke.If the original motor was 4 stroke V6 then you "may" be able to reduce the reading by half.You can get a rough idea by the idle rpm.
Idle speed in gear should be 650.
The only way to really do it right is with a proper tach because for the health of your motor you need to know the present max rpm and speed