Need some advice

[bfraser4070]

I have a 225hp 1989 Johnson VRO that had no problems until this year.

I needed a new VRO pump and took it to a guy and he installed it.

I just blew the motor on my 4th time out since replacing this pump last weekend. I have talked with 2 other mechanics in the last couple of days and they all asked what did I do during the VRO break-in period. The guy installed the VRO said nothing about break-in! Is this true, is there a break-in for a VRO pump? How would I have broke it in? WHat would have been the procedure?

Should this have been common knowledge, if yes should I go after the guy for compensation? Should he have communicated this to me? He said he has never heard of such a thing.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Need some advice

There's no "breakin", but prudence would suggest running premix until the OMS/VRO operation is verified. Did the VRO/OMS pump not operate or not operate correctly?

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Need some advice

It's not a break-in period but rather verifying the pump is working. When you install a new pump you mark the oil level in the tank and then add oil to the fuel. After you use at least 12 gallons of fuel you should have used about a quart of oil. That way you verify it's using approxamately the right amount of oil.

Now, there are many versions of a "blown" motor. It may or may not have anything to do with the pump. It could be as simple as the wrong plugs which has nothing to do with the pump.

We'll assume he purged the line since it ran fine for 3 trips. If you did not add oil to the fuel we'd also have to assume the pump was working for those 3 trips.

Is the new pump a 3 or 4 wire pump? Are all the alarms working?

 

[bfraser4070]

Re: Need some advice

I have no idea, I am not a mechanic. He said it needed to be replaced. I rely on the experts. I just thought it might be common practice.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Need some advice

One more thing - how did you know you needed a new pump?

 

[bfraser4070]

Re: Need some advice

The boat was running like &*(&& and it had no power.
Alarm was going crazy and keep stalling.

Thanks

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Need some advice

The boat was running like &*(&& and it had no power.
Alarm was going crazy and keep stalling.

Thanks

And you continued to run it???

 

[jonesg]

Re: Need some advice

I don't see that you have discovered why it blew yet.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Need some advice

Agree that you should premix for a bit to see if the oil side is working properly. Alarms going off like crazy should have been a warning for a much more thorough check on the health of your motor and running it with multiple alarms going off is asking for trouble.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Need some advice

As I read post pump was replaced due to alarms and poor performance. Was this a BRP part or aftermarket? If BRP and pump is bad, factory owes you a powerhead.