"The engine is a good design,
"The engine is a good design, but as with anything mechanical, problems can and do arise. The fact that the present owner is using a 50/1 premix indicates that either the VRO fuel/oil pump is faulty or is not trusted. I assume that it has been converted from a fuel/oil (VRO) pump to a fuel pump only as follows.
(VRO Changeover Judgement Call)
(J. Reeves)
The VROs first came out in 1984 and have been upgraded quite a few times. In my opinion, back around 1988, they had perfected them but I think that they were upgraded even more since then. As long as the warning system is operating as it should, I feel quite at ease with them.
Some boaters have voiced their thoughts such as "What if that overpriced plastic horn should fail while I'm under way for some reason, and the VRO decides to fail five minutes later?" Obviously that would result in a big problem which really brings their fears into view.
The word "ease" is the key word though. If one has the slightest feeling of being ill at ease with that setup, then they should take the route they feel more at ease with. A judgement call each individual would need to make on their own.
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(VRO Pump Conversion To Straight Fuel Pump)
(J. Reeves)
You can convert the VRO pump into a straight fuel pump, eliminating the oil tank and VRO pump warning system, but retain the overheat warning setup by doing the following:
1 - Cut and plug the oil line at the engine so that the oil side of the VRO pump will not draw air into its system. Trace the wires from the back of the VRO to its rubber plug (electrical plug) and disconnect it.
2 - Trace the two wires from the oil tank to the engine, disconnect those two wires, then remove them and the oil tank.
3 - Mix the 50/1 oil in the proper amount with whatever quanity fuel you have. Disconnect the fuel line at the engine. Pump the fuel primer bulb until fuel exits that hose with the tint of whatever oil you used. Reconnect the fuel hose.
That's it. If you want to test the heat warning system to ease your mind, have the key in the on position, then ground out the tan heat sensor wire that you'll find protruding from the cylinder head. The warning horn should sound off.
If the VRO has not been converted as above, it should be.
If you intend to convert back to the original VRO setup, I strongly suggest that you DO NOT trust the present VRO but rather purchase a new VRO pump.
The VRO system is not a direct oil injection system. The VRO is a dual mode type pump whereas fuel and oil is mixed within the VRO pump and then delivered to the carburetors.
Something to ponder when purchasing a used engine follows.
(General Engine Checks)
(J. Reeves)
First, check the compression. It should be approx 100+ psi and even on all cylinders. On some V/6 looper engines (1986-87), the starter bendix will kick out if all of the spark plugs are removed. If this takes place, leave the spark plugs in, excepting the cylinder you're checking of course.
NOTE..... If leaving the spark plugs in while you're checking the compression (V/6 Loopers), make sure that the ignition key is in the "OFF" position. You do not want that engine to start while you're doing that test.
Next, with the s/plugs removed, check the spark. It should jump a 7/16" gap with a strong blue flame on all cylinders. (The s/plugs must be removed in order to obtain the highest rpm available). On engines 1972 and older, and engines without solid state ignition, set the tester gap to 1/4".
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(Magneto Capacitance Discharge Coils)
Check the continuity of the ignition coils. Remove the primary orange wire from whatever it's connected to. It may be connected to a powerpack screw type terminal, a rubber plug connector, or it may simply plug onto a small boss terminal of the coil itself.
Connect the black lead of a ohm meter to the spark plug boot terminal, then with the red ohm meter lead, touch the ground of the coil or the powerhead itself if the coil is still installed.
Then touch (still with the red lead) the orange wire if it's attached to the coil, or if it's not attached, touch the primary stud of the coil. You should get a reading on both touches (contacts). If not, check the spring terminal inside the rubber boots of the spark plug wire. Poor or no continuity of a coil is one reason for s/plug fouling.
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(Battery Capacitance Discharge Coils - Continunity Test)
(Joe Reeves)
Remove the primary wire the screw type terminal. Remove the coil and unscrew the HT wire from the distributor cap.
Connect the black lead of a ohm meter to the HT wire, then with the red ohm meter lead, touch the ground wire of the coil.
Then touch (still with the red lead) the wire that normally attaches to the powerpack output lead. You should get a reading on both touches (contacts). If not, check the HT wire by unscrewing it from the coil. After removing the wire, the check can be repeated using the internal threaded prong within the coil instead of the HT wire. Poor or no continuity of a coil is one reason for erratic or no ignition and/or s/plug fouling.
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NOTE..... For the older magneto ignition coils, the continuity check would be as follows:
Checking the continuity of the ignition coils....... Have the ohm meter set to High Ohms.
Remove the primary wire from points. Remove the coil ground wire. You do not want either of these wires touching anything.
Connect the black lead of a ohm meter to the spark plug boot terminal, then with the red ohm meter lead, touch the ground wire of the coil.
Then touch (still with the red lead) the primary wire. You should get a reading on both touches (contacts). If not, check the spring terminal inside the rubber boots of the spark plug wire.
If there is no continuity between the secondary circuit (spark plug) wire and the primary or ground, remove the coil from the armature plate, then check the continuity directly between the prong within the coil (prong that the plug wire connects to) and the primary and ground. Poor or no continuity of a coil (or plug wire) is one reason for weak spark, s/plug fouling, or no spark.
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When removing the spark plugs, make a note of which s/plug came from what cylinder. They should all look alike, but if not, that difference should lead a mechanic in a certain direction.
Remove the spark plugs, then insert a screwdriver or some such object into the cylinder, and have it rest on top of the piston. Do not apply pressure to the screwdriver yet. You simply want to know where the piston is. Now, turn the flywheel by hand and get the piston to come up to dead top center, then drag it down about 1" by turning the flywheel. Now, hold the flywheel tightly and apply pressure to that screwdriver or whatever object you're using. If you can move that piston without moving the flywheel, that indicates that there is play in either the wrist pin area or at the crankshaft to connecting rod area.
If the engine has been sitting for any length of time (a couple months or more), there's a very good possibility that the carburetor(s) are somewhat fouled/clogged/gummed. If so, they'll require removing, cleaning, and rebuilding.
Remove the carburetor face plate. Observe the carburetor(s) while you pump the fuel primer bulb. If fuel flows out of the carburetor(s), they will require removing, cleaning, and rebuilding.
(With Engine Not Running) Check that the throttle plate butterflies are opening full (horizontal) when full throttle is applied. Also check to see that the timer base under the flywheel is advancing to the full spark advance point, up against the rubber cap of the spark advance stop screw.
At the lower portion of the lower unit, there will be a large slotted screw. Loosen that screw to see if the unit has good lube, and to check for metal filings and water. Small fuzzy filings is acceptable. Sliver and/or splinter type slices/chips of metal are not! Water would indicate that the unit has faulty seals. The lower unit requires filling from that large slotted bottom screw until the lubricant flows out of the like screw higher up in the lower unit. Should your engine have a philips screw located in the skeg, do not remove it as that is a shoulder bolt type screw that is actually a pivot point for a internal shift lever.
Check, while under way, that the engine engages both forward and reverse properly, and that the engine does not jump out of forward gear at a high rpm.
If the engine is on a boat, check the steering to make sure that the steering rod moves in and out freely, and that the engine swivels freely in even degrees in each direction.
When running the engine, pulling each s/plug boot terminal off of the s/plugs should result in a even rpm drop throughout.
Check that the PTT assy runs the engine up and down smoothly... and that it doesn't drift down on its own.
(As I think of more, I'll tweak this list)"
