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Help me help my Dad please - 1994 J60ELERV - Converted over from VRO

A

Akwhite29

New member
Hello,

My name is Alex,

I live in Mobile, AL and i am posting today hoping i can get some information in order to help my elderly father.

As stated in the title he has a 1994 J60ELERV Johnson 60hp engine.
He bought it recently from my uncle after my aunt passed. My
My uncle had already converted this engine from the original VRO setup to a straight fuel pump.
Keep in mind i am not a box expert but i am very good at researching and learning about different things quickly.
Moving along.
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Current the boat has a 3 nipple fuel pump that does work on the engine and the engine runs. The boat will not run WOT though and my dad mentioned that my uncle said that he had to replace the regular fuel pump on several occasions and that if it was him my dad should try replacing the regular fuel pump to solve the WOT busting up issue. (Does that sound legit?)
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So my dad came to me for help finding the correct pump, Well we have been through a couple so for with no luck. (The part number is worn off the one that is currently working/under-performing) So the first one i ordered was the wrong one, It only had 2 nipples and he informed me at that time his had 3 so that was my lack of knowledge. So i returned that one and ordered the [FONT=&quot]Sierra International 18-1277 3 nipple pump thinking we would be good to go. Well he called me and said the engine will not start with that pump and just to make sure he put the old one back on and it started right up.
And it did say it was for like a 35hp on the box, So i figured another mistake on my part.
So i did more research this time and came up with this pump [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Radracing 438559, Everything i have seen says this pump should work just fine, But he calls me today to tell me that the boat will not run with that one either. ): Do we need the 438557? Am i missing something? please help me help my father so i can get one over-night shipped for him.
Thank you in advance and God Bless![/FONT]
 
Ok I’ll tell him. Not sure if he has the tools to do that. Her were just taking back due to the fact that as soon as we put the old one on it fires right up. And none of the other pumps I bought will fire it.
thanks.
 
Is he connecting the hoses correct. There are three ports just blow in all three the one you can blow through goes to the fitting on the engine the ones that blows out goes to the carb and the other goes to the pulse fitting on the engine. If the pulse hose is loose just replace all the fuel lines in the motor. Then you can rebuild the carbs if you have any other issues.
 
I completely agree. I may not be a boat engine expert but I do work on cars in my spare time and work in I.T professionally. Like I said I agree it’s not all fuel pumps but I think there’s something to be said about the fact that the other one works and the others we bought do not work. If neither worked that would be a different story.
I will pick up a compression tester and spark tester today and bring to him.
Thanks
 
racerone said:
Up to you to do some trouble shooting.----There is more to it than fuel pumps.
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I completely agree. I may not be a boat engine expert but I do work on cars in my spare time and work in I.T professionally. Like I said I agree it’s not all fuel pumps but I think there’s something to be said about the fact that the other one works and the others we bought do not work. If neither worked that would be a different story.
I will pick up a compression tester and spark tester today and bring to him.
Thanks
 
I read that fuel pump gas been replaced several times.-----These pumps are very reliable.----No need to replace them after 6 months !---Something else is wrong.
 
racerone said:
I read that fuel pump gas been replaced several times.-----These pumps are very reliable.----No need to replace them after 6 months !---Something else is wrong.
Click to expand...

Understand and i agree that the pump currently working is probably good and there may be a lack of spark or compression causing his WOT issues.
Going to check those before i go any further i guess.
 
The pulse limiter is screwed into the block. The pump that replaced the VRO needs to have straight crankcase pulses. If the pulse limiter is still on and has actually done its job it could be damaged. The pulse limiter is on to prevent backfires from damaging the VRO pump they can be damaged by a backfire. If it is still on replace it with a straight nipple.
 
flyingscott said:
The pulse limiter is screwed into the block. The pump that replaced the VRO needs to have straight crankcase pulses. If the pulse limiter is still on and has actually done its job it could be damaged. The pulse limiter is on to prevent backfires from damaging the VRO pump they can be damaged by a backfire. If it is still on replace it with a straight nipple.
Click to expand...
Thank you again for the response
this boat has been converted over from VRO and running with no issues for years. From my understanding it’s mounted with a bracket and gets its pulse from the original VRO pulse hose? And does not get pulse from the block. It’s a 3 nipple straight fuel pump.
 
Akwhite29 said:
Thank you again for the response
this boat has been converted over from VRO and running with no issues for years. From my understanding it’s mounted with a bracket and gets its pulse from the original VRO pulse hose? And does not get pulse from the block. It’s a 3 nipple straight fuel pump.
Click to expand...
or are you saying there is a pulse limter where the original VRO hose meets the block?
 
Akwhite29 said:
or are you saying there is a pulse limter where the original VRO hose meets the block?
Click to expand...
YES. Your pump is absolutely getting it's pulse from the block thats how they work. It works as a fuse if the motor ever backfires it will close off and can cause problems. Your motor has not been running correctly if you have had to change the fuel pump that many times. Just something to look at along with the spark and compression tests. And are the hoses on the pump correctly they go on a certain way.
 
flyingscott said:
YES. Your pump is absolutely getting it's pulse from the block thats how they work. It works as a fuse if the motor ever backfires it will close off and can cause problems. Your motor has not been running correctly if you have had to change the fuel pump that many times. Just something to look at along with the spark and compression tests. And are the hoses on the pump correctly they go on a certain way.
Click to expand...

i am going over there after work to check the hoses, spark and compression. I can only assume that the hose are correct because when the pump we ordered didn’t work he immediately put the old diaphragm pump on and it started right up.
Should I be expecting a certain amount of spark, i found the gap online which I will check as well. Thanks once again.
 
flyingscott said:
YES. Your pump is absolutely getting it's pulse from the block thats how they work.
Click to expand...
yes I know that. Sorry for the misunderstanding, I only meant that it’s not getting pulse from the block at the original mounting location and it’s getting it from the pulse hose the VRO was using. Am I correct that the two nipple pumps got the pulse from the center hole between the two mounting holes where it mounts? Just making sure I am understanding correctly.
 
Nope---Sort of.------The 2 nipple pumps were never used on the 3 cylinder models.-----They were on the V-4 and 2 cylinder motors.
 
Yes the 2 nipple pump bolts to the block. But that pump won't work on your motor because there is no place to mount it. Your pump IS getting it's pulse from the original location. Your compression should be above 100 and and within 10% of each other. Spark should jump 7/16" through open air.
 
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flyingscott said:
Yes the 2 nipple pump bolts to the block. But that pump won't work on your motor because there is no place to mount it. Your pump IS getting it's pulse from the original location. Your compression should be above 100 and and within 10% of each other. Spark should jump 7/16" through open air.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will report back my test results. Maybe he is just hooking the hoses up on new 438559 wrong and when he switches back to his pump he hooks them up right and thats why his old 3 nipple works and not the new one.
 
Follow the pulse tube to the block and remove the fitting. Drill the center of the fitting out a little larger then put it back together. Put some loctite on the threads of the mipple before you screw it into the block.
 
flyingscott said:
One other question has the cooling system mod been done?
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i am not sure. My dad bought it from my uncle already converted over from VRO and running. But as for as I know it’s never ran WOT since my dad acquired it. I am going over there after work today to check all these things mentioned in this thread.
 
Well I just wanted to give an update, paid my dad a visit. Tested spark and it look strong. Test all 3 cylinders 103 102 and 101. Traced VRO hose to block and sure enough pulse limiter was still in place. Took it off drilled it out and installed new fuel pump and it cranked first try. Took it out to the lake tuned the carbs and it runs flawlessly. Thanks flyingscott!
 
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