JohnRudes

[spareparts]

the plastic drive gears have several reasons to go out, sitting for long periods of time is probably the #1 reason. Apparently, the plastic gear sticks to the drive gear if left in place for a long tiem, the fisrt time you crank it up, it starts wearing the plastic gear, then by naot being run for a while, there isn't any lube on the gear that makes it wear more. We saw a lot of these on sport jet packages, they would get used in the spring, left alon for the reat of the season, then started again next spring, usually with some one revving the cold engine up to try and keep it running with the carbs stopped up. The next most common failure on the plastic gear was from the coupler that connects the shaft to the pump, there were about four years of prduction that the gear would swell up and stick itself, casuing the plastic gear to strip out. When I replace the plastic gear, I always replace the coupler as well. I had one guy that ran his engine hot(real hot), it was on a new mercury repower power head, it got so hot, it caused the gear to fail, his saving grace was it was still running on double oil for break in, as far as I know, that engine is still running( we changed it to premix after I told him his warranty had just expired due to abuse). It still suprises me that the after market hasn't come up with a brass replacement gear for the plastic one. The only time I will run oil injection for myself, is if the engine was recently rebuilt, and the gear was replaced, my 200 has the oil system disconected, if I ever go inot it, I might hook it back up. But there is still other reasons for the system to fail, those clear hoses that get brittle is probably the #1 reason.

[evilgli]

Originally Posted by csvencer

Evilgli,
I have been looking at those, that 2000 looks a little pricey to me. And I don't think that is the right cowling for a 2000.

Found a couple for cheaper, anywhere from 2800-3900 for a 150, so I think that is the route I am going to go.

As for those who bash the VRO I was given this link from the THT, interesting read...

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/VRO.html

-Svence

Svence, once you get things figured out and do what your going to do, if you need any help just hit me up. i'm pretty close to you and willing to help out.

[spareparts]

I was helping a freind of mine today getting his 26 Offshore up and running, it hasn't been run in over two years, has a pair of 1997 150 Mercs. everything else taken care of over the past two months,Has been running fine on the trailer, took off from the landing, went about two miles, and the port engine started sounding an alarm. Checked everything out, found the oil pump not pumping, the crank gear was stripped. I tried to talk him out of repairing the oil system and just premixing, but he wants the oil injection operating, so I'm pulling the powerhead next week to replace the oil gear. I allready warned him that the starboard engine will probably let go also, I guess I will do that one when it happens

[phatdaddy]

i'm still running the oil injection on my 94 merc(1400 hrs), but i carry a extra gallon of oil and at the first hint of a horn or hiccup i dump it in the gas tank. the bad thing is usually the first indication you have is a seized engine. i was talking to a engine re-builder at the miami boat show about 10 years ago and he said the 2 best things for his business is oil injection & thermostats.

[spareparts]

your engine, by being run on a regular basis, is probably less likely to fail than my freinds 150s, both of these engines have set for a while without being used. I once worked on the water taxi's 150 yamahas, I replaced the original impellers in them at 2000( 2 years old) hours, they get run every day, and except for some wear on the tips, they were still flexiable

[Steplift 72']

I've heard the pro's and con's of oil injection. I've personally owned 5 OMC's with VRO systems, after the first 3 motors had problems that would have killed the motors, I disconnected them. The last two were a pair of 1997 130 hp Johnson loopers, great motors and they never ran with anything but premix, I'd had all the fun I could stand with the first 3 motors which included a 150 crossflow and a pair of 140 Evinrude loopers. I love the OMC 2 stroke motors but have had 100% failure rate with the VRO. I never let it run dry, it just doesn't work and doesn't alarm until hours too late to save anything but the lower unit. I ran a neighbors boat which had a VRO system. I told him the motor seemed to be slowing down and I added a gallon of oil to the fuel tank. He said no problem, the VRO tank was full and no alarm, adding the oil probably ruined the plugs. On the second fishing trip later (once my gallon of 2 stroke oil was consumed) the motor siezed.