Johnson 115 VRO shot again? Need advice

[BMarkey]

Well, I guess I let my imagination get away with something. Today, I ran the engine again in the yard, to make sure all was well before I hauled the boat to the water tomorrow. Yup, the problem returned. The engine ran for 5 to 10 minutes, then started sputtering out, only to be recused by a couple of swift pumps of the primer bulb. A minute or so later, the 10-second beep came again, alerting me of an oil issue. The primer bulb starts hard, then eventually gets to be about half full.

The problem repeated when I used the built-in tank (and its own hoses) and the 6-gallon portable tank (separate hose to engine). I checked the hoses to make sure the clamps were tight. Where is that intake hose you mentioned?

I wonder if a local shop would be able to test the OMS pump if I brought it to them and how much they would charge for the service. Otherwise, I am stuck buying a $350 to $400 (non-returnable) pump on a guess that the one I have is bad, right?

[BMarkey]

Update: I let the boat sit for a while, frustrated with my inability to fix the issue and lack of funds to hire a pro.

Then I just bought a new Quicksilver primer bulb and decided to see if that could be the problem. I put it on the made sure the clamps were very tight.

I then had to reinstall the pulse limiter, fuel bracket and OMS/VRO pump. It's amazing how much you forget after a couple of weeks.

Question: How tight should the pulse limiter be screwed into the block? I made it tight but not super tight with a socket wrench, but I could still see some threads where it appeared to have been a bit deeper last time.

I also tightened up all the connections I could see around the fuel-water separator, oil tank lines, etc.

The engine would crank but not start, so I checked the fuel, and oil connections three times. Nothing. But gas was getting into the carbs.

So, remembering that we have had a couple of deluges lately (I am getting water in the gas in some unknown way ... and I have a self-venting cap), I decided to empty the carbs of gas and check the gas. It looked O.K., but I emptied the water-fuel filter anyway, put back on the carb screws and tried again. When I unscrewed the filter, I heard a small whoosh of air, meaning I had a good seal, right?

The engine cranked right up.

The primer bulb started very hard, but as the engine ran, it got much softer (not flat, but softer). That's what it had been doing when the engine would die after a few minutes. But this time, the engine didn't die of gas starvation as it had in the past.

I ran it for around 10 minutes and all seemed well. But then I revved it a bit and the oil alarm light and siren went off (10 seconds). There is oil in the tank, not full, but enough. I also have oil in the gad tank. I restarted the engine a few minutes later and the alarm went off again, but the engine kept running.

Maybe, just maybe, the tank is low enough to set off the alarm, but why would it happen just afer I revved the engine?

Oh well. I'm not sure what to do next. Thanks all.

[Sans Peur]

Fill the tank and restart. See if the alarm goes off again.

[VeroWing]

One thing you should definitly check, and one I've encountered with the same symtoms you have, is check and clear the fuel tank vent opening. These get clogged, especially in off season, with bees' nests, etc. It creates a vacuum in your tank, and will not let fuel go through lines to engine.

[BMarkey]

Thanks, but I have a vented fuel fill. There is no vent outside to the hull.

I checked and rechecked all the fuel line clamps on and off the engine. I put a rebuild kit on the VRO pump's gas side and finally, I bought a new primer bulb (old one was a year old). It fired up and kept running. Then my water probem came back again (see other thread).

Thanks.