Comments or concerns?

Have your heard anything about these motors that are good or bad?

86 Evinrude VRO

I used to run a older 60 hp Johnson VRO and had pretty good luck with it. One thing it would not do is troll very well, ran rough and kept fouling out plugs. Another thing to consider in that if the VRO goes out, there goes your power head. I’ve talk to a number of people that this has happend to.

I spent a couple of years in TX and down there a VRO pump lasted about 3 yrs. It was standard maintenence to replace them between 2 and 3 years to avoid powerhead replacement. I also spent 10 years in Alaska and worked at the largest OMC dealer in the western US. In those 10 years I think I saw 2 VRO’s go bad. So I would guess it is either the salt or the heat that kills them. If it was me I would probably spend a couple hundred dollars to replace 17 year old VRO tank and have peace of mind. Just remember if it goes bad you will end up replacing both the tank and the powerhead!

Pardon, but what does VRO mean? Is that just Evinrude’s name for autoblend?

I have an 88 Mariner that used to be oil injected – the original owner disabled it and just pre-mixed. I did the same thing with an Italian Harley 125 that I had, and every other two-stroke motor that I’ve ever owned. Oil injection is a neat thing when it’s working, but disastrous when it’s not.

The extra time it takes me to measure and dump some two-stroke oil in the tank is well worth the peace of mind to me.

I believe VRO meant Variable Ratio Oil Injection. A fishing partner has it on an 86 Evinrude 90hp. The VRO has always performed just fine as has the engine…except that those 90’s were gas guzzlers.

I had the 90 Johnson VRO on my last boat, and your correct about gas guzzling. Never has a single issue with mine, I’ve heard the horror stories about the pump failing and causing major damage.

My brother in law had a 40hp with the VRO problem. He ended up loosing his power head.

FEAR NO FISH!!!!

Sounds like it’s what I figured – Gimpy, it all depends on your trust in technology. I can tell you from experience that more moving parts means more stuff to break. Unfortunately, with Oil Injection systems, the gas is still coming in just fine, and if it doesn’t have a low-mix beeper, you’ll burn that sucker up in no time flat.

When I got the Har(d)ley D, the system was broken. I took the time to fix it, and then about five days later disabled it based on input from more experienced engine people. A friend’s dad ran a small engine shop for about 20 years as a side-business, and every two stroke that came in he would recommend that the owner disable the automix and only leave it if they demanded it.

Hey I have the same motor without VRO.
The sticker says 100:1 but the mechanics at Maplewood Marine said NEVER run it at 100:1 so I always ran it at 50:1. I have heard of problems with OMC VRO setups so they disable it, but I don’t know of anyone who had one in person.

Anyway mines a very dependable motor. Troll all day then go wide open back to the launch no problems. Never loads up, gets about 7 hrs trolling to 6 gallons gas.

Ferny.