1994 Evinrude 120hp V4 first start in 2 years, couple of questions

[mikec35]

I've owned this boat/engine for 21 years. I replaced the water pump for the first time about 2 years ago. I hadn't started the boat since then. I decided it was time to get it running. I added fresh 93 octane no ethanol gas with Starbrite additive to a dry tank yesterday and it cranked a lot but wouldn't start. It didn't even fire. I went back today and drained the carbs, all were full of oil. I squeezed the fuel primer bulb quite a few times until I got a good looking gas/oil mix coming out of the carbs. I fogged the motor and then cranked it. It started first crank. No water was coming out of the telltale. Some oil was also dripping down onto the lower motor housing. I checked the water outlet hose for obstructions and didn't find any. This engine has a working automatic oiler. My questions are:

1) Would the carbs fill up with oil if the motor is cranked a lot but won't start?

2) I suspect my water pump is bad since the telltale is dry, but I find it hard to believe after 2 year old water pump install,, should I check anything else? Do these motors have thermostats?

3) Should there be excess oil coming out of the carbs with this type of oiling system? Maybe extra oil at startup or should I be looking for something else?

Thanks for any advice.
Mike

 

[racerone]

Perhaps wee critters have built a home in the pump indicator hose.-----Perhaps the vent on your oil tank is blocked.

 

[jakedaawg]

If, when you put it away last, you had run the motor dry of fuel then it is normal for the VRO to fill the bowls with oil. Oil pumps even when there is no fuel.

 

[racerone]

And how much oil is pumped as it is running out of fuel ?----And where does that oil go when it goes into the carburetor that is half full of mixed fuel ???

 

[mikec35]

Perhaps wee critters have built a home in the pump indicator hose.-----Perhaps the vent on your oil tank is blocked.

I checked the hose in the motor housing, it's clear. Maybe where the pickup is? Water is coming out of the lower unit and prop when the muffs are hooked up. Good call on the vent for the oil tank, I'll check it out. Come to think of it the primer for the oil tank is always tough to squeeze. Thanks

 

[mikec35]

If, when you put it away last, you had run the motor dry of fuel then it is normal for the VRO to fill the bowls with oil. Oil pumps even when there is no fuel.

You can't run this one out of fuel to put it up for storage, it doesn't have a quick disconnect. I just always keep stabil in the fuel tank incase of unitended long term storage. I believe when I tried to prime the fuel on Saturday it wouldn't let any fuel into the carbs because they must have filled up with oil when I last ran the boat... maybe??

 

[jakedaawg]

The fuel may have evaporated off leaving the oil...oil doesn't evaporate as readily, how ever it is only~2% of the volume....in your case I would expect to find a fuel restriction. Often time a fuel restriction is present in the inside of an otherwise fine looking fuel line. 25 years old, might as well replace all fuel lines just as good preventative maintenance. It will only take 30 minutes and 25 bucks....

 

[jakedaawg]

And how much oil is pumped as it is running out of fuel ?----And where does that oil go when it goes into the carburetor that is half full of mixed fuel ???

Come on racerone, you know as well as I do how these work. If there is a fuel restriction or an engine running out of fuel the oil side keeps pumping resulting in a mixture that is oil heavy....how many times have you run one out of gas by disconnecting the fuel line only to have the bowls fill with oil? That's what they do!

 

[racerone]

I doubt it.-------Just think about it.-----The ratio is 50:1 is it not. !!------The motor stops when gas is gone .-----Just another tall tale about VRO ----End of the story.

 

[jakedaawg]

It keeps running as the fuelon the motor side of the connector is used and as the bowls run dry.

try this for poop and giggles...run the motor out of fuel...keep cranking. Oil will still pump. It's one air motor that runs both the fuel side and the oil side. Even if it's not pumping fuel the case pulses are still running the air motor and oil is pumping. A bad vent on the oil tank would keep oil from being able to flow.

 

[racerone]

All nonsense.------The oil piston is too small to fill 4 carburetors with oil when motor is running out of fuel.

 

[jakedaawg]

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