85 gt150 fuel issue

[jlds913]

I have a 1985 Johnson gt150 on my boat, The previous owner installed a small 12v fuel pump he said that the vro fuel side was bad. Yesterday I took the VRO apart and the only thing i noticed was a very small crack in the brown diaphragm. I want to take the 12v pump off and use the VRO as a fuel pump and premix. Would it be worth it to get the fuel side rebuild kit and try it?

 

[jlds913]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

After looking at my pump I have noticed a few small cracks in the housing, Does anyone have a link or part number for the pump that looks like the vro but is for fuel only?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

Bombardier does make a VRO-type pump but with the fuel side only (no oiling section.) It's a premix pump. Bolts right in place of your old pump. You'll have to contact a dealer for p/n and pricing. You'll same maybe $80 over the standard VRO type pump. The last year for the old version dual premix pumps was 1983. If you check out the parts for that 1983 year's 150GT/XP you will see the configuration and hoses used just prior to the advent of the VRO pump. The current upper pump is part number 438559. The correct current lower pump is 393870. Actually they are the same pump, but one of them comes with a special heat-formed "J" hose which you will need. This is probably the cheaper alternative if you want to go premix.

 

[jlds913]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

I will look into that. Just for the heck of it I put the vro back on the engine yesterday and removed the 12v pump. The engine ran great with just the vro. I could out my hand on it while the engine was running and could feel a hard clicking (normal I think) no leaks as of about 30 mins at idle. Only problem i seen is when I tilt the motor up or down with it runing it would bog?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

Possible the original VRO pump is barely working. Tilting the engine up/down will change the fuel level in the carb bowls. If there is not enough fuel in the bowl, it could bog. The real test is to constantly prime the fuel hose bulb while the engine is running. This will force extra fuel into the carbs. If it runs normal at WOT as long as you constantly prime the fuel hose bulb, the pump is suspect.

 

[jlds913]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

so I ran the engine on muffs yesterday for a while and sprayed a little carb cleaner. Now i can tilt the engine down or up and it runs just fine. I will take it out on the water this weekend to give it a try. Could this fuel pump be ok? I spoke with the owner and he said that it was not the fuel side but the oil side went out. His "mechanic" installed the 12v pump to take the place of that vro. He must not have known how to bypass it and use it as a fuel pump.

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

You are right on. A water test will tell you what you want to know. Hard to make running assumptions on the trailer. That fuel pump should pump enough to run that engine all day long at WOT. That's the acid test.

 

[jlds913]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

Ok guys, Took the boat out this weekend and it didnt do so well. From idle it had trouble getting on pad if it did at all. Also it would run for about a min and die. Fuel primer would be soft and i would have to pump it to get it fired back up. Would it be worth it to buy the rebuild kit and overhaul the fuel side?

 

[jlds913]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

anyone?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

It's normal for the primer bulb to get soft when the engine starts to draw fuel through it. But, it should not collapse on itself. If the engine runs strong at WOT as long as you constantly prime the bulb, your fuel system is weak, probably a weak pump.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

How did it run with the electric pump installed?

(I agree with you about going back to the pulse pump, electric pumps on outboards are a bad idea unless you take precautions so that they automatically shut off when the engine dies).

 

[jlds913]

Re: 85 gt150 fuel issue

With the 12v pump it runs good has trouble getting on plane without bumping the choke a few times. I only got it up a few times with the vro only and it ran ok but it sure was acting like it was running out of gas. Also this pump is pump fuel right thru the vro even with the pulse line hooked up. ( 1st owner did this)