PTSD & a SITTING BOAT

[OutKast Actual]

On 1/13/2019 at 2:11 PM, Way2slow said:

I don't care what everyone else say's, I didn't do it and don't know anything about.

 

 Sorry, I haven't been following this thread until someone threw me under the bus.  Actually, I do know a little about your 200 Johnson and would be more than willing to help where I can.  I have not read everything, just your initial post and it seems you have concerns about having let the motor sit for three years, and you have been given excellent advise on not trying to start the motor as it sits now.  To bad you are not closer to middle GA.  I would be more than will to actually do the work for you, and since I don't work on them for a living, it would be free. BEFORE ANYONE GETS THE WRONG IDEA, THAT'S THE FELLOW VETERAN OFFER, NOT THE PUBLIC.

The major problem now is your saying you are not competent with motors and mechanical.   I hate to say this, but there are some things you are going to need, time and knowhow or a whole bunch of money.

As a minimum, the old fuel has to be removed from the tank, and the whole fuel system purged.  That's about an hour of work. 

It's almost guaranteed the carbs will have to come off and be rebuilt. That's several hundred dollars most places.

The fuel pump (VRO) will need to be flushed and inspected to see if it still has the old four wire or a five wire pump.  If it's still running the old four wire, I absolutely would not run that pump or at least the VRO (oil injection) function, It's already beyond it's useful life and is subject to fail at anytime.  To swap out the VRO for a new one, that's probably $600 - $700.  They do make a fuel pump only for about $200 plus labor, and you just premix the gas.

I generally just run a Carter rotary pump that about 50- 75gph and 7 psi. You can get those for less than $75 https://www.summitracing.com/parts/crt-p4594?seid=srese1&cm_mmc=pla-google-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-carter&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8cWcy7Xr3wIViK_ICh3vXAy5EAQYAiABEgIPpPD_BwE.   That motor has a six psi fuel system so normally the 7psi pump will work without pushing the needles off the seats in the carbs and require a regulator.  You would also need to installs a relay if you want to run it through the key switch, that's less than $20, if you can do it yourself.

As long as that motor has sat, the water pump impeller will be bad, too much memory will have set in the blade.  I've never paid to have one replaced but will easily run $200-$300.  The lower unit should be serviced while you are at it.

All the fuel lines need to be inspected, to make sure they have not hardened and gotten brittle, that motor was before all the alcohol they use today and todays gas destroys most of that old hose.

Another problem I run into on those motors after they sit for long periods is the grease dries around the timer base, so it does not advance and pull back the timing properly. 

How is that for more depressing info than you were really wanting.  Probably having one of you PTSD attacks about now.  

 

Oh, and one little tip, I almost never siphon gas.  If you can't block off the filler with a hose stuck in it, the blow like H*** to put pressure in the tank, then let the pressure push the gas out the hose, or use compressed air if you have it.  Put your hose in the tank, and then lay a blow gun parallel close to the end of the siphon hose and start blowing air.  The air passing over the end of the hose will create a siphon.  I don't like having that nasty crap in my mouth.

 

One other thing you need to check, is it cable or hydraulic steering.  If cable, there is a good chance one or both have rusted inside and gotten very stiff.  Turn the steering wheel both directions and make sure it turns the motor freely.    It's another chunk of change to swap out steering cables.

 

 

 

Thanks Way2Slow & sorry that it's been so long. I went back into a dark spot but I'm now in a better place than I've been in many years.

 

I'm going to learn and do as much as I can to the boat myself. I was just going to sell it but after I started cleaning it up I decided that I wanted to keep it because it means just too much to me. My wife & son got it for me to help me get out on the water & battle my PTSD. It was working until I had to get my hip replaced (at 36 years old) & the hip replacement failed to help & made things worse.

 

My boat has an automatic fuel/oil mixer (not sure what it's called), basically it's an oil reservoir that automatically mixes the oil in with the gas. I need to learn how to & what needs to be done in servicing that particular part.

 

I plan on doing as much work as I can by myself; here are some of those things (in no particular order):

- Drain all fuel

- Replace fuel hoses

- Replace/upgrade all gauges

- grease trailer hubs

- Replace spark plugs

- Seafoam the carbs

- Replace all fuses

- Change all fluids

- Replace Impeller or go ahead & replace the entire water pump.

 

**** and there's more to do but I can't think of them off the top of my head & I have to do some research on other things to see if I'm confident enough to do the task myself.

 

I want to do as much as I can by myself. As my son said... "Dad, by you working on and fixing the boat, you are also working on & fixing yourself." He's right & I thought the same thing, that's another major reason for me keeping the boat. The boat has never been "named" but it's name is now "RECLAIMER" because it is helping me reclaim my life.

Edited June 13, 2020 by OutKast Actual
Additional DIY Items added

[OutKast Actual]

Correction Update: I just looked up my Evinrude XP 200 hp V6 model & serial number & the outboard is a 1990 instead of a 1988 like I thought. May not make a huge difference but figured I'd at least correct myself on here.

 

Thanks for all of y'alls help!

 

Model #: E200STLESE

Serial #: G 02514477

[Way2slow]

The water pump impeller should be replaced.  Sitting that long, and not know the age before that, it's probably developed a pretty healthy memory and will  not flex out.

 

If it still has the factory original variable oil injection (VRO) it would probably be smart to not use it and premix your gas/oil at 50:1 ratio.  If it has been replaced, you will see an extra purple wire coming from it that looks like it was added after the fact.  Somewhere around 98/99 they upgraded the pump design and added that fifth wire, those are much more reliable.  They have gotten fairly stupid with the price of the new units to replace it now.  To disconnect it, just unplug the wire connector you see going to it.  That will keep it from giving you an alarm.  Some people just fill the reservoir with SeaFoam and let it just pump after disconnecting.    It still pumps after unplugging if it works and something is in the tank.  It's just not wise to trust it to be reliable.

 

Look at the bottom of the carbs and you will see a large brass headed screw, that's the main jet cover screw.  Remove it and see if it's clean on the inside. If clean, the carbs might be OK.  If coated with crud, they will probably need to be removed and cleaned.  This is a fairly expensive endeavor, and not something you should tackle without having experience with those carbs, several hundred dollars.  They are plastic bodies and bowls, they warp and distort and getting them not to leak requires a bit of knowing what you are doing.  Even a lot of the so called outboard mechanics have problems with them and will say you need new ones.

 

Fuel lines, check each one, if they are not hard, brittle or cracked, I would leave them alone.  The OEM lines, even 30 years old can still be better than what you replace them with.  A lot of this stuff you get now don't last but a couple of years.

 

The gauges, if they are working, leave them.  The two main problem childs are the water pressure, they freeze in the winter and damages them it water is in the lines, and the Tach, the hand tends to disconnect and quit working.

 

For gear lube, I use Valvoline Synthetic in all mine.  Drain it, make sure it comes out black and no water.  Refill it by pumping it into the bottom plug until it comes out the top plug.  Then put the top plug in before removing the ling from the bottom to help limit the fluid loss as you try to get the bottom plug back in. 

 

Try to get all the fuel you can out of the tank and purge the fuel lines with the main jet plugs removed from the carbs to make sure all the old fuel and crud is out.

[Shimano_1]

Thank you for your service, my dad is a marine corps veteran himself.  I personally would change all the fluids, put new plugs in it, drain the gas and clean it up good. Also put in a new impeller/water pump. New batteries and id look and ask around to find a good boat mechanic. Most dealers around here are kind of shady and have no interest in working on boats they didn't sell especially older boats.  I wouldnt trust most dealers to not feed me a line trying to make money. Id guess if it was running good and you do those things it is probably still running good. Just find someone reputable to take it to if it isn't. Best of luck with it!

[OutKast Actual]

11 hours ago, Way2slow said:

 

If it still has the factory original variable oil injection (VRO) it would probably be smart to not use it and premix your gas/oil at 50:1 ratio.  If it has been replaced, you will see an extra purple wire coming from it that looks like it was added after the fact.  Somewhere around 98/99 they upgraded the pump design and added that fifth wire, those are much more reliable.  They have gotten fairly stupid with the price of the new units to replace it now.  To disconnect it, just unplug the wire connector you see going to it.  That will keep it from giving you an alarm.  Some people just fill the reservoir with SeaFoam and let it just pump after disconnecting.    It still pumps after unplugging if it works and something is in the tank.  It's just not wise to trust it to be reliable.

 

As far as the purple wire (or lack thereof) & the wire connector... this will be found on the outboard itself, correct? The reservoir you're talking about is for the 2 stroke oil tank located inside the boat? 

 

If I'm understand correctly: lift the cowl off the outboard, locate the fuel pump, if there's a purple wire then I'm good... if not then it still has the VRO & I need to disconnect the fuel pump wire connector.

10 hours ago, Shimano_1 said:

Thank you for your service, my dad is a marine corps veteran himself.  I personally would change all the fluids, put new plugs in it, drain the gas and clean it up good. Also put in a new impeller/water pump. New batteries and id look and ask around to find a good boat mechanic. Most dealers around here are kind of shady and have no interest in working on boats they didn't sell especially older boats.  I wouldnt trust most dealers to not feed me a line trying to make money. Id guess if it was running good and you do those things it is probably still running good. Just find someone reputable to take it to if it isn't. Best of luck with it!

You're welcome & tell your dad I said Semper Fi. Thanks for the advice. I'll be moving back home to Harlan County, KY on 30 June. From what I've gathered, the shops folks take their boats to are located down in TN because there isn't a local boat mech. I see that you live in Lexington, do you have a recommended boat mech that you use? The drive from Harlan to the shops in TN & the drive from Harlan to Lexington is about the same distance.

[Way2slow]

When you remove the cover, the pump is on the left side.  A fairly large unit with a couple of lines and a four/five wire connector coming out of it.  To disconnect, just unplug to connector to disable the alarm. 

Yes, the tank in the boat, Pour the oil out of it.  Even if you keep using the oil injection system, it would be wise to empty the tank to make sure there is no water in it.  You can put that same oil back in if you do use it.  If not leave it out, or it will double oil the engine if you premix your gas.

Yes, the purple wire had to be added by the installer of the replacement pump, so it's just a single wire purple wire running from the connector to the ecm.

[OutKast Actual]

18 hours ago, Way2slow said:

When you remove the cover, the pump is on the left side.  A fairly large unit with a couple of lines and a four/five wire connector coming out of it.  To disconnect, just unplug to connector to disable the alarm. 

Yes, the tank in the boat, Pour the oil out of it.  Even if you keep using the oil injection system, it would be wise to empty the tank to make sure there is no water in it.  You can put that same oil back in if you do use it.  If not leave it out, or it will double oil the engine if you premix your gas.

Yes, the purple wire had to be added by the installer of the replacement pump, so it's just a single wire purple wire running from the connector to the ecm.

I'm going to check everything today to see if it's been upgraded/updated. If not, & I have to pre mix my oil & fuel, how do you do that with a boat that has internal fuel tanks that can only be filled from the outside? Can you just simply add a certain amount of gas & then add the appropriate amount of 2 stroke oil afterwards; or would I have to fill up a gas jug, put in the specific amount of 2 stroke oil, and then fill up the tanks with the gas jugs?

[Way2slow]

Just keep a small, long funnel in the battery/tank compartment.  Use that to pour the oil in the filler neck before adding gas.  Add enough gas to give you the 50:1 ratio for the amount of oil you added.  The gas will wash the oil on down into the tank that's in the filler neck/hose and by the time you have driven a couple of miles, the mixture will be more than mixed enough.  Seems like it's 16oz of oil to six gallons of gas, but you can buy a container with the ratios already marked on it so all you have to do is fill it to the mark indicated for 50:1 on it for how many gallons of gas you plan to add.  Wally world used to sell them.

[OutKast Actual]

On 6/16/2020 at 9:18 AM, Way2slow said:

Just keep a small, long funnel in the battery/tank compartment.  Use that to pour the oil in the filler neck before adding gas.  Add enough gas to give you the 50:1 ratio for the amount of oil you added.  The gas will wash the oil on down into the tank that's in the filler neck/hose and by the time you have driven a couple of miles, the mixture will be more than mixed enough.  Seems like it's 16oz of oil to six gallons of gas, but you can buy a container with the ratios already marked on it so all you have to do is fill it to the mark indicated for 50:1 on it for how many gallons of gas you plan to add.  Wally world used to sell them.

Awesome, thank you! I'm sure there's going to be many more questions that I'll be asking; hopefully I won't get on your nerves.