Have 1988 Johnson GT175 installed on boat with internal tank. I have
observed that when boat has been idle for a month or so it will not
start. Turns over with no desire to start. I do not pre-mix oil. I use
the VRO system as designed. I removed fuel line from motor and placed
hose in gas can. Removed about a gallon of dark oil-rich fuel before
it began to look like normal gas. Some of this was in the water
separator upstream of the primer bulb. I removed drain screws from the
carbs and drained pure 2 stroke oil from the carbs. Purged of oil it
will now start. At first I thought the primer bulb had to be bad for
oil to back up past it to the water separator. Now I am suspecting a
VRO membrane or leak of some sort. Do these symptoms sound like a VRO
failure?

Thanks!

Barry