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Stumpgrinder
05-24-2009, 07:58 AM
I bought an older (1997 90 hp Johnson) outboard with the word "special" on the cowling.

Does anybody know what the special designation means ? Seems like I used to know but shift work makes me forget stuff.

BTW, I don't feel any more special than I did before the motor lived in my driveway.
Big Steve
05-24-2009, 11:10 AM
I believe it mean no oil injection you mix the fuel yourself They had a 48 SPL 88 SPL and a 112 SPL in earlier models
Salty Dog
05-24-2009, 01:50 PM
Yep, you had to mix oil and gas on the SPL motors.
Stumpgrinder
05-24-2009, 01:51 PM
I believe it mean no oil injection you mix the fuel yourself They had a 48 SPL 88 SPL and a 112 SPL in earlier models

Thanks. I seem to recall that you're correct but I'm hazy on this.

Further research shows me this motor may drink gas like a drunken sailor sucking up rum on shore leave. Oh well, its not a real big boat so I prolly wont be pounding out many 30 mile runs anyway.

Making my living in an oil refinery destroys my moral authority to do much biatchin about such things.
Stumpgrinder
05-24-2009, 01:52 PM
Yep, you had to mix oil and gas on the SPL motors.

I like simple things. Probably would have disabled the VRO if it had one anyway.
rvrrat14
05-24-2009, 07:23 PM
Special OMC motors started life as commerical motors. As they saw the worth, they begin marketing and selling them to the general public. That was was SPL actually meant. And true, they are NON-oil injected motors.....Good proven motors from commerical testing.....I had a 112 spl for 14 years.....
Pocketfisherman
05-24-2009, 07:51 PM
I've owned several commercial motors, and have a 1984 V4 100 Johnson commercial right now. It has a VRO pump (disabled). What is different is the gear case. It is the bigger 15 spline shaft as used on the V6 motors. It also has a trim switch on the lower front right of the cowl pan. I never associated the SPL with the commercials. The commercials had bigger gear cases, bigger alternators, and more coats of paint along with a stainless tilt tube. They were more like a predecessor to the Saltwater series motors. The SPLs were marketed as lower cost no frills motors.