B737-200 HAS MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF WAKE TURB IN TRAIL OF LATER MODEL B737 AND WONDERS IF WAKE SEPARATION POLICIES ARE GOING TO CATCH UP TO CURRENT CONDITIONS AT EWR.

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MCO ON APCH EWR; RADAR VECTORS DOWNWIND; ACQUIRED FOLLOWING TFC ON TCASII AT 8 NM AND INTERMITTENT VISUAL CONTACT IN HAZE. TARGET WAS 1000 FT BELOW; WE WERE AT 5000 FT AND ASSIGNED 210 KIAS. WE WERE GIVEN OUR BASE TURN; GIVEN A DSCNT TO 4000 FT MSL CO-ALT WITH TARGET. STRUCK ABOUT 3 SECOND WAKE TURB COMPARABLE TO MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH B757. WE ASKED RADAR WHAT WE WERE FOLLOWING AND WERE TOLD 'B737.' APCHING 'DOGLEG TO FINAL;' WE STRUCK THE WAKE AGAIN. I DIRECTED THE COPLT TO ASK FOR MORE SEPARATION. WE WERE SLOWED TO 190 KIAS. SEPARATION ON FINAL WAS ABOUT 6 NM. DOWN THE GLIDE PATH. I HAD LIGHT WAKE TURB AND HAD TO DISENGAGE THE AUTOPLT COUPLER AND HAND FLY THE APCH ABOVE GLIDE PATH. ON ROLLOUT; I DISCOVERED THE PRECEDING TFC WAS A B737. ALTHOUGH BOTH ACFT WERE 'B737;' THE NG WITH ITS INCREASED GROSS WT AND CLEANER WING WAS PRODUCING A VERY SIGNIFICANT WAKE. HAD THE WX BEEN CAT II OR CAT III; WE WOULD HAVE MISSED THE APCH SINCE THE AUTOPLT COUPLER COULDN'T HANDLE IT. I SUSPECT CURRENT SEPARATION STANDARDS MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE FOR THIS NEW ACFT.