Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

[smokeyblaze]

How would my '78 mercury 2 stroke respond to brackish or saltwater?

 

[mthieme]

Re: Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

Got a bunch of 'em running here in brackish Chesapeake country.
Doesn't seem to slow 'em down any.

 

[smokeyblaze]

Re: Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

So theres nothing I should worry about going back and forth from one to the other (freshwater/saltwater) thanks

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

If you can flush the the motor with fresh water after saltwater use, that would be great. If you cannot, the motor will only last another 15 years or so(smile).

 

[bullbat]

Re: Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

not gonna hurt ne thing in salt water but you need to flush it out with some muffs afterwards i always let mine run bout 10 mins or so on the muffs after salt water

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

it is best to flush after any salt water, brackish use. let it run until the Tstats open so it will flush the block.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

I do not believe there are any t-stats on that old inline....

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

I agree with the flush comments.

The only thing I would add is try to keep the LU out of the salt when not running, (as much as practacle), tip 'er up.

Old Merc inlines (1960s n' early 1970s) had mild steel driveshafts up to the mid to late 1970s which corrode and make the seal between the driveshaft and the water pump a problem. Not sooooo good fer the driveshft into the base of the powerhead either.

The normal periodic change of water pumps ya gotta do maybe a bit more of a problem then when ya run the old girls in fresh water as well. (Ya may have ta whack a few studs off n' replace em from time to time).

If yer 1978 (?) has the origional LU (or if ya have a newer one) ya maybe lucky as it maybe the updated driveshaft which was more resistent to the salt. (Not sure the exact year the change to better metal was made but it may have been 1977, 8 or 9, [I think me 1976 was mild steel, n' it may have not been the stock LU either fer that matter]).

Me overpriced $.02 JR

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

My 1977 Merc inline six had the SS driveshaft. They still corrode a bit, so I usually rub a bit of grease over the entire length of the driveshaft. The '78 shoudl be ss as well.

 

[cz0164]

Re: Brackish Water and an Old Merc - Do they mix?

Ran my 68 Kekaffer Mercury in the ELk river of the Chesapeak hunting blue crab, now prowels the flats in the Gulf of Mexico. Fresh or salt it loves it. Always remember to flush.