Clearing salt build up from block

[QBhoy]

Hi
Any good ideas around clearing the cooling passages of salt build up on an engine I now own ? It’s an 8hp Yamaha 2 stroke. Vinegar I hear may be an option ?
Thanks.

 

[racerone]

I tasted some " ocean water " one time.-----It seems just plain water dissolves and holds a lot of salt.----Why would you bother buying vinegar to do the same thing ?

 

[QBhoy]

I tasted some " ocean water " one time.-----It seems just plain water dissolves and holds a lot of salt.----Why would you bother buying vinegar to do the same thing ?

Hi. Maybe I wasn’t too clear. So the engine has obviously sat after use in the salt for a good while. It’s crystallised enough to firstly block the tell tale. Got that cleared for a while. Then blocked again. Then it’s actually blocked one of the cooling passages and not just the tell tale. So needs something to dissolve and clear now.

 

[cptbill]

I have also heard that vinegar dose a good job of getting rid of salt build up, might try a good vinegar flush this winter

 

[gm280]

Never dealt with such a situation myself, but if you could get to the water inlet section, you could run water through it until it didn't test positive for salt anymore. Flushing would be a good thing and then a slow flow of clean water until it was cleared of all salt. IDK, never done such a thing, just thinking out loud...

 

[Scott Danforth]

get large garbage can, about a 30 gallon
fill with mix of salt-away and water
run outboard in large garbage can
drink beer
talk to neighbor
drink beer
shut down engine
fill garbage can with clean water
run engine in garbage can
drink beer

 

[QBhoy]

get large garbage can, about a 30 gallon
fill with mix of salt-away and water
run outboard in large garbage can
drink beer
talk to neighbor
drink beer
shut down engine
fill garbage can with clean water
run engine in garbage can
drink beer

Haha. I’m liking this solution. This stuff was the first thing I thought about, but wondered about the dilution ratio mix and if it would be enough for doing it just as you described. Cheers for this.

 

[tpenfield]

Barnacle Buster . . .

You're welcome

 

[QBhoy]

Barnacle Buster . . .

You're welcome

Thanks. Good thinking.

 

[Scott Danforth]

or rydlyme..... or any of the other calcium removal liquids

 

[Sea Rider]

Assume that are asking to perform a water passages preventive maintenance as to keep them clean ?

It all depends on the amount of salt accumulation on the water passages which are not that smooth but rather porous, On light salt layers, vinegar, Salt Away will work. On heavy salt layers with heavy crusts nope, those needs to be pre softened before and mechanically scrapped. Is the motor having overheating issues ? If not, remove the thermo from the housing, connect a garden hose there and flush as long as you want or through a flushing port if having one built on the powerhead with thermo removed and themo cap bolted on.

Happy Boating​

 

[QBhoy]

Assume that are asking to perform a water passages preventive maintenance as to keep them clean ?

It all depends on the amount of salt accumulation on the water passages which are not that smooth but rather porous, On light salt layers, vinegar, Salt Away will work. On heavy salt layers with heavy crusts nope, those needs to be pre softened before and mechanically scrapped. Is the motor having overheating issues ? If not, remove the thermo from the housing, connect a garden hose there and flush as long as you want or through a flushing port if having one built on the powerhead with thermo removed and themo cap bolted on.

Happy Boating​

I’m afraid not. More reactive than preventative really. I bought this engine because it was a good price. I already had an identical one that was or is more commonly used. I used it for the first time last year and the tell tale was blocked with salt. Cleared that and it was fine. But then the whole thing got blocked up internally somewhere. So no need to clear it seriously.

 

[JimS123]

get large garbage can, about a 30 gallon
fill with mix of salt-away and water
run outboard in large garbage can
drink beer
talk to neighbor
drink beer
shut down engine
fill garbage can with clean water
run engine in garbage can
drink beer

If you run it for any length of time, won't the water get too hot?

 

[Sea Rider]

If you run it for any length of time, won't the water get too hot?

Yep, will cool the motor with hot water if flushing extremely long. But being just an 8 HP motor will take quite long. Ideal is to pour fresh water in over the barrel and release heated water out by means of an installed lower water faucet.

Happy Boating​

 

[Sea Rider]

I’m afraid not. More reactive than preventative really. I bought this engine because it was a good price. I already had an identical one that was or is more commonly used. I used it for the first time last year and the tell tale was blocked with salt. Cleared that and it was fine. But then the whole thing got blocked up internally somewhere. So no need to clear it seriously.

Gee, just realized it was you QBhoy who posted. But then the whole thing got blocked up internally somewhere. So no need to clear it seriously. Do you plan using it that way, if so will eventually overheat. Have some winter fun and tear the powerhead to expose all water passages, mechanically clean them, install new gaskets, torque to specs and will have a motor running wild at speed...

I'm doing a salt away vinegar experiment on a Yam 85 HP thermo housing, the owner was very reluctant to pull it as part of a preventive maintenance, finally accepted....

Happy Boating
​

 

[QBhoy]

If you run it for any length of time, won't the water get too hot?

I live in Scotland. Likely not an issue...haha.

 

[QBhoy]

Gee, just realized it was you QBhoy who posted. But then the whole thing got blocked up internally somewhere. So no need to clear it seriously. Do you plan using it that way, if so will eventually overheat. Have some winter fun and tear the powerhead to expose all water passages, mechanically clean them, install new gaskets, torque to specs and will have a motor running wild at speed...

I'm doing a salt away vinegar experiment on a Yam 85 HP thermo housing, the owner was very reluctant to pull it as part of a preventive maintenance, finally accepted....

Happy Boating
​

Hi searider. Yeah. I had the hood off it and it started getting hot. That’s how I knew it was blocked almost completely and not just the usual tell tale. Keen to hear how you get on with the 85.

 

[QBhoy]

Gee, just realized it was you QBhoy who posted. But then the whole thing got blocked up internally somewhere. So no need to clear it seriously. Do you plan using it that way, if so will eventually overheat. Have some winter fun and tear the powerhead to expose all water passages, mechanically clean them, install new gaskets, torque to specs and will have a motor running wild at speed...

I'm doing a salt away vinegar experiment on a Yam 85 HP thermo housing, the owner was very reluctant to pull it as part of a preventive maintenance, finally accepted....

Happy Boating
​

Sorry. Just got what you meant there. That should have read “now need to clear it seriously” not “no need”. Doh ! Sorry for the confusion. Yeah. Won’t be using it until it’s sorted. It was on the verge of overheating searider. Shut it down and used the other wee 8 Hp since. Winter job to keep me busy. Let me know how you go with the 85. Thanks. Allan.

 

[dingbat]

Salt (NaCl) is water soluble.

The real issues is that most of the "salt" you see is a combination of chloride, sodium, sulfate, calcium, potassium and magnesium salt deposits.

The calcium, potassium and magnesium deposits are the tough ones.

We use chemicals (acids) designed to clean industrial boilers when flushing the aluminum cooling jackets on our equipment.

Monitoring the pH of the cleaning solution is critical to it's effectiveness.

 

[alldodge]

Have heard numerous times here on Iboats, "do not run a I/O in a can"