Flush or No Flush

[JJEnner]

I leave the boat in the water all season. It's a new boat. I have never flushed it yet. Should I be flushing it each time I use it?

 

[Walter]

Re: Flush or No Flush

If in saltwater...the best thing to do is thoroughly flush the engine's cooling system with fresh water anytime it comes out of the water. The greatest harm saltwater causes to an engine is after the water is drained leaving all the components exposed to the air covered with salt deposits. That's not to say saltwater doesn't attack these components while the boat is in the water...it most certainly does...just not as quickly.<br /><br />It would be ideal if you could pull your boat out of the water after each use and give her a good flushing and cleaning. However, I realize for you guys on coastal waters that isn't always feasible.<br /><br />Walt

 

[krosemond]

Re: Flush or No Flush

I have thought about this. Why couldn't you put the muffs on, tilt the engine back down into the salt water, turn the hose on, and start it. It seems that if you tilted it back up before turning the hose off, most of the salt water would be flushed out. Once a year, I leave the boat in for a week, and just flush it out when I put it back on the trailer.

 

[TONY H]

Re: Flush or No Flush

To flush engine while sitting in salt water: Put the Muffs on and turn on fresh water, Start the engine, tilt the motor up while running. Turn engine off and take off muffs.<br /><br />To answer the first question, the idea of flushing with fresh water is so the salt does not crystalize in all the water jackets and cause cooling water restrictions, not to mention the corrosion factor.

 

[Walter]

Re: Flush or No Flush

Excellent idea using the muffs guys...never really considered that. Guess I never have to worry about saltwater much either... So in order to insure it's thoroughly flushed you'd have to run the engine long enough for the thermostat to open then, eh? <br /><br />By the way...I don't even know what engine we're talking about here. Outboard? Inboard? I/O? Closed cooling?? What??<br /><br />Walt

 

[fishthebay]

Re: Flush or No Flush

Tony:<br /><br />Are you saying that you can flush an engine on a tilt?<br /><br />I live in Virginia Beach and keep my boat in the water for 3 week periods. I then take it out, flush it, clean the hull and do other routine checks. Also I coat the exterior with either WD-40 or Boeshield.<br /><br />I have asked SEVERAL mechanics here in the area about flushing on a tilt. I get mixed respones. Most all of them say that harm won't accure if you just go down every few days and start your engine. This ensures water is circulating and nothing is drying out for salt deposits to built.<br /><br />Clymers manuael doesn't recommend flushing on a tilt, only the upright position.<br /><br />Do you have any comments on this????? I want to make sure I am doing things correctly.<br /><br /><br />I have an 85HP FORCE 1987. I know FORCE isn't a great motor, but its been trouble free for 4 years. Knock on wood - fishing season opens in 3 weeks (Rockfish) - Watch it break down.....

 

[philt]

Re: Flush or No Flush

Flushing after each use would be ideal but may not be practical for everyone. I have a 1976 70HP Evinrude on a boat moored in salt water where there is no easy to flush it out. It's still going strong after 25 years. It gets flushed only once at the end of each season, before winter storage. Never had a problem.

 

[TONY H]

Re: Flush or No Flush

Fishthebay, Yes, with an outboard you can flush at full tilt. The water pump is pressurizing the system so there wont be any hot spots. It's almost the same scenario as running the engine through very shallow water at a tilt. You may have to Start the motor at a lesser tilt because of the gas goeing into the carbs but when it starts drawing the fuel, you should be able to tilt it up so that the water pickup is out of the water and running off the muffs. <br /><br />I flush my engine as soon as I pull up the driveway. No matter what time I get home or who I may wake up. This way the salt has had little time to crystalize. The thought of Running the engine every few days, doesn't sit well with me. The hot engine is still evaporating the salt water almost immediately and leaving deposits of salt. Like making Rock candy.

 

[TONY H]

Re: Flush or No Flush

One additional note. For Long Island Ducks, With the silty water that is over there in Moriches, you would do that engine a lot of justice to get that stuff out of you water jackets.<br />And you will also go through water pump impellars more often then Ocean and North Shore boaters.

 

[JJEnner]

Re: Flush or No Flush

Guys-<br /><br />Most overwhelmed with the responses. I do live on the south shore of LI. The engine is a merc 250. It is going in the shopnext week for a 20hr overhaul (which includes a prop switch..thanks to you guys here on the BB). I do not have a trailer yet so pulling the boat out to flush is not a option at this time. But flush on a tilt seems to be the only option I have. Will I harm anything by doing this? Thanks again.<br /><br />happy boating

 

[muddog]

Re: Flush or No Flush

I’m glad to see I’m not the only one with this dilemma. I recently purchased a boat with a 1993 - 200hp Merc. Offshore. I dock the boat (in saltwater) and use it only on the weekends. I have heard mixed reports regarding flushing on tilt and I’m curious what everyone else is doing.<br /><br />Tony H posted - - “Put the Muffs on and turn on fresh water, Start the engine, tilt the motor up while running. Turn engine off and take off muffs.”<br /><br />Anyone foresee any problems here? Also how long should you run it? I know the muffs are the best way to flush but is there another way? Is there a kit for adding on freshwater flush to older engines?

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Flush or No Flush

Why don't you just attach the muffs and hose, then lower the unit back into the water. Provided the flusher physically stays in place, the fresh water forced in through the hose will enter the engine and do its job.

 

[wdknox]

Re: Flush or No Flush

As far as your mercruiser is concerned you do not want to run the engine with the outdrive at full tilt. You could do damage to the gimble bearing and u-joints. Only run the engine if the drive is with in the trim limits.

 

[BigBabyLou]

Re: Flush or No Flush

I bought my boat from a boater in Florida who lived in a bay and had a dock at his house. He used a 3-way water valve which he installed in the pick-up water hose to flush his engine after every use.<br /><br />This 3-way valve allowed him to attach a garden hose and with a flip flip of the lever he could run the engine while supplying fresh water from outside. I belive this is a very smart idea as he does not need to raise the outdrive or attach muffs to it for that procedure every time.<br /><br />If you are interested, I could maybe take a pic of that 3-way valve and post it here or send it to you via email.<br /><br />Lou

 

[Solittle]

Re: Flush or No Flush

I would sure like to see a picture of that 3 way valve. Post it here - - please!

 

[muddog]

Re: Flush or No Flush

I second the pict post BigBabyLou

 

[Cedarplug]

Re: Flush or No Flush

For twelve years I flushed a bayliner with a Volvo outdrive after every outing in the marina. Never had to replace any parts on that engine. All I did was cut the hose from the outdrive to the pump and put in a tee with a ball valve and a garden hose connector on it. When you connect a hose to it and open the ballvalve and turn it on it supplies fresh water to the engine and excess fresh water goes back thru the outdrive and keeps the strainer cleaned out. Never any problems. I know it's not so easy on some motors, but I'm sure there is a way to tap into the cooling system with fresh water.

 

[BigBabyLou]

Re: Flush or No Flush

My apology for you, guys, who are waiting for the picture of the valve. I'm trying to get my roommate to find his digital camera so that I can post the pic for you (you know how it goes: "it's somewhere in my room").<br /><br />But essentially, Cedarplug described the valve perfectly. Much better than I could. Thanks Cedarplug, would you maybe have a pic?<br /><br />It is really not hard to do, it just takes some fiddling with the pick-up hose from the lower unit to your engine.<br /><br />I promise, I'll try to get the pic up here this week. If someone else uses this flush system, could you please post a photo? Thx!<br /><br />Lou

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Flush or No Flush

I have a Sherwood flusher that I haven't installed on my inboard yet. It sounds like this might be what is being desribed. It's a valve that you splice into the pickup hose -- allows you to flush the cooling system with a hose (valve automatically blocks normal intake while flushing). They aren't cheap (about $70, I think). Try a search at the Boat US site under "engine flusher", or something similar. Boat US has one similar to mine, but a diff. mfg. You might get a hit at this site as well.

 

[BigBabyLou]

Re: Flush or No Flush

Ok, here are the pics.<br />#1 is the valve (located behind the engine) with a short hose attachment.<br />#2 shows close-up of the valve.<br />#3 and #4 show the valve and pickup hose from the port side.<br /><br />Hope this helps!<br />Lou<br /><br />P.S.: Sorry for the quality, that's the best I could do.<br /><br />

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