flushing outboard motor

[SirEnvy]

Hello everyone! I've been searching the net, and seem to come across many opinions on flushing an outboard motor. I have an older 92', and the reason I stated the year is because some people believe that the older 2-strokes are much more resistant to salt, rather to the newer 4-strokes. I havent flushed my motor out in about a week, since its in a different location, so its hard to get too(long story...........) I normally flush the motor out once every week, or try to keep it in a 2 week range. I just purchased salt-a-way and will use it for the first time soon, and my question is how often to you flush your motor?

Some people tell me if you use the boat weekly, then you shouldnt have to worry much, since you are cycling water threw your engine(words from a boat mechanic) but he also told me to use salt-a-way atleast 2 times a year just for preventative maintenance. Is it true if I run my boat often, flushing shouldnt be a problem, just as long as you actually USE your boat?

I've heard some people NEVER flush their motor out and they dont seem to have a problem.

Thanks guys for the responses!

 

[F_R]

Re: flushing outboard motor

Are you asking for opinions or facts? You will get many opinions on this subject, but few facts. So here is my opinion after getting up every morning and going to work in the outboard service shop for 24 years---in a salt water area.

In my opinion: If you don't flush it immediatly when coming in, it doesn't do much good. But any flushing is better than no flushing. Corrosion takes place even if you do flush because you can't get the salt water out of things like screw threads.

In my opinion, and my opinion only, so don't sue me, Salt Away is a waste, if not a fraud. WATER is the solvent for salt.

As for me and my motors, I would flush them ever time I use it and immediatly. If I were using it every day, it really wouldn't mater if I did or not.

 

[SirEnvy]

Re: flushing outboard motor

Interesting....so if I didnt flush it a week ago, any damage probably, if any, has been done you say. I use it often, just about 2-3 days a week, but this past week I haven't been able to use it as much. So if I use it often, I shouldn't have to worry, and if I were to flush it, I should flush it when I dock.

 

[sschefer]

Re: flushing outboard motor

Those that don't flush motors and put a 1000 hours on them are typically commercial users and do that in one, maybe two years. Manufacturers have learned to either limit warranties to 1 year or not warranty commercial use at all, (salt or fresh). Think about that and then flush that thing right away after every use. I've been inside salty motors. There's not much worth salvaging on most of them over 5 years old even when they are meticoulously maintained.

Is the damage done? Hard to say for sure but odds are that there is already an accumulation of hard to remove deposits and adding to them by not flushing after each use is certainly more probable. What I mean to say is that each use adds a little even when you do flush but letting it set without a flush will most certainly add more.

 

[Slow Ride]

Re: flushing outboard motor

Just another two cents! FLUSH FLUSH FLUSH! It only takes a couple of minutes and it can be done at home, the local car wash, virtually every marina I have ever used. I have even borrowed the water hose at local businesses when I'm in a foreign area. I have never heard anyone say that flushing hurt an engine. I have however heard countless stories about motors with major damage from not being flushed! Its a no brainer. Take a look at your trailer! Notice the corrosion on every surface, especially where there is a joint or where any two pieces of metal touch. The same thing is happening inside your motor and the ONLY defense you have is fresh water. Flushing takes five minutes. A rebuild costs 3-6K depending on engine size and make.

 

[SirEnvy]

Re: flushing outboard motor

Just another two cents! FLUSH FLUSH FLUSH! It only takes a couple of minutes and it can be done at home, the local car wash, virtually every marina I have ever used. I have even borrowed the water hose at local businesses when I'm in a foreign area. I have never heard anyone say that flushing hurt an engine. I have however heard countless stories about motors with major damage from not being flushed! Its a no brainer. Take a look at your trailer! Notice the corrosion on every surface, especially where there is a joint or where any two pieces of metal touch. The same thing is happening inside your motor and the ONLY defense you have is fresh water. Flushing takes five minutes. A rebuild costs 3-6K depending on engine size and make.

I do normally flush after every use, but sometimes I may not do it, because I know I am going out in a couple of days. However, when I know I am going to be gone for awhile, or not planning on using it, I ALWAYS flush my motor out. A week is the longest since I have not flushed it out. But I am not the orignal owner, so im not sure what he did...........

so if I dont flush it after use, and want to flush it, lets say tomorrow, its not going to do any good, because its already been a week? or should I take it out on the water, then flush it?

About Salt-a-way. Does it clean out my ports if salt is building up in the passages? Thats what I was told from someone. It breaks it down, and flushes it out with the water.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: flushing outboard motor

although you should brush your teeth every day, if you skip a day, your teeth won't fall out.

Don't fret over missing an occasional flush. that last unflushed run of salt water isn't going to cake up your innards.

It's my opinion that the salt water dries inside the hot motor so quickly that if you don't flush at the ramp, you aren't doing a whole lot of good, because flushing, which is low pressure, isn't going to scour away any dried deposits. It may, however, melt and wash surface salt. But afgter a few days it's the same as a few weeks--won't matter.

Isn't it the same question as how often--and quickly--do you wash the road salt off your car's undercarriage? What happens if it sits for a day? A week? Is the car that is washed twice a week any worse off if it gets skipped a week?

Flushing, generally, is good but it's not the most important thing.

 

[SirEnvy]

Re: flushing outboard motor

thats what I was thinking as well...flush as much as you can, if you dont, then its not the end of the world. Its an outboard motor and I am assuming they can take it...now if I knew I was not going to use it for months, then I should store it accordingly.

 

[F_R]

Re: flushing outboard motor

Another comment, and I'll drop the subject: I think the confusion concerns just what you are trying to flush out. We all (well some of us) remember our junior high school class experiments where we disolved some salt in some water and evaporated the water. After the water was gone, the salt re-crystallized to it's original form. You could do that over and over again.

The same thing happens in your outboard. Let the water evaporate and the salt crystallizes and remains behind. Run some water through it and the salt crystals disolve and flush away. No magic potions are required.

HOWEVER, the rest of the story is that the salt causes the aluminum to corrode. That corrosion build-up is what clogs passages and siezes screws and is not salt, and nothing will disolve it. The reason for flushing is to hopefully delay some corrosion. Once the corrosion is there, the "good" aluminum that formed it is gone, and there is no restoring it. Moreover, the salt penetrates into the pores of the metal casting, and you may flush it off the surface, but you don't get fresh water down deep into the surface, and the corrosion continues. Same goes for every other crack and joint where the salt may lurk.

So, flushing certainly is beneficial, the sooner the better. But it will not totally prevent corrosion damage.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: flushing outboard motor

Definitely nobody flushes commercial outboards that remains at sea and are used daily, will need full maintenance and parts change every 1, at the most 2 years, will find near obstructed small water passages in the form of crusts which are difficult to remove by non mechanical ways, will also experiment some kind of metal corrossion between head/head gasket/crankcase. If possible flush non commercial engines for at least 5 minutes after each use, parts will last longer.

Happy Boating