Flushing salt water from your Tohatsu Motor after each use..

[chesiebaydecoys]

How does everyone flush their Tohatsu OB after each use? (for those of you on salt / brackish water)

My marina that installed my new 50hp TLDI motor said NOT to use the 'suction cup' thingies because it's not good for the motor and that I should fill up a 55 gal drum with fresh water and run it in that. I find this to be a tad bit inconvenient.

The owner's manual says to buy a special attachment from Tohatus to connect the hose to and to cover the lower holes above the lower unit with tape. I have a hard time seeing everyone doing that.

So what do you do / recommend?

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Flushing salt water from your Tohatsu Motor after each use..

The person at the marina that told you that is a fool. Do not run it in a drum as there is not a sufficient volume of water to circulate. The Tohatsu flusher is not the way to go either. The ear muff type flusher, correctly fitted, provides more tha enough water.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Flushing salt water from your Tohatsu Motor after each use..

I agree 100%. I always flush as long as it is not to late where I disturbe the neighbors. The mouse ears work great, keep the engine at idle and go for the ones that feed water to both side of the muffs. Here is where I have to disagree though. I dont know what the TOHATSU FLUSHER is but will assume it is an attachment that you connect the garden hose to for flushing the motor. So you run the hose, water comes out and you feel real good that you are doing the right thing. No you are not. To do an adequate job of flushing the engine, water has got to circulate past the thermostat which means the engine has got to remain hot, running. No other way you can do that unless your thermostat is removed or has bleed/bypass holes drilled in it.
This year I have started running my YAMAHA F-115 at idle while on the built in flush fitting. So far, no bad results after maby 40 times for 10 to 15 mins. Will not jump out there and say you can do it, no one will, but it works for me. If I am damaging the pump impeller my next move will be drilling some bypass holes in the thermostat disk. regards FRED