Flushing the motor

[fireboat46]

After a day out on the water, what is the best way to flush the motor. Is it better to back flush through where the water pump sprays out at the top of the motor or is it better to use the ear muffs and run the motor for a few minutes?? Or should I do both?? What do you do??

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Flushing the motor

Run it on the ear muffs until the motor warms up (thermostat opens). Shouldn't need much more than that.

 

[Blake0912]

Re: Flushing the motor

I flush my motors after every use (salt water) on the muffs for about 10-15 mins and use a product called salt away to help prevent salt deposits.

I've never seen anybody flush by shooting water up the tell tail? I guess that's what you mean by back flushing. All you will do is get yourself wet.
But my Yamaha does have a quick flush where you hook the hose to a fitting that lets water flow threw the power head and it's great because you get better water pressure, but never run the motor while using the quick flush you will burn your impeller up.

 

[boobie]

Re: Flushing the motor

What mtr is it ??

 

[fireboat46]

Re: Flushing the motor

It's a 98' Johnson 225, I've heard of people back flushing thru that port with the motor off its the same threads as a garden hose.

 

[Blake0912]

Re: Flushing the motor

You may have a quick flush connect I've seen them on that motor before , post a pic of it. That's a better way to flush it then the muffs if you have that feature.

 

[boobie]

Re: Flushing the motor

That is correct. Just don't over-rev it, let it idle and don't lose the plug or the oring when done or it will overheat the next time you run it. BRP does make a flush kit for it, 775385. Check with your local BRP dealer.

 

[Blake0912]

Re: Flushing the motor

Im not sure what Johnson reccomends , but on my Yamaha I was told not to run it while using the quick flush because it will burn up your impeller , there's not enough water flow going to the water pump. If you want to run the motor on the hose use the muffs.

 

[boobie]

Re: Flushing the motor

I've heard that about Yamahas but I have ran them at idle and it never hurt them. Got that info from a Yamaha field rep.

 

[Blake0912]

Re: Flushing the motor

I ran my yamaha like that for a little while but my impellers were not lasting more than a season, so I figured it was from running it on the quick flush. You should not have to run it since the hose is putting good PSI threw the powerhead, no need for the water pump to do the work. Just my .02

 

[fireboat46]

Re: Flushing the motor

Great thanks everyone, I'll try to get a pic of it up

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Flushing the motor

I've heard that about Yamahas but I have ran them at idle and it never hurt them. Got that info from a Yamaha field rep.

A lot of people do that and are surprised to learn they shouldn't. Maybe they are just lucky. I think that if you run it that way after a day of boating, the impeller is wet (lubed) and also water has to drop down in to the pump area while flushing.

The guy I bought my Yam 150 from demonstrated the motor that way; he didn't know and neither did I. I learned about why not to do that, but since it doesn't hurt the motor, and I was replacing the impeller first thing, it didn't matter.

What is surprising is that a Yam rep said it was OK. Either he didn't know, or the owner's manual is overly cautious (like you can run a Yam at idle for a good distance with no oil but they aren't going to tell you to!)

 

[boobie]

Re: Flushing the motor

The Yamaha rep that told me that was in the shop one day checking out a problem mtr runing on the flusher. I asked him about it and he said if you didn't rev it up, you were okay. He reminded me that water always runs down hill. Think about the old OMC Stringers that had the flusher on the trunion cap. I've ran them for a heck of a long time and never hurt the water pump. Sometimes a rep can't tell you all he knows.

 

[Blake0912]

Re: Flushing the motor

That may be true but I know from personal experience it burned up some of my impellers faster running the Yamaha on the quick flush vs my Johnson that I always ran on the muffs the impeller would last a few years.

What Is different about just turning the hose on and letting it flush the block and running the motor during this process? To me there is no point to run the motor during this process since the hose pressure is doing the work , not the water pump.

 

[boobie]

Re: Flushing the motor

Are you saying that just by turning the flush hose on you're not getting any water to the impeller at all ?? If so, how do you flush that ??

 

[Blake0912]

Re: Flushing the motor

I know by using the quick flush you are getting water to the impeller. I'm just saying that by using a quick flush you can flush your engine without running the motor ... I was just asking what is the perk of using the quick flush and running the motor , does running the motor at the same time flush it "better"? Like I said before while using the quick flush I do not believe that you are getting adequate water flow at the impeller , therefor causing the impeller to wear out faster. If you need to run the motor on dry land using just the muffs is better because it insures that the impeller is getting adequate water flow. This is just my Openion and what I have learned threw my own experience.

 

[Blake0912]

Re: Flushing the motor

I know that when you are using the muffs and just turn the hose on without stating the motor it will no nothing , obviously. I was just referring to the quick flush system the OP has on his Johnson/ the yamaha quick flush system we have been referring to.