If I add a flush kit, what will I be flushing...

[Philster]

Engine: Raw-water cooled 502 Mercury in my Scarab.

History: Always a trailered boat. Flushed on the muffs after each use (most use is salt water).

This saltwater season: Rack storage. Need to add a flush kit. Return to marina, pull up at staging dock. Clean out boat, unload passengers and flush engine.

The motor will not be started after the flush at the staging dock. It will be pulled onto the forklift, sprayed down and stored inside.

What is actually getting flushed when the flush is done in the water with the engine shut down and the flush via flush kit?

 

[Don S]

Re: If I add a flush kit, what will I be flushing...

Depends on which kit you put on and where you install it. But most kits, if installed per their directions flushes the raw water system of the boat. If you have a raw water cooled engine, it flushes it too................. somewhat. Since the engine won't be running, the thermostat won't be open, which cuts down on a lot of the circulation of flushing water throught the engine.

 

[Philster]

Re: If I add a flush kit, what will I be flushing...

The flush would be done with a warm/hot engine after a day's use. I would suspect the thermostat would be open at this point.

Would I be flushing the exhaust, too?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: If I add a flush kit, what will I be flushing...

It would be flushing the exhaust.

Once the cold water hits the thermostat, it will start closing. Without the engine on to circulate the hot water past it, you will probably only get a small amount of water through the block.

Since you probably have a Bravo, ever thought of putting a neutra salt system on it? At least if there is some salt water sitting in there, you also would have the neutrasalt solution in there with it.

 

[Philster]

Re: If I add a flush kit, what will I be flushing...

I will look into that Neutra Salt product.

Appreciate my objective here: Rack storing a performance boat that is used in salt water. When I return to the marina for the Scarab to be lifted from the water and rack stored inside, I'd like to have the engine flushed, and getting the risers/exhaust flushed would be nice, too.

I just figured a hot engine that is quickly flushed via a typical flush kit would get water to all critical areas, but wasn't sure... thus my inquiry.

So, Nuetra Salt is going to make it to all parts of the engine...? I'd figure it'd run into the same problems with the thermostat...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: If I add a flush kit, what will I be flushing...

What you do with the neutrasalt is engage it while your engine is still in the salt water and running. You run it for 40 seconds.

Then, you flush with your flush kit later on the way you planned. If there is any salt water left in the block, you will also have the neutrasalt solution mixed in as well.

May be overkill. I basically do the same thing. At the ramp, I engage the neutrasalt and then when I get home, I flush. I also engage the neutrasalt again when i turn it off so the engine is stored with neutrasalt in it. In your case you won't be able to do that since the neutrasalt relies on the engine raw water pump to suck the solution through.