I have a Mercury 175 HP, 2-Stroke, 2.5 liter V-6. Serial # OD223009, Model #1175412ND. I think it's either a '92 or '93 model year.<br /><br />The boat stays in saltwater during the boating season. The mooring set up makes it easy to attach flushing muffs with the engine tilted. So last season I would put on the muffs and flush with fresh water. I'd monitor it to make sure there was a stream out of the telltale and through the prop hub. <br /><br />It just occured to me that maybe this isn't the best idea since the engine wasn't really designed to run in this position. Does anyone know if this procedure is harmful to the engine?<br /><br />I tried a search on the topic and saw some vague results. Most referred to engines that had a hose attachment somewhere on the powerhead just for this purpose, and to flush without the engine running. Not an option on my engine, as far as I know.<br /><br />THANKS