Flushing out an outboard engine

[Becky]

Following on from a post below, where he flushed out his engine after each use, I would like to know how to do this. I had a lovely little Mariner 3.3 last year, and an outboard flushing facility at the end of my pontoon in Chi marina.But having sold that boat and the dinghy and outboard with her, I have just bought a Mercury 8hp to go with our new Avon. But this engine is quite a lot heavier than the other one, and hasn't got a lever to engage neutral, so the book recommends taking off the prop to flush by squirting water up some place by the exhaust. I can't get the prop off each time I have used the engine- I don't think that I can get the prop off at all. Does anybody have any suggestion on how to keep the water passages clear? I can keep the engine in neutral if it stays on tick-over so the prop won't spin. But the cooling flow will be much slower. Will this be enough to do the trick?

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[saltyanchor]

I'm not used to big engines, so what I state here might be rubbish. Some engines have 'holes' where you can stick a hose, or attachement at the bottom of the leg to force water up, don't they?
But, can you not run the engine, in gear, in a dustbin of water? Perhaps 8hp is too big to lug arounf to do that? I have a stand for my 2.5 and 5 hp, and i use the dustbin method.
Having said that, I have a friend who never washes through at all, and says he's never had trouble.

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[Joe_Cole]

Becky,

You can get a device to help fix a hose onto your engine for flushing and you could always get the revs up by taking off the cowl and "tweaking" the throttle. However I wouldn't bother. Your engine will have a thermostat and will run a little hotter, the pump is bigger so is better at "scouring" the waterways; I've found that the bigger engines don't clog up so much. Apart from that an 8HP engine is much heavier and I'ld rather not lug it around so much!

Even if it does clog up, it won't happen overnight and you'll see by the tell tale that it's getting less water through so it can be de-clogged at your leisure.

Joe

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[Becky]

Thank you Joe. I hope you are right. The instructions indicate that to flush the engine, you leave it on the dinghy and remove the prop, and buy a thingy to stick into the water intake to connect a hosepiep to, and then run it. But as you say, it isn't easy to lug around, there isn't always a handy hose pipe available when one is away sailing. But I agree with what you say, there are lots of these sized engines on yachts that probably never get flushed out at all. And still function well. Still, I am glad I asked.

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[chippie]

My Yamaha 8hp has a lockout that prevents over revving in gear. This can be overridden by engaging gear , increasing throttle and disengaging gear. It will drop back into lock mode as soon as you reduce the revs. To avoid over revving this can be done with the engine off and starting it with the slightly raised revs once the engine is warm.

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[poter]

Becky,
It may not be the same but... I have just got a new Merc 3.3, and I was also wondering how to flush it, as its not very clear in the handbook (Yes some Men do read the instructions!)/forums/images/icons/wink.gif
My engine has a screw on attachment that flushes the waterways without the engine running, just a plain ended hose!

Or, can you not fit a set of muffs? look like headphones with a hose attached.

I found these guys really helpfull: DB Marine Tele: 01823 272222 (Merc Agents)

Oh by the by: Do not leave the flushing job, even at the end of a hard days boating, the last thing you need is nacked engine/forums/images/icons/mad.gif rowing against a 2 knot tide, in a rubber duck, you get stuffed very quickly...I know, hence the NEW outboard.

tara.

poter.


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[Birdseye]

Just junked my 2 hp Mariner after almost 20 years service and with flushing limited to once a year on lay up. It expired through a ham handed attempt to replace the cup in which the water pump turns - nothing to do with the salt water. Passages were slightly obstructed but nothing that stopped it working.

Its repacement is a 40 year old Seagull that impresses deeply. crude, noisy heavy and looks capable of lasting for another 40 years. Bit like an old British motorbike actually - no coincidence since I think it was designed by the chap who designed Sunbeam bikes. Or was it Triumph?

<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it. <P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by birdseye on 13/06/2004 18:23 (server time).</FONT></P>