Good Reasons for Boat Motor Flushing

 

Boat motor flushing is definitely worth the effort even if the boat is used in fresh water. For the saltwater boater, flushing a boat motor has added advantage. A boat motor flush does not only remove the salts, it also removes other contaminants such as silt, minute organisms and dilutes the residual chemicals from the combustion process.

 

Built-In Boat Engine Motor Flushers

 

To flush an inboard engine with a through-hull intake is to disconnect the intake hose on the inside and connect that to a hose. Perko and Groco offer special permanent flushing valves you can add to allow attaching a hose for quick and easy flushing without needing tools.

 

There are nifty boat engine flushers that are either built into the cooling circuit or portable units that aid in flushing a boat motor. The best boat motor flusher will depend on the type of propulsion installation and how much one is prepared to spend on flushing out a boat motor.

 

For an inboard motor flusher there is an option of installing a diverter valve in the cooling system. This allows one to connect a clean fresh water source to the valve, shut the inlet sea cock and be able to run the engine out of the water. There is also an alternative option that works but it is not nearly as convenient such as the Flush Buddy from Panther®.

 

Ear Muff Engine Flushers

 

Outboards and most sterndrive engines feature cooling-water intakes on the gear case. Outboard motors and stern drives must use the earmuff type motor flusher such as manufactured by Moeller® . These outboard motor flushers are available with round or rectangular cups and deliver water in either one cup or both cups simultaneously.

 

These options are intended for different size engines because of the volume of coolant required. The newer outboard motors come equipped with an onboard flushing port. The downside with these ports or the temptation of installing a flushing port on a stern drive is that these ports do not allow one to run the motor when using this port.

 

Whereas the earmuff type supply water to the raw water pump allowing the motor to run whilst out of the water. Being able to run the motor out of the water is often beneficial when maintaining or repairing the motor. Salt removers are available that help remove deposits in the raw water-cooling system such as Salt-Away by Salt Away Products®. Salt Engine Flushes are specifically designed to remove salt from any surface and is verry effective in flushing salt water from a boat motor.

 

How to Flush Your Engine with a Motor Flusher

 

Push the engine flusher on from the front of the gear case. Make sure the cups cover the intake grates. The clips of the flusher act like a spring to hold it in place. If your engine or drive has low-water pickups, you want to make sure these do not suck in air while flushing. You can tape with duck tape temporarily to prevent air from entering the motor. Turn on the water and let it run for a bit and then start the engine. If water does not discharge through the exhaust or telltale hole after a minute, shut down and look for a blockage.

 

How long should you flush a boat motor

 

How long one should flush a boat motor will depend on how effective the flushing system is and with a sound system. A mere five minutes should be sufficient for any motor even if it is prepared for winter. It is also good practice to flush all motors when preparing for a coming winter. Boat motors with deposits in the cooling system, especially salts will absorb moisture from the air, and this will lead to unwanted corrosion or electrolysis.

 

Winterizing a boat motor is an important part of boat ownership in frigid climates, and care must be taken to avoid having any standing fresh water in the cooling system after flushing to avoid damage from freezing. Therefore, if boat motor flushing is the task at hand, rest assured Go2Marine has the items you need, in stock, ready to ship at prices that won’t break the budget, and good luck with safely flushing your vessels motor.