flushing your Outboard and what Revs?

[jeffb5.8]

So how long do you run your motor when flushing?

Do you flush on idle or do you do a higher Rpm than Idle?

 

i usually run it for about 5 mins on idle (650rpm) using the ear muffs.

[Berleyguts]

I flush on idle while I’m unpacking the boat, so that would be 5 minutes at least if the dogs aren’t annoying me. I do give it a few short bursts at higher revs just to be sure the water flows through strongly. Oh, and I taste the water to make sure there’s no more salt left! I used to fish with a guy who would lick his Marlin Billfisher down to make sure he had removed all of the salt from it - he was on a salt free diet and reckoned he could taste if there was the slightest bit of salt left in the hull! ?

Edited July 21, 2018 by Berleyguts

[zmk1962]

200hp 2stroke - flush for a few minutes after thermostats open up - ie few min aftertemp gauge reaches normal op temperature. (Start ? when telltale fires...)

15hp 4stroke - same re thermostat/temperature. Then I disconnect fuel and let it run until the carby bowl is dry. (Finish ?.....)

Most of the flush for both motors is at idle but I do give it a squirt to take revs up around 2000rpm - guess it’s just piece of mind to hear the pickup is smooth rather then anything to do with flushing. 

Cheers

Zoran

[jeffb5.8]

Ok so I do the same

 

let it flush while I unload and fill my soapy water bucket and then I give it a few light revs and idle the shut down.

[Nolongeramember]

3 hours ago, jeffb5.8 said:

So how long do you run your motor when flushing?

Do you flush on idle or do you do a higher Rpm than Idle?

 

i usually run it for about 5 mins on idle (650rpm) using the ear muffs.

60HP4. I flush in a drum for a few minutes after the telltale is warm. About 10- 15mins all up. I put revs up to just under the out of gear limiter which is about 2000 from memory. This gets the thermostat to open as much as possible as it needs more water flow to keep the engine cool. I suspect at idle there would be very little flow through the thermostat. 

[rickmarlin62]

do you change the water in the drum    if not it will retain salt  defeats purpose

[Fab1]

I've  forgotten how to flush it's been so long I've been out.But i "use" to flush at the ramp on the way home for a few minutes just above ticker.

One flush I'll need to do is flush the cobwebs out of my boat.But it does serve another good purpose in the garage according to the mrs.It makes a great cloths line.?

[Fab1]

1 hour ago, rickmarlin62 said:

do you change the water in the drum    if not it will retain salt  defeats purpose

Maybe he has the telltale squirting outside the drum mate and the water constantly filling.I know what you mean by it not being ideal.Thats what i use to do when using a drum.

Edited July 22, 2018 by Fab1

[jeffb5.8]

So since I was out on the Harbour when I asked the question, when I got home I timed how long to see if my 5mins was accurate and hell I even tasted the tell tale just for a laugh.

12 minutes and the water didn’t taste salty. Gave it a few revs and then back to idle and shut it down.

but I didn’t lick my boat after washing figured it didn’t look salty so it would be fine.??

 

[raging]

I’m sure there is a bung licking joke there somewhere. 

 

 

[jeffb5.8]

1 hour ago, raging said:

I’m sure there is a bung licking joke there somewhere. 

 

 

Ha Ha 

[Nolongeramember]

4 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said:

do you change the water in the drum    if not it will retain salt  defeats purpose

I think we have been over this before.

The hose is constantly on in the drum and water overflowing. Water outputs from the engine don’t go back in the drum except for the exhaust outlet  

Even if all the water in the drum was recirculating I’d be happy the engine is clean enough. It’s kind of like saying washing the salt off a fishing reel in a bucket of water defeats the purpose. 

[kingie chaser]

How many are using Salt Away at the end of their flush cycle?

[JonD]

13 hours ago, kingie chaser said:

How many are using Salt Away at the end of their flush cycle?

I've always been told to not rev an outboard, this is from several outboard mechanics.

Ive used saltaway for many years,  according to my mechanic my outboard internals are like new, same goes for my trailer. My mechanic also now recommends saltaway to customers even though he doesn't sell it since I introduced him to it a few years ago. 

My flushing is normally within 2 mins of getting the boat out of the water, at this point the engine is still warm so doesn't need a long flush to warm the engine and open the thermostat.  Once I feel confident the thermostat is open ( warm water coming through the tel tale ) I turn the mixer from just water to saltaway mix. After around 30 seconds of saltaway clearly coming out of all the places it should I stop the engine, which leaves saltaway inside the internal parts. 

I then use the last of the saltaway in the mixer to wash the trailer and boat by swapping the muffs for a spray hose head.

Edited July 22, 2018 by JonD

[jeffb5.8]

I’m 38 seconds from the ramp and by the time I pull up and put the Muffs in it would be two minutes.

to bad my new place is 3mins from the ramp

[JonD]

1 hour ago, jeffb5.8 said:

I’m 38 seconds from the ramp and by the time I pull up and put the Muffs in it would be two minutes.

to bad my new place is 3mins from the ramp

We have flush down taps at the ramp, I could do it at home but why waste 20 cents worth of water ?

[Fab1]

6 hours ago, JonD said:

We have flush down taps at the ramp, I could do it at home but why waste 20 cents worth of water ?

Just use your neighbours tap.My old neighbour even use to water his garden,wash his car,etc when the neighbour was on holidays.Thats saving for you.

[Guest Guest123456789]

i think the hose pressure on the earmuffs is more important than the amount of time flushing. i give it a hit with high pressure for 5 mins at no revs which I theorise would displace more salt than low pressure at 10 mins.

I did have one of the two water outlets clog up once and so i upped the water presssure to near max and it unclogged the blockage. Since then i've flushed with high pressure for a shorter amount of time.

Edited July 22, 2018 by Guest123456789
typo

[JonD]

21 minutes ago, flatheadluke said:

i think the hose pressure on the earmuffs is more important than the amount of time flushing. i give it a hit with high pressure for 5 mins at no revs which I theorise would displace more salt than low pressure at 10 mins.

I did have one of the two water outlets clog up once and so i upped the water presssure to near max and it unclogged the blockage. Since then i've flushed with high pressure for a shorter amount of time.

Depending on the outboard make some recommend not using pressure over 45 psi http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2013/August/outboard-flushing-the-right-way.asp

[frankS]

Luke. I have to disagree with you about high pressure through the flush ears. I just use enough pressure to keep the water pump full of water. It is my belief that high pressure doesn't do much for the circulation as the impella would prevent water getting into the pump any quicker than the impella is turning, it is the pump that circulates water not pressure.

I could be wrong but this has been my belief for over 50 years of flushing motors.

Frank

[Guest Guest123456789]

7 hours ago, frankS said:

Luke. I have to disagree with you about high pressure through the flush ears. I just use enough pressure to keep the water pump full of water. It is my belief that high pressure doesn't do much for the circulation as the impella would prevent water getting into the pump any quicker than the impella is turning, it is the pump that circulates water not pressure.

I could be wrong but this has been my belief for over 50 years of flushing motors.

Frank

Thanks Frank, you sure know your stuff so l’ll be sure to dial the pressure back a bit next go around.

[jeffb5.8]

22 hours ago, JonD said:

We have flush down taps at the ramp, I could do it at home but why waste 20 cents worth of water ?

Well our ramp has little fresh water jets so as you pull out of the river it washes the underside of your trailer and Does Tyre shine as well.

Too Far?

[JonD]

On 7/23/2018 at 6:45 AM, Fab1 said:

Just use your neighbours tap.My old neighbour even use to water his garden,wash his car,etc when the neighbour was on holidays.Thats saving for you.

I dare not, I've already got my extension lead in their electric box, maybe at the end of winter when I don't need the heaters on anymore?

[Fab1]

46 minutes ago, JonD said:

I dare not, I've already got my extension lead in their electric box, maybe at the end of winter when I don't need the heaters on anymore?

Just dig a trench and hard wire it in like i did while they're out.Less obvious that way.

[Fab1]

17 hours ago, jeffb5.8 said:

Well our ramp has little fresh water jets so as you pull out of the river it washes the underside of your trailer and Does Tyre shine as well.

Too Far?

Mine has an elf on the ramp exit that does the final detail after the tyre shine of polishing the chrome wheel nuts and sticks a chev badge on the transom.I notice it goes a lot faster down the freeway after that.