FLushing an outboard

[rheron]

Got this tip for a friend:

with the motor on the transom, I tilt it up and slip a plastic kitchen trash can underneath (with a small line lashing the trash bin's handle back to the boat). then I drop the motor back down (bottom of the outboard now pushing the empty can into the water)... then I fill the trashbin with fresh water until it comes neutral in the water.

At this point, I disconnect the fuel line and then start the motor (gear in neutral of couse) and let the motor run until it stalls (drawing fresh water from the trashbin and depositing the flush water from the cooling water exit back into the sea. This both clears the motor of two stroke premix as well as flushes the motor.

After the motor stalls (from lack of fuel), I simply tilt the motor up and dump the remaining freshwater in the trashbin back in the sea ( and then store the trashbin onboard for the next trip (under the cockpit seating).

[sailingdog]

You can use this to flush an outboard motor of salt water.

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|311|53239|314198&id=56334

[billdprat]

Way back when someone posted to Sailnet about a friend having a fitting on a Honda 7.5 that allowed fresh water flushing. Anyone know if that can be added as a retrofit?

I've been going through all kinds of gyrations trying to flush my 8 HP Honda with the little knuckle shaped adapter, very difficult at my marina. Have found part number from Honda, trying to figure out if it can be retrofit.

Any thoughts or experience appreciated.

Bill Prater
Tampa, FL

[TohatsuGuru]

Back to the Nissan...The flusher for that model can be purchased from any Tohatsu/Nissan or Mercury dealer. It screws in underneath the power head and all outboards should be flushed after every saltwater use. If you chose not to flush then you do so at your own peril.

On the Honda. Honda offer's a specialized flusher for that model. You can get it Boat and Motor Superstores in Palm Harbor or from any other Honda dealer if you can find one. I think Kieth's Marine in Riverview dropped Honda so there may not be a dealer in Hillsborough county anymore.

[CaptKermie]

Originally Posted by TohatsuGuru

all outboards should be flushed after every saltwater use. If you chose not to flush then you do so at your own peril.

On the Honda. Honda offer's a specialized flusher for that model. You can get it Boat and Motor Superstores in Palm Harbor or from any other Honda dealer if you can find one.

Gee I have a Honda 50 on my Macgregor Sailboat and a 5 hp Honda on my dinghy and I only flush them at the end of the summer (september) I have mouse ears but never used them and I have the little fitting that screws into the motor leg on the 50 but never used it. Either way I figure the motor cannot be tilted to flush and if it is in the water the mouse ears only cover two holes so the third under the plate would draw salt water. Ditto for the hose fitting, if I connect it and put the engine down it would draw salt water from all three intakes and mix it with fresh from the fitting, so now what? Well I get home with the boat (season end) and put a big 70 litre tub under the engine filled with fresh water and flush it for a few weekends until I think it is cleared then winterize or just run the engine once every weekend all through the winter, then change the oil come spring and start a new season. Been doing this 5 years now starting my 6th summer. Can one flush the engine while it is tilted & raised out of the water? That is why I don't flush till season end. I suppose I should do it more often.

[uspirate]

Why do you always have to make things so complicated?...push the lever, duh!

[TohatsuGuru]

That's funny You need to check with a Honda dealer as to whether or not you can flush the 50 at full tilt. I haven't sold a Honda since 2003 and things may have changed, but up until then the answer was no. You could get away with it up to the high trim point.

[Wayne25]

There is an adapter made for this water inlet set up. Its a flat adapter that connects to the bottom of the fin. I bought one for my Mariner 15 HP. I'll try to get the info for you today. Seems to work ok if you can reach or get access to the fin.

[Hartley18]

Does anyone know if there is a flushing adapter for old (1981) Johnson's??

At the moment we fill a bucket and afterwards empty it on the garden, but in this age of drought there must be a better way to do it...