# Engine flushing



## Indy (Aug 21, 2015)

I usually run my engine between 20-30 minutes.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Until the water flow from the prop hub is warm or engine temp at 147 deg F. Usually about five minutes for the Yamaha F60.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I use a flush fitting with a small reservoir filled with Salt Terminator and run it until the reservoir runs clear. I’ll never flush with water only unless I have no choice. Your cooling system will thank you.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

I flush using the flush adapters and not muffs. I let the water run until the water coming from the pisser has cooled off. If running on muffs just to run it, I will run until the water from the pisser is hot to the touch, about 4-5 minutes or so.


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## Guest (Sep 24, 2018)

Run the engine long enough to reach operating temp. This will allow the t stat to open and flush more salt/crud out. And like Smackdaddy53 said, use salt away or salt terminator every chance you get... you won’t regret it!


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## Pudldux (Mar 3, 2016)

jay.bush1434 said:


> I flush using the flush adapters and not muffs. I let the water run until the water coming from the pisser has cooled off. If running on muffs just to run it, I will run until the water from the pisser is hot to the touch, about 4-5 minutes or so.


With the suzukis you are not to run the motor when using the flush adapters, only the muffs. Also there is another I take under the cav plate you need to put a piece of tape over when flushing. Don't forget to remove it when done. 

Limeaway or CLR are very effective if you can't find salt away.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

Pudldux said:


> With the suzukis you are not to run the motor when using the flush adapters, only the muffs. Also there is another I take under the cav plate you need to put a piece of tape over when flushing. Don't forget to remove it when done.
> 
> Limeaway or CLR are very effective if you can't find salt away.


That is a good point for folks to remember. Don't run the motor while using the flush adapter. I've never had an issue needing to tape over the hole under the anti-cav plate when flushing with muffs. I also don't understand the need to use a flush additive to get rid of salt in my cooling system when salt is water soluble. My situation my be different than most since I'm hooking up the flush adapter as soon as my boat is in the lift. The engine is still hot so the thermostats are open. By the time the water coming out of the pisser is cool, there isn't any salt, dirt, grime, slime or anything in the cooling jacket except garden hose water. Honestly, I think flushing the salt out, which holds moisture, with mineral laden freshwater in the garden hose that can leave hard mineral deposits and truly clog up the cooling journals and thermostats is counterintuitive. That is however, a contentious discussion for a different thread. The OP asked for flushing advice and I, along with others, offered my $0.02...


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

jay.bush1434 said:


> That is a good point for folks to remember. Don't run the motor while using the flush adapter. I've never had an issue needing to tape over the hole under the anti-cav plate when flushing with muffs. I also don't understand the need to use a flush additive to get rid of salt in my cooling system when salt is water soluble. My situation my be different than most since I'm hooking up the flush adapter as soon as my boat is in the lift. The engine is still hot so the thermostats are open. By the time the water coming out of the pisser is cool, there isn't any salt, dirt, grime, slime or anything in the cooling jacket except garden hose water. Honestly, I think flushing the salt out, which holds moisture, with mineral laden freshwater in the garden hose that can leave hard mineral deposits and truly clog up the cooling journals and thermostats is counterintuitive. That is however, a contentious discussion for a different thread. The OP asked for flushing advice and I, along with others, offered my $0.02...


A guide buddy and one of my good fishing buddies has used Salt Terminator and the flush fitting on all of his outboards and I have done the maintenance on his current Suzuki 250 and at over 600 hours the cooling system looks brand new. I’ve seen cooling passages and thermostats on motors that are flushed with tap water and there are always deposits left behind. The Salt Terminator leaves a residue behind that the crud can’t stick to and begin building up. I used it on my last outboard and my current outboard and I do my own maintenance on them as well and they are pristine inside the water jackets. I’m not sure there’s a reason not to use it, I’m just interjecting my firsthand experience with the product.


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2018)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> A guide buddy and one of my good fishing buddies has used Salt Terminator and the flush fitting on all of his outboards and I have done the maintenance on his current Suzuki 250 and at over 600 hours the cooling system looks brand new. I’ve seen cooling passages and thermostats on motors that are flushed with tap water and there are always deposits left behind. The Salt Terminator leaves a residue behind that the crud can’t stick to and begin building up. I used it on my last outboard and my current outboard and I do my own maintenance on them as well and they are pristine inside the water jackets. I’m not sure there’s a reason not to use it, I’m just interjecting my firsthand experience with the product.


This! As a veteran outboard tech I can tell you this stuff works great! I can’t tell you why as I am no chemist but is does leave a residue that inhibits corrosion and build up! There are places salt and crud can settle in inside coolant passages that flushing just won’t remove sometimes so I say why not use a product that can make your investment last longer and potentially help it hold some resale value if you keep records and reciepts! JMHO.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Ok, stupid question: how do you get this salt terminator stuff into the muffs and in the system?


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## Pudldux (Mar 3, 2016)

Buy a set of muffs that has a reservoir attached to it. Unscrew it and fill it up. About 4 oz reservoirs.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

SomaliPirate said:


> Ok, stupid question: how do you get this salt terminator stuff into the muffs and in the system?


https://www.crcindustries.com/produ...ner-corrosion-inhibitor-mixer-unit-SXMXR.html


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## scissorhands (Apr 8, 2012)

I'm probably the minority here, but I don't ever flush my motor.


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

Looking at the water deposits from our tap water here in Florida I am not all that convinced that flushing it is better than just saltwater. Granted, I still flush it but through the flush adapter rather than the muffs. I do think it says in my Mercury manual you can run it with the adapter hooked up. As mentioned above I remember seeing in the Honda manual about placing tape over one of the water intakes when flushing it as well. Honestly, if I fished every day I would probably never flush it and it would be better off. I see thousands of hours on lodge skiffs in Mexico that have never tasted fresh water and operate seemingly forever.


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## efi2712micro (Sep 17, 2015)

nativejax said:


> Looking at the water deposits from our tap water here in Florida I am not all that convinced that flushing it is better than just saltwater. Granted, I still flush it but through the flush adapter rather than the muffs. I do think it says in my Mercury manual you can run it with the adapter hooked up. As mentioned above I remember seeing in the Honda manual about placing tape over one of the water intakes when flushing it as well. Honestly, if I fished every day I would probably never flush it and it would be better off. I see thousands of hours on lodge skiffs in Mexico that have never tasted fresh water and operate seemingly forever.


I think it is a cheap insurance to flush with fresh water. Besides salts, there is also mud and other stuff. salt terminator and other products contains surfactants (soaps) which will help get these things off and also keep the minerals in fresh water from depositing in your lines!


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## efi2712micro (Sep 17, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> https://www.crcindustries.com/produ...ner-corrosion-inhibitor-mixer-unit-SXMXR.html


They have it as bundles at BPC and other online stores ....


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

efi2712micro said:


> I think it is a cheap insurance to flush with fresh water. Besides salts, there is also mud and other stuff. salt terminator and other products contains surfactants (soaps) which will help get these things off and also keep the minerals in fresh water from depositing in your lines!


I agree with you and exactly why I still always flush mine but seeing the deposits just make me wonder


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## krash (Jan 9, 2007)

Recently had a conversation with a supposed Yammie mechanic... about the flushing subject. Was with my neighbor buddy buying parts to replace the pump, housing/impeller/parts, for his twin 2006/2007 Yammie 115's... he replaces the impellers every year, and the motor currently have over 1000 hours... standard use run out troll for hours, run back, or run out/down run the motors for hours while diving for lobster, run back in.

He flushes both ways when washing down the boat we hook up the hose to the built in adapter for a few minutes, then once in a while at least once every few weeks if the boat is sitting he'll hook up the muffs and run them for a while.. he made a double muff set using a Y connector and can run both at the same time.

The mechanic said he suggest not using the built in hose adapter and suggest alway flush with the muff's if you can. Reason he stated is when you hook up the hose the cold water does not allow the thermostats to cycle and you are missing part of the water passages form being flushed well.
He then said the double setup is alos not a good idea, because most house's domw here do not have enough water pressure to support enough water for a running motor for very long... he suggest 5 to 7 minutes is enough time to flush with the muffs, and watch the water pressure or temp gage if you have one. My buddies boat has neither only the idiot liet on the Yammie Tach/gage so we have to rely on the feel and taste of the water from the pizzzer tube.

The guy put on his salesman hat and popoo'd buying the parts online and clains the quality of non manufacturer parts is not good as Yammie genuine parts.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I flush for 3-5 minutes with plain water to let it push out any salt, sand, grit, etc. Then I flip the reservoir over to Salt Away for another couple of minutes before I turn it off so the Salt Away residue remains.

Before I had this new Tohatsu 50 I had a 1995 Merc 115 two stroke. Used the same approach on that old Merc and it ran like a champ.


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