# Flushing a motor



## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

Yupp.........Always flush - Salt or Brackish


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## tcov (Apr 7, 2018)

What he said ^


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## tcov (Apr 7, 2018)

You can also add other products like salt-away or similar to the flushing procedure.


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## KellyZ (Jan 21, 2017)

Mako 181 said:


> Yupp.........Always flush - Salt or Brackish


I agree it’s always best to flush the motor. I’ve just heard some people say there is no point if I just use it tomorrow!


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

All of the above.


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## NealXB2003 (Jun 8, 2020)

I don't flush every day on a multi day trip (can't really since it usually stays in the water overnight) but as soon as I get home I run salt away thru it.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

It’s too easy not to just flush it after every trip as soon as possible unless you like having issues that inhibit fishing time. Not worth it.


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## KellyZ (Jan 21, 2017)

NealXB2003 said:


> I don't flush every day on a multi day trip (can't really since it usually stays in the water overnight) but as soon as I get home I run salt away thru it.


Yea I can understand that. I don’t usually have multi day trips without pulling my boat so I just flush it after each use.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

I'll disagree with all of the advice above.

There is no reason to flush a motor as long as you have a family member who is a motor dealer.


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## KellyZ (Jan 21, 2017)

DuckNut said:


> I'll disagree with all of the advice above.
> 
> There is no reason to flush a motor as long as you have a family member who is a motor dealer.


Hahaha that’s a good point! Unfortunately not all of us do!


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

I remember the old days as a kid. No ear muffs or hose connector on the motor. 
my dad made us bend over and hold a garden hose to the water intake on the old 2 smoke motor that ran a 25:1 oil mixture. Stand there and hold the hose on the motor in a cloud of smoke for 5 minutes after every trip.


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## KellyZ (Jan 21, 2017)

Mako 181 said:


> I remember the old days as a kid. No ear muffs or hose connector on the motor.
> my dad made us bend over and hold a garden hose to the water intake on the old 2 smoke motor that ran a 25:1 oil mixture. Stand there and hold the hose on the motor in a cloud of smoke for 5 minutes after every trip.


Dang that does not sound like fun. These days there is a fresh water boat ramp near my house so I just sunk boat motor and trailer in the fresh water and run the motor for 5 mins. A lot easier and gets more done.


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## Davej (11 mo ago)

All of the above.............


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

I have always wondered the same thing, like these rental boats they have in the keys never get flushed, but the engines have like 1000 hours on them.


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## KellyZ (Jan 21, 2017)

Drifter said:


> I have always wondered the same thing, like these rental boats they have in the keys never get flushed, but the engines have like 1000 hours on them.
> [/QUOTE
> Yea I half wonder if it is used everyday like a ferry boat. Would it even make a difference to flush it.


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## duppyzafari (Jul 9, 2015)

ON THE SUBJECT OF MOTOR FLUSHIN' - what are your thoughts on running the motor after connecting the hose while the motor is flushing? I've heard trustworthy guys make a strong, reasoned case for both opinions.


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

I only run the engine with water flowing thru ear muffs. 
I do not run the engine with garden hose connection.

I like to get motor to operating tem and run at least 5 minutes after that.
First thing I do when I get home is start it up, unhook from truck, unload boat, and start putting stuff away to allow the engine to run and flush out. 

Just the way I do it.


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## Christhebdb (11 mo ago)

Mako 181 said:


> I only run the engine with water flowing thru ear muffs.
> I do not run the engine with garden hose connection.
> 
> I like to get motor to operating tem and run at least 5 minutes after that.
> ...


On this same topic, do you have any idea if there is any benefit to submerging the lower unit in a bucket vs using ear muffs? I’ve always just used a bucket for lack of having the muffs.


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

I like the muffs. 
Water pressure entering the engine, engine does not need to suck.
New fresh water and not recycled from bucket.

Just my way of doing it.


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## cody0707 (Feb 24, 2017)

I like to find a freshwater lake or river that I can put my boat in on the way back to the house. If that isn't possible I'll flush it with the muffs. I always flush the motor after every outing.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Kelly Zenoniani said:


> If you run a motor in salt water daily do you need to worry about flushing it once you get home?


I would say "No", so long as you really do use it every day, I'm not sure how many hours Bouncer Smith put on the motors on his Dusky boats each year, but I asked him that question once and he told me he never flushes his motors because they got used every single day.


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## mt hwy (Mar 18, 2021)

I use my boat for one to two weeks at a time and run it everyday, maybe every other day. Never flush after each use. But when I leave and the boat will sit for several weeks to several months I do the muffs with plenty of water pressure and run the motor up to temp so the t-stats open and then run it for a few minutes more at around 1,500 rpm. My motor guy says use the muffs, not the hose connection - that's on an Etec, not sure why he says muffs vs hose. In a perfect world I'd flush after each use and maybe when I was younger I would have - like I used to wax my truck regularly and stuff like that. I really don't think it hurts to not flush until its gonna sit for a while - that's after 40 years of running two-stroke OMCs. Maybe newer motors need flush every time, not sure.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Might as well skip your oil and filter changes too.


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## mt hwy (Mar 18, 2021)

Yep, one less maintenance item on a two-stroke - they don't have crankcases with oil and filter. But you must keep the two-stroke oil tank filled as necessary! .. unless you're still pre-mixing ...


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## tailchaser16 (Sep 23, 2008)

If you hose the decks every day, why not flush every day?


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

mt hwy said:


> Yep, one less maintenance item on a two-stroke - they don't have crankcases with oil and filter. But you must keep the two-stroke oil tank filled as necessary! .. unless you're still pre-mixing ...


I know, I have 8 two stroke outboards. One of them I bought from a guy that only flushed the outboard now and then. Turns out aluminum cooling jackets with a coating of corrosion and sediment deposits don’t transfer heat very well... It kept hitting the temperature alarm after I ran it the first few times and I decided to go through the cooling system. This is what I found:
































FLUSH YOUR MOTOR UNLESS YOU DON’T REALLY CARE ABOUT MAINTENANCE OR PLAN ON SELLING IT IN A YEAR AND THE NEXT GUY HAS TO DEAL WITH THE AFTERMATH.


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## Tarponhead (Mar 18, 2018)

I have a 2000 Johnson Ocean Pro 175. 22 years old. I flush my engine about once a week, and I use a surfactant like Salt Away ( I dont think the brand matters, its all soap). Here is an internal picture of the thermostat housing. Almost brand new. 










The pictures from above poster look like that engine suffered from a battery disconnect not being utilized. Slight electrical current and salt water are your woest enemy. I use a NAPA blade style battery discommect. Spray it with Fluid Film. Lates for 5+ years, cost last time about $12. Battery switches dont last.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Tarponhead said:


> I have a 2000 Johnson Ocean Pro 175. 22 years old. I flush my engine about once a week, and I use a surfactant like Salt Away ( I dont think the brand matters, its all soap). Here is an internal picture of the thermostat housing. Almost brand new.
> View attachment 206002
> 
> 
> ...


I called the previous owner and asked him what the hell he did or didn’t do...he admitted he only flushed it now and then. No excuses!


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## mt hwy (Mar 18, 2021)

I'm liking the actual long term results the pics show from using a Salt Away product, and I'll take a look at the Battery switch/connections, too. Thanks


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

If I'm running a multi day trip with no access to FW I don't worry about it, but when I get home it gets really well flushed with salt away....other than that I flush w/FW every trip...every other trip I flush w/ salt away


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## Tarponhead (Mar 18, 2018)

One last comment, I flush the engine with the hose port sometimes, and with muffs and running (only at idle) sometimes. IMO, I dont think it matters. BTW, the rest of the water jackets looked as good, I just dont have pictures of it. I pulled the heads just to do a heath check on the engine because of its age. All was good. Still had cross hatching in the cylinders. Ready for the next 20.


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## Water Bound (Dec 12, 2018)

I've starting flushing with muff, that way where salt goes in fresh water and salt-away follow. Also allows idling up to temp enough to open thermostat


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