Flushing Techniques

The problem using the flushing port, is that the water pump housing and lowest part of the housing/intake is not flushed with fresh water. You can probably get away with flushing using the port, as long as you peroidically run some "salt away" thru the lower unit, and replace the impeller regularly.

On the CD 25, the previous owner had not raised the lower units out of the water for the entire 3 seasons he had used the motor--and I suspect that he didn't flush the engines. Only 120 hours on the engine. There was some corrosion on the external part of the lower unit, but none on the internal part. There was some minor salt crystal build up in the pump discharge, but again not bad. I flushed the engine with "Salt away" (it kills the grass!, so the Admiral was not too happy!) The impeller and housing looked to be fine.
 
Alok":14et5xoq said:
Charlie:

Am I missing something? I have 150 Suzukis that are used in salt water. I flush them in the water with the engine off and the motors vertical (prop in the water). With the engine off, the water pump is not sucking anything.

I run fresh water using a garden hose attached to the flushing port for about 5 minutes each, with the water draining through the pee-hole . This is an approved way of doing it as per the manual.
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Thanks. I'm concerned about flushing salt out of the lower unit and the impeller areas. Do you see water coming out of the intake ports of the lower unit when you do it? If so, maybe that at least gets flushed and then fills up with salt water again...
 
westward":1bshfmb1 said:
maybe I've missed it from earlier, but does anyone who has installed Permatrims use the flushing bag? Mike.
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Good point, Mike. The Permatrim on our Suzuki 90 (same engine as the 115) is really big. I'm not sure if the flushing bag will wrap around it. I can't wait to hear Charlie's findings.

Peter
 
Constant Craving,
Something you mentioned early on in this thread caught my eye. You said you were using ear muffs to flush your Honda 8. My Honda 8 came with a special rubber hose fitting for flushing the engine. Normal ear muffs do not work. I think the side holes on the lower unit are not intake ports and that could explain why your impeller fried?
 
Captains Cat":38f8r2s1 said:
Steve, we use one of these for flushing. Works in/out of the water...


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Charlie
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If any of you use these flushing bags, make sure you store them in a rodent proof bag. Got mine out about two weeks ago to demo the Honda 35 on the 16 Angler that Dragonfly bought and found it totally "moused". Holes all over the place. It's a heavily rubberized plasticlike fabric. Totally ruined.

Charlie
 
I've got permatrims on my Suzi 115's and I have a flushing bag, which I don't use anymore. It's kind of tight to get it in the bag, plus on my boat and trailer you have to put the bag on a platform to get it high enough. Then it is a pain to get it off and or wait for it to drain. I'm back to using ear muffs when out of the water and the flushing port on the side in the water. You can run the motor while you are using the port as it does not flush the water pump and would cook the impeller.

Jim
 
The flushing bags are a great way to go, but with the Permatrim it's
going to be necessary to have Quality make up a special sizing, which
I think they will do w/o a problem, but probably for a additional cost.
They are pretty good folks and I don't think it would be a big deal.
(ref, Suzy 90 & 115).

I've been using their bags for years and would have a larger bag
made up if I wasn't at a point where I'll probably be putting 3rd Byte
up for sale.
 
How about using a 55 gal plastic drum cut down to fit your height etc. A 30 gal could be used on smaller engines.

I have a 55 gal and will cut it down for my 200 hp Honda.
Where do you obtain the salt-away???
 
Salt away four times a year? Around here we do it each and every time, with a full cap for the flushing the engine, and another full cap for the outside of the engines and the rest of the boat.

Also, don't forget to wipe down the inside handle of the cabin door if you've been running with the door open. That one caught me before I figured out what was going on.

Salt away can be bought at West Marine, or about any other marine supply place located near salt water.
 
The plastic drum is a good idea, but not sure if a 90 with the
Permatrim will fit.

Saltaway is available at West Marine and most places that carry
marine items. Pretty easy to find, although a little spendy. Has
anyone used plain white vinegar in lieu of Saltaway? Vinegar is
a pretty good cleaner and I would think it should work well. It
would be a whole lot cheaper.
 
Just adding to the train of thought, the 90 etec can be flushed with the upper hose quick attachment in either motor running or motor off condition. Apparently enough water flows through to the pump such that there is no danger of burning up an impeller. I have no idea if this is true of any other makes. The etec can also be flushed on muffs.

My 9.9 Johnson (a suzuki) has the intakes on the bottom of the antiventilation plate and a screw out on the side that will take a specialized flushing attachment where the old intake holes used to be. I have found that it flushes well with the muffs pinched horizontally over the intake provided the specific muff with the hose is on the intake side (but this hose down orientation really does not allow putting it in gear).
 
I wonder if I could use the flushing bag on my Honda 150 while the motor is on the boat in salt water? Slowly fill with fresh water? Maybe run straps over the top of the motor cowling to hold in place?
 
cemiii":2zbz8i8e said:
Just adding to the train of thought, the 90 etec can be flushed with the upper hose quick attachment in either motor running or motor off condition. Apparently enough water flows through to the pump such that there is no danger of burning up an impeller. I have no idea if this is true of any other makes. The etec can also be flushed on muffs.
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My Honda 90 can be flushed with the flush fitting, but you're not supposed to run the motor with water just through the flush port because it does not supply water to the impeller.
 
Just wanted to point out this thread is 15 years old. Engines have probably changed some in that time. 8) That being said, I would think one could hook a hose up to the flushing attachment and flush the engine with fresh water. If left down, the lower unit would still be in salt water, but the upper unit would flush out until the motor started again.
 
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