outboard motor 'flushing'

[NQCairns]

Yeah Lurch, I think you are right, I guess a person should see the telltail decrease in size when the therms open.

[Burley_Boy]

Interesting to see the instructions you had there Aido, "remove the prop before flushing"....... yeah right...

[Cheech]

Thanks Aido. Mine is a Johnson, but yes that is pretty well the same setup.

As I said, and as has happened, I expected most to say to ignore that and do a muff flush. Thing is that it really is so easy and as I fish mostly after dark and get home late, I really don't want to start the motor if I don't have to, and if the manufactures says I don't have to, then that is enough for me for now.

I suppose I may find our the hard way in a few years if my moror blows up.

[lurch]

NQ
I dont think u should notice any real drop off in the telltale when the thermostats open , as there should be ample pressure build up before the water enters the motor .
As the name suggests it is a TELLTALE , an indicator to let u know your water pump is working and the inlet isnt blocked.

Cheech
Mine is a jono as well but older and doesnt have the back flush ability , but if it did i would surely use it when arriving home after dark , at the moment if i come home late i have to leave it till morning which i dont like ! But i would still be inclined to do a muff flush in the morning , to be sure !! . Im just a sceptic , i would want to be sure that the fresh water had made it all round the motor not restricted by the thermostats or any air locks.

Peter

[Cheech]

Did anyone read that article in July bush and beach on this very subject? He basically said that if the manufacture has that point installed to flush without muffs then yes use it. I feel so much better now.

Cheech

[435_Mark]

To flush or not to flush? Any sort of flushing whether it is with muffs, flushing attachment (yamaha) or drum is better then doing nothing. A top tip is to take your boat to a freshwater dam at least once every 12 months and give it a good run. The pressure and volume of the water flow at full engine revs helps to clean out a lot of the gunk that can collect in the engine water passages and is not removed at idle. Especially for those of us who occasionally...... run our motors a bit shallow and do a bit of "prop polishing". I had a blue band 85HP merc for 18 years, kept the services up to it, flushed it, ran it in Somerset dam every Christmas and sold it last year still running strong.

As for the bloke who puts his motor in gear when flushing to "move the oil in the gearbox around" Maaate, Don't do that!! It's dangerous and a waste of time. Your driveshaft connects the powerhead to the gearbox and drives your water pump when the engine is running. The driveshaft ends in the pinion gear which is directly meshed to your forward and reverse gears at all times. All putting the engine in gear does is engage the prop shaft through a clutch dog making your prop spin and puts anyone in the area at risk.

Mark