Flushing Techniques

Dora~Jean · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:35 am Post subject:

My guess is you can't run it with the hose only connection, ear muffs OK. That's per my Yamaha manual, I believe Honda's are same. Must not get enough water into the impeller area for running.

Ashley Lynn · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:56 pm Post subject:

I have a 2007 Suzuki 115 and was told not to run the motor while flushing using the hose port.

After our sea-trial, one of the maintenance techs flushed the motor using the ear-muffs and running the motor. I questioned as to which method was better....ear-muffs while running motor or hose port with motor off?

I basically led to believe that it was just a preference.

Maybe a dealer rigging with Suzuki motors will chime in.

Captains Cat · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:14 pm Post subject:

If I leave the engines in the water (salt water) to flush using the flushing port on the side, what good is it? Maybe it gets the salty stuff out of the powerhead? The water pump is still sucking in the salt water!

If I had it in fresh water, I wouldn't need to flush it at all. Maybe without the engine running and with enough fresh water pressure, the water will get all through the engine and it wouldn't be necessary to run it at all?? Question

Doryman · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:33 pm Post subject:

Alok · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:44 pm Post subject:

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.

thataway · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject:

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.

Captains Cat · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject:

westward · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:57 pm Post subject:

maybe I've missed it from earlier, but does anyone who has installed Permatrims use the flushing bag? Mike.

Captains Cat · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:18 am Post subject:

I've got permatrims ordered for my Suzi 115's and I have a flushing bag. I'll see if it will go in after they're delivered.

Charlie

Jazzmanic · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:38 pm Post subject:

CAVU · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:09 pm Post subject:

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 · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:41 pm Post subject:

petemos · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:33 pm Post subject:

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

Mighty Bite · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:17 pm Post subject:

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.

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 3:48 am Post subject: Fresh water flush

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???