Flushing muffs on '08 BF50 - no go

[Da Nag]

Ran into something interesting with the new-to-me BF50 today. I can't use traditional ear muffs on it.

I hooked them up covering the water intake, just as I do on my BF90 - but the engine, she no pee. The stream was there and strong last night while putting around the marina. I readjusted the muffs and water pressure just to make sure, and tried again - nope. Less than a minute overall running, so hopefully no impeller damage.

I Googled a bit, and seem to find some BF40/50 users have no problem with the muffs, but saw a couple other posts indicating there's a third pickup underneath the cavitation plate - somewhere the muffs don't cover.

Sure enough, I got out a tub and filled it with water - and upon submersing the engine and firing it up, it spit out water immediately.

Anyone else encounter this? The tub method isn't a big deal, but it's certainly a little less convenient (particularly on the road) than the muffs.

[Ray]

I have an Evinrude 50 on my fishing skiff with the same thing.

Just put a piece of blue painters tape (easily removable) over the cavitation plate intake when using the muffs. The motor will then draw (enough) water through the muff intakes alone.

The hard part is remembering to take the tape off!!!!!

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Bill, I try to always use a flush bag (Specialty Marine Products?) instead of a set of mouse ears. I cooked an impeller on my BF 8 a couple of years back while using the ears.

[Da Nag]

Thanks, Steve - those bags look slick. A cheap Rubbermaid tub works great at the house, but might need to pick one up for the road trips.

[NORO LIM]

Like Ray, I just put tape over the lowest intakes on the BF50 I had on my CD-16. Worked fine. I used BRIGHT yellow duct tape, and left one very long tail piece of the tape running up the lower unit so it would be hard to forget to remove it.

[Wandering Sagebrush]