Looking for Rabbit Ears...

Gone Fishin · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:21 pm Post subject: Looking for Rabbit Ears...

As part of my OB engine maintenance, I would like to start flushing the engines after pulling out of the lake. I found the following information that refers to "Rabbit Ears" as a device for engine flushing. I failed to locate one when searching the internet and marine sites. Thanks for your assistance.

"To flush the engine you will need a set of "rabbit ears" (two flexible rubber seals connected with a metal clamp). Simply slip this apparatus onto the lower unit where the water is picked up and attach a garden hose. Start up the engine and let the water pump do the rest. (Be sure to stay clear of the prop and make sure no one tries to shift into gear)"

jhwilson · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:43 pm Post subject:

Although I have never heard these things called "rabbit ears" I have used them on every outboard I have owned. Properly attached to the engine they provide a sufficient supply of water to allow you to run the engine for a while out of the water. Not only is it good for flushing but I also heat the engine and engine oil prior to changing it.

I can't imagine these things will be hard to find, and they are not expensive at all.

JT · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:56 pm Post subject:

I got a set for under 10 bucks at West Marine. They work great. Look under "Motor Flushers". Use at idle only.

Pat Anderson · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:26 pm Post subject:

I have heard them referred to as "ear muffs" but never "rabbit ears"!! GI Joe's will certainly carry them. We used ear muffs to flush our Honda 40s on the CD22 after every outing. A note however - on the Honda BF-150, there is a place to connect a garden hose, and the manual says NOT to run the engine while flushing with the hose.

Grumpy · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:38 pm Post subject:

What's with the "Idle only" bit? with the water pressure I have (or I should say our water supply has) Embarassed

I could run at WOT and still have it spraying ot of the hose fittings from overpressure.

Merv (gotta run)

Chris Bulovsky · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:44 pm Post subject:

Try this link

Chris Bulovsky

drjohn71a · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:15 pm Post subject:

The Honda 150 Manual for the 2007's says to flush with the engine OFF only... DO NOT RUN ENGINE TO FLUSH is a big warning. I think this depends upon each individual engine's design.

John

Gone Fishin · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:22 pm Post subject:

My thanks to you all for your input. With that information I have located and ordered.

Grumpy · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:53 pm Post subject:

My Honda manual for the 2006 BF40 indicates only usage of the plug and adaptor and simply says "run at idle for 5 minutes" with no dire warnings other than to watch in case the overheat light comes on.

My thought is that with full water pressure applied to the main inlets to the point where it is spraying out all over the place would give at least as good circulation as when in water. So if I get that plus a good tell tale stream I should be able to run at any speed. Not that I need to, but.... it'sometimes useful to see that they will run smoothly above idle...

Merv

JT · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 6:46 pm Post subject:

Grumpy,
I have read that you risk having the motor run away from the lack of resisitance provided when your prop is in the water vs. using "Ear Muffs". That is why you should not run above idle when using them. It sounds as though bigger motors and different models may have different requirements. I had noticed the poster had a 16' and since I have the same boat I replied. I did not say to run a large engine with earmuffs either. I will be more careful in the future.

Grumpy · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject:

JT,
You are probably right. I can certainly see that if you just opened the throttle wide on a carburetted engine with no load, you could easily overspeed it. Don't know what an EFI would do.

I just like to blip the throttle to "clear their throats" after running at idle before I shut them down.
Probably doesn't help anything but I do it anyway. (and it sounds good !!)

Merv

mikeporterinmd · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 9:06 pm Post subject:

416rigby · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:13 pm Post subject:

Heck, I've never heard a flushing attachment called anything BUT rabbit ears. A regional thing, maybe?

Sea Wolf · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:21 pm Post subject:

''Most ideal is to get a garbage can under the engine, fill it to the
boat's waterline and run that way. This way, the muffs can't
fall off, no one can kink the hose, etc. I usually have to pump the
can out, but I have a manual bilge pump, so this isn't too hard. 30-40
gallons doesn't take long to pump.''

Mike

Wouldn't it be easier to siphon the water out?

Joe.

Larry H · Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 3:58 am Post subject:

Grumpy,

Do you sit in your car and run the engine at full throttle in neutral?

Running an outboard (or car motor) at speeds above idle without a load on it(meaning being in the water with the motor in gear, boat moving freely at speed) can result in exploding your motor with rods and other parts shooting out through the side of the crankcase.

Blipping the throttle on an idling outboard either in the water or on a flusher can cause damage and premature wear.

It does no good and doesn't 'clear the bores'. Outboard carbs do not have accelerator pumps like car carbs have. Outboards don't have foot throttles and rapidly opening and closing the throttle is not intended or designed for.

Hook up the hose to the flusher, clamp the rubber cups over the water inlets on the lower unit, turn on the water, start the motor, idle 5 minuets in neutral, shut off the motor, shut off the hose, remove the flusher, remove the hose from the flusher and you are done. Extended running on a flusher does no good.

An outboard is designed to be operated with the lower unit in the water. The water provides back pressure on the exhaust system. The motor is designed to work that way. Running the motor on a flusher on land is just to wash out salt, silt, or sand from the cooling system.

Always read and follow the instruction in your owners manual.

Otherwise you might find yourself contributing to the "outboard mechanics retirement fund"! LOL