All I want for Christmas is a new engine...

[DayBreak]

Just a comment that no outboard is immune from corrosion

Excellent point Bob. When Colleen and I were first considering buying used, we looked at a 22 Cruiser but both the 90 Suzuki along with kicker had considerable paint missing on the motor mounts and lower units. Later, an outboard mechanic told me that with a sea trial, the purchase may have been a good one but we decided to pass. The owner selling the boat told me that he was under the impression that the new Suzuki outboard motors did not need to be flushed after saltwater use. Even being a greenhorn on boat knowledge, this was a red flag in what he stated! Here is a link to what our Suzuki 140 internal anodes looked like after the first 260 hours of saltwater use. http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?full ... _photo.php These sacrificial anodes do perform what they are designed to do to help protect the motor from the effects of saltwater corrosion . Their replacement at the manufacturer specified date is important when the motor used in saltwater along with proper freshwater flushing. Gary

 

[ken35216]

J, and I used a rigorous program of flushing after each use. Even when I was running almost every day in the Keys, I flushed the 140 Suzuki on the Caracal Cat daily.

I'm heading to the Keys is 2 days and I will follow your "rigorous program". In the past I'd do it once a week on my bi-annual 1-2 week cruises but now every day. It only takes a few minutes.

I do flush after every use when I take the boat out for a day/weekend cruise.

I keep her in a high and dry marina and try to take her out once a month (she's 4 hours away) as I still work. Work sucks :lol:

 

[T.R. Bauer]

I personally think flushing is important, but not something you must do rigorously. I probably only do it a couple times a season and have nearly 3000 hours on my engines. But the water here is really cold, maybe that makes a difference? I don't know.