Flushing your outboard

[Ozzie]

It's good that they are advancing with material science Steve. I think with older Obs the oil is going to be a help . I bought my current OB from a tsp member and I beleive him that he always flushed it as it was physically in excellent condition. As I only paid a low price I had my mechanoid strip it down check everything and give it a full service , gaskets, impeller, oils etc. he found considerable salt build up in the water jacket with one breakthrough which he repaired with Devcon. Runs like sewing machine now, but clearly fresh water was not cutting it in the salt dept.

[Steve]

That's cool Ozzie , I'm not trying to say Flushing with an oil is a no go, just wanted to point out to be a little care full. I have seen things like brake systems on cars having to be totally replaced because someone added oil instead of brake fluid or they flushed the master cylinder with petrol. Unfortunately now when ever I add an oil or grease to something in a marine world I procrastinate about doing it and am I using the correct product . Even stuff like silicone I research whether it is acidic and should it go near stainless or aluminum.
I have seen the aftermath of applying too much love.

[Andrew]

Thanks for the info ozzie, i have a 44 gal drum but gave up using it for flushing due to ...you guessed it.. mosquitos breeding. The diesel is two problems solved with one stone, brilliant. It also helps with a third issue, It's also allot quieter for the neighbours with the prop exhaust system underwater. The earmuff flush system is far noisier, like a 2 stroke motor bike.

[Ozzie]

Yes Andrew, I have the same problem . We often get carried away enjoying a nice sunset or do a bit of fishing post sail at dusk . Before you know it your arriving home at 10 pm and having to flush the OB. I luckily have a reserve on one side of my house with no neighbours to bug so I drag everything around to that side and keep it on very low revs. Must say the water cooled beats the old air cooled 5. I always flushed it on my mechanoids recommendation as he said it keeps the exhaust tube free of salt and it was like a gattling gun even on low revs

Glad this info has been of help . A new year of sailing pleasures is upon us.

[Ozzie]

David, this was my solution to mooring flushing. This is a small rectangular shaped plastic bucket scabbed off the council throw out ( fancy that) it is a bottom part of either a kitchen tidy or paper shredder. It just fits over the bottom of the OB with the skeg touching the base. Within the ‘bucket ‘ I have crafted styrofoam doughnuts of various shapes glued in and glued together with expanding foam from a can ( Bunnings). The hardest shape is around the prop.

This displaces enough water so that the 5 litre oil container shown will contain enough fresh water to fill it to the top and flush in the normal manner. I have a friction strap to hold it on the bottom of the OB. You have to tilt the motor to get it in place. Then return it to vertical at the top of the folding OB mount’s adjustment. I’ve recently added a few brackets on the bucket side to hold the friction strap. Advantage of this is you only have to carry out a 5 litre bottle of fresh water each trip which I leave in the tender on the mooring while we are sailing.

I’ve been using this now for a year if I don’t bring the OB home. Works fine.

[snoopebj]

Just have to add here a tip from some boofo blokes fishing forum (trailer sailer wtf is that) it sounded like one of their tall stories until I tried it myself. My yammie 8 developed prostate problems and stopped weeing a few months ago so I flushed it with Cocka cola a few times each time leaving it overnight to soak in. Then eureka it weeed like a ‘flamin horse’ and in true fisho lingo I yelled ‘you little ripper.’
Anyhow worked for me and safer for the environment (or is it?)
you got to wonder what that stuff does to your insides though .

[Peter T]

Cheers David. I have been thinking about that. What I think I will do is to mock one up for my boat out of ordinary steel as it’s cheap and easy to work with. Once I am happy with it lifting my outboard, I will give it to you to try. If we need to modify it, we will. Then I can make a couple of them from Stainless, galvanise the steel one and sell it.

Regards Peter T

[Peter T]

Hi David, will give it thought but it wouldn’t want to be in the way when using the Davit. Leave it with me. Cheers

Peter T