Boat moving from fresh water to salt water

[Hook]

This summer I am moving my SR 245 WE from the CT River, fresh water to Niantic River, salt water (LI Sound). My engine is raw water cooled so looking for ways to flush out the engine at my dock. Is it as simple as tilting the outdrive up, attaching a pair of flush muffs onto my outdrive then trim down and flush the engine out for about ten minutes. Is installing a flush kit expensive.

Thanks

 

[Captn TJ]

When I had my center console with an outboard - that's what i did.

 

[PatrickM]

This summer I am moving my SR 245 WE from the CT River, fresh water to Niantic River, salt water (LI Sound). My engine is raw water cooled so looking for ways to flush out the engine at my dock. Is it as simple as tilting the outdrive up, attaching a pair of flush muffs onto my outdrive then trim down and flush the engine out for about ten minutes. Is installing a flush kit expensive.

Thanks

My boat had a Perko Flush device installed in the raw water pump intake line when I bought it. It works fine but does not flush the outdrive. If you can hook-up muffs, that would be best and cheapest in my opinion. Make sure you check your anodes on the outdrive. They may be fresh water anodes and will need to be changed.

 

[Hook]

Anodes already changed. Thanks for your input.

 

[b_arrington]

How high will you need to raise your outdrive to get the muffs on? I think you’re not supposed to have the engine running when the drive is raised to the trailer position so be cautious of that.

Where are you on the Niantic? I have family with a house and dock on the upper part of the river where folks water ski, etc.

 

[Espos4]

You will get very wet every time you put the muffs on and there’s no guarantee that they will remain in the proper position once you lower the drive.

I installed the Mercruiser flush kit on mine and it is very easy to use. I drain the raw water first, Hook up the hose, start water, start the engine and idle for 10 minutes or so.

Once completed, shut the engine off first then after 10-15 seconds I shut off the water. This last few seconds flushes the outdrive.

It takes about 2 hours to install and can be difficult depending on the configuration and access to the pump inlet hose.

 

[Hook]

How high will you need to raise your outdrive to get the muffs on? I think you’re not supposed to have the engine running when the drive is raised to the trailer position so be cautious of that.

Where are you on the Niantic? I have family with a house and dock on the upper part of the river where folks water ski, etc.

Small marina right next to Three Bells called Tighes Marina in Smith Cove. I grew up on the Niantic River. Sort of a home coming for me.

 

[Hook]

You will get very wet every time you put the muffs on and there’s no guarantee that they will remain in the proper position once you lower the drive.

I installed the Mercruiser flush kit on mine and it is very easy to use. I drain the raw water first, Hook up the hose, start water, start the engine and idle for 10 minutes or so.

Once completed, shut the engine off first then after 10-15 seconds I shut off the water. This last few seconds flushes the outdrive.

It takes about 2 hours to install and can be difficult depending on the configuration and access to the pump inlet hose.

Does the flush kit also flush the outdrive or just
the engine. Thanks

 

[b_arrington]

Small marina right next to Three Bells called Tighes Marina in Smith Cove. I grew up on the Niantic River. Sort of a home coming for me.

Nice. We stayed on my brother-in-law's dock for week last summer, off Stanton St. on the opposite side of the river. I was poking around in Smith Cove and it was very pretty. Once you get past the docks the water got skinny in a hurry though.

I'm a little jealous of that general location. You can be over to Plum Gut or Fisher's Island in minutes, Montauk not much more. Enjoy your homecoming!

 

[Espos4]

Does the flush kit also flush the outdrive or just
the engine. Thanks

It will flush the outdrive once the engine is turned off. Once it stops spinning, the raw water pump impeller will block any water from going into the engine as the outdrive is flushed for the last 15 seconds of use.

 

[Hook]

It will flush the outdrive once the engine is turned off. Once it stops spinning, the raw water pump impeller will block any water from going into the engine as the outdrive is flushed for the last 15 seconds of use.

Thanks

 

[Hook]

Now that I have my flush kit installed any thoughts on cleaning my outdrive. I don't love key working with acids. Thanks.

 

[Thornton69]

Now that I have my flush kit installed any thoughts on cleaning my outdrive. I don't love key working with acids. Thanks.

Does your kit allow you to block the supply hose from your drive during flushing? Have noticed while flushing ours on muffs, that a garden hose has a hard time keeping up to a raw water pump. It will suck the muffs flat at idle unless the hose is opened right up. Just a thought. Even dilution will be better than none I suppose.

 

[Hook]

I have not been back to my marina since Jerry installed my kit. Saturday when I get down there I will let u know.

 

[El Capitan]

You might think about your bottom paint. Difference in fresh water vs salt water.

 

[mnm99]

It will flush the outdrive once the engine is turned off. Once it stops spinning, the raw water pump impeller will block any water from going into the engine as the outdrive is flushed for the last 15 seconds of use.

I'm lost here. Once the water is shut off the drive will fill with salt water anyway. What your describing is for when it's on a trailer. There is no way to keep salt out of the drive once in water. That's why your supposed to split the case every other year to seal and paint the water passage. If it's a bravo 3...

 

[Espos4]

I'm lost here. Once the water is shut off the drive will fill with salt water anyway. What your describing is for when it's on a trailer. There is no way to keep salt out of the drive once in water. That's why your supposed to split the case every other year to seal and paint the water passage. If it's a bravo 3...

Your points are mostly correct, I don’t see where you’re lost.

The flush kit Tee’d into the raw water inlet CANNOT be used when on a trailer unless you block off the outdrive inlets. The original question was weather or not using the kit would flush the outdrive. It will flush the drive to remove loose debris and yes, it will simply fill with salt water when the hose is shut off. No argument there.

In your last point, I would recommend splitting the drive every year. This is based on my experience doing so and finding several barnacles inside the outdrive water passage.

 

[mnm99]

Your points are mostly correct, I don’t see where you’re lost.

The flush kit Tee’d into the raw water inlet CANNOT be used when on a trailer unless you block off the outdrive inlets. The original question was weather or not using the kit would flush the outdrive. It will flush the drive to remove loose debris and yes, it will simply fill with salt water when the hose is shut off. No argument there.

In your last point, I would recommend splitting the drive every year. This is based on my experience doing so and finding several barnacles inside the outdrive water passage.

Got ya. I was thinking he wanted fresh water in the drive afterwards. Makes sense to just clean it out.

 

[El Capitan]

If you’re slipping an IO drive in salt water I would make sure the slip spot and nearby slips are not hot electrically. Electrolysis cost me a Bravo drive.

I had zincs everywhere and even hung large zincs right next to the SS prop, to no avail.

I hired a marine electrician to come to my dock and learned the entire marina was hot. The boat next to me was hot. There was nothing I could do except pull the boat out of the water.

May not be an issue where you’re slipping though.

 

[Thornton69]

Curious… If the drive is in the water and has been flushed with fresh water after the engine is shut down, how would the salt water displace the lighter freshwater? Understandable near the intake but much above that wouldn't be too disturbed would it?