Flush Muffs was Ear Muffs

Thank you Charlie, I kept waiting for Jeremy to come in and defend me, but since he is not I am glad someone came to my defense. :thumbsup:

Btw I notice this is your first posting and I personally can not think of a better first posting than defending First Born. Welcome to CSR!!! When you get a chance post your boat information in your signature and feel free to post some pictures of your boat in our virtual marina. :thumbsup:

Wesley
 
First Born said:
Thank you Charlie, I kept waiting for Jeremy to come in and defend me, but since he is not I am glad someone came to my defense. :thumbsup:

Btw I notice this is your first posting and I personally can not think of a better first posting than defending First Born. Welcome to CSR!!! When you get a chance post your boat information in your signature and feel free to post some pictures of your boat in our virtual marina. :thumbsup:

Wesley
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Welcome to CSR Charlie, But this defending First Born has to stop. :lol: :smt043 :lol: Just kidding, Wesley how is that closed cooling system coming along :grin:
 
Yeah, my first post on this forum..finally got around to signing up. I was on the old forum and I guess with the cold weather I haven't been thinking about the boat too much, but 75 degree weather gets my mind back in the right place :wink:
 
Charlie

Would love to see more pictures of your boat in the VM. If you have any close ups the white looks sharp. :thumbsup:

Wesley
 
First Born said:
Charlie

Would love to see more pictures of your boat in the VM. If you have any close ups the white looks sharp. :thumbsup:

Wesley
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Thanks Wesley,

Believe it or not I don't think I have any other pictures of the boat. I pulled that one from a video I took. I promise to take some next time I get her out of the garage...hopefully this weekend if the weather is good.
 
wish2fish said:
I don't like to wear ear muffs. Usually wear a hat when cold weather boating.

okay now to get serious.

I have the basic flushing device that has the v shaped piece of steel and a muff on each side but water only comes in on one side. I have used this same flushing unit without a problem for 18 years. With that said. I have always worried that the muff would slip down past the intake and not be draw into the motor. I recently saw a device that has a thin metal rod that feeds through the water intake on the outdrive and clamps the 2 muffs together. It seems like that unit might be a little more secure (peace of mind)
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I just bought this one from the searay dealor when we picked up our skis and tube. It worked very well for me. It is a tight fit, so no problems of slipping for me. I checked it often just to make sure, but a bungee cord would hold it in place if you were unsure. I think I only paid like 4.00 for the one I got. The service guy said I did not need to flush it, but better safe than sorry, and I can run it prior to going to the lake. My boat is a pain on first start up only having 2 hours on it, so I figured if I let it warm up at the house, it might just start right up when we get to the lake.
 
searay sport,
I think the advantage of the one with the pin and clamp is that it won't slide off. That peace of mind would be well worth the cost. You only paid $4 ....what a deal.

You probably don't need to flush unless you got caught up in some silty water, but there is nothing better than getting to the ramp and knowing it will start easily on the first crank.
 
Ah crap sorry Wesley... I missed your smoke signals..... I run mine for 20-30 min on the trailer if I cannot use it.... overkill.... probably... but has always worked well for me.... look at the bright side Wes..... we will never be one of those who back down the ramp... in the water... then it won't start..... :smt043
 
ok I have a question about this based on another thread I was reading about running the engine with it in the TRAILERED position was bad for some seal (forgive me for not going back to the thread) and the joint even at idle there were moving parts that can get damged if the drive is all the way up.

First I have the Merc Flush Muffs MM sold them to me when I picked up the boat sales guy said they were best cause like you guys have said they can't slip off.

Now they didn't say anything about lowering the unit before flushing but after reading that other thread I think should be doing so and could be damaging my boat if I'm not.

Also the dealer said 5 minutes was enough at idle. What do you guys think? I know longer can't hurt but I'm sure the neighbors would appreciate if I didn't run it for an hour.

Next question I read that there are flushing systems and chemicals? Do I need them can they work with the muffs? I keep my boat on the trailer but we do go in the Salt Water alot but I flush it after every trip actually I wash it to get rid of all the salt water.
 
Running the drives in full down position is a known good running position.... why roll the dice? I flush the drives in full down/in position and I also store them full down as well.... to avoid unnecessary stess on the bellows... they are only stored in trailer when the boat is being trailered.
 
280 SeaRay said:
Running the drives in full down position is a known good running position.... why roll the dice? I flush the drives in full down/in position and I also store them full down as well.... to avoid unnecessary stess on the bellows... they are only stored in trailer when the boat is being trailered.
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I hear what your saying just another step in the whole process the boat stays on the trailer in a secured storage area I guess when I park it there I should climb on and lower it and then bring it up when I go pick it up and then down again when I flush and back up again when I take it back.

Hmmm now I'm wishing I had that remote switch for that :wink:
 
I use the "salt-away" dispenser in-line with my merc/quicksilver muffs. I start off flushing the engine with water only and monitor the thermostat. When my thermostat/temperature gets up to its triggering point, (160 degrees) I dial in the salt away to allow it to flush the block as well as all everything else. Yep, I know it is overkill but I have no life.
 
Morpheus - I can't lower my drive all the way down while it's on the trailer, so I just drop it as much as I can while flushing. You can run your boat with the muffs for as long as you want, just keep an eye on both the temp gauge & water outflow from the drive. When you flush after using the boat, make sure you run the engine long enough for the thermostat to open allowing the whole cooling system to get cleaned out. Also, I use a product called Salt Away which seems to work pretty well. It's a little extra insurance for those of us who run trailer boats in saltwater. There are similar products out there, but here's a link to the Salt Away website if you're curious.

http://www.saltawayproducts.com/ComboPage.htm
 
However, there can be a downside to running on the muffs.... :grin:

When on the muffs it won't be running under a load, and RPM's shouldn't get very high, so getting the engine up to operating temp is tougher. You may get the t-stat to open in 10-15 minutes, but I doubt you'll get the oil anywhere near high enough to burn off moisture and/or fuel. Which brings me to........cranking it up cold, especially EFI, will run in a cols start strategy which means more fuel. Idling, especially with extra fuel will burn much richer and increased fuel in the oil from wash down or blow-by is possible

I know a few guys this season that did oil analysis and found they have higher fuel in oil %'s than they should. UAO at the end of the season on the old oil looked better. The only difference is that they idled the motor after changing the oil before winter, then idled and ran on muffs or only put a few hours run time on the water, before taking a sample. The oil never got a chance to get fully up to operating temp or for long enough, to burn everything off.

I'm sure it's not that big of a deal if it's not idling all the time, or especially if it get to get out and run and get fully up to temp., but there's always that chance.

FYI, I change mine before winter and just turn it over to move the oil around. Then check it, smell it etc. in the spring, then run it. Although I dont' do UOA on the motor in the boat it seems fine. Besides I don't like the muffs that much. I want to build a "tank" that I can hook up a hose to and keep the tank filled while running it natural and not under pressure.
 
Searay Jim said:
However, there can be a downside to running on the muffs.... :grin:

When on the muffs it won't be running under a load, and RPM's shouldn't get very high, so getting the engine up to operating temp is tougher. You may get the t-stat to open in 10-15 minutes, but I doubt you'll get the oil anywhere near high enough to burn off moisture and/or fuel. Which brings me to........cranking it up cold, especially EFI, will run in a cols start strategy which means more fuel. Idling, especially with extra fuel will burn much richer and increased fuel in the oil from wash down or blow-by is possible

I know a few guys this season that did oil analysis and found they have higher fuel in oil %'s than they should. UAO at the end of the season on the old oil looked better. The only difference is that they idled the motor after changing the oil before winter, then idled and ran on muffs or only put a few hours run time on the water, before taking a sample. The oil never got a chance to get fully up to operating temp or for long enough, to burn everything off.

I'm sure it's not that big of a deal if it's not idling all the time, or especially if it get to get out and run and get fully up to temp., but there's always that chance.

FYI, I change mine before winter and just turn it over to move the oil around. Then check it, smell it etc. in the spring, then run it. Although I dont' do UOA on the motor in the boat it seems fine. Besides I don't like the muffs that much. I want to build a "tank" that I can hook up a hose to and keep the tank filled while running it natural and not under pressure.
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:smt101 :smt017 Was that english, sorry that was like way over my head, I've only had the boat since last november so I'll need all that translated into new boat owner don't know a thing language.

Thanks
 
Hi Jim. You worry too much! :grin:

I don't think we're talking about using the muffs as a substitute for real cruising. Morpheus just wants to get the salt out of his cooling system at the end of the day. The muffs will work just fine.

(Although I have to admit to having the same "tank" thoughts as you on more than one occasion.)
 
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