After Salt Flush ?

[Wild Bill]

We recently purchased a 24 ft Maxum and plan on using it in the salt water a lot next summer.

We will be tailering the boat and upon examining the hull while out of the water, I noted a raw water intake in the hull.

My question is this: To flush the salt after use, will the ear muffs on the out-drive be sufficient or should their be water connected to the hull intake also ??

I don't want to overheat the engine or ruin an impeller.

Thanks for your help !

[biggerseagar]

Well first welcome to the website! Congrats on your new baby and we all hope you have lots of fun with her!

Now for the question in hand.........What year, engine and outdrive system do you have and is it a closed colling system? If you are going to tell me a 5.7 and with alpha or bravo drive that would be about right. Now if you have a bravo drive your impellar is in the engine compartment and if you have a alpha drive the impellar is on the lower unit. Whatever the case the impellar should be looked to make sure it is in good condition. The closed cooling system is like a radiator in a car only in a boat, you have a heat exchanger that like a 4 foot round piece of salami. If you have one of these they need to be flushed also.

I'm going to guess and what you saw is the water inlet for your head-toliet (hope you have one) or do you have A/C? That would be what you saw about a 1/3 up from the stern on the your hull bottom.

To flush your engine with fresh water get a medium stream of water going through the ear puffs and place the ear puff on the lower part of the outdrive from the front to back end of the drive over your water pick-up vents. Don't worry if you have water leaking all over the place that is normal. Keep the water preasure down to medium.

Then let the water run for a few minutes and then start your engine up. Watch the temp guage and when the that gets about 160 or so/or levels off, you know everything is open and let the engine run for a couple more minutes. Shut the engine off first, then turn your water off and your done. If your in salt water all the time general maintence on your risers and manifolds are about every 5 or 6 years replacing them.

There are a bunch of flush systems that you attach to your engine that makes this process real easy, but are very pricey! For the most part you take a garden hose connection and snap it on to a another connection turn the water on flush and your done.They can extend the life of your engine in salt water.

I know others will chime in here to help if you have more questions or if have totally confused the youknowwhat out of you( Not my intentions)

Good luck with your new baby and Happy Thankgiving

[Wild Bill]

The boat is a 2004 and has a 5.0 liter with an alpha out drive, it has a fresh water cooling system.

I am not very well versed on the systems yet , thus the questions. Didn't know the head used water from an outside source.

I have heard of people using a "fake lake" and thought maybe the inlet in the hull was an inlet for the cooling system.

Thanks for all your help.

[seapuppy]

that helps a bit more...the 5.0ltr engine draws water up thru the leg or outdrive...on the sides of the lower unit are a series of vertical holes.....you install or attach a pair of muffs or cups that are connected to a water hose...make sure the water hose has enough pressure....turn on the water...then start the engine...the water is drawn thru the leg up into the engine and then flushes out the salt water...do this after every use...if the weather is turning cold..ie freezing temps.....then you really need to drain the engine or replace the water with antifreeze...the pink stuff will work plenty...unless your in alaska....then use the stuff for serious freezing temps....

the inlet on the bottom of the hull....well...if there are 2 of them..then you have one for the head intake...when you pump the head ..it takes water from the outside water..and uses it to flush the toilet bowl......from there it is pumped to the san tank for pump out later...
now if you also have another intake for your ac system....not much to do there....

hope this helps...

SP