Salt Buildup in the Outboard

How do folks keep your dingy motor clear of salt buildup? My Suzuki 4hp 2-stroke plugged up with salt to the point no water was coming out of the pee hole. I was able to clear it after much fussing around but there must be a way to use and store these aboard without them plugging up with salt.

Flush it with fresh water everytime it will sit for a few days, use a set of ears available at WalMart for about $5, additionally there are salt melting products around at West Marine for overly caked up motors

Ears don't fit on some smaller motors. Can't speak for other makes but Yamahas have rinse-out plugs on the lower units that accept a screw-in garden hose adapter.

Something I learned from reading the operator's manual for our new 6hp trolling motor (who reads manuals, right?) is that if one uses the hose adapter it is important to tape up the water intake grill near the bottom of the lower unit. If you don't the motor gets an insufficient volume of cooling water. I wrap electrical tape around the lower unit to cover the grill on each side.

If the motor is large enough to accept the rinse-out "ears" there is obvioulsy no need to tape over the intake grills.

And remember to remove the tape.

We flush all three of our outboards after every use in salt water if we think they are going to sit unused for more than a few days. We also shut off or disconnect the fuel and run them dry and drain the carburetors unless we know the motor will be used again in a few days but that's another topic.

Our Yamaha 2 stroke "pee hole" clogs up at least once a season. A short length of thin dia seizing wire does the trick quick.

Yea the tip about running the engine out of fuel is also a great one, especially on the newer 4 strokes, I ended up becoming a 5 star Yamaha carb cleaning mechanic before I gave in and now run the fuel out by undoing the fuel line at the engine.

Thanks for the responses. I will then make it a practice to run the outboard in a 5 gallon bucket of freshwater mixed with Saltaway after each saltwater use when I won't be using it for a few days. I hadn't thought that flushing it was important but now I see that it is.

Budds Outlet said:

Thanks for the responses. I will then make it a practice to run the outboard in a 5 gallon bucket of freshwater mixed with Saltaway after each saltwater use when I won't be using it for a few days. I hadn't thought that flushing it was important but now I see that it is.

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When the dinghy is in the up position, I put the ears on the 15hp Yamaha, and disconnect the fuel line. Crank the engine with fresh water on, and run it until the fuel runs out. Takes care of the cooling system and fuel sitting in the carb.

Budds Outlet said:

Thanks for the responses. I will then make it a practice to run the outboard in a 5 gallon bucket of freshwater mixed with Saltaway after each saltwater use when I won't be using it for a few days. I hadn't thought that flushing it was important but now I see that it is.

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I run my little 5hp Tohatsu at fast idle in fresh water in a a plastic trash bin, just until the water "peeing" out is warm. Seems to do the trick. Had to attach a piece of timber to a structure at home to clamp the o/b onto. BruceK

Budds Outlet said:

Thanks for the responses. I will then make it a practice to run the outboard in a 5 gallon bucket of freshwater mixed with Saltaway after each saltwater use when I won't be using it for a few days. I hadn't thought that flushing it was important but now I see that it is.

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My problem is not being able to predict when I will not be using the motor for a few days. My 2 HP Honda is air cooled so I don't have that problem but you're still supposed to rinse the salt off.

Budds Outlet said:

Thanks for the responses. I will then make it a practice to run the outboard in a 5 gallon bucket of freshwater mixed with Saltaway after each saltwater use when I won't be using it for a few days. I hadn't thought that flushing it was important but now I see that it is.

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Save your money.....just use an inexpensive vinegar mixed in with the water and it will clear the salt....

JAT said:

Save your money.....just use an inexpensive vinegar mixed in with the water and it will clear the salt....

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And use what's left over on your salad.

Someone on another forum decided that since Salt Away was the same color as Walmart laundry detergent that that would work as well.

When I had an I/O, I flushed it after each use with Salt Away. A $30 gallon lasted me a couple of years so I figure the cost is pretty insignificant compared to the other costs of boating.

I don't remember what magazine it was but they compared the different products designed for treating marine engines used in salt water and Salt Away came out on top. Vinegar did not.

Interesting read and sounds pretty close to my thinking on some of these "miracle" products...

Salt Away and the other so called salt solvent products are simply members of the car Wash and Shine family.

They all have a water wetter, which is usually a mild detergent. This helps wash away the salt by removing the surface tension of the water, and gives you some bubbles so as you can "see it working". Nothing new here, some of us have been flushing outboards with a detergent mixture for yonks, and you can bet it works, no question at all.

They also contain a silicon, which is suspended in the liquid and deposits onto the surfaces it alights on, under the water film. Because the silicon insulates the surface from oxygen, it tends to delay or even prevent oxidation for as long as the silicon film remains intact. It also dries to a shiney and streak free surface, and seemingly "repels" water, which beads up on the surface. I doubt the silicon builds up on itself, and similarly I would expect the next run to flush the stuff off the internal water cooling surfaces.

What you need to be careful of is the pH of the detergent, it needs to be neutral.(pH = 7.2) Some of these industrial wash products are slightly caustic, which is no problem on vehicle paint and chrome but possibly not good on ally hulls and engine blocks. For that reason alone I would always rinse off to get rid of the detergent, which itself can oxidise and become caustic.

psneeld said:

They also contain a silicon, which is suspended in the liquid and deposits onto the surfaces it alights on, under the water film. Because the silicon insulates the surface from oxygen, it tends to delay or even prevent oxidation for as long as the silicon film remains intact.

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This may be why Salt Away recomends that you leave the Salt Away residue in the engine and not flush it with fresh water after running it with Salt Away.