Spraying Powerhead with Water As A Rinse After Each Use

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Author Topic:   Spraying Powerhead with Water As A Rinse After Each Use

tedious posted 07-22-2011 08:00 AM ET (US)
In [some other website's] forum, [some unidentified person erroneously] reported that [a factory owner's manual for an Evinrude E-TEC] recommends removing the [engine] cowling and spraying the [power head of the outboard engine] with fresh water after every use. Can anyone confirm? Does anyone actually do this? Tim
Peter posted 07-22-2011 08:27 AM ET (US)
E-TEC manuals are available on line at evinrude.com.
thegage posted 07-22-2011 09:23 AM ET (US)
They've got that one completely wrong. In fact the manual states to always keep the cover ON when washing the engine. Perhaps they have misinterpreted the recommendation to flush the engine using the flushing port after use in salt water.
John K.
tom976 posted 07-22-2011 09:28 AM ET (US)
Too funny. Can't imagine the engine lasting too long after blasting a nice hot motor with cold fresh water every use. Not to mention the electronics etc lasting either.
jimh posted 07-22-2011 10:37 AM ET (US)
There is plenty of bad information on the internet.
Tohsgib posted 07-22-2011 11:06 AM ET (US)
I degrease and rinse my engine every fall and then when dry I slap a real good coat of corrosion X on EVERYTHING under the cowl. Been doing it since I was knee high to a grasshoopper and never had a problem. I don't blast it, I rinse it. Electronics on an outboard are water resistant....thinkaboutit.
divtruk posted 07-22-2011 12:14 PM ET (US)
In the 2006 E-TEC 90 manual the only reference to flushing the motor is "if desired". Even after saltwater use they do not say you must flush the motor. Only "if desired".
ofmiceandmenemsha posted 07-22-2011 12:58 PM ET (US)
When I was a kid, I had an 11 tender with a 9.9 Johnson (I believe). I would run that thing hard, all day. Through and over sand bars, shallow water. It took a beating.
One day it overheated. Me in my 13 year old mind said I should cool it down with water. Salt water since it is what I had on hand.
My father was not happy.
contender posted 07-22-2011 03:53 PM ET (US)
I kinda have to agree with Tohsgib, I have been doing the same thing for many moons. I spray down the inside of the engine with crc, silicone, blue block (I think) and boat-shield, etc. I RINSE (do not blast) the lower inside carefully and make sure the water drains, I spray the trim tilt cylinders as well, also the trim tabs on my larger boat. I like having a lubricant on the cylinders to protect them and also to lubricate the ram gaskets. I use my boats 99.99% of the time in salt water and if you do not take care you can watch the salt build up and then the rust starts...
Whalrman posted 07-22-2011 08:29 PM ET (US)
Been rinsing mine off since new in 2007 and it still looks as if it just came out the box. The thing is you rinse the engine to get out the salt and away from the engine, not wash it and you don't rinse it right after running when it's still hot. But do what you want--the mechanics and tech's love you for it- keeps them in paycheck for not taking care of it.
pcrussell50 posted 07-22-2011 09:57 PM ET (US)
Not exactly sure what the big deal is, IF you are careful not to aim a high pressure jet into wiring connections or such. Professional auto detailers learned that the hard way, back in the early days of computerized cars. Or else don't use high pressure water.
To add a data point, my loose old carbureted 2-strokes are and have only been used in fresh water. There is not a speck of rust anywhere on them. My new 4-stroke Mercury 90hp, with a nice, well sealed, tight-fitting cowl, has started picking up some surface rust on a few under-cowl bolt heads, in just 4 months of ownership. Glad I caught it. It's light enough to clean off and you'd never know it was there. Whew! I have a gallon of WD40 that I put in pump-spray bottles. I hit the rusty bolts lightly with it, then put the cowl back on. Next time I use the boat, I'm thinking I'm going to give the powerhead a nice, low pressure, rinse. I've only been into boating for less than 4-years, so I don't exactly have decades of experience to draw from as to what works and what doesn't.
One more thing, if most outboards run more or less as cool as mine, say, 160-200degF, I'm not sure how you could damage it with ordinary garden hose temperature water. What am I missing here?
-Peter
deepwater posted 07-23-2011 05:30 AM ET (US)
I just use some Simple Green a soft paint brush and low flowing water,,Than a good spray coat of silicone,,1989 88spl still running
Russ 13 posted 07-24-2011 09:30 PM ET (US)
I quietly sneek some of my wife's "extra" bubble bath soap and used this to carefully clean the engine after use.
Go'en green and clean!

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Author	Topic: Spraying Powerhead with Water As A Rinse After Each Use
tedious	posted 07-22-2011 08:00 AM ET (US) In [some other website's] forum, [some unidentified person erroneously] reported that [a factory owner's manual for an Evinrude E-TEC] recommends removing the [engine] cowling and spraying the [power head of the outboard engine] with fresh water after every use. Can anyone confirm? Does anyone actually do this? Tim
Peter	posted 07-22-2011 08:27 AM ET (US) E-TEC manuals are available on line at evinrude.com.
thegage	posted 07-22-2011 09:23 AM ET (US) They've got that one completely wrong. In fact the manual states to always keep the cover ON when washing the engine. Perhaps they have misinterpreted the recommendation to flush the engine using the flushing port after use in salt water. John K.
tom976	posted 07-22-2011 09:28 AM ET (US) Too funny. Can't imagine the engine lasting too long after blasting a nice hot motor with cold fresh water every use. Not to mention the electronics etc lasting either.
jimh	posted 07-22-2011 10:37 AM ET (US) There is plenty of bad information on the internet.
Tohsgib	posted 07-22-2011 11:06 AM ET (US) I degrease and rinse my engine every fall and then when dry I slap a real good coat of corrosion X on EVERYTHING under the cowl. Been doing it since I was knee high to a grasshoopper and never had a problem. I don't blast it, I rinse it. Electronics on an outboard are water resistant....thinkaboutit.
divtruk	posted 07-22-2011 12:14 PM ET (US) In the 2006 E-TEC 90 manual the only reference to flushing the motor is "if desired". Even after saltwater use they do not say you must flush the motor. Only "if desired".
ofmiceandmenemsha	posted 07-22-2011 12:58 PM ET (US) When I was a kid, I had an 11 tender with a 9.9 Johnson (I believe). I would run that thing hard, all day. Through and over sand bars, shallow water. It took a beating. One day it overheated. Me in my 13 year old mind said I should cool it down with water. Salt water since it is what I had on hand. My father was not happy.
contender	posted 07-22-2011 03:53 PM ET (US) I kinda have to agree with Tohsgib, I have been doing the same thing for many moons. I spray down the inside of the engine with crc, silicone, blue block (I think) and boat-shield, etc. I RINSE (do not blast) the lower inside carefully and make sure the water drains, I spray the trim tilt cylinders as well, also the trim tabs on my larger boat. I like having a lubricant on the cylinders to protect them and also to lubricate the ram gaskets. I use my boats 99.99% of the time in salt water and if you do not take care you can watch the salt build up and then the rust starts...
Whalrman	posted 07-22-2011 08:29 PM ET (US) Been rinsing mine off since new in 2007 and it still looks as if it just came out the box. The thing is you rinse the engine to get out the salt and away from the engine, not wash it and you don't rinse it right after running when it's still hot. But do what you want--the mechanics and tech's love you for it- keeps them in paycheck for not taking care of it.
pcrussell50	posted 07-22-2011 09:57 PM ET (US) Not exactly sure what the big deal is, IF you are careful not to aim a high pressure jet into wiring connections or such. Professional auto detailers learned that the hard way, back in the early days of computerized cars. Or else don't use high pressure water. To add a data point, my loose old carbureted 2-strokes are and have only been used in fresh water. There is not a speck of rust anywhere on them. My new 4-stroke Mercury 90hp, with a nice, well sealed, tight-fitting cowl, has started picking up some surface rust on a few under-cowl bolt heads, in just 4 months of ownership. Glad I caught it. It's light enough to clean off and you'd never know it was there. Whew! I have a gallon of WD40 that I put in pump-spray bottles. I hit the rusty bolts lightly with it, then put the cowl back on. Next time I use the boat, I'm thinking I'm going to give the powerhead a nice, low pressure, rinse. I've only been into boating for less than 4-years, so I don't exactly have decades of experience to draw from as to what works and what doesn't. One more thing, if most outboards run more or less as cool as mine, say, 160-200degF, I'm not sure how you could damage it with ordinary garden hose temperature water. What am I missing here? -Peter
deepwater	posted 07-23-2011 05:30 AM ET (US) I just use some Simple Green a soft paint brush and low flowing water,,Than a good spray coat of silicone,,1989 88spl still running
Russ 13	posted 07-24-2011 09:30 PM ET (US) I quietly sneek some of my wife's "extra" bubble bath soap and used this to carefully clean the engine after use. Go'en green and clean!