Flushing Engine Water Flow issue

[DaveG]

Good Day.
Have a question. I have a 2021 257 Fisherman with twin XB150 outboards. I have been trying to figure out when needed to run engines on dry land I am hooking up my ear muffs and not getting any flow through all my cooling outlets before cranking engine. I have good flow in water and my flush ports work fine. I am using the rectangular type double sided muffs and whwn connected at my marina hook up water pressure seems ok. Is there a method anyone has? Should I crank engine so I can wait for water pump in lower unit to push water to the outlets? Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I haven't used the ear muffs in close to a decade now because of exactly that reason and that most of the time they don't fit too well, they'll bend or be brittle, will lose their elasticity, etc. On top of that, if you have a small gap, you're going to lose water pressure, or if you just have low water pressure in general, you probably won't get water out of the motor. Here's a video of what you're supposed to do and what I do with my Yamaha outboard. It's the quick connect, of which you can also hook up a "Salt Away" reservoir on it as well to run Salt Away through the motor to clear anything out. As is stated in the video, there's no need to start up the motor, just flush the motor with the water through the quick connect for 10-15 minutes, use Salt Away if you want to as well, and that's it. Very quick and easy method.

How to flush your Yamaha outboard correctly!

Properly maintaining your Yamaha outboard motor is essential for long-lasting performance on the water!In this video Aaron goes more in-depth on how to flush...

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[SkunkBoat]

I haven't used the ear muffs in close to a decade now because most of them don't fit too well, they'll bend or be brittle, will lose their elasticity, etc. On top of that, if you have a small gap, you're going to lose water pressure, or if you just have low water pressure in general, you probably won't get water out of the motor. Here's a video of what you're supposed to do and what I do with my Yamaha outboard. It's the quick connect, of which you can also hook up a "Salt Away" reservoir on it as well to run Salt Away through the motor to clear anything out. As is stated in the video, there's no need to start up the motor, just flush the motor with the water through the quick connect for 10-15 minutes, use Salt Away if you want to as well, and that's it.

How to flush your Yamaha outboard correctly!

Properly maintaining your Yamaha outboard motor is essential for long-lasting performance on the water!In this video Aaron goes more in-depth on how to flush...

www.youtube.com

he's talking about running motors not flushing them.

The flush port is not intended to run the motor. The flush port does not test that the pump works at getting water thru the motor.

To run the motor, the Yamaha hot tub always works. Aside from that, you can use the flush port AND ears using a garden Y valve on your hose. That causes the whole motor to "prime", then turn off the flush port and then it should run on the ear muffs alone.

Sometimes taping over Lower Unit drain holes helps.

 

[DennisG01]

Good Day.
Have a question. I have a 2021 257 Fisherman with twin XB150 outboards. I have been trying to figure out when needed to run engines on dry land I am hooking up my ear muffs and not getting any flow through all my cooling outlets before cranking engine. I have good flow in water and my flush ports work fine. I am using the rectangular type double sided muffs and whwn connected at my marina hook up water pressure seems ok. Is there a method anyone has? Should I crank engine so I can wait for water pump in lower unit to push water to the outlets? Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!

You need to run the engine to get flow through the engine when using muffs. It should work perfectly, then. Have been doing it this way for many decades on my own stuff... and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds that come through the shop.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

he's talking about running motors not flushing them.

The flush port is not intended to run the motor. The flush port does not test that the pump works at getting water thru the motor.

To run the motor, the Yamaha hot tub always works. Aside from that, you can use the flush port AND ears using a garden Y valve on your hose. That causes the whole motor to "prime", then turn off the flush port and then it should run on the ear muffs alone.

Sometimes taping over Lower Unit drain holes helps.

I guess I just don't really ever start up my motor for too long on dry land as Yamaha themselves say that the quick connect works equally well to using something like the ear muffs or flush bag. I typically just flush it a few times a summer and especially at the end of the season with using the Salt Away and the quick connect. The flushing bags I've heard work quite well for those that want to use them and start up their outboards for extended periods and/or need to get their engines up to temperature. They're around $180 on up to over $200 depending on the brand and which company you buy them from.

Outboard Flushing, The Right Way

Back in the day, flushing an outboard with fresh water was done only one way. A set of

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[DennisG01]

I should add... UNLESS your lower unit has a second set of intakes at the nose cone. I don't think it does - but double check. IF that's the case, tape those nose cone inlets.

 

[DaveG]

You need to run the engine to get flow through the engine when using muffs. It should work perfectly, then. Have been doing it this way for many decades on my own stuff... and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds that come through the shop.

Thanks. appreciate the fast reply. I will give it a whirl and maybe Y connect so it fets a good prime.

 

[DaveG]

You need to run the engine to get flow through the engine when using muffs. It should work perfectly, then. Have been doing it this way for many decades on my own stuff... and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds that come through the shop.

 

[DennisG01]

Thanks. appreciate the fast reply. I will give it a whirl and maybe Y connect so it fets a good prime.

You can do that - but it's really not necessary. Get water to the muffs full blast and start 'er up. The only thing that needs priming is your impeller and that's what the hose does (or sitting in water).

 

[DaveG]

You can do that - but it's really not necessary. Get water to the muffs full blast and start 'er up. The only thing that needs priming is your impeller and that's what the hose does (or sitting in water).

appreciate truly and hope it goes as planned

 

[Sdfish]

I stopped running my motor using earmuffs a few years back. I didnt think I was getting enough water flow. I started using a flush bag and can run the motor with plenty of flow. (Yamaha F150)

 

[DennisG01]

appreciate truly and hope it goes as planned

No problem!

It should go like this... "Oh, well that was actually pretty easy"

FYI, it may take 30 seconds or so for the water to show up through the exhaust.

When you first turn the water on, you'll see lots of water squirting out around the muffs. When you start the engine, within a few seconds that squirting will (mostly, at least) go away. You're good - just give it time.

 

[seasick]

Good Day.
Have a question. I have a 2021 257 Fisherman with twin XB150 outboards. I have been trying to figure out when needed to run engines on dry land I am hooking up my ear muffs and not getting any flow through all my cooling outlets before cranking engine. I have good flow in water and my flush ports work fine. I am using the rectangular type double sided muffs and whwn connected at my marina hook up water pressure seems ok. Is there a method anyone has? Should I crank engine so I can wait for water pump in lower unit to push water to the outlets? Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!

Not seeing water "through all cooling ports" whatever that means exactly when the engine is not running is not abnormal. It takes the water pumps to get enough pressure and flow into the power head. One thing to be aware of is that long runs of garden style hoses or the use of shrinkable compact hoses can result in insufficient water volume and subsequent over heating.

Regarding running a Yami on the flush port. Yamaha says not to run the motor. Most techs I know do run at low revs on the flush port at least for smaller HP motors (225 and below). If I had a new Yami motor and the user manual said not to run on the flush port, I wouldn't.

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

Muffs work, can work or don't work, epending on the lower unit, and muffs can fall off so stay there and control them.

The easiest way to flush outboards is to use a correct size bucket (or flush bag i never heard of till now),

1. fill it with water and maybe cleaning solution
2. drop a hose running with a bit of water coming to replace the slowly disappearing water inside and cool it
3. start the engine and run her as long needed
4. check water level in the bucket
5. stop engine and empty bucket, a valve on the bottom makes draining easier

For twin outboards repeat on the other outboard

Some people on THT use this Rubbermaid stock tanks for animals,
i use for years now for smaller lower units the cheap, blue 50 gallon PE barrels or for the big Suzuki lower unit a small water tank.
In the shipyard we use a square box and a forklift what is obviously not the best for home use.

Chris