One of our the most common questions we get at Longshore Boats is, “how do I flush my engine?” Today our salesmen, Hector and Stephen, will be showing you two proper ways to flush the outboard engine on your boat. We used the 2019 Robalo R246 Cayman Sky Deck for our demonstration!
There are two ways to flush your engine: The Static Way and the Traditional Way.
1. The Static Way – This way is best completed after your engine has been running for some amount of time. Shut off your engine, then locate the flush attachment. For the Yamaha Outboard 300HP engine, it is located on the starboard side. Unscrew the water in-take attachment and keep the gasket in place to allow pressure to stay trapped inside. Screw the hose on, while ensuring it is not cross threaded, then turn the water on. You will soon see water flow from the propeller and the weep hole. Run the water for about 5 to 10 minutes to flush any saltwater or sand out of the outboard. DO NOT crank the engine during the flush, let the water leave the block and the system on its own. When it’s completed, remove the hose, make sure the gasket is in place and hand screw the flush attachment back in. This is VERY important to do because if not, you will lose water pressure!
2. The Traditional Way – Start with your engine shut off. Connect engine muffs to the water hose and cover the water in-take tightly. Tape off the high speed water pick up, so there is no air pulling into the water pump that could potentially harm it (most engines will not have the high speed pick up, so some will not require the tape). Turn on the water until you see a slight flow, then start the outboard. Let the engine run for 5 to 10 minutes to get a good flush. After you’re finished, turn off the engine, turn off the water, remove the engine muffs and remove the tape from the pick up. We cannot stress enough that you need to REMOVE THE TAPE. If you forget this step, you will damage your pump.
You’ve picked a way to flush your engine and followed the correct steps, so now it’s time to get out on the waterways and enjoy your boat! We’ll have more boating tips coming your way so stay tuned!
