Rinsing off outboard engine

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sbieleck

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What is the consensus on removing the cowling and rinsing off outboard engines after each use? Can you use saltaway? Is there a difference between rinsing 2 stroke and 4 stroke? I used to rinse my 2 stroke off after every use with fresh water. It never seemed to hurt anything. I am a little reluctant to do so with the 4 stroke without hearing the pros and cons. What about spraying the engine with wd40 also? thanks for the input.
 
I had a buddy who used to spray under the cowling with CRC after every time he went out. I don't recall it ever hurting anything but I'm not sure he would have fessed up if it did.

I'd be interested in hearing a response as well. I wonder if the factory has ever taken a position on that?
 
At the end of the year, I spray the block with salt-away, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse with fresh water. Once dry, I spray with WD-40. I repeat this treatment a couple times during the fishing season. My blocks look like the day I took possession in Mar 2002.

So...yes, it is OK to rinse the block with fresh water. Don't use high-pressure...more like a gentle spray...like you were watering a delicate flower.

Dave

aka
 
Porkchunker,
Do you spray the hoses with WD40 also? I thought that I read somewhere that WD40 would eat through hoses. But years ago, I had a mechanic tell me to spray the whole engine with WD40 after every use. I had another tell me to rinse it with fresh water after every use. That's why I brought up this topic. I wanted to see what others are doing.
 
sbieleck":3cb1jwmh said:
What is the consensus on removing the cowling and rinsing off outboard engines after each use? Can you use saltaway? Is there a difference between rinsing 2 stroke and 4 stroke?
Click to expand...

Rinsing the outside of an outboard and flushing it with fresh water after each use is a great idea!
Taking the cowl off and rinsing the block after every use... Not necessary.

Can you use SaltAway? Absolutely!
Use it several times a season and you'll keep your motor in pristine condition.
No difference between 2-stroke and 4-stroke motors. Clean is clean. :wink:
 
I have a Yama 250 4. I am too lazy to read the manual on this question but will look for answer next time anchored up and slow fishing. Good question though. when I had 2 strokes, I too met one old school yankee type that even suggested brushing the inside with a thin layer of STP. He also suggested spraying trailer bolts/parts, rims.... with fogging oil, let dry in sun a few days, then a protective film forms that won't bleed in the water. This does work!!! From their site, Yama designed the air intake on the cover to drain out any water that could inadvertently travel into the air intake. The inside seems to want to be and stay dry under normal use. It seems the seal around the base and three spring locks sure look like they want to keep the engine nice and dry inside the cover. I do the WD40/CRC at end of season or as needed. I would just watch spraying any belts, electronic timing "eyes", with any lube or oil type product.
 
I used to do this to my motorcycle engines all the time after washing.

The only caveat is that petroleum based sprays and lubricant will soften and degrade some wiring and DEFINATELY (from experience) trash electrical tape adhesive.

I started using silicone spray and products like tire shine (silicone). Much more part friendly.

Still use it on MC engines regularly.
 
What an absolute WASTE of time in my admittedly biased humble opinion ...

I've been boating for 40+ years and just this year alone, between my brothers and I, we have 11 OBs running in salt water service. NONE have ever been rinsed on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Yes, they are such cleaned in the Fall and cleaned and properly lubed & anti-corrosion sprayed (I like CRC and Merc's products) in the Spring. And I'd bet $$ our powerheads look as good as yours ... just not so shiny ;) .

By all means do it if it makes you feel better, just NEVER use Boeshield T-9 or similar waxy stuff. It will gunk up over time and inhibit proper operation/movement of moving parts, linkages, etc.
 
DaleH":16z5vqmi said:
What an absolute WASTE of time in my admittedly biased humble opinion ...

I've been boating for 40+ years and just this year alone, between my brothers and I, we have 11 OBs running in salt water service. NONE have ever been rinsed on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Yes, they are such cleaned in the Fall and cleaned and properly lubed & anti-corrosion sprayed (I like CRC and Merc's products) in the Spring. And I'd bet $$ our powerheads look as good as yours ... just not so shiny ;) .

By all means do it if it makes you feel better, just NEVER use Boeshield T-9 or similar waxy stuff. It will gunk up over time and inhibit proper operation/movement of moving parts, linkages, etc.
Click to expand...

Mine gets it once a year. I have 225+ hours since December and it doesn't look any different - don't see the powerhead getting anything on it since its under the cowling.
 
Miss Mattie":1tj8og0w said:
WD 40 is made from Menhaden (bunker) oil. Save the bay and use CRC or silicone.
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That is an urban legend that has never been proven nor dis-proven.

That said, even if it is pogie oil, it is only < 10% of the components in the can, as ~90% of them are directly traceable, per the MSDS specific to WD-40, to pertoleum products (the bulk of the mix) like naptha or mineral oil, or that of the propellant itself.
 
The menhaden oil may explain what happened last fall when I was trying to free up my son's zebco spiderman reel with some WD 40 and my hands were covered in it when I threw his plastic grub back in.... That oily grub was hit within seconds and it happened over and over while trolling for trout (specs) SC style in the creek with 4 to 5 lines out.
 
Miss Mattie":21mv9zds said:
WD 40 is made from Menhaden (bunker) oil. Save the bay and use CRC or silicone.
Click to expand...

If this was true, and its not, then how would using a synthetic product like silicon "save the bay"... natural oils biodegrade naturally, unless you are talking about commercial fishing of pogies, which I'll leave alone aside from mentioning herring, anchovy, and about 50 other small fish species that have been decimated by commercial fishing.

I can't imagine that people are too lazy to look this information up on google, especially when they have obvious access to the internet. Fish are attracted to most light oils, because they "smell" like natural fats and oils that are high in energy. http://www.wd40company.com/files/pdf/ms ... 716385.pdf

http://www.wd40.com/about-us/myths-legends-fun-facts/
What a Fish story!

Myth: WD-40 contains fish oil.
Fact:
Consumers have told us over the years that they have caught some of the biggest fish ever after protecting their fish hooks and lures with WD-40. We believe this legend came from folks assuming that the product must contain fish oil since it appears to attract fish. Sorry Charlie®, it just ain’t so.

WD-40 Company has taken steps to respect and conserve the environment, and encourages its users to do the same. While WD-40 can be used to help protect fishing equipment from rust and corrosion, WD-40 Company does not recommend using WD-40 to attract fish.
Click to expand...

The original formula may have had some bunker oil in it, but that's been changed.

I say skip it entirely. We've got 8 outboards, 3 of which are in the 5000+ hour club, never washed off, never flushed, and run very hard.
 
These darn Yammies are so dependable looks like we are running out of things to post about... :lol:
My motor is going on 3 years of hard salt water use and looks new under the cover. No signs of salt or any corrosion. I'm not going to spray water or oil in there. I am just going to inspect and grease where it is called for. Like said here it looks like it was designed to keep water out. Too many electrical connectors and plastic for me to spray any water or petroleum based sprays in there, why? Will it make you feel like a more responsible boat owner? OVERKILL. :shock: Owning a boat is enough work alone I'm not looking for unnecessary things to add. WD-40 over time will ruin the plastics fading them and sometimes making them brittle. It’s like Armor All it makes it look good when it on but when it dries it looks worse than before. I have a good friend that sprays WD-40 on EVERYTHING and many times the damage outweighs the benefit. Paint, connectors, tape, gaskets, grease, all could be effected by these sprays…Not for me, I’m leaving well enough alone. If was beneficial I’m sure Yamaha would recommend it. :)
 
Thanks for all of the replies. I think I will skip rinsing the engine based on your replies. I was a little concerned because a couple of the bolts inside the cowlings are completely rusted. Otherwise, the engines look fine. No evidence of salt and/or water.
 
I removed my engine covers, and my engines look like brand new, I would be afraid to spray anything on them, BUT if it is good for the engine, maybe, I can see one spot where salt water get in, but it is so small and the amount of water that gets on my motors on the ocean, I am suprised it is so clean under the cowlings !
 
More important, I rinse my truck after every trip!! After cleaning, I completely cover it in 40 cans of WD40.

boatRamp.jpg
 
:lol: :lol: :lol:

He's got it bass ackwards! WOW... :shock: Now to top it off he's gonna get a ticket for violating the 15min tie up.
 
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