Flushing Yamaha motors

Fisherman87 · 01-13-2006, 06:12 PM

I've got a 150 Horse and an 8 horse Yamaha 4 stroke motor and I was wondering if when I plug the hose into them to flush the motor is that enough water flowing through the system to start it up and keep it cool or is it not advised? I put some fuel stabilizer in my tank and I need to run it through the system for a while but I don�t want to take it down to the launch to do this. I was hoping that I could just hook up the hose to the flush connector and fire it up for 15 minutes or so. Thoughts??

Sea Raider · 01-13-2006, 06:33 PM

Fisherman87; I just bought a new yamaha 225&T8 4 stroke motors'My North River dealer told me not to start either motor when flushing them. Be safe call your dealer.

Fisherman87 · 01-13-2006, 07:08 PM

thanks for the info.

Coastalfisherman · 01-13-2006, 09:06 PM

I also have a 150 and an 8 hp yamis that I just bought. My dealer said that the motors could be started or not when you flush them out. I think that I read in the owners manual the same thing.

toddsnorthriver · 01-14-2006, 05:44 PM

I have a Yamaha 225 and a T8 four stroke and flush them running with a garden hose. My salesman told me that it could be done this way without any problems. I have had mine for almost a year now and that is the only way that I flush the motors and everything is running like the day I purchased them.

BM-FISHER · 01-14-2006, 06:20 PM

I dont know I always thought you had to use the muffes if you wont to start the motor when flushing so the water pump does not burn up but this might be differnt with the new yamaha's

Gundog · 01-14-2006, 06:23 PM

I have my boat in the salt just once and I flushed mine with the hose connection is that wrong?
GD

namu mac · 01-14-2006, 09:29 PM

I just had this conversation with Steve the head guy a Portland Performance Marine's service shop ou in Wilsonville.He told me that it is ok to run you motor slowly while hooked up to the flushing connection (not over 100o rpm). If you need to run it faster then you need the muffs to get more water flow to keep your motor cool

Tacklebuster · 01-14-2006, 10:20 PM

The manual plainly states NOT to run your motor when flushing using the garden hose adapter. The rubber impeller down below does not get supplied with sufficient water and will burn up. How do I know this, cause mine burnt up on my T8. If you like having water shoot out your pee hole, don't fire that motor up without muffs

Oh yea, warrenty does not cover replacing the burnt impellers, I found that out as well.

toddsnorthriver · 01-14-2006, 10:47 PM

Now are you talking all Yamaha motors or just the T8. I haven't had any problems with just running at idle with a garden hose attached to the adapter. I don't do it for more than five minuetes, and the water coming out the pee holes is warm from the block. I am assuming that the impeller is working very good because the water is warm. I could see it being a problem if you use more than an idle to flush the systems. Thanks, Todd

Tacklebuster · 01-15-2006, 09:02 AM

Read your manual. I have a 150 and that manual plainly states NOT to run your motor when flushing using the garden hose adapter. Luckily the impeller on my T8 toasted and not my big motor cause I was in Astoria at the time. Do it if you want but when you burn that impeller up, don't think that your warrenty will cover it. The problem is your impeller could burn up while you are flushing and you will never know cause water will still shoot out your pee hole when flushing through the garden hose adapter. The next time you put it in the water is when you will notice it. Doing anything that your manual tells you not to will pretty much promise you problems when getting something fixed under warrenty. Not worth it in my opinion

Your water will be warm from the block but that has nothing to do with your impeller. Your impeller is located in your lower unit and is starving for water cause the water flow is from up above. When you hook up your hose to the adapter, water shoots out your pee hole when the motor is off. What do you think your water pump is really pumping when you turn your motor on under these conditions

WaterDog · 01-15-2006, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Read your manual. I have a 150 and that manual plainly states NOT to run your motor when flushing using the garden hose adapter. Luckily the impeller on my T8 toasted and not my big motor cause I was in Astoria at the time. Do it if you want but when you burn that impeller up, don't think that your warrenty will cover it. The problem is your impeller could burn up while you are flushing and you will never know cause water will still shoot out your pee hole when flushing through the garden hose adapter. The next time you put it in the water is when you will notice it. Doing anything that your manual tells you not to will pretty much promise you problems when getting something fixed under warrenty. Not worth it in my opinion

Your water will be warm from the block but that has nothing to do with your impeller. Your impeller is located in your lower unit and is starving for water cause the water flow is from up above. When you hook up your hose to the adapter, water shoots out your pee hole when the motor is off. What do you think your water pump is really pumping when you turn your motor on under these conditions

I've got a 15hp Yamaha and AP is right. The manual is VERY clear on this. If your using the hose connection to flush your motor, why do you need the engine running? :whazzup: The hose connection will flush the engine, that is what it's there for. Turn the hose on and let it the water run for 10 or 15 minutes. It's really that easy.

NorthRiverRick · 01-15-2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

that manual plainly states NOT to run your motor when flushing using the garden hose adapter.

Ditto in my 225 manual

Rick

toddsnorthriver · 01-15-2006, 11:46 PM

Just got home from work. I'm going to get my manual out in the morning and check a few things out. I have a question (AP) about your T8 mishap. Were you running the engine for long period of time while flushing it? Or did it happen over time? With the price tag on these babies I don't want to chance it. I still cant believe that the Wilsonville shop would hand out bad advice. I wonder if that Yamahas way of covering there backsides for someone trying to do a "Quick Flush " at wide open throttle. I guess the $10 muffs are cheaper than a couple hundred dollars repair bill. Thanks, Todd

Tacklebuster · 01-16-2006, 10:12 AM

I had my T8 about a year before it happened. I did not have that many hours on it and the only time I really use it is when I am in the ocean. I used to hook a hose up and start it up for about 5 minutes and let it idle. The only time I did this was after a trip in the ocean so I probably did it about a dozen times. I was told when I bought the boat that I could do that, I took that advice instead of what the manual stated and paid the price. I did not run it that way for long periods of time and I never ran it more than idle speed.

Do yourself a favor and spend 10 bucks on the muffs. It's alot cheaper than dropping about a hundred bucks and being without your boat during prime fishing season for a week

Am I saying that was 100 percent of the reason my impeller burned up, no cause there is no way to prove it. I do know that I was doing something completely against what the manual says to do and it burned up with very minimal usage so that is what I am basing my opinion on. I am not saying they are giving out bad advice, I'm just saying your are far better off by following the manual so in the event something major happens, you have no chance of voiding out your warrenty.

Boats · 01-17-2006, 06:56 AM

Question:
Ok. So the mannual says NOT to start the engine when using the garden hose adapter because the impeller wont get enough water and will burn up.

So, why would you even use the garden hose adapter? Seems like if we're not putting enough water through the system to keep the impeller cool, then we're probably not doing a great job of cleaning the system.

Any thoughts?

Tacklebuster · 01-17-2006, 09:50 AM

The garden hose adapter is just a quick and easy way to hook a hose up to your motor and flush most of the salt away when pulling out at the ramp. The manual does not state that running your motor while using the adapter will burn up your impeller, it just states not to do it. I don't think the reasoning has nothing to do with your motor getting to hot if you do it cause you actually get more water pressure shooting out the pee hole when you use the adapter verses the muffs.

I think it is just a quick way to get the salt out of the upper part of your motor right away

WaterDog · 01-17-2006, 10:48 AM

Guys, Using the hose adaptor is all you need to do to flush the engine. It does not need to be running. Using the hose adaptor will run fresh water throughout the cooling system. At least on my 15hp when the hose is on, water runs out of the lower intake. The book says to run the water for a minumum of 10 minutes and there is no need to run the engine to completely flush it. I'm guessing that while there is water in the lower unit, it's not enough to to keep the impellor wet but it's enough to flush it. I know some of the bigger honda's are the same way. This is modern technology and easy maintenence at it's best.

reelfine · 01-17-2006, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Guys, Using the hose adaptor is all you need to do to flush the engine. It does not need to be running.

That's not ENTIRELY correct... ;-)

I just spent a week flushing the #$!# out of my Yamaha T8 kicker because it has the "hot water basin" option; flushing your motor via the hose adapter doesn't flush the fitting for the hot water basin. I flushed all season with a garden hose after each run (salt water or not), and after a month of storage, the fitting was plugged with salt corrosion.

After 4 or 5 treatments with Salt-Away (running it inline with the muffs), it finally dissolved the clog.