Freshwater Flush Your Outboard

Most of us take good care of our marine equipment. We wash and wax our boats and outboards, change the oil and oil filter regularly, and replace the fuel filters, but what about your outboard's cooling system. Unfortunately, it is often overlooked in a maintenance regimen. During the course of normal use, the water pump can ingest mud, sand, and silt, which then flows through the engine. Marine growth can also occur behind the inlet screens interrupting the flow of water to the engine. Over time, debris can accumulate in the outboard's cooling passages. This build up can damage the water pump's rubber impeller and plastic housing. Eventually, the buildup can also restrict the amount of water available to the engine resulting in poor cooling, which will damage the engine. It may even promote corrosion in the exhaust system because increased engine temperatures— along with the effects of using ethanol blended fuels—can cause increased exhaust temperatures. Read more about fresh water flushing your outboard to prolong the life of the engine.