Flushing a 2018 SX190

[rayg1022]

Is there a certain way you need to flush. Like turn water first then turn motor or vise versa? And long can you allow the motor to run?

 

[haknslash]

Engine on FIRST then water to begin flush. Never run water into the engine while the engine is off or you could severely damage it (hydrolock). To stop flushing you do the opposite procedure by turning off the water FIRST then turn off the engine LAST. Very important! Definitely read up on your owner's manual so you're familiar with the boat.

I run the engine until all of the Salt Away, Salt Terminator, etc is gone from the dispenser cup. It will be clear and not dark blue.

 

[itsdgm]

Engine ON then Water On to begin flush. Never run water into the engine while the engine is off or you could severely damage it (hydrolock). To stop flushing you do the opposite procedure by turning of the water first then turn off the engine last. Definitely read up on your owner's manual so you're familiar with the boat.

I run the engine until all of the salt away is gone from the cup. It will be clear then and not blue.

Yep. What he said.

 

[rayg1022]

Yep. What he said.

So do I need to flush if the boat wasn only fresh water lakes?

 

[haknslash]

Some people like to flush even in fresh water use. It wouldn't hurt to do it. I just don't because Salt Away is pricey and I reserve it for strictly salt use. Some fresh water lakes can have a lot of growth and organisms than other fresh water lakes so flushing may be required. All depends on your lake I suppose. Also if you want to help minimize transferring of lake species from one lake to another. We don't have that issue here like other places or at least it's not enforced and haven't noticed any invasive species on things.

 

[itsdgm]

Not necessarily. I do, however i use my boat only a few times a year (fresh water only) but for several days at a time. So i end up having to do a complete clean up, inspection, wash and wax. But i wouldn’t flush the engines if my use was every weekend over a season. In that case I’d probably flush it after a few trips out.

One thing that i do is i put a squirt of dawn dishwashing soap in the flush line and the start the engine, turn on the water and flush the engine for a few minutes until the bubbles stop coming out. Then i shut off the water wait about five seconds and then turn off the engine. Next, i remove the hose from the flush connector. This makes it impossible to accidentally leave the hose on with the engine shut down, which will cause water to get into the cylinders of the engine and destroy it.

Keep in mind that these boats use water boxes to quiet down the exhaust like a muffler does on a car. The water box and exhaust will still have quite a bit of water sitting inside. The only way to remove it is to start up the engine for a second or two and “blow it out”. This could take several attempts. But imho it’s important for the engine life (exhaust valves) and for passing any muzzle inspections to get as much of the water out of there as possible.

Failing a muzzle inspection could ruin your day at the lake and A stuck exhaust valve could ruin a boating season. Please don’t ask me how i know

Anyway, hopefully that all makes sense.

 

[Bananas]

Good or bad? I hook up the water turn it on it get pressure than shut off. Start the engine than turn the water on. Flush than kill water, than kill engine..

 

[boudin]

When I had my place in Galveston, I would flush after every use. But now that I'm freshwater on a lift, I never flush. I do, though, when out of the water, start the motors for a few seconds and throttle up to blow out as much water as possible out of the water boxes. As @itsdgm says it can help prevent sticky valves if the boat sits for a long while.

-Greg

 

[itsdgm]

Good or bad? I hook up the water turn it on it get pressure than shut off. Start the engine than turn the water on. Flush than kill water, than kill engine..

I’m not quit sure what you mean when you say “I hook up the water turn it on it get pressure than shut off. “

The rule of thumb is Anytime that water is flowing into the engine the engine needs to be running. Otherwise water can fill up he water box and get into the engine through the exhaust. It needs the exhaust from the running engine to push the water out of the water box.

 

[BlkGS]

How do people who aren't trailering blow out the water in the mufflers? When I dock my boat, it's still in the water and then they'll grab it with a forklift (typically after I'm gone).

What's the procedure for this? Clamp off the water intake lines?

 

[NewBoater]

Don’t they have a cleaning rack at your boatel forklift place? At mine (before I had a lift installed) they would lift boat out of water put it on cleaning rack for me to do my cleaning and flushing then put it away. If not you may want to get your boat in trailer once in a while for flushing and a good cleaning.

 

[BlkGS]

Not a cleaning rack per se, but I can get to my boat during the week while it's on their racks. I suppose I could do that every few weeks.

 

[merlinjet]

Good or bad? I hook up the water turn it on it get pressure than shut off. Start the engine than turn the water on. Flush than kill water, than kill engine..

Simply put:

Engine on--> Water on--> Flush--> Water off--> 2-3 revs on the throttle to clear engine/water box-->Engine off

 

[AJack]

I was trying to be productive while flushing my engine and decided to clean the plugs for the jets and opened the clean out tray --- oops, engine shut off while the water was running. I shrieked and immediately restarted the engine. <NOTE: This was my very first time with the boat >

A helpful item I picked up is a shut-off valve so I didn't have to walk back to the spigot. https://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-Star-Garden-Connector-TWIS3001/dp/B07CZYGVFH/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1532704999&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=hose+shut+off+valve&psc=1

 

[NewBoater]

I just grab the hose line kink it with my hand and squeeze and hold then twist and remove the hose