Salt in Optimax

[Vitamin Sea]

Hi all

Took the lid off the Opti this afternoon for a look see, have not done so for quite a while.

Have noticed, well you can't miss it, a lot of crystallized salt on the motor, now i'm no outboard mechanic but I know that can't be good for anything.

Sprayed a fair bit of WD 40 over it, as that's all I had.

For those who don't know it's a 200hp, 60hrs on the clock.

Do you have any ideas as to what I should spray it with and possible prevention.

Thanks

Bill

[Blackened]

G'day

Bill, go and grab yourself some salt-x.

I think bias may have it, wellington point marine definatly does.

Follow with inox as WD40 has been known to have some adverse effects on some rubber/insulation.

Dave

[Vitamin Sea]

Thanks Dave

I was going to get some inox tomorrow as that is the prefered, think I've seen salt-x at bias, will see.

Quite a bit getting in, a bit unnerving.

Don't know why they have the air vent in the cowl, I assume cooling? don't know.

Cheers

Bill

[bluefin59]

Just a thought i have a 60hp merc and it took a bit of spray in through the trim switch on the side of the motor the water came of my transducer i was running a 1kw lowrance and didnt notice until much later all i did is pull the switch out and put a little silicone around it then reinstalled it . It is held in with a tin plate thingy ihope that makes sense i ended up putting a transducer cover on as well ...matt

[disorderly]

Yeah Bill the inox will do the trick.
I also noticed that some spray or salt air was getting into the E-Tec early on as I noticed a bolt head with white deposits on it.
Was also recommended inox and seems to be working.
bluefin 59 makes a good point as I also had problems with a transducer kicking up a bit of a rooster tail of water.Gotta watch that.

Scott

[Vitamin Sea]

Thanks Scott and Matt

Don't think the transducer on the Furuno is the problem, but will have a look.

Have been out in some pretty crappy weather of late, and I believe it's being sucked up into the induction hole in the cowl, not a bright idea in my mind.

Having a 20" standard shaft probably doesn't help either

Thanks

Bill

[Roughasguts]

I use hot soapy water to get any salt build up off.

[death_ship]

HI BILL
i always remove the cowl and hose off the motor after each trip then hit it with a bit of inox, gets rid of the salt and keeps everything freed up for service time. just put the cowl back on once dry. its recommended by captain rednut:D

[disorderly]

HI BILL
i always remove the cowl and hose off the motor after each trip then hit it with a bit of inox, gets rid of the salt and keeps everything freed up for service time. just put the cowl back on once dry. its recommended by captain rednut:D

death ship,
I have thought of doing this also but with so many wires on the E-tec I would be worried about dislodging something.
I have also been told that the inox itself is enough to remove any salt...can anybody shed any light on the truth or otherwise of this theory?

scott

[Roughasguts]

I don't think salt can be removed if in a glass, under the cowl or in a salt lake.

But it can be disolved temporarily in hot water then washed away with fresh water before it dries out.

I think if you put some salt in a glass and covered in with inox you will still have a glass containing salt and inox.

Also try salt in a glass, and pour in hot water it disolves quickly compared to cold water which seems to just suspend it for a while.

[death_ship]

death ship,
I have thought of doing this also but with so many wires on the E-tec I would be worried about dislodging something.
I have also been told that the inox itself is enough to remove any salt...can anybody shed any light on the truth or otherwise of this theory?

scott
just give it a light spray and it will be fine

[Smithy]

I wouldn't be using Inox. It has been know to damage rubber and insulation wires.

Salt X or Saltaway are the go.

I have been using Salt Away. A mate put me onto it. He is a Kiwi and it is a NZ product. Take a drive out to Qld Skiboat Centre Richlands. It is Inala way.

http://www.salt-away.com.au/dealers.asp

Other than that I used to mix up big buckets of warm water for my Yammie 100. The one mechanic said it was the worst he had ever seen with salt build up around the powerhead but I was doing some extrme backing up on rampaging Marlin. A bit of elbow grease and warm water got rid of most of it. I guess on your black motor the white salt is going to contrast more than on a Johnson or Yammie. The dark colour is the only negative of Suzukes and Mercs IMHO.

[Vitamin Sea]

HI BILL
i always remove the cowl and hose off the motor after each trip then hit it with a bit of inox, gets rid of the salt and keeps everything freed up for service time. just put the cowl back on once dry. its recommended by captain rednut:D


Hi Brett

Thanks for that, yes, I will be doing that from now on as well, the amount that gets in was a bit of a eye opener for me.

Cheers

Bill

[death_ship]

correction:lanox not inox

[trev1]

Its pretty hard to avoid getting some salt inside your engine. There's always some saltwater spray around the back of a boat and these engines draw in a lot of air (they need it to run) so its inevitiable some will get in sometime.