using dove,dawn soap to flush out your outboard

boater1234

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
869
I know this might sound crazy but has anyone ever flushed out their outboard with either dove or dawn soap?My buddy about 12yrs ago showed me a trick on how he never gets any salt build up in his engine.

He usto take 3to 5drops of soap and put it in the water hose and then run it through the engine,he told me it sanitizes close to 99% of the salt[can't ever get 100% of it out no matter what] and is way cheaper then salt-away $1.29 compared to $30 to $40.I have done this to all my outboards for 12 yrs and have never had a problem at all my question is has anyone ever heard of this or does this themselves?If yes have u had any problems at all just wondering?

My buddy who showed me this is also a guide who learned it off another guide so i was wondering how many people have heard of this.I have small outboards so i just use a plastic garbage pal and fill it up with water and 2drops of dove or dawn i guess it seems to work good as no problems yet.

Ok curious to hear some feedback on this one thanks for any responses.
 

tx1961whaler

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 31, 2008
Messages
5,197
Re: using dove,dawn soap to flush out your outboard

Used to do it all of the time when flushing the salt out.
Warm up motor on muffs
Shut off motor
Turn off the water, and squirt some detergent down in the hose
Crank up motor and turn on water
Run until suds go away
 

boater1234

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
869
Re: using dove,dawn soap to flush out your outboard

Hey tex whaler did u ever have any problems with the motor at all?I don't know alot of people who actually do this but i hear it talked about alot and i tell some people about it and they think i'm nuts except the marina's because i think most of them know it is just as efective as salt away and $35 cheaper and a bottle of dove soap will last what 10 yrs maybe more.

The way i look at it is it is only going through the coolant system and when u run your boat through water or canals u can only imagine the oil slicks from 2strokes and all the other crap that runs through the water system and if that does not hurt the water pump i think nothing will.

Well i guess it will be up in the air till someone actually can prove it i guess.We do know that soap takes almost eveything off the hands or most of anything it comes in contact with so i think it should do a good job on salt.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,417
Re: using dove,dawn soap to flush out your outboard

I don't use soap or salt away. Only flush maybe 50% of the time. Motor has 2152 hours. I've had he heads off a couple of time in the past 3 years. No signs of salt build-up. Lots of errosion of the water passages. Can't stop that with a flush
 

denlou

Seaman
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
56
Re: using dove,dawn soap to flush out your outboard

The PWC crowd is big on this, or at least the ones I know.
I was told Dawn has the same chemical makeup as saltaway.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,417
Re: using dove,dawn soap to flush out your outboard

The PWC crowd is big on this, or at least the ones I know.
I was told Dawn has the same chemical makeup as saltaway.
The active ingredient in Salt-away is Sulfamic Acid.
Sulfamic acid is used as an acidic cleaning agent, sometimes pure or as a component of proprietary mixtures, typically for metals and ceramics. It is frequently used for removing rust and limescale, replacing the more volatile and irritating hydrochloric acid. It is often a component of household descaling agents, for example, Lime-A-Way Thick Gel contains up to 8% sulfamic acid and pH 2 - 2.2 [1], or detergents used for removal of limescale. When compared to most of the common strong mineral acids, Sulfamic acid has desirable water descaling properties, low volatility, low toxicity and is a water soluble solid forming soluble calcium and iron-III salts. Its also finds applications in the industrial cleaning of dairy and brew-house equipment. Although it is considered less corrosive than hydrochloric acid due to its lower pKa, corrosion inhibitors are often added to commercial cleansers of which it is a component. It is possible that the amino group could act as a ligand under certain circumstances, as does the chloride ion for Fe-III, when hydrochloric acid is used in rust removal.

Sulfamic acid is used in the S.C. Johnson & Sons, Inc. "Scrubbing Bubbles Fizz-Its Toilet Tablets."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfamic_acid
 

Frank Acampora

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Messages
12,004
Re: using dove,dawn soap to flush out your outboard

Don't know if it does anything for salt, but I typically use Dawn to lubricate a new water pump impeller when I install it. Won't attack the rubber and keeps it from abrading until water gets in the pump.
 
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