Starting Engine Out of Water Flush? 5.7GL-B

[PBskippy]

Should I use the freshwater flush attachment on the engine or the earmuffs on the DP outdrive water intake? Engine manufacture date is 4/02. The Operator's Manual only says "Do not start the engine out or water unless you have an optional flushing adaptor. Follow the adapter manufacturer's instructions for attaching and running the engine out of water." Is the "optional flushing adaptor" the engine flush attachment or the earmuffs?

​To complicate further, the SELOC VP Stern Drive Repair Manual (92-03) says "Do not, under any circumstance, start the engine" when using the freshwater flush attachment. During the season, boat is in slip in salt water San Diego and per the instructions of the guy I bought the boat from, I always start the engine using the freshwater flush in the slip. Haven't had any problems with that procedure so far.

​Thanks for any advice.

 

[JosephPC]

Well I'm not exactly sure what your freshwater flush does other then pushing the saltwater out of the exhaust manifolds but that being said the reason for not starting the boat without water is cooling and lubricating the seapump impeller. If the flushing adapter achieves both of those I would only assume it would be ok. I've only had the muffs as an option but I'm sure someone will have used it to confirm they have used the flush adapter. Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Dave-R]

I use the flush attachment for starting all the time. My flush line goes directly to the sea water pump intake hose so that the pump is never starved for water. Maybe others will chime in. One important note. When you are done running the engine on the flush line, make sure you put the plug back on the flush line. If not when you are in the normal on the water mode, the pump will just suck air from the flush line. Dave-R

 

[bajaunderground]

The flush line is an accepted way to run your engine out-of-water. The hose tie-in is just aft of the seawater pump, so it feeds the pump and then circulates throughout your motor in the normal manner...then exits out the "thru-the-prop" exhaust. Don't be alarmed if it comes out the back of you transom assembly...if you're not trimmed all the way down...it's normal. You could get a $10 pair of muffs and do the same thing?

As a side note: if you're using the the flush inlet or muffs to run your engine, keep in mind it's not exactly the same as running in the water...your spigot has street pressure (~40psi) and will force the water through you engine's cooling system even with a bad impeller. When your boat is in the water the seawater pump is just below water line (inside the boat, obviously) and has just enough head pressure to feed the pump...the impeller then sends the flow throughout the cooling system. So in summary, a hose test is no replacement for a seawater test as to the integrity of cooling system.

 

[BRICH1260]

Volvo`s have two types of "flush" systems. Some older models like yours may not push water directly into the sea water pump like the models with the blue cap do. The "non blue cap" flush systems flow directly into the engine block, bypassing the water pump, and are more designed to flush salt water out of the blocks and manifolds. You will burn up your impeller if you run the engine on this system.

Check to see where the water lines run to before running the engine. If you have the blue cap system you should be ok, but I think the blue cap system came along after your year, `02. If no blue cap system, you will need to use the muffs.

 

[Senior B]

So here's the skinny as to the "why's" of this: Your year of boat had the flush set up done a bit differently. Your flush attachment in the engine compartment sends the water directly to the block drains on either side and pushes the water out from there. There isn't sufficient water on the intake side of the sea water pump and that's why you don't run the motor out of the water on that set up. Your previous owner got around that by running it in the water so the seawater pump was still sucking up salt water but the fresh water flush wasn't as fresh as it was meant to be. Summary: With your set up, you don't need to run the engine while flushing on the engine flush adapter. The newer models, the flushing adapter is "Td" in with the raw water inlet line just before the sea water pump. On these, the motor needs to be run to flush as the water can't get past the sea water pump if the motor isn't running. This can be done in the water if the throttle is kept low so that the available water flow is sufficient to not suck up additional raw water through the drive.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re-reading your posts states the year as an '02 GL-B. I mis-read as a GI-B...Brich and SeniorB are correct, the set-ups are different between the GL and GI families...dis-regard my post. Apologies.

 

[PBskippy]

Thanks to all for intel. Sounds like the safest bet is earmuffs when running out of water.