Is This A Saltwater Problem?

We own a 1995 23 ft. Sea Ray which we purchased used 2 years ago. The engine is a 5.0 mercruiser. We had to take it to a marina because the engine started overheating when running at higher speeds. The mechanic said we may have to replace the entire exhaust system due to corrosion. He said this is regularly done on boats about every 5 years that are used in saltwater( 10 years for boats kept in freshwater). We have been boating for many years on freshwater and have never heard of this, but this is our first experience with saltwater boating. Is this true? What else do we need to know to maintain a boat that is kept in saltwater? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Re: Is This A Saltwater Problem?

Lastanton<br />Yes that is a very common saltwater problem. If flush motor every time may get a extra year. First sign of trouble usually overheating at higher speeds. This is caused by rust and scale coming off the inside of the exhaust manifold and plugging up the holes between the exhaust manifolds and risers. On a V8 can feel manifolds and hotter one biggest problem. You can clean out rust and scale and will work for a while. Next thing to happen is usually a water leak into exhaust ports and cylinders. This at best means rusted exhaust valves and Cylinders but can also be water in oil or very worst a cylinder full of water on the compression stroke which can mean busted piston, bent rod and a froze up engine.<br /><br />Only way to stop this in future is to install a full fresh water cooling system. Merc does have a new ceramic coated manifold that is supposed to help but I have not seen one yet.<br />Good luck

Re: Is This A Saltwater Problem?

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately it wasn't what we wanted to hear. So it sounds like we should invest in a lift so that we can flush the motor after each use. Is there anything else we need to know?

Re: Is This A Saltwater Problem?

You may not need to replace the entire exhaust system, just the risers. The risers are the part that rust up restricting the water flow out of the engine. Usually replace the risers every 5 years and the manifolds every 10 years. Only way to know is to do a visual check of the manifolds after removal of the risers. After market Barr or Osco manifolds can save a bunch of money and they carry a better warranty than OEM. Both have the orginal look and fit. The manifolds can be both pressure checked and flow checked once the risers are removed.