Going from fresh water, to salt water...

Please don't make fun of me for asking this!...I'm a "Green-Horn", okay?...Is it okay to run a Mercury 70 HP., That has spent it's whole life in fresh-water, in salt water?...Do you have to do "something different" to it?
[ Mercury-70, 3 cylinder ]

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

bassakwards62 said:

Please don't make fun of me for asking this!...I'm a "Green-Horn", okay?...Is it okay to run a Mercury 70 HP., That has spent it's whole life in fresh-water, in salt water?...Do you have to do "something different" to it?
[ Mercury-70, 3 cylinder ]

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Hi Green Horn ......I ran one of those in saltwater for a little over 3,000 hrs. I know little about freshwater boating so my compairsons may differ than others. Sacrificial anodes are different in saltwater, I hear, we use zinc. I always flushed her out after each use and never had a saltwater related problem.

Good Luck!

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

Rinse and flush motor with fresh water as much as possible. Spray tilt and trim motor, pump and rams with white Lithium grease to provide a protective coating. Check/clean zinc sacrificial anodes with a wire brush so they work as designed. Check/change lower unit oil regularly since just a little salt water in the lower unit gearbox is not good! Remove prop and grease prop shaft splines and check for fishing line wrapped around prop shaft and under oil seals causing leakage or damage. Grease tilt and swivel zerk fittings regularly to force any salt water out of these bearing areas. Check/replace thermostat perhaps more regular than in fresh water. Good Luck!

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

Now there's a guy that knows the difference! Very good advice, Robert.

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

Oh...and when you go swimming, don't open your eyes under water...:facepalm:

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

Robert's advice is the top-of-the-line service for taking the best care of your motor. However, if you don't do any of them, you will probably be OK, especially if it's occasional use. I'm not saying to disregard his good advice, I'm just saying, don't think you've done anything wrong if you skip some or all.
The advice about annodes is important only if you leave the boat moored and moreso if you have bottom paint. They are sacrifices for stray electrical current in the water. So if you are taking the boat to the beach for a week one time, don't worry about them.
The main difference is, you will catch bigger fish.

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

If you plan on leaving the boat at a mooring or slip and can't flush it it's alright if you use it that much that it's at a mooring or slip there should'nt be a problem.

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

Okay,...so, uhhh, where are these "sacrificial-anodes"? ( stop laughing at me, and just TELL me!...I know I'm not that bright!)

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

bassakwards62 said:

Okay,...so, uhhh, where are these "sacrificial-anodes"? ( stop laughing at me, and just TELL me!...I know I'm not that bright!)

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The only anode I ran was that little fin looking thing just above and aft of the prop. Made of "cheap" looking material. Corrodes instead of your motor. Also aids in steering.

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

Suggest using Boeshield T-9 on your T&L instead of white lithium grease. Lithium usually doesn?t last more than a week or so.

Re: Going from fresh water, to salt water...

bassakwards62 said:

Okay,...so, uhhh, where are these "sacrificial-anodes"? ( stop laughing at me, and just TELL me!...I know I'm not that bright!)

Click to expand...

The fin that the guy has his right hand on is an anode. Chances are if you have tilt-n-trim that the tilt unit also has one/pair of them.