Flushing Bravo 1 / Merc 502

[rsparso]

A bit of a silly question but I'm helping a friend commision a 502 mag Bravo 1 combination. As far as I understand the raw water pump is located at the engine, (the drive has no water pump).

Someone has fitted a flushing device inline with the raw water intake just before it reaches the water pump. Can I attach a hose to this device and run up the engine at idle ? Is it safe to run the Barvo 1 without water circulating through it ?

Many thanks for any help,

Bob

 

[95yj]

Re: Flushing Bravo 1 / Merc 502

Even with an engine mounted water pump, you have to have water circulating or you'll burn up the impeller pretty quickly.

You really want to have the water source before the pump. If the flushing connection is between the raw water pump and the circulating pump, you're not going to get enough water to the raw water pump and could damage the impeller.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Flushing Bravo 1 / Merc 502

Yes you can attach a hose to the flush adapter and run the engine. Since the Bravo doesn't have an impeller in the drive it will be ok. BUT....While running on the flush adapter, if water supply does not have enough water pressure or volume to keep the valve in the flush adapter closed at high RPM's it will suck air into the system. Air in the system is just about as bad as running without water. Those flush adapters are really designed to run the engine at idle speeds. If you really need to run it at higher RPM's I would recommend muffs. As long as there is water spraying out around the edges of the muffs there is plenty water supply. If water quits spraying from around the muffs, back off on the throttle because your starving it for water.

 

[rsparso]

Re: Flushing Bravo 1 / Merc 502

Many thanks for the comments gentlemen.

The boat has a water pressure gauge and we just want to idle it to check for leaks etc before the season so we'll try the flush fitting that's installed.

Bob