Mercruiser Bravo 1 never flushed??????

[tank1949]

I looked at a older but incredibly great LOOKING Sea Ray this week. Closed-cooled Motors ran great at dock. (no sea trial as yet) . Motors and manifolds are cooled with anti-freeze via heat exchangers. However, owner indicated that he had NEVER flushed V8s' heat exchangers and Bravo drives with fresh water after each use in salt water. Boat was dry slipped and salt water (of course) collecting inside. Owner lowers boat into water when he uses. He estimated drives are 8 or so year old, along with salt water risers, which have also NEVER been flushed with fresh water to rinse out the salt water.

Perhaps , I am too concerned, but 8 years of not ever flushing ODs, risers and heat exchangers with fresh water seems a disaster waiting to happen.

If I waited this long on Alpha drives, they would fail.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[alldodge]

The good thing about bravos is they drain when drive is left down. The bad with dry slip is probably the drive is raised, then the boat is put away. Raising the drive just traps the salt, not all but some. Could also have bravo-itest which is the closer of the inlet tube coming from the drive. Still being dry stored is way better then wet stored in salt.


Just price it for new upper manifolds and possible a drive, seawater pump and power steering cooler. Hope it doesn't need a heat exchanger

 

[tank1949]

The good thing about bravos is they drain when drive is left down. The bad with dry slip is probably the drive is raised, then the boat is put away. Raising the drive just traps the salt, not all but some. Could also have bravo-itest which is the closer of the inlet tube coming from the drive. Still being dry stored is way better then wet stored in salt.


Just price it for new upper manifolds and possible a drive, seawater pump and power steering cooler. Hope it doesn't need a heat exchanger

Well, I realize that larger boats stored wet in salt water, like big diesel rigs, seldom get flushed with fresh water. So, I don't fully understand how owners confront corrosion within heat exchangers on these boat motors. Of course, ZINKS must be replaced or at least examined, but the exchangers never get flushed., even when boat is pulled and bottom scrapped.