Salt water motors (in fresh water)

  • beave
    MPLS
    Posts: 163
    June 9, 2011 at 8:44 pm #1272598

    Any reason a guy should not run a salt water motor in fresh water?

    orangewhip3x
    Blaine
    Posts: 109
    June 9, 2011 at 8:54 pm #972268

    I ran a Mercury 150 EFI saltwater for 5 years…no problems. Saltwater motors are more robust (from a components perspective, corrosion resistance) than non-saltwater rated motors.

    das_bass
    Mound, MN
    Posts: 332
    June 9, 2011 at 9:59 pm #972282

    The only reason is the expense of a salt water motor vs freshwater. If you already have it, it will work fine in fresh water. If you ever have to replace parts though, they will probably be more expensive.

    big_g
    Isle, MN
    Posts: 22538
    June 10, 2011 at 12:36 am #972299

    Quote:

    Any reason a guy should not run a salt water motor in fresh water?

    No problemo… just can’t do the opposite

    beave
    MPLS
    Posts: 163
    June 10, 2011 at 12:48 am #972303

    Thanks for the info. This site rocks!

    tony_apisa
    E. Moline Illinois along the Rock River
    Posts: 1180
    June 10, 2011 at 1:54 am #972313

    I hate to disagree with you Big G, but you can run freshwater outboards in saltwater. I ran my Trophy 25 Grady White with twin 150 Mercury’s for years. Regular maintenance of flushing and cleaning the motors with freshwater kept them in great shape for many,many years.

    johnsonkid
    Posts: 5
    June 10, 2011 at 7:00 am #972348

    today ,i want to tell you a joke

    Mother: Why are you jumping up and down?

    Tom: I’ve just taken some medicine and I forgot to shake the bottle.

    stuwest
    Elmwood, WI
    Posts: 2254
    June 10, 2011 at 2:29 pm #972417

    they work both ways if you are responsible about flushing.

    if i am buying a motor and have an option, i’ll always chose the saltwater over the regular if it’s low hours.

    The problem arises as a saltwater has to be flushed regularly also and people across the board are lazy about maintenance.

    I’d inspect the actual motor itself before i committed.

    big_g
    Isle, MN
    Posts: 22538
    June 10, 2011 at 4:32 pm #972465

    Quote:

    I hate to disagree with you Big G, but you can run freshwater outboards in saltwater. I ran my Trophy 25 Grady White with twin 150 Mercury’s for years. Regular maintenance of flushing and cleaning the motors with freshwater kept them in great shape for many,many years.

    No problem disagreeing with me… and all the manufacturers who offer 2 seperate models for no reason at all ??? Puzzling, isn’t it ??? How exactly did you flush them with freshwater ?? When I think of salt water motors, they are ocean going vessels, did you pull them out and dip in the lake on some kind of schedule ?? Or did you have a couple 55 gallon barrels you toted around ???

    stuwest
    Elmwood, WI
    Posts: 2254
    June 10, 2011 at 4:42 pm #972468

    exterior hose off, ear muff run for 2-3 minutes.

    the cost of the parts is higher, but for good reason: they are more corrosion resistant…

    tony_apisa
    E. Moline Illinois along the Rock River
    Posts: 1180
    June 10, 2011 at 6:09 pm #972499

    Quote:

    How exactly did you flush them with freshwater ?? When I think of salt water motors, they are ocean going vessels, did you pull them out and dip in the lake on some kind of schedule ?? Or did you have a couple 55 gallon barrels you toted around ???



    Easy question to answer. Most smaller boats are drydocked at the marina. I would call the day before with a time I was coming down and they would have my boat in the water. At the end of the day or weekend they would pull it out and I would flush the motors then. Also most slips provide a freshwater supple to be used to wash down the boat (cock pit, bridge, ect).

    P.S. Mercury Saltwater series outboards were intorduced in 2000.

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