engine putters out while flushing

[Ron Burgundy]

I run my boat in saltwater, and after every use I hook up the 'earmuffs' to flush it with fresh water.

Since my boat is moored at a dock I have to tilt my motor up to get it out of the water before I can flush it.

When I do this the motor will only run for approx. 2 min before it putters out. Is this long enough to flush a motor?

Could this be because of the motor not getting enough fuel in the tilted up position, or is something else to blame? like clogged fuel filter, bad fuel pump, fuel/water seperator, etc...

The only other time this happens is occasionally when I first start the motor after a long time between use. Once it warms up there has never been a problem with stalling.

I am currently blaming this issue on global warming when I have passengers present. Any thoughts???

[goldnrod24]

Why can't you raise the motor, hook up the muffs, turn on the hose, lower the motor, run for 10 minutes and then raise the motor until she stalls?

[lakerunner]

If you have carb's that's exactly whats happening. Your starving for fuel

[Ron Burgundy]

If I lowered the motor with the muffs on it would be submerged in the saltwater again, and I assume that some of the salt water would be pulled through, and mix with the fresh water.

I do have carbs...sounds like fuel starvation.

[GregF]

Two minutes is plenty. You should also have a flush attachment point that flushes the head with the motor turned off. Run that a while if you are not convinced you are OK.

[goldnrod24]

The muffs I use don't suck air when they are on a running motor. Why would they suck salt water?

[jimrs]

When you tilt the motor up your tilting it into NO NO area for running. You could be pinching off the fuel line right? The picture you have here shows the motor in the full up position. I would hook it up to the hose and lower it until it hits the water then start it.

[slingshot]

I use to flush my motor in the water all the time. No salt water will get into the intake if you use the duel side feed muffs. I doubt that even the single side feed muffs would let salt water in during flush as long as the pressure was good on your hose. Check the water coming out the discharge.

[Ron Burgundy]

I use the duel side feed muffs. I just assumed that I shouldn't dip the motor back into the saltwater while flushing, but sounds like most agree it will be okay.

I have looked for an attachment to directly connect the hose to the motor, but I don't think my motor is equipped with one.

[GXPWeasel]

Are you sure you motor doesn't have a safety shut off in the up position? I'm not certain mine does, but I have done the following twice: Cruise slowly to a sand/mud bar, and while trolling, I put in neutral, and lift the engine. Once my engine gets to where the prop is about 1/2 out of the water, it dies. This has happened twice, so I figured it was supposed to, by design.

I haven't done it since, and probably won't anymore either. Both times were by accident.

[Ron Burgundy]

I don't think there is a safety shut off. Mine will start and run for a while until the fuel supply slows too much.

When you raised your motor was it still drawing in water? Maybe it started to overheat, and shut itself off.

[GregF]

On a carb motor I bet it is just a fuel starvation problem. I know my old 75 2 stroke would start tilted up but only by mistake. I never let it run like that long enough to see if it would keep going.

I am surprised you don't have a hose connection. I though all Yammis had one.

[badmoonrising]

My older Evinrude 115 would never run all the way up, had to be tilted slightly...

[Ron Burgundy]

I tilt it so the water intakes are just barely above the water line.

Maybe I am just not seeing the water hose connection, but I have looked everywhere.

[cbavier]

Ron Tilt your motor back down so the water intakes are just barely above the water line after you hook up your muffs. Mine has a kick up safety switch so if I strike an object like a log or run aground and the motor kicks up. It will stall or shut off. But I think like the others your just starving it of fuel. If it was the kick up safety switch it wouldn't start at all in the up position.

Hey "goldnrod24" . Where are you in Northern Michigan. I sort of am too. In fact I'm about five miles from North Higgins Lake State Park.