TOPIC: The evil power of salt water

I'm sure that many of you never experience the evils of salt water's powerful electrolysis on seriously under protected outboard motors like classic Mercs, but it is real.

I have attached a picture of the top end of a water tube I removed from an inline-6 Merc of the '60s. This is something to be very aware of if you have a problem getting a healthy tell-tail (or pee stream) out of a classic Merc that has been in salt water.

I am betting that you guys have lots of other pictures of various salt related failures that can be added to this post that will encourage salt water boaters to be very aggressive in their battle to combat salt destruction.

I would also encourage anyone to post chemical solutions or procedures they have used to combat salt water - Like 'Salt Away', 'Corrosion Guard', etc, etc.

As time allows, I will add subsequent pictures of what salt does to kill our beloved classic Mercs.
In about 1986??? Mercury Marine began coating the water-jacket surfaces with an awesome (but very carcinogenic when airborne)substance that virtually eliminated the aggressive corrosion of salt.
I'm not interested in questioning why it took so long, - just that if we want to keep our classic Mercs alive, it is something we need to stay alert to and share solutions to this evil with each other.
Okay,...I'm pooped and off to bed,
Doc Frankenmerc

Seen more of my share of those! The salt builds up around the rubber grommet and squeezes until it's crushed, sometimes completely shut.

Merc small twins have that problem (along with the plastic water tube washer under the powerhead that distorts and blocks water flow), and it's also very common on 9.9 and 15hp Johnrudes.

Whenever I get a motor in for water pumping issues, I always puff some compressed air up the water tube to make sure there are no obstructions to water flow.

The best barrier I've found against the Evils of Salt Water is Permatex No. 3 brush-on-type gasket dressing. Coat the grommet, coat the water tube, and a little on the recess the grommet's going in. Thus keeping the nasty crud out of there.

Any kind of salt barrier, even waterproof marine grease, would be better than nothing.

But the mfr's won't spend a few pennies per engine doing that to vulnerable parts & hardware. Guess they wouldn't want them lasting too long, eh? And it would cut into their profits, can't have that!

Cheers.....ed

Here is another very too common example of salt water's power. Note not only that it has pushed clear through the baffle plate's cover, it has blocked off the cooling water's ability to flow any further towards the bottom of the baffle plate.
doc

OMC used Glyptol or something like it in the water passages but I doubt it'd hold up on the exhaust side of the baffle. Might work pretty good where water touches the parts. I'd imagine you'd have to get a used part very clean in order for the stuff to stick.

www.eastwood.com/glyptal-red-brush-on-1-qt.html

I was given a newer silver Honda 5hp. Probably never flushed (used in salt) and it ate right through the cyl head and water flowing out! But as the Doc knows, I gotta deal with salt so my 2 cents here. 10/15 years ago started using Saltaway. But at one time I did a test 1/2 strength on a salted out head from a 3 cyl Rude. Did zip after sitting a week. But later when I had a I/O, I did new mans and then added a flush point for a SA dispenser. Well after 3 years, pulling the plugs the inside looked damn clean, so I will say it works IF NEW PARTS! It prevents rust, but will not remove build up.

But after reading many the forums about Vinegar, well, thats what I use now instead. Put some food coloring in the Vinegar so I can see color change running into the outboards the dispenser. And I let it sit if less than a week before back in the water. Over winter, use Saltaway then. Does it work/help? I dunno, but the old Bayliner /Force 125 is 27 years old, and takes a licking and keeps on ticking! Plus here a link from S+F on Vinegar.

www.screamandfly.com/showthread.php?238908-How-to-Removing-salt-and-scale-from-cooling-system-passages-with-vinegar