Salt water

Gents anybody got any idea on how long a 12v Minnkota 30 lbs thrust will last in salt water
the manufacture states not suitable for salt water but I am hoping with occasional use and regular flushing it could be reasonably ok
I am not expecting miracles but anybody ever tried?

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small 5 hp fourstroke Parson outboard (Yamaha copy) in salt water
any idea how long the water pump impellor will last with REGULAR sea water usage
in this case it will be extremely difficult to flush with fresh water
so basically I know the motor will rust to pieces from the inside
could I get 2 years ?? at say 1000 hours total = 42 hours per month ??

 

I think if you rinsed it and then left it sitting in fresh water for 24 hours you'd be okay.

But, only time will tell...

-Tom

 

Lay on zinc to help with corrosion.

 

The minn kota I had was similar ....all I did was to remove the prop and oil the shaft where it goes into the motor ...a drop of engine seal that expands the oil seal is a good idea ...main thing is not to run it out of water as this wrecks the shaft seal...note the small 12v minn kota run real good on 24v

 

There is of course a chemical reaction between exposed aluminum and seawater, but mainly when the engine is in use. The effects of seawater remaining in the engine are greatly exaggerated: the corrosion process slows down considerably when the temperature has dropped and once the available oxygen has been used, it stops completely until the next engine start.

My 5 hp Mercury (Tohatsu) just celebrated its 20th year at sea, was never flushed and is still operational. But it looks terrible and is rarely used: 1000 engine hours is not what a small outboard was designed for.

 

I have the same Minkota, I had it stowed in a dry compartment in my bay boat for a few trips in the salt, it was never in the water.

It was about 6 months later when I found it and most of the black paint on the motor housing had fallen off due to corrosion on the aluminum.

 

They use an alloy called Zamak.
It is cheap and flows very well during the die cast process, but paint doesn't adhere to it unless an etching primer is used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamak

 

thanks for the reply's

any guess of how long??
anybody out there that uses a small motor on a daily basis?
I know this is like asking how long is a piece of string
but any guide line will help

this is VERY encouraging

thanks

 

If I were to design an outboard engine it should survive the warranty period plus some reserve. One year warranty means approx. 200 hours of private use, for commercially used engines 90 days is common.

That doesn't mean the engine will fall apart after 200 hours, but it may need some maintenance like changing oil, plugs etc.
A common problem with outboards at sea is that the stainless fasteners are very hard to remove after some time. Unscrewing them when new and smearing some Molykote on the thread can prevent that.

 

Ahhhh......just got the 1949 Seagull out and found no corrosion ..started second pull and off we go ....( in truth I thik they are dangerous ..no FNR and all that spinning metal ..difficult in modern seaway .) Thats 60 years + if I calculate right ....

 

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