Running F250 with hose and earphones

[wlewis11]

Rather than winterizing my F250 during the wintertime, I usually like to run it about once a month using a hose and "earphone" connector. Since it does not generate enough water pressure to emit water through the pisser, I'm hesitant to run it for more than a few minutes. Today when running it, I watched my water temp gauge while it was running at idle. I believe my temp needle usually rests at about 7-8 o'clock position on the gauge. Today it slowly rose to about the 9 o'clock position. Just as I about to shut it off, the buzzer came on with an trianglar icon, presumably overheat, displayed. I shut it off. Did I cause any damage to the engine?

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Rather than winterizing my F250 during the wintertime, I usually like to run it about once a month using a hose and "earphone" connector. Since it does not generate enough water pressure to emit water through the pisser, I'm hesitant to run it for more than a few minutes. Today when running it, I watched my water temp gauge while it was running at idle. I believe my temp needle usually rests at about 7-8 o'clock position on the gauge. Today it slowly rose to about the 9 o'clock position. Just as I about to shut it off, the buzzer came on with an trianglar icon, presumably overheat, displayed. I shut it off. Did I cause any damage to the engine?

If you shut down as soon as it activated, you should be fine...

Just as a side note, many OB's can't run on just the rabbit ears without eventually overheating.


While at the Yamaha dealer last summer and having some work done, I saw a "tool" which was pretty neat;

It was a rabbit ear set up, "tee"ed off to another short garden hose that went to the powerhead hose flushing fitting.

They fired the engine up with both on, eventually (for my F150) turning off the powerhead line, to check the pisser/water flow..

As long as you have enough water flow, that set up would likely work for you..

[wlewis11]

I have heard of folks using 2 hoses to utilize both connections.

[throrope]

Our 90 tlr has a female hose bib adapter screwed to the bracket with hose to the block specifically provided by Yamaha to flush the motor. White papers concluded it satisfies flushing needs and I've never initiated an alarm while using it.

I suggest you consult the owner's manual for guidance and if you have similar, use it. Since it's under hose pressure, if the alarm goes off, I suspect you may have issue. Since it's off season, I also suggest you consider how long you're water pump is in service.

BTW, Our's pushes water out the pee hole with earmuffs, hose connection and on the water. We replaced the pump last year and I noticed the pee stream is now stronger. We get the pee stream using the powerhead (thanks Scott) connection with or without the motor running.

[99yam40]

Our 90 tlr has a female hose bib adapter screwed to the bracket with hose to the block specifically provided by Yamaha to flush the motor. White papers concluded it satisfies flushing needs and I've never initiated an alarm while using it.

I suggest you consult the owner's manual for guidance and if you have similar, use it. Since it's under hose pressure, if the alarm goes off, I suspect you may have issue. Since it's off season, I also suggest you consider how long you're water pump is in service.

BTW, Our's pushes water out the pee hole with earmuffs, hose connection and on the water. We replaced the pump last year and I noticed the pee stream is now stronger. We get the pee stream using the powerhead (thanks Scott) connection with or without the motor running.

The owners manuals I have seen recommend not running motor with only the flush adapter on the power head hooked up as it may not provide enough water to the impeller and cause damage to it

[throrope]

The owners manuals I have seen recommend not running motor with only the flush adapter on the power head hooked up as it may not provide enough water to the impeller and cause damage to it

Thanks, I'll take another look. Maybe I don't need to run the motor. Neighbors will like that.

[throrope]

The owners manuals I have seen recommend not running motor with only the flush adapter on the power head hooked up as it may not provide enough water to the impeller and cause damage to it

"3. With the engine off, turn on the water tap and let the water flush through the cooling passages for about 15 minutes."

The book doesn't say why, but now I don't need to ask. Another good reason to hang out here. Thanks

[throrope]

The owners manuals I have seen recommend not running motor with only the flush adapter on the power head hooked up as it may not provide enough water to the impeller and cause damage to it

"3. With the engine off, turn on the water tap and let the water flush through the cooling passages for about 15 minutes."

The book doesn't say why, but now I don't need to ask. Another good reason to hang out here.

Reading further, under storing the manual, like TownsendsFJR1300, sez "Avoid running the outboard motor at high speed while on the flushing attachment (ear muffs), otherwise overheating could occur."

Looks like I should spend a couple winter evenings reading this book again.

[99yam40]

"3. With the engine off, turn on the water tap and let the water flush through the cooling passages for about 15 minutes."

The book doesn't say why, but now I don't need to ask. Another good reason to hang out here. Thanks

Something to think about also is are the stats going to open with running just cold water through ,if not then will the heads get any flushing?

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Something to think about also is are the stats going to open with running just cold water through ,if not then will the heads get any flushing?

Exactly!!^^^^

IMO, IME, the hose hook up is better than nothing BUT, running on muffs gets water thru thermostat NOW opening once to temp..

On my old Evinrude, V6 150, for years I simply ran muffs..., No issues, original thermostat. Then they came out with the added on powerhead, hose adapter. Great! JUST used that and within a year, I had issues with the thermostat clogged up with salt, needing replacement.

RUNNING the engine on JUST THE POWER FLUSH, MAY NOT get enough water to the water pump to lubricate it.

It is posted (same as 99Yam40) NOT to run it on the flusher. Rodbolt, same engine as mine(but a year never) has posted he runs his on JUST the powerhead flushed.

A Yamaha flushing video;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJaTjMOEKP0

[tidelee10]

I have had good results putting a flush bag under the lower unit and using a y connecter and short hose to the flush port.....I do this only for maintenance or winterizing....any other time I just flush using the flush port motor off.
Once a year at the end of the season I will run salt away thru the motor...not sure if it works or not, we will see....

[boscoe99]

I suspect that Rodbolt runs his motor (at idle only I suppose) using the garden hose flush fitting because he knows that the water pump is going to be getting water to it when water runs from the block back down the water pump tube, from the block that has been filled with water from the garden hose flush fitting.

I daresay that most Yamaha mechanics will run motors using the garden flush fitting only.

But yes, Yamaha says to not run the motor using the garden hose flush fittings. Why I can only hazard a guess.

Here are some photos showing an F150 being run using the garden hose flush fitting only. It can be seen that water flows back down the water pump tube in which case the pump is lubricated with water. You can even see water flowing out of the pump housing at the point where the driveshaft enters the housing.

[donsmarine]

BOSCOE99, impressive demonstration. Did you ever inspect impellor after doing that test? Did the customer say anything about his motor? Only joking. Proves a picture is worth a thousand words.

[rodbolt17]

yes we do it all the time, yes at idle only and then for less than 5 min.
anymore and we use two hoses and flush muffs as well.
takes a lot of water to fill and keep filled.
lots of cavities in those block/head assy's.