Mercury Outboard - Possible Salt Water Damage ?

[jsoceanlord]

I have a MERCURY 6 HP, 4 stroke outboard. I just bought 'rabbit ears' (?) for flushing it out (I now see that the manual says to use a special flushing plug instead).

The store clerk said I should start the motor and tilt it out of the water while mounted and attach the rabbit ears. That's what I did - could I have somehow gotten salt water into the engine that way ? It won't start. thanks.

[FrankZ]

The Merc 6 HP I had didn't use the ear muff style flushing attatchment. I had to get one that slid onto the antiventilation plate and had a single plunger looking thing. Of course you have to remove the prop to do that.

You should not run it out of water, including starting it then tipping it up. No water flow is an unhappy condition for the impeller.

I can't imagine how doing this would have gotten water into the engine.