Vinegar and outboards???

[redsky49]

I have always had success clearing the salt build-up in marine heads using white vinegar. Would this also hold true for outboards? Would running the motor in a barrel full of vinegar, followed by a fresh water rinse clear the coolant passages? Is cast aluminum more sensitive to a mild acid than other materials?

Just wondering...

[sck5]

I dont know about outboards but I did give a vinegar bath to the combination lock I had been using to lock my dink to pilings when I went ashore. A quick vinegar bath followed by a rinse seemed to work well. The time I forgot and left it in the vinegar for a couple of hours I had to throw the lock away. It seems there isnt unlimited tolerance to vinegar with some metals or alloys.

[OutOfControl]

redsky49,
Running vinegar through your outboard works great. I use about 5 gals. in a large tub mixed with water and recirculate the discharge with a short hose leading back to the tub. A few things to consider though, make sure the water level stays above your intake and shut down when the water gets too hot(150 degrees or higher) to touch. Let it sit and you'll be surprised by what settles to the bottom.
OutOfControl