Flushing The Cooling System - Mercury 40 Jet Manual

• Replace the accessory drive belt. See Accessory Drive Belt
Inspection.
BEFORE PERIODS OF STORAGE
• Refer to Storage Preparation.

Flushing the Cooling System

Flush the internal water passages of the outboard with fresh water
after each use in salt, polluted, or muddy water. This will help
prevent a buildup of deposits from clogging the internal water
passages.
IMPORTANT: The engine must be run during flushing in order to
open the thermostat and circulate water through the water
passages.
Rotating propellers can cause serious injury or death. Never
operate the boat out of the water with a propeller installed. Before
installing or removing a propeller, place the drive unit in neutral
and engage the lanyard stop switch to prevent the engine from
starting. Place a block of wood between the propeller blade and
the anti‑ventilation plate.
1. Place the outboard in either the operating position (vertical) or
in a tilted position.
2. Remove the propeller. Refer to Propeller Replacement.
3. Thread a water hose into the rear fitting. Partially open the
water tap (1/2 maximum). Do not open the water tap all the
way as this allows a high pressure flow of water.
IMPORTANT: Do not run engine above idle when flushing.
4. Shift the outboard into neutral. Start the engine and flush the
cooling system for at least five minutes. Keep the engine
speed at idle.
MAINTENANCE
1.
WARNING
!
68