What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

Hey, I just got my lift installed! It is great, but, it is really hard to reach those drives with the muffs! What is the most effective way to fresh water flush my vintage 454 mags w/Bravo's while the boat is on a lift (other than get in the canal and hook everything up!)?

Re: What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

Congrats on the success in FL, and the lift.

Several posts on this. Many folks use the Perko system with the check-ball inside. Personally, I don't like it. Its got moving parts that break and get stuck. With just an open T-fitting as I describe below, it flushes the drive when you turn the water pressure on. Then when you turn on the motor, the SWP will suck the water into the motor. The check-ball setup will not flush the drive. Some choose to install a cut-off valve between the T-fitting and the drive. Others have sea-strainers with a fitting or way to insert a water hose directly into the sea-strainers.

I made my own with parts from a few of the marine suppliers. Its pretty easy with T-pipe in the raw water pipe, and a garden hose attachment that is on a hose off the T-fitting.

I picked these up two seasons ago for my 496HOs (prices & part numbers may be old):

http://www.cpperformance.com/detail.aspx?ID=522
128-5001 Hardin Marine Fitting $39.99

http://www.eddiemarine.com/cart/deta...08&CategoryID=
HDN-1234 1/2NPT X 3/4H CHROME BRASS FITTING $7.70

(Pick your preferred barb size from their website, depending if you want to use 3/4" or 5/8" hose. You will need a 90* fitting to attach directly to the T-fitting into the SWP hose line. Its just a typical Teflon tape screw in connection.)

I am going to pick these up to finish it off nicely:
http://www.cpperformance.com/detail.aspx?ID=999
Flush Connector 620-913300 $129.99

Re: What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

I have installed SuperFlush from http://www.superflushsales.com/
and I am very happy with it. Flushing couldn't be easier and you don't have to run the engines during flushing.

Re: What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

Thanks guys. I was told you could also hook up a hose to the thermostat housing and flush it from there...Not sure how that would work though...

Re: What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

Hey Steve, the previous owner of my boat installed the setup that Sydwayz describes. Pretty much just a hose attachment point run to a tee fitting installed in the supply line coming from the drive. Seems to have worked pretty well so far :D
As for the t-stat housing, it would work fine but it would skip the oil/ps coolers, and backflushing the drive. If you follow the hose routing, it comes in from the drive, through the raw water pump and out through the cooler and then up to the t-stat housing.
Since that other thread came up on flushing, I've looked around on the MST Guardian site and the Superflush site. The Superflush uses most (all?) the same text and graphics from the MST site. But once you get past the initial buy-in cost, it's probably a darn good setup. If it will backflush the drive, and hit everything else, it'd be real nice to not have to run the motors.
What I don't like about my setup is the hose attachment points are in the engine compartment which means you have to get in the boat and raise the hatch. I think it would be pretty slick to mount one of those quick-connect flush mounts that Sydwayz posted, maybe on the transom out of the way, and then use a tee to supply water to both engines.
Thanks,
Michael

Re: What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

For the hose attachment point I removed the transom shower since I never use it anyway and used a neat water inlet from Plastimo. The connector is of the standard Gardena type.

Re: What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

And a picture of Superflush that I put on my Scorpion 377 engines.

Re: What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

And engines seen from the top, you only see the blue hoses from the Superflushes. Doesn't look too bad I think.

Re: What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

Same design as Sydways.
No moving parts to stick, no plastic parts to break. Couldn't get any easier.

Re: What is the best kind of flushing system for stern drive performance boats
 

If you feed water directly to your thermostat housing, your SWP is going to run dry and destroy the impeller in seconds.