Saltwater versus Freshwater Motors

[wayfarer]

This is probably old hat to the salty dogs living on the coasts.

I've grown up (mostly anyway ), lived, sailed and motored around freshwater inland lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. I never gave it much thought, but now I'm shopping around for a used 26x, and the possibility of towing my boat to the Chesapeake Bay or Florida is something I've also started thinking about.

This has me wondering; if I'm going to spend most of my time in freshwater with the possibility of putting into saltwater occasionally, what's my best choice for an engine?

Can you safely run a freshwater motor in saltwater as long as you flush it out thoroughly after taking the boat out? I imagine that the life of the motor may decreased somewhat due to the saltwater corrosion?

Likewise, is there any problem with running a saltwater motor in freshwater?

I understand that the saltwater motors use alloys that resist corrosion from saltwater, and have sacrificial layers to protect the components that contact the water.

Thanks for any knowledge/guidance you can pass my way.

[Lorne Colish]

I'm in the same situation,Wayfarer,hoping to spend sometime in saltwater soon with my standard 50hp Bigfoot. I suspect that there are very few Macs out there with saltwater engines.At least none that I'm aware of.
Lorne

[dclark]

My Suzuki DF50 lives in saltwater. To my knowledge none of the 50hp's are made specfically for saltwater, but they fine to use in the ocean. Just do what you can to flush out the salt.

[Andy26M]

I have a Honda 50 on my 26M, which lives full-time in the Narragansett bay. From what research I did on these outboards, modern materials should significantly mitigate the effects of salt water. I've only had mine for one season, but the fact that it raises completely out of the water when not in use has kept it looking (and acting) brand new so far. I have one of those cuffs that you can put on the motor and flush it with fresh water now and then.

There are lots of outboards that run for years and years in salt water - it is all in the maintenance. Certainly, just putting it in salt water for a week here and there is not going to suddenly make it disintegrate - if there was some huge difference, then you'd see the manufacturers marketing special salt-water versions of their products with a hefty price differential applied.

- AndyS

[Chip Hindes]

I think the confusion may be in the fact that some motor manufacturers (Mercury maybe?) actually label their motors "Saltwater" on the motor cover. That may mean something or it may be nothing more than marketing hype. In any case I believe nearly all motors are as suitable as any other for use in salt water.

I have to point out that Briggs & Stratton makes a very attractively priced four stroke dinghy motor which specifically states "freshwater use only." Probably based on a lawnmower with a right angle drive.

[Jeff Ritsema]

The new Evinrude Etek has a Saltwater edition. As I recall, it has a fresh water flushing port and is built with alloys that differ from its freshwater version, alloys that are salt resistent. Check out the Evinrude website.
Jeff.

[kenny]

Chip, and the B&S motor is air cooled if I recall it correctly, thus not a cooling system corrosion related issue even then. but some other limitation.

[Robert]

The Briggs outboard is the 5hp lawn mower engine with a Briggs specific outboard drive. I can imagine that ordinary lawn mower aluminum cooling fins with salty air and heat would turn to aluminum oxide real fast. Also the whole point of the Briggs outboard is to fill a nitch at the lowest cost end, and so they probably had to cut corners on the alloys used for the drive unit as well. I have heard that the Briggs outboard is really loud, but you can get parts cheap everywhere and work on it yourself.
..
I think even the Briggs outboard would be fine in salt water for one week a year if flushed well, including to wash off the air cooling fins.

[wayfarer]

The Evinrude E-tec saltwater version is actually what got me thinking about this. I guess if the premium over the "non-saltwater" version is not too high.. it wouldn't hurt? The 7 year engine warranty they're currently offering also attests to their confidence in their engines.

That saltwater E-tec 90 (E90DSL) sure would look sweet on the back of an X!

[Matt 777]

Read the fine print about the 7 year warranty. The dealer I just purchased a Etec 50hp through explained to me in detail why the 7 year warranty is more marketing than substance. Apparently - any warranty items/problems occuring after the 3rd year is submitted to an insurance carrier - not Bombardier, and the exclusions contained are apparently long and lengthy. But - the 3 year non-declining warranty that is standard with the motor is suppose to be the best in the industry.

[Frank C]

. . . the 3 year non-declining warranty that is standard with the motor is suppose to be the best in the industry.

Hmmm - really? That sounds like the new motor warranty that's been standard with every Suzuki 4-stroke since 1998. In addition, Suzuki let's the new owner opt, at extra cost, for a full six years factory warranty.

I bought the extended six year warranty for about $600 extra ... after five years I haven't had reason to call upon it. I admit reading of a very few Suzuki owners who have had warranty claims. It will be interesting to follow owner feedback on the high-tech 2-stokes too.

[Jack O'Brien]

In at least some years past Suzuki offered a free six year warrantee on the DF50 as a springtime promotion.

[Mark Prouty]

Quebec-based Bombardier, Inc., the new owner of Evinrude and Johnson engines, has turned that company around.

Not like the old days:

YIPES!

Accident reports run all the way from a small fire extinguished by the boat owner, to an explosion that blew the engine cowling 75 feet into the air,

my engine exploded followed by a large fireball with the fire spreading to the adjacent water

[kmclemore]

Accident reports run all the way from a small fire extinguished by the boat owner, to an explosion that blew the engine cowling 75 feet into the air,

my engine exploded followed by a large fireball with the fire spreading to the adjacent water

Probably designed by the same guy that designed the Ford Pinto... the Ford Crown Victoria... the Ford Ambulance... the Ford Aerostar... the Ford Taurus... or the Ford F-150, Ford Expedition or Ford (Lincoln) Navigator...

Got a Bombardier or a Ford? ....Superb! .....Break out the marshmallows!


(He said, waiting for the inevitable barrage by Ford owners... but what the heck, I've certainly taken my share of cr*p here for my little fleet of LBC's... so turnabout is fair play...)

[Mark Prouty]

[Probably designed by the same guy that designed the Ford Pinto... the Ford Crown Victoria... the Ford Ambulances... or the Ford Aerostar...

Got a Ford? Superb... break out the marshmallows!

Oh no! here we go bashing Fords.

I bought a 1996 Ford Windstar. A friend of mine had a '95. His head gasket went out at about 55,000 miles. A year later mine went with about the same miles.

I bought a 1996 Mazda 626. The transmission went out at 135,000 after giving me grief for years. What did I find out? The transmission in the Mazda 626 is made by Ford!

Would I ever buy another Ford?