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  1. #1
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    Damaged Mercury Optimax 150 by flushing with water hose?

    So the last time I was getting ready to clean my boat for whatever reason I thought it would be a good ideal to flush my engine using the water hose port located next to the pee hole on my 2009 Mercury Optimax 150. I hooked it up turned on the water hose and water was mostly coming out the pee hole. I continued to let the water run while i was doing something else and I heard a different noise, looked over and water had started squirting out the exhaust port. I thought well maybe that is normal. However, upon taking it to the lake this weekend I noticed my water PSI on plane was at around 5-8psi where it is usually 10-15 on plane, idling psi was still about the same 3-5 PSI. Still had good pee stream, did not get no alarms. I also noticed at idle there seemed to be a lot of turbulence in the water around the lower part of the engine. Any ideals on what I might have done ? Any help will be appreciated, thanks.

  2. Member
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    #2
    Could I have blown an exhaust/water seal, gasket, or tube because there was too much water pressure coming out of the garden hose ?

  3. Member
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    LONGVIEW TEXAS
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    #3
    may have poppett valve problem don't see how you could have blown anything at idle on hose and if its overheating would have alarms and guardian activation
    .................................................. ...the scariest thing in life is the unknown ...................................

  4. Member
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    #4
    Im not sure what a popett valve is but I will research that, thanks.

  5. Member
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by cns1972 View Post
    So the last time I was getting ready to clean my boat for whatever reason I thought it would be a good ideal to flush my engine using the water hose port located next to the pee hole on my 2009 Mercury Optimax 150. I hooked it up turned on the water hose and water was mostly coming out the pee hole. I continued to let the water run while i was doing something else and I heard a different noise, looked over and water had started squirting out the exhaust port. I thought well maybe that is normal. However, upon taking it to the lake this weekend I noticed my water PSI on plane was at around 5-8psi where it is usually 10-15 on plane, idling psi was still about the same 3-5 PSI. Still had good pee stream, did not get no alarms. I also noticed at idle there seemed to be a lot of turbulence in the water around the lower part of the engine. Any ideals on what I might have done ? Any help will be appreciated, thanks.
    You ran the engine using the flush port only, not muffs, correct?
    _______

    Phil
    '09 Hewescraft ProV
    '09 150 Optimax


  6. Member
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    #6
    The engine was not running while hooked up to water hose, I just let the water circulate with engine off.

  7. Member
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    #7
    How much pressure is coming out of your hose from the house ? I think I read in the manual that there is a pressure limit.

  8. Member
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    #8
    Im not sure what the pressure is, if it was too much what would it have busted ?

  9. Member
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    Mar 2014
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    Louisiana
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    #9
    I'm not a Merc Tech so I can't answer that question. I looked in my manual and it says "Do not flush engine using a water system that exceeds 45 psi).

  10. Member
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by cns1972 View Post
    The engine was not running while hooked up to water hose, I just let the water circulate with engine off.
    That's good!
    _______

    Phil
    '09 Hewescraft ProV
    '09 150 Optimax


  11. Member
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    Feb 2016
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    Toronto, ON, Canada
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    #11
    I blew a water pressure gauge by opening the garden hose valve open too much running my previous 2005 optimax 150. Pricey mistake.

    Did you ever find out what happened?
    1995 Champion 190 dcx Elite