Cleaning small outboards

[Edchris177]

I’ve got a ‘93 Johnson 15 HP, Model J15RETN. Inside the cowls is getting kind of grungy, much more so than my other kickers.
What do you recommend to clean it out?
I thought about spraying something like bilge cleaner into the inverted top half, but it’s lined with foam. If I spray, or slosh something into the bottom half, will it simply drain out?
I would do it in the driveway, with a catch basin under so cleaner wouldn’t drain into the lake.
Getting into the crevices on the bottom half, it’s pretty hard to do with any kind of wiping action.

 

[timguy]

The foam is probably breaking down and should be removed anyway as it will be sucked into the carburetor and possibly lodge into the reed valves. I use an engine degreasing cleaner after removing the air silencer and plugging the carburetor tightly with a rag then I use hot water in the garden hose to spray out all the sludge and oily material. Afterwards I dry with compressed air and perhaps in the sun or use a hair dryer. Then install air silencer and start immediately and warm things up to get rid of any residual moisture.

 

[Edchris177]

Thanks very much for that, you’ve obviously done it multiple times. The foam looks in good shape. One of my worries about the cobwebs etc inside was they would eventually get pulled into the silencer/carb, & cause problems.
im glad I don’t have to take the lower cowlings off.
does all the washed out stuff just drain down, & out the inside of the leg, or run down the outside?
what type of degreaser do you use? I was thinking some of the solvents would damage the plastic/Fiberglas? Cowlings, or the paint on them.

 

[bspeth]

I use gas and a toothbrush,all my motors are sleepers outside the cowl and closers on the inside.