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How do i clear the water intake

A

amSteve

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My marina has a lot of both duckweed on the surface and a submerged week that vine-y and very heavy. I have a pair of Merc 60 CTs mounted on a houseboat and have to navigate a no-wake zone thru 300 years the stuff every time i leave and return. I have a feeling that sooner or later I'm going to have to know how to clear out the water intake ports.

I'm totally new to outboards and could also use some advise on a motor-tilt strategy to avoid blockage - i can see a case made either way - leave em down leaves the intake inside the heavy stuff ... tilted up picks up the surface crap.

Compared to the exhaust stream I'm seeing from others in the marina, these Mercs seem to have quite a bit of volume and pressure - but like i say, am a total newbie to the engines.
 
I have some customers that have the same problem...just every 50 yards put motors into reverse and rev up to wash veggie away from unit then back into forward.
 
faztbullet said:
I have some customers that have the same problem...just every 50 yards put motors into reverse and rev up to wash veggie away from unit then back into forward.
Click to expand...

X2. Also, if you do block the inputs the water flow will stop. This can cause the water pump impeller to melt/deform and cause engine overheating. Be sure to keep the pump input open to the outside water ....
 
faztbullet said:
I have some customers that have the same problem...just every 50 yards put motors into reverse and rev up to wash veggie away from unit then back into forward.
Click to expand...

That makes sense to avoid the problem -- but if that doesn't work and I end up with blocked exhaust stream, how do i clear it? Or is it really just that rare. The engines are brand new and have a 'limp home mode' to prevent overheating so worst case probably isn't all that bad. I'm just looking to learn how to clear clogs while i'm sitting here at my desktop instead of trying to get help out there.
 
I've lived on a lake in New England most of my life. Been in power boats since I was a young teen. My Lake is de-weeded but sometimes not every year. When it gets real bad in the late summer/Fall - you need to stay out of the weed areas. As said, you back up and remove the weeds ball from the lower unit. IF you can't - you're not doing it enough - if it's that bad - you should not be there anyway. I've had to tip up the engine and manually remove the weeds only a couple of times - again - it was my fault for not backing up enough. I've never melted my water pump - but know of many neighbors who have. Once you do it/pay to have it fixed you won't do it again. Stay safe and stay out of thick weeds.
 
A patch of floating grass stalled the engine in my old cruiser, a Mopar 360 running along at 2,500 rpm. Stopped it dead! Thought there was a log or something hiding in there, but no. Nasty stuff.

Jeff
 
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