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Tom I agree with this.

There are also rectangular muffs available, which would be better, but it's not worth replacing mine as they work fine.

It’s not worth for me to buy the muffs; the trash can works fine.

NiceAft wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 12:25 pm Tom I agree with this.

There are also rectangular muffs available, which would be better, but it's not worth replacing mine as they work fine.

It’s not worth for me to buy the muffs; the trash can works fine.

It worked fine for me too, the one time I did it, but that can has been retasked for bottle return storage duty, so it's back to the muffs for me.

NiceAft wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 12:25 pm Tom I agree with this.

There are also rectangular muffs available, which would be better, but it's not worth replacing mine as they work fine.

It’s not worth for me to buy the muffs; the trash can works fine.

My Suzuki has a standard hose connector for running the motor out of the water.

However, I like the garbage can idea because the hose FORCES water into the motor which wouldn't let me know if the impeller was not functioning properly.

The garbage can is truer to actual operating conditions.

Sailors trash talk

P.S. I replace the impeller every two years.

Russ wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:20 am My Suzuki has a standard hose connector for running the motor out of the water.

However, I like the garbage can idea because the hose FORCES water into the motor which wouldn't let me know if the impeller was not functioning properly.

The garbage can is truer to actual operating conditions.

The BF50D has the hose connector as well. Not sure about the "A" model. It's older.

Be Free wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:38 am

Russ wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:20 am My Suzuki has a standard hose connector for running the motor out of the water.

However, I like the garbage can idea because the hose FORCES water into the motor which wouldn't let me know if the impeller was not functioning properly.

The garbage can is truer to actual operating conditions.

The BF50D has the hose connector as well. Not sure about the "A" model. It's older.

I think it has the port, but I don't have the adapter, so the muffs I already had are good enough. It's also almost exclusively a fresh water engine, so not critical to flush the non-existent salt out of the engine after use.

NiceAft wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:12 am

DaveC426913 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 13, 2021 8:35 pm

JaxMacX wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 8:44 pm ...used a spare garbage can full of water.

? ?

I actually do the same thing.

When I test run my Honda50, I raise the motor, slip a spare can into it, and then lower the motor.

Oh. Ah. I do that too, whenever I need to work on the motor on-the-hard. Never been happy with earmuffs.

(What confused me is what a garbage can had to do with checking the pee-hole.)

(What confused me is what a garbage can had to do with checking the pee-hole.)

Just a way for those who don’t have muffs to to be able to check their motor. Fill the can with enough water to cover intakes.

Don't feel bad, I managed to mess up on both counts - used a can but not high enough to cover every inlet, so the pee-stream didn't work

I've never trusted muffs, though my boat came with a pair.

My neighbor, who worked on boats when he was younger suggested replacing the impeller every two years like NiceAft

The best tool in my tool box is still this website! Thanks guys n gals!

Doing the Honda 50 no tell tale check now...


Cheers, Bill

Yup, plugged at the motor mounted port! Cleaned with weed whacker line, pi$$ like a champ now.

I have had my boat since 1996 and have used a trash can to flush the engine most of the time after salt water use (I have only used this boat in salt water). I found the ear muffs would have a tendency to fall. I've noticed over the years salt would tend to build up in the "pee" line. Simply pulling the engine cover and squeezing the hose along the length would fix that issue 99% of the time. I have changed my impeller annually and the engine still rungs great today. As mentioned in another post, I now disconnect from the fuel tank and run the engine out of gas after every use. This after I had to rebuild all three (3) carbs a few years back. I attribute this to the new fuel blends on the market where never had an issue in the past.

socalmacer wrote: ↑Tue Sep 19, 2023 8:25 pm I've noticed over the years salt would tend to build up in the "pee" line.

Interesting.

In saltwater you get salt buildup.
In freshwater you get spider buildup.

When our motor isn’t in use for 2-3 weeks we insert into pee hole a few inches of string trimmer line.
Keeps spider and wee wasps from blocking hole.
If I forget to remove -water flow will blow it out !

Honda Telltale:
Water comes out = impeller working
Water comes weak or missing = almost always a plugged telltale. Get your weed whacker line out.

I used to be concerned about the passages getting plugged up in that part of the engine but after some judicious dismantling I've determined that most of the passages in that area are large and almost impossible to block. If you are not getting water and there is no overheating alarm then it's probably just the outlet plugged.

Even with a mostly destroyed impeller I could still get a weak stream to come out of the telltale.