Convert boat from fresh to salt water???

ric · **Posted:** Thu Sep 11, 2014 12:12 pm

The jet ski I just bought was used it's whole life from 2006 til I bought it in salt. Looks brand new. All depends how you take care of things.

tjpfab · **Joined:** Sat Jun 21, 2014 10:46 pm **Posts:** 4

Awesome conversation everyone. Learned a lot! Thanks!

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

rpengr wrote:

TX H210SS wrote:

I'm thinking you will need to change your thermostat to a lower temp....I think it needs 150 degrees or 145 degrees for salt. This is because the salt water crystallizes at the higher temps...you can check the manual to make sure of this though.

Never heard of that one or seen salt crystals in my engines. Have never seen salt behave that way either. (disolves rapidly in my hot spaghetti pot).

Yeah, but most are not boating in iodized Morton table salt either. Below is a link to an article in boating magazine that addresses this. In short, those with raw water cooled engines need to have 142-145 degree thermostats if using in salt water....those in fresh water need 160-170 degree. Sea salt crystallizes at 160 degrees and can clog the water jackets.

http://www.cruisingworld.com/how/can-yo ... -take-heat

Or Google thermostat for salt water marine

But hey, I don't boat in saltwater so it doesn't affect me. I have just read this several times in various articles and was also told this by the marine mechanic. I guess you could crab a pot full of seawater and heat it up to 170ish and see what happens.

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Sep 12, 2014 6:09 am

Merc did use a lower temp thermostat for salt water but I don't think OMC ever did (even with all their outboard experience) not sure about the older VPs, but modern VPs all had 160s.
I've had the thermostat housing off a number of times, replaced the manifolds 2x and never seen salt crystals in the engine per se. Now I have seen some white goopy looking stuff in the impeller housing, not sure if that's it. All I can say is as long as it has a good impeller (& the wear plate and impeller cage are not scored from sand), no restrictions in the water intakes and the risers are not clogged, it still runs at 160-165, exhaust manifolds top out at 130. I also rod out the thermo housing each year too when I winterize it and I'm taking the hoses off anyway.

This might be more of an issue with aluminum engines like outboards, I have seen some taken apart with deposits in them. They all pretty much do have lower temp 'stats.

www.iFourWinns.com

Convert boat from fresh to salt water???

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