www.iFourWinns.com

Took delivery of my 08 SL262 about 3 weeks ago. Boat is absolutely amazing, couldnt be happier. Actually, I take that back, wish I would have orderd the thru hull exhaust to go with the VP 8.1.

Does anyone have any experience with volvos neutra salt system. I use the boat in the salty waters of the gulf of mexico so i have to do a fresh water flush after every outing. this is starting to get old. i saw that VP has an add on system called neutra salt that allows for flushing of the engine with a push of a button. Is this as effective or better than flushing the engine with freshwater using muffs. Am I asssuming correctly that with the neutrasalt system installed and used properly I will never have to hook up muffs to the sterndrive again? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I will try to post some pictures in the near future.

I know this isn't what you asked, but is closed cooling an option for that boat?

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

There is a VP manufactured fresh water cooling kit available for this engine. Cost is around $1100 plus installation. Cost for neutrasalt system is $250 plus installation then recurrent cost of neutrasalt solution (approx $35/gallon). My goal is to be able to use the boat regularly in salt water and not have to flush manually with muffs. Will either or both of these options meet my needs without sacrificing engine life.

Thanks
Raj

If I was boating in salt 100% of the time I'd drop the $1100 for closed cooling in a red hot minute. Whether you'd still need to do anything for the drive, I don't know. I have to drive for 3 days to see any salt water .

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Ultimately for any salt water boat closed cooling is the best way to go, you will have much less corrision, better performance and more consistent engine temps. Here in salt, we have to replace exhaust manifolds and risers every 5-7 years, and if your engine makes it to 12-15 years you are doing well. Full closed cooling is the best because it protects the manifolds too.
Keep in mind you cannot install closed cooling if you run too long in salt. The salt deposits get into the pores of the cast iron, and the flaking rust will clog up the heat exchanger. I recall the cut off for installing it was like 100 hours, but if you're going to do it, I'd have the whole thing flushed with salt away or similar and install it now.
The neutra salt system looks good, I don't have any info on long term outcomes with it though. It's much cheaper and easier to install, though.
I run in the salt and you have to be very careful about checking the risers and riser gaskets when needed. I have the one piece OMC batwing manifolds (can't get them anymore but I got an extra set some years back) and I have gotten good service out of them. I like the design because there is no riser/manifold joint to leak into the cylinders.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I have both closed cooling ( VP kit retrofit, not factory fitted) and Neutrasalt! I really didn't like the thought of hot salt water running around in a cast iron engine. Closed cooling/ antifreeze protects the block/ heads/ inlet manifold/recirculation pump and in 4 years of use the thermostat has never jammed, which is commonplace I've heard on engines that have salt water run through them. At the end of each use, I run the engine on fresh water for about 10 minutes to flush out the manifolds/ risers and the outdrive of anything loose that might have been sucked in or built up ( the marina water pressure/ flow is sufficient for what the engine sucks in, plus extra to flush out the outdrive). Then I run the engine for about 45 seconds with Neutrasalt/ salt water.

The only downsides of the FWC for me is that it makes access to the impellor on the 5.7 small block quite awkward, plus there's an extra anode to change each year; I'd rather pay $8 for the heat exchanger anode each year than risk what it could potentially cost me for a new engine. The FWC kit includes a new "hotter" thermostat, meaning the engine temperature is more like what it would be in an Automotive application; I read somewhere that raw water cooled engine thermostats are "colder" to reduce the build up of deposits in the engine coming from minerals/ salts.

Shouldn't your '08 engine have an engine flush port, so you can attach a hose in the engine compartment and don't have to use muffs? It attaches to a T piece that's on the inlet hose to the raw water pump. Certainly my '04 engine has one, I'd be surprised if they had deleted such an useful device on later models.

Graham