Fake a Lake Question

[Sti470]

I am new to boating and their engine setup, but familiar with land vehicles. On a car a small amount of coolant starts to flow immediately via the water pump through a little bleeder hole in the thermostat. Do thermostats on boats have the same feature? On my boat, when I use a Fake a Lake, how long before I should see water coming out of the exhaust? If I don't start the engine but have the water on will it eventually fill up and and come out the exhaust?

Thanks

[Nitrousbird]

Nope; it won't fill the motor unless the motor is running in my experience. Takes my boat a good 15 seconds before water is pouring out of the exhaust, though mine drains a lot of water once it is shut off.

[Bozboat]

I am new to boating and their engine setup, but familiar with land vehicles. On a car a small amount of coolant starts to flow immediately via the water pump through a little bleeder hole in the thermostat. Do thermostats on boats have the same feature? On my boat, when I use a Fake a Lake, how long before I should see water coming out of the exhaust? If I don't start the engine but have the water on will it eventually fill up and and come out the exhaust?

Thanks

Yes at least on my vintage basic Monsoon. With the water on, engine off. The block should fill until it reaches the closed thermostat then the water will bypass the block and drain out the exhaust hoses. So after a couple of mins or so with water on engine off I get water out the exhaust.

Don't know about the bleeder holes on the thermostat but I recall a more knowledgeable member suggesting those holes can be drilled out on the thermostat.

Edited April 19, 2014 by Bozboat

[Sti470]

I might have let it run 30 seconds, No water so I shut it off and thought I should ask.

[scfdfireman]

The water will not pass through the raw water pump to the engine unless the motor is running. Just be sure that there's a good seal on the fake-a-lake and turn it wide open...

[Sti470]

Thank you. I will try it again. The water was puking out the side of the suction cup but I thought that was normal.

[scfdfireman]

Due to the design, some leakage is normal. The best way is to add on a flush adapter or make one so there's no leaking and then you're sure that there's sufficent water going to the motor.

[Bozboat]

The water will not pass through the raw water pump to the engine unless the motor is running. Just be sure that there's a good seal on the fake-a-lake and turn it wide open...

Well, I wonder about my Raw Water pump as the water will pass by it with the motor off. It even makes a squeeling noise.

[ryangb]

I would pass on the fake and lake, and get a Perko flush pro.

[Levi900RR]

When I use a fake a lake, until I start the boat ALL the water pukes out around the fake a lake. Once I start it, the suction of the water pump starts pulling it up. I'd agree with the 15-20 second count until I get water out the exhaust.

Fake a lake is fine, as long as you have a spotter

[t a]

Make sure the shut off valve is open on the water intake where the water enters the boat. Like Levi, on mine All of the water pukes out till I start the boat, then most of it gets sucked up from the raw water pump ( depending on how high the hose is turned up). I can tell by how much less water is leaking that the engine is pulling water. Usually mine will be leaking out the exhaust within 20-30 sec but I have seen it take longer.

[t a]

I've wanted to install a perko flush for a long time but ppl's stories of them breaking ( they are made of plastic) and their boat almost sinking has steered me away from them...

[Fman]

I also make sure the fake a lake intake connection port is pointing towards the intake screen. This essentially will push water up into the intake screen to aid in getting a good flow to impeller.

You should immediately hear water stop pouring on the ground once the boat is running. It also takes my Monsoon about 10-12 seconds after engine is running to start pouring out exhaust ports.

[Soon2BV]

I've wanted to install a perko flush for a long time but ppl's stories of them breaking ( they are made of plastic) and their boat almost sinking has steered me away from them...

I am on season 5 with my Perko flush pro. I usually remove it and store it inside for the winter, but didn't do that this year.

[dalt1]

My 06 had the Flush Pro. I turned water on and would wait till it trickled out the exaust before starting. Took several minutes without engine running but eventually it woud make it through the exaust without starting engine.

[WheelerWake]

My 06 had the Flush Pro. I turned water on and would wait till it trickled out the exaust before starting. Took several minutes without engine running but eventually it woud make it through the exaust without starting engine.

I've never used one of these, but is the idea to use the 50-60 psi from the garden hose to force the water to "leak" past the impeller?

[toddthelineman]

I just take the hose clamps off of the water intake hose and stick the garden hose right in it. That way I can see whats happening while I'm in the boat and it's one less thing to worry about. Anyone else?

[Nordicron]

Just go to hardware store and by a 1 1/4" barbed T with 3/4 threaded end on top. Get a hose barb end for that and a 5' section garden hose. Attach hose barb and get a cap for the end. All this stays in the boat and is there when your ready to run! I've got a pick in the team talk thread.

http://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=60147

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited April 20, 2014 by Nordicron

[Levi900RR]

Just to warm my boat up in the driveway, as long as I have someone to keep an eye on it, I use the Fake a lake. If I have to do an oil change or something that requires longer run time and shutting the water off from inside the boat I use this:

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/topic/46509-diy-winterization-flush/

I keep the fake a lake around cause its easy, but I really don't use it unless I have someone keeping an eye on it.

[Soon2BV]

i added a thru-hull fitting at the back and hook the garden hose to it and don't have to get the garden hose down into the engine area. There is a clear hose that runs from the inside of the thru-hull to the inlet of the flush pro. It may not be needed, but i have a shut off valve on the flush pro inlet line near the inlet. I can close that off, turn on the hose water, then get in the boat and open that valve as needed to get a good flow.

i start the boat and watch for circulation and make sure i am keeping the flush pro bowl close to full of water.

I really don't want to push water through the impeller

[Bill_AirJunky]

When I've used a Fake-a-lake in the past, I didn't care for the fact that it was under the boat & I'm topside where I can't see it. Sometimes the water pressure would blow it off the intake & I can't see if it at all. So I made a hose adapter & take 15 seconds to remove the intake hose, install my adapter & then I can control the water topside.

The only time I ever used a Flush Pro we were using a boat in the winter time. The plastic was so brittle in the cold that it cracked & leaked like crazy. Then we had a ton of other problems. Just didn't seem worth the price & hassle. I think it's the kind of thing to be used by guys who use their boats in the salt water.

[l98ycar]

I just take the hose clamps off of the water intake hose and stick the garden hose right in it. That way I can see whats happening while I'm in the boat and it's one less thing to worry about. Anyone else?

+1

Me too!

[justgary]

My boat came with a PVC gizmo flush attachment:

He made it way too long, in my opinion, but it works great. I just recently finished changing it to a through the transom hookup:

The transom fitting is stainless, not plated. It's a Marpac 7-0418.

[formulaben]

^^ Me likey.

[Levi900RR]

I used one of those PVC check valves on version 0.0001 of my Skier ballast system. The required a LOT of water pressure to open up. I would worry that it would really restrict flow to your engine. But if you've used it than it must work. Simple DIY flush pro right there.