Running in Salt Water - Response LX. Monsoon. What to know?

[sunvalleylaw]

Not that I am, or will in the foreseeable future, but if I ever moved back to the Gig Harbor area, it could be a possibility.  Or if I hauled my boat over on a trip.  So, any of you guys run your Monsoon powered RLX's in salt water?  Are there special things to add to the motor?  How do you take care of it?  

[Sixball]

Things will likely rust. Most boats that will be used in salt water use a closed cooling system. With that said on can also do a lot of maintenance and flushing and get past some of the problems. It makes no difference what power plant. Salt is hard on things.

[Woodski]

@sunvalleylaw:  Contained in various engine manuals are procedures for operating in salt water, I would check various brand suggestions from Indmar/Merc/PCM and perhaps google the subject for additional info.  Basically, an extensive flush to purge the system of all accumulated salt.  Merc spec'd a 140 degree thermostat IIRC specifically to ensure the water temp stayed below the crystallization temperature of salt.  You can add a sacrificial anode, zinc ones are added to aluminum parts for that very purpose.  The ones on my aluminum exhaust manifolds simply go in place of the standard unused threaded plugs on the bottom.