Engine flushing/ Zebra muscles

[garyholl]

I use two lakes, one infested, one not. How do I flush the engine with fresh water to keep that water from getting in the uninfested lake? This is my first inboard and I'm just realizing I don't know how to connect a"fake lake." Is there a water hose fitting or something? Or would a winterizing drain be the only way to deal with it?

[Jetlink]

Fake a lake is usually a plunger type device that you invert and it covers up your raw water intake and seals against the boat hull. There is a fitting to attach a garden hose to supply water. Some boats also have a mod after the fact that allows you to hook the hose right up inline with your plumbing inside the boat to run water to the engine without the need for the "Fake Lake." My boat has said fitting so I just hook up there.

[trayson]

Make it easy on yourself. Do one of these:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mVcfRFKAhOI/Uc5kmvhEvJI/AAAAAAAAOOI/y_UJsUBktWk/s800/20130628_201526.jpg

It's a ball valve from your local plumbing store that is put inline on your fresh water intake hose. The other end is threaded for the garden hose. Makes it pretty easy.

[garyholl]

Make it easy on yourself. Do one of these:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mVcfRFKAhOI/Uc5kmvhEvJI/AAAAAAAAOOI/y_UJsUBktWk/s800/20130628_201526.jpg

It's a ball valve from your local plumbing store that is put inline on your fresh water intake hose. The other end is threaded for the garden hose. Makes it pretty easy.

I can't see the ball valve you mention. Does it have a lever or a rotary actuator?

[trayson]

sorry, best pic I had. You're looking at the back side. Something like this:

http://img.directindustry.com/images_di/photo-g/3-way-brass-ball-valves-70229-2319879.jpg

[garyholl]

sorry, best pic I had. You're looking at the back side. Something like this:

http://img.directindustry.com/images_di/photo-g/3-way-brass-ball-valves-70229-2319879.jpg

It looks like you have hoses connected to all three ports on the 'T' valve. Is one just a lawn water hose adaptor?

Btw, thanks for the idea; it's a good one...

[Cusefan78]

My boat has a hose connection coming off the strainer. Has like a foot valve connection on it so water can only go one way.

[trayson]

My boat has a hose connection coming off the strainer. Has like a foot valve connection on it so water can only go one way.

the spot at the very bottom of my picture that's kinda cut off is where the garden hose attaches.

[garyholl]

Gotcha.Cool!

[92SupraComp]

I would put the hose in a bucket with soap, because really, all you are doing is running clean water over the zebra muscles, they aren't gonna let go for that, they attach them selves to everything and when they do eventually come off, they take material with them... Should see what they do to steel and aluminum boats lifts...

[garyholl]

Oh, I don't think they can survive the engine heat anyway I just don't want to shoot a bunch of contaminated into the uninfected lake.

[Cusefan78]

I don't have them on my lake. I'm shocked you can suck them in. Learn something new every day

[garyholl]

They come in microscopic, like a germ

[Zim]

Best thing to do would be to run your boat on the hose between lakes. The DNR sprays boats with 140* water to kill them, so running a boat should get those temperatures and clean out your cooling system. The problem is more in your bilge. Put some bleach/water in there with your plug in the boat and drive around a bit to slosh it around. Run that through your bilge pump too, and that should help kill off anything in your bilge. Don't forget about your ballast bags/lines too... those are also a problem.

Those little things can live in a moist environment for a very long time.

[garyholl]

The ballast bags are becoming a problem. There's water in there that I can't get out.

[Zim]

The ballast bags are becoming a problem. There's water in there that I can't get out.

put a cap full of bleach in there and slosh it around. It'll kill them off.

[garyholl]

Zim, that's what I did.I hope it's enough.