flush kit, Timmy "T", what am I doing wrong?

The photo of a DIY flush kit, timmy "T" I guess, on a previous thread in 2010 titled something like "milky crankcase oil", showed parts that didn't work for me and my '94 and '95 Nautiques.

1. The connector to go from the grey plastic"T" with two barbs and a 3/4" pipe thread to 3/4" garden hose is a LFA-679 and not a LFA-677.

2. When I turn the hose on all of the water runs out of the water pick-up on the bottom of the boat even when the engine is running, i.e. the suction pump does not suck the water into the cooling system, which a previous replier to the the thread said it would, unless I'm doing something wrong. I'm going to have to install a valve between the raw water strainer and the timmy "T" to prevent the water from running our the of the bottom of the boat. This hardly seems possible to me. You'd think the suction from the pump would pull the water in the line right into the engine.

I will have to figure out how to post a photo but for now I'll let you know my set-up is simply a grey plastic "T" in the line between the raw water strainer and the oil cooler with a fitting coming out of the center of the "T" with a valved garden hose coupler. All of the water runs out of the water intake in the bottom of the boat whether the engine is running or not. No water is getting to the engine or the exhaust manifolds. If you have to do something special to prime the pump this type of a timmy "T" would be more trouble than it's worth. Placing a valve between the timmy "T" and the water strainer would do the trick.

Bob,
You are the very first person out of dozens who have installed the "Timmy T" who claims the system doesn't work. I highly suspect you did some thing wrong!! Post a picture of your install. Also, did you read the comments in this previous thread where you first questioned it's function?

1xsculler wrote:    Placing a valve between the timmy "T" and the water strainer would do the trick.

Do you want to redesign a system that works?

Try moving it to the end of the striped host as close to strainer as possible. Just keep it before the trans cooler.

That location looks fine. Run the hose or 5-10sec before starting the engine to prime the rwp. If the block has been drained, it may take a minute for water to flow out the exhaust. Ignore the water coming out of the intake grate, it is inconsequential. Keep a hand on the back of the rwp... If it's heating up, it's running dry. If it's cool, all is well. If you still have troubles then I suspect your rwp and/or impeller need to be serviced.

As I should have expected, you guys were absolutely correct and my timmy "T" works just like it should. I guess I was a little impatient.

[QUOTE=1xsculler] One limitation of the "Timmy T" is that a hose connected to it when the boat is out of the water won't suck my 50:50 antifreeze/water mix out of the six gallon bucket I use when I winterize the block. [QUOTE]
Drain and pour per the manual. Why are you sucking? 50/50? Aren't you using RV antifreeze?

1xsculler wrote: One limitation of the "Timmy T" is that a hose connected to it when the boat is out of the water won't suck my 50:50 antifreeze/water mix out of the six gallon bucket I use when I winterize the block. I either have to install a valve in the hose from the strainer to my "T" or I will have go back to disconnecting the hose at the strainer outlet and connecting a short section of garden hose with the other end in the bucket..

If you think logically about it, why would you expect that to work since you have basically a giant suction leak that the pump can't overcome. It's about a 1 inch or so opening.

Now if you use it the way it was meant to be with a hose supplying pressure and volume it works just fine like Tim said

8122pbrainard wrote: Bob, Layup procedure starts on page 37. Then on page 38 there's a picture that to me, sure looks like a guy with a funnel pouring anti into a hose!!!

So Pete..............you send him to instructions that tell him to pour in a 50% solution of anti freeze such as Zerex or Prestone after you just finished telling him to use the pink RV stuff,
make up your mind will ya

Just the normal friendly jab Pete

Pick any one

The suck up method is fine as long as you drain first, it requires a couple extra gallons of a/f however.
Pete, when u say pink stuff, the -50 degree stuff is typically ethanol based and there is the propylene based stuff for a few bucks more, usually labeled -75 degree. Any concerns about using the ethanol stuff for the hoses, block, etc?

Chris,
I'd spend the few extra and shy away from the ethanol based. I have personal experience with soft hoses that needed to be replaced.

For the last twenty-two years I've winterized my 351W in my SN by disconnecting the water line at the transmission cooler side of the raw water strainer, connecting a 3' section of garden hose to the water line, placing the open end of the garden hose in a 6 gallon bucket filled with 3 gallons of antifreeze and 3 gallons of water and running the engine, after it is warmed up so the thermostat is open, until all of the antifreeze/water mixture is sucked out of the bucket and then shutting it down immediately..

Is there any problem with this method.