Coolant flushing system for outboard motor
AssigneeSanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsHitoshi Watanabe, Takahide Watanabe, Masanori Takahashi
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Abstract
A water cooled four-cycle outboard motor having an improved flushing system that permits flushing of the cooling system without removal of even the protective cowling and which permits flushing to be accomplished with a minimum of water usage. The flushing connection is coupled with a tell tale connection to provide a simple, but highly effective construction. In addition, the system effectively cools the engine and a temperature sensor is positioned in an area where it will be protected from overheating.
Claims18
An outboard motor powered by a water-cooled internal combustion engine, said outboard motor including a power head in which said engine is contained and which is surrounded by a protective cowling, a drive shaft housing and lower unit depending from said power head and containing a propulsion device for propelling an associated watercraft through a transmission for driving said propulsion device from said engine, said engine being provided with a cooling system that includes a cooling jacket which extends around a body of said engine, means for drawing coolant for circulation through said cooling jacket from the body of water in which the watercraft is operated, passing the drawn coolant through a cooling jacket flow path from an engine cooling jacket inlet and for discharging the circulated coolant back to the body of water from an engine cooling jacket outlet, and a flushing cooling jacket port formed in said engine body at a point that is approximately midway along the length of said cooling jacket flow path between said cooling jacket inlet and said cooling jacket outlet for flushing said engine cooling jacket.
An outboard motor powered by a water-cooled internal combustion engine, said outboard motor including a power head in which said engine is contained and which is surrounded by a protective cowling, a drive shaft housing and lower unit depending from said power head and containing a propulsion device for propelling an associated watercraft through a transmission for driving said propulsion device from said engine, said engine being provided with a cooling system that includes a cooling jacket which extends around a body of said engine, means for drawing coolant for circulation through said cooling jacket from the body of water in which the watercraft is operated, passing the drawn coolant through said cooling jacket from an engine cooling jacket inlet and for discharging the circulated coolant back to the body of water from an engine cooling jacket outlet, said engine cooling jacket being comprised of a first, ascending portion extending upwardly from the cooling jacket inlet;
- a second, descending portion extending downwardly from said first, ascending portion;
- a third, ascending portion extending upwardly from said second, descending portion;
- and a fourth, descending portion extending downwardly from said third, ascending portion to the cooling jacket outlet.
An outboard motor powered by a water-cooled internal combustion engine, said outboard motor including a power head in which said engine is contained and which is surrounded by a protective cowling, a drive shaft housing and lower unit depending from said power head and containing a propulsion device for propelling an associated watercraft through a transmission for driving said propulsion device from said engine, said engine being provided with a cooling system that includes a cooling jacket which extends around a body of said engine, means for drawing coolant for circulation through said cooling jacket from the body of water in which the watercraft is operated, passing the drawn coolant through a cooling jacket path from an engine cooling jacket inlet and for discharging the circulated coolant back to the body of water from an engine cooling jacket outlet, and a flushing conduit having a first part that communicates directly with said engine body and therethrough with said engine body cooling jacket downstream of said engine cooling jacket inlet and a second part that extends outwardly of the protective cowling and has a flexible portion with a hose fitting for connection to a hose for flushing of said engine cooling jacket.
An outboard motor powered by a water-cooled internal combustion engine, said outboard motor including a power head in which said engine is contained and which is surrounded by a protective cowling, a drive shaft housing and lower unit depending from said power head and containing a propulsion device for propelling an associated watercraft through a transmission for driving said propulsion device from said engine, said engine being provided with a cooling system that includes a cooling jacket which extends around a body of said engine, means for drawing coolant for circulation through said cooling jacket from the body of water in which the watercraft is operated, passing the drawn coolant through a cooling jacket path from an engine cooling jacket inlet and for discharging the circulated coolant back to the body of water from an engine cooling jacket outlet, a tell tale outlet connection from which cooling water is diverted at least in part and discharged through the exterior of said protective cowling in a location where an operator can ascertain that cooling water is passing through said engine cooling jacket, and a flushing conduit connected to said tell tale outlet connection for selective flushing of said engine cooling jacket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.