How to clean the engine of a outboard motor ?

[steplift20]

Title says it all I took the cowl off my Mercury outboard and would like to clean it, can Zi use brake cleaner on the tight spots and will brake cleaner damage anything on the motor, if I can't then how do you clean it?

[Dana A]

Title says it all I took the cowl off my Mercury outboard and would like to clean it, can Zi use brake cleaner on the tight spots and will brake cleaner damage anything on the motor, if I can't then how do you clean it?
steam cleaner

or take it to the self car wash

[phatdaddy]

U can use Gunk engine degreaser, its a spray on foam. I would clean mine usually every spring. Pull the air box off the carbs , put some rags in the throats, avoid spraying up under the flywheel. Use an old toothbrush for tuff spots of corrosion, then gently rinse off. Good time to get all the crude out of the bottom of the pan and clean the drains

[spareparts]

purple power cleaner, hose it off, then crc 656 on everything. I do it all the time

[steplift20]

Will the water get into the electronic parts ( wires,boxes , linkage, ) just spray it on and hose it off? Than crc 656. It's a 150 Mercury outboard.

[Blue_Runner]

I was going to say crc 656 after you clean it. Love that stuff!

[phatdaddy]

I used to like Boeshield, but it was getting harder to find. Used a spray called Linebacker once, great stuff, but what a mess. Was like cosmolene in a can.

Anyone use Yamashield, heard good stuff about it?

[spareparts]

just dont hose the starter down, turn the battery switch off and let it air dry

[steplift20]

Got it thanks