There is a device you can buy that hooks on to a hose and clamps over the lower end of your outboard so you can run the engine with a hose of fresh water which will help flush the engine easier than running in a bucket.. In all the years of using outboards, I have never flushed everytime I used them in saltwater, but have periodically (at least once a year) cleaned it out this way and have not had a problem with salt buildup. You might also just have an occlusion in the orfice or line the coolant water comes from--get a wire and see if that helps. I have also used a product called Salt away that is supposed to dissolve salt--cannot tell you if that is the reason I have had no problem. My mechanic tells me vinegar will do the same thing.

:: Last time I was out on my boat I noticed the flow of
:: cooling water through the outboard was much less than
:: normal; the motor's never given me trouble before and
:: was overhauled last year so I'm guessing the waterpump
:: is gunked up with salt, since I hadn't used it for a
:: couple of months.
::
:: My question for you saltwater tunas - do you flush out
:: your outboard with freshwater? If so, how often, and how
:: do you do it?
::
:: The advice online is to put it on a sawhorse and run it
:: in a bucket, but that would be a major pain in the ass.