How to Use CRC 656: The Secret to Stopping Saltwater Corrosion
If you ride a personal watercraft in Ocean City, Maryland—or any coastal saltwater bay—you are fighting a daily chemical war. Saltwater is highly conductive and incredibly corrosive. If left unchecked, it will pit your engine block, seize your bolts, and rot your electrical harness from the inside out.
At Odyssea Jet & Prop Shop, we see the devastating results of the "Saltwater Tax" every single week. But the good news? You can stop 90% of it with a simple aerosol can. (If you are local, stop by the shop in Ocean Pines—we keep these stocked on the shelf for our riders!)
Our secret weapon in the bay is CRC 656 Marine Multi-Purpose Lubricant. It’s the final, crucial step in our post-ride routine for every single VIP storage ski we manage.
Watch our shop video below to see exactly how we apply it, and read on for the "Do's and Don'ts" of building your engine's corrosion shield.
🎥 Watch the Process in the Bay
What is CRC 6-56? (And why not just use WD-40?)
Standard WD-40 is great for fixing a squeaky door hinge, but it’s not built for the marine environment. It evaporates relatively quickly and doesn't leave a lasting protective film.
CRC 6-56 is specifically formulated for marine engines. It is a "moisture displacement" lubricant. That means it physically pushes water out of the way, getting deep into the threads of bolts and inside electrical connectors. Once the carrier solvent evaporates, it leaves behind a thin, waxy, long-lasting film that saltwater cannot penetrate.
How to Apply It Like a Pro
To get the most out of the spray, you need to apply it correctly. Don't just blindly blast the engine bay.
Step 1: Wash, Flush, and Dry First Never spray CRC onto an engine that is caked in wet salt. You must complete your fresh-water engine flush and hull rinse first. Let the engine bay air out and dry as much as possible. If you spray CRC over wet salt, you are just trapping the salt against the metal.
Step 2: The "Target" Zones With the engine cool and dry, apply a light, even mist over the metal components in your engine bay. Focus heavily on:
The Engine Block: Coat the bare metal to prevent flash-rusting.
Electrical Connectors: A light mist over the outside of your sensor clips, ECU harness, and fuse box seals keeps the "green fuzz" away.
Hose Clamps & Mounts: These are usually the first things to rust. Soak them.
Ignition Coils & Spark Plug Boots: Keep moisture from arching out your spark.
Jet Pump / Steering Nozzle: Give the moving metal parts on the back of the ski a good spray to keep your steering and reverse gate (iBR/RiDE) moving freely.
Step 3: What to AVOID While CRC is safe for almost everything in your hull, try to avoid soaking the carbon ring on a Seadoo. This can cause early failure.
Make it a Habit
This isn't a "once a year" task. If you want your Sea-Doo or Yamaha to look showroom-new after 300 hours, you need to spray down the engine bay after every ride, and heavily before you winterize it for the off-season.
Don't let the salt win this summer!
🔧 Keep Your Ski Running & Rep the Crew
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Join the Community: Got a tech question or want to meet local riders? The DMs are closed, but the bay is open.
