Honda outboard help needed.

[Shane82]

Ok so, I have a 2003 Honda 4-stroke 8hp outboard (BFP8D3XHA)

I recently got the boat and it had sat for quite some time, a few weeks ago I had her running and went putting around the lake letting her run wide open. Now I go out to start it (Manual start and choke) and got nothing, made sure the fuel line was good, the hand pump bulb was hard with pressure, new fuel filter.
Odd thing is, if I pull out the choke it would sputter like it wanted to start, if I pushed the choke in it immediately acted like there was no air/fuel/spark on the next pull, no sputter or anything. Choke out, I got it too start twice about 30 minutes apart and it ran for about 3 minutes, seemed like it had a miss to it, then it just lost rpm and died, wouldn't start back up again.
I removed the carb, the insides looked brand new, in fact everything under the cover looks brand new even the gaskets but I unscrewed the bowl and noted that there looked to be beads of water possibly in the bowl and on the float, I gave it all a good dousing of WD-40 and sprayed every nook and cranny with throttle body cleaner and reassembled. Nothing changed.
I haven't even gotten to sail the boat yet and this is driving me crazy. The only hard clue I have is the choke. Pull it out and it sputters, push it in and nothing at all. When I got it running if I pushed the choke in I just as well have pushed the kill switch.

 

[Mike B1026]

Check the plugs? The water in your fuel could have fouled them.

The other issue could be the jets and passage ways. Didn't sound like you cleaned them.
Spray a carb cleaner through all of them and check for obstructions.

 

[r.oril]

Try using some starter spray(eather). If it starts and then trys to stop, give it a little squirt and see if it continues to run. If this works then you have a fuel problem. Drain all fuel from the tank/fuel lines and add new fuel. Also do as Mike said and really check/clean the carb.

Good Luck.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Check the needle valve in the carbs and clean as necessary. Get rid of your current fuel as it sounds either old or contaminated, or both. Pull the plugs and clean or relplace them if badly fouled, crank the engine with the plugs out to get rid of any old fuel in the lines. Let the engine sit a bit with plugs out, then squirt some starter fluid directly into the cylinders. Replace plugs and give the starter a yank. OBs, like people, can be cranky at times.... Good luck with this.

 

[RichH]

These are classic symptoms of 'degraded fuel' and storing the motor well beyond the 'shelf-life' of the gasoline.

Carburetor probably needs to be thoroughly cleaned out to remove the formed 'gums & varnishes' from the degraded fuel. The Honda carb probably has whats known as an 'emulsion tube' - a small hollow 'needle-like' device with a few 'side holes' in the 'tube'. this is located 'right behind' the 'main jet'. The function of the emulsion tube is to produce a 'foam' of gasoline and air and this 'foam' is what automatically controls the correct fuel-air ratio. If the emulsion tube has any ANY fouling in or on it - it wont be able to control that important mixture ratio ....
Most of these 4Cyc carburetors have NO adjustments nor 'adjusting screws' for the fuel/air ratio, etc. The only 'external' adjustments are the idle speed adjustment screw on the 'speed cable linkage' .. and the CHOKE.

To prevent such fouling in future ... only use FRESH Gasoline (less than 30-60 days old), and ALWAYS run the carburetor DRY when stopping the engine for long periods (several weeks or more). Best is to ONLY use whats known as "Recreational Use Gasoline" - ethanol fee, high octane, STABILIZED, gasoline. Look for "ValvTect" fuel dealers - plenty of these dealers found throughout the "South". Most 'southerners' I know call such fuel "ANTI-AL-GORE-Gas"

 

[caguy]

Besides carb cleaner make sure that you blow the passage out. Unscrew your idle screw and blow through there. Also the high speed jet. Back up your passage plugs so that when you do blow it doesn't send them across the garage. Be careful to move all rubber and plastic parts from the carb before cleaning. You'll see this warning on your carb cleaner. When you add up the cost of the carb cleaner and time to do it the $100 to take it to a mechanic doesn't sound so bad.
BTW make sure you have an inline filter between you tank and the motor.

 

[Shane82]

Well got her going! I meant to replace the tiny 3 gallon tank anyway so I bought a 6 gal tank new hose bulb etc. Drained all the old fuel out the bowl and filter, primed it and gave it a shot of ether got her cranked. Let it run in gear just above idle at the dock (under extreme supervision) for about 30 minutes. Took her out and she puttered once, but cranked on the first pull and no more problems. Too bad the wind wasn't blowing! had a slight breeze and still made 2-2.5 knts with the sails up.

 

[Sailm8]

I sold my 2hp 4 stroke and run a 3.5 Nisson 2 stroke. The Honda never started without a carb overhaul. I bought a spare carb and kept it soaking in cleaner and would swap it out before I planned to used it. No knock on the Honda it was just a case of not using it frequently enough to keep the jets clean. Even running it dry was not enough to keep it starting. I guy I know had a mechanic drill out the jets to a larger size and his runs fine. Ethanol gas seems to have a very short shelf life so use fresh fuel. It is also possible to find non ethanol fuel.

 

[moparv104x4]

It is not a good idea to use starting fluid on small engines. You should never try to run a small engine on just starting fluid to diagnose a fuel problem. Permanent damage could be caused to the piston and bearings of your engine.

 

[jibes138]

2 stroke versus 4 stroke

I've run 2 stroke engines for years with almost no problems whatsoever with fuel. Even using year old fuel they would start right up and run fine. Recently my Johnson 4 HP 2 stroke engine wouldn't start at the end of last season, motor is 1997 vintage. I just pulled it apart, disassembled the carb, soaked it all in gumout carb cleaner, reassembled it and adjusted the fuel jet and it starts right up and runs great.
I also have a 4 stroke Mercury 3.5, I hate it. I bought it when my Johnson was in getting a new shifter plate in the lower unit that failed preventing it from staying in gear. I now only use the Johnson 2 stroke since it was fixed. The Mercury is incredibly sensitive to fuel and carburetor fouling. Another guy on my dock has the same engine and he hates his too. The units with the integral tanks seem to be worse as there is no easy way to drain the tank and water will collect at the lowest point in the tank, right at the intake to the carburetor. With the vent screw open there is a potential to get rain water or water from getting splashed into the tank. It is really important to keep the vent screw closed when not in use.
The other problem with the Mercury, no easy way to drain the carburetor bowl to remove water or sediment. A good design has a small screw in the bottom with a hole in the cowling to let you drain the carb.
They really don't design these motors to make it easy to disassemble the fuel system. I suppose it provides the mechanincs with a steady income but for do it yourselfers they are a real pain.

 

[kloudie1]

Yeah, the 4 strokes (talking small engines here) use a LOT less fuel so the openings in the jets/emulsion tubes, etc are much smaller.. smaller =more sensitive to fouling.. The two stroke must pass its oil through the openings as well so the jets are even larger than you'd expect, comparitively. If ya have a four stroke, ya have to pay for the quietness and lower fuel consumption by being VERY careful about fuel age and contamination.. I have used both a lot and I prefer the 4 stroke engines.

 

[larryw]

Sounds like a stuck float to me

 

[heart of gold]

Too bad I hadn't seen your problem before this. I had the identical symtoms with a Tohatsu 30 4stroke while visiting a friend in Florida. After I'd been through the engine fuel system and while checking the primary filter, I noticed that the liquid in it didn't smell all that fuel like. In fact in was mostly water, and further, the tank, while full was also mostly water. It seem that a combination of condensation and leaving the tank breather open all of the time letting rain in and never checking for water was the problem. After eliminating the contaminated stuff with fresh fuel and blowing out lines etc, the engine fired up after a few coughs and off we went to a sea side pub.

 

[G A P]

I have the same Hunter same 4 stroke Honda and going nuts it won't idle and I can't get my boat out of the slip! It was running well but I suspect a problem with the control linkage. I replaced some parts in the throttle handle and it ran like a top. Now it is back to its old tricks. I was using new high test but may try a new container like you did.

 

[SailorSam]

Keep fuel fresher than 30 days (you can dump the older stuff in your car). Use premium. Use octane boost. Check pressure release.

 

[Winkfish]

I keep fuel longer than 30 days quite often. I use StaBil fuel stabilizer, and they have a new formulation (it's blue) to use with ethanol gas. Have not had any problems (knock on wood). Several mechanics around here are finding problems in outboards caused by gas with ethanol in it.

Rich, unfortunately it is VERY hard to find ethanol-free gas these days in Louisiana, and when you do, it's quite a bit more expensive. Our fine legislature at work!

 

[RichH]

Winkfish -
Valvtect gasoline available @
Pirates Cove Marina Grand Isle, LA
Cypress Cove Marina Venice, LA

http://www.valvtect.com/marina_search.asp

 

[Winkfish]

Thanks, Rich. Those places are a few hours drive from New Orleans. One of the places I go for fishing has an ethanol free gas station on the way, so I use that when I can. In any event, I put in the blue StaBil whenever I fill the tanks. Weather and wife permitting, I try not to leave the fuel in the tanks too long!! ;-)

 

[Bob S]

I sold my 2hp 4 stroke and run a 3.5 Nisson 2 stroke. The Honda never started without a carb overhaul.

I've read this before. I bought the same Honda 2hp in 2008. This is my third season and never had a problem starting it. I even left gas in it over the winter that I drained just before launching in early June. I use regular gas from a local Shell station. ????
I like that it weighs 23#, my only complaint is its really SLOW.

 

[ffaubert]

I asked at our neighbourhood Shell station about ethanol and was told that "no grade of Shell gas has ethanol in it". This is Canada, so YMYV (no pun intended).