Honda 2.3 air-cooled

fredrussell said:
The Honda 2.3 has to be the most divisive outboard ever made! Truly a ‘love it or hate it’ piece of machinery. I’m all for them!
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Very true! For me, I am a big fan of small engines being air cooled. Raw seawater, often mixed with silt and dirt in estuaries, is bad stuff to swill around metal chambers. It will block and corrode over time - and head gaskets will fail. The technology behind air cooled engines by contrast is very simple and robust. There is a snobbishness about the Honda lawn mower noise. I don't care - just happy to know that if I look after or replace the cheap steel fixings (not expensive), it will last.

Yamaha 2.5hp is a well built engine - but I have known them become unreliable too. They are no more infallible than any of the others, although I grant that the gearbox is far superior to the Suzuki, and the hood fittings and finish the best of any.
 
I have one of these and my main gripe is the price of parts in the UK vs the USA. I bought a new carburettor for it and the price from the USA was substantially cheaper than buying it locally even with the shipping cost. Now it has a new carb it runs very sweetly and I can't fault it. I've never had any problem with the temperature its not even crossed my mind.
 
AngusMcDoon said:
Worst small outboard on the market by far. Nasty penny pinched design in every respect. Rusts in every direction because they've saved a few Yen using mild steel parts and not stainless.

Yamaha - proper fuel cap stainless chain, Honda - nasty plastic whiskers with no strength at all, and the whole fuel cap is cheap and insubstantial.
Yamaha - proper cowl clips, Honda - awful fiddly rubber flap and lugs that are always trouble to get in place and never seem to fit properly
Yamaha - stainless bolts everywhere, Honda - mild steel
Yamaha - die cast float chamber, Honda pressed mild steel that rusts from the inside out
Yamaha - metal prop, Honda cheapo plastic prop that goes ragged at the edge when inevitably touching a sandy bottom
Yamaha - cowl comes right off, Honda - cowl dangles by the starter cord
Other Honda rusty bits - exhaust pipe, exhaust heat guard, springs and nuts on tilt selector rod...it goes on and on.

The Yamaha might be more expensive and heavier, but there's a reason for that - it's properly made for a marine environment.
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I had one for 16 years then replaced it with a Yam 2.5. Agree with all above (except the bits Steve66 corrected).

It is now in my garage needed a new head cover which I need to get around to getting from Steve66 and then I'll sell... any offers?
 
steve66 said:
Hi, the exhaust heat guard is stainless , all of the tilt mechanism is stainless, will agree with you regarding the bolts but they can easily be replaced with stainless and upgraded alloy props are available
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That's an update then from when I used to have one, because those parts on my engine most certainly were not. It's so nearly a good engine - if only Honda would spend a bit more on bits, even if it put the price up by £20, it would be a great engine. Having to replace bolts on a marine engine just to stop them turning into rusty furballs is not acceptable.
 
I've had one for a few years now.

I wrote a report on it for 'The Mainsail' website forum and won a pair of Dubarry Boots a long time since and regret losing any copy of it .

As has been said, do try one and come to your own conclusions.

I find that all 'start point and squirt' outboards are potentially a little more dangerous than those with a forward/reverse gear change. Even with a 2.3 engine, there is the occasion when a little overbalance in an inflatable can send you base over apex upon starting and with it already in gear, could lead to an embarrassing situation.

That said, they are well made, easily started generally, although each will have its own peculiarities.

They do have a very small fuel tank and be advised to carry spare fuel for that unexpected longer trip into a strong tide or head wind.

S.
 
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My big gripe is that to make your tender go backwards the whole unit has to be smartly swivelled 180 degrees. The first time I used mine was in Baltimore Harbour when I swivelled it quickly but forgot to let go of the throttle. With the sudden increase to maximum revs, I found myself spinning on the spot, the comedic aspect of which was not lost on the audience on the quay!
 
SteveGorst said:
I have one of these and my main gripe is the price of parts in the UK vs the USA. I bought a new carburettor for it and the price from the USA was substantially cheaper than buying it locally even with the shipping cost. Now it has a new carb it runs very sweetly and I can't fault it. I've never had any problem with the temperature its not even crossed my

Carbs are very expensive. I do sell rebuilt original cabs with new bowl and jets. A few forumites on here have bought the carbs from me
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AngusMcDoon said:
That's an update then from when I used to have one, because those parts on my engine most certainly were not. It's so nearly a good engine - if only Honda would spend a bit more on bits, even if it put the price up by £20, it would be a great engine. Having to replace bolts on a marine engine just to stop them turning into rusty furballs is not acceptable.
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I
Honda can easily make it a great engine but its a disposable commodity. I must be their worst nightmare!!!
 
VicS said:
Steve your website seems to have gone... the "link"/ URL in your profile does not work!
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Hi Vic, I am in the process of building another...hopefully I should get something online shortly. My older website apparently was not secure even though I wasn't selling anything and was told to build another and I seem to.be getting problem after problem with it
 
I've also got the Honda 2.3 and it's great!. Water cooled, always starts on 2nd pull, I service it every autumn myself. I always use the Honda additive. Bought from our local dealer as 2nd hand but had never been used as it still had the labels attached. As said it's as light as the Suzuki 4 stroke but with fewer complications. It's heavier than a 2 stroke of course but I can live with it. I did fit mine with steve66's upgrade kit. Recommended.
 
Contemplating a motor instead of rowing. Have been a fan of both Yamaha and Honda. Interesting I almost had my mind made up.
Now, back to square 1, I really don’t know which one to get:)
 
Just a brief mention that the outboard leg of a Honda will get very hot if run out of watef as the exhaust gases are directed down it. To my cost I found this out when repairing my old Honda 2.3 as running it on the bench a little too long produced bits of melted plastic from exhaust output (usually underwater) and a very hot leg. Great little reliable engine though) and I don't miss having to run fresh water through it after every use (as I did with my Mercury) I agree about the bolts though. Honda really let themselves down on this.
 
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