Honda 2.3 problem

[phil4383]

Hello, yesterday I ran my Honda 2.3hp briefly out of water. It started second pull and ran for about 30 seconds with the prop spinning before coughing and stopping. The motor is new to me and as it is air cooled thought it should be fine but have now become aware that I shouldn’t have run it out of water.

It wouldn’t start again so I gave it a routine service by
- cleaning the carb (bowl and jets)
- An oil change
- gear oil change
- cleaned the spark plug and checked the spark.

Now I gave the motor a pull and nothing happens. It feels as if there is no compression. I took the puller off and it works fine and turns the head wheel (not sure of proper name).

The motor pulls very easily and gives a little wining sound that makes you think that something isn’t right and it certainly won’t fire up.

Should the prop turn a little whilst pulling? I can’t remember. It doesn’t anyway.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks Phil

 

[jamie N]

Welcome.
This may be of some help for you, perhaps starting at about page 32?
https://www.cal-sailing.org/images/official_files/Honda_2hp_service.pdf

 

[jakeroyd]

My problems with those little Honda's was down to using old or tired petrol.
Always start the season with new fuel.
I also always shut the fuel off and run the float chamber dry which aids starting sometime later.

 

[xyachtdave]

I’d thoroughly recommend using the Aspen long life petrol designed for infrequently used engines and machinery. Yes it’s £25 for 5 litres but as that’ll last me at least a couple of seasons I’m fine with that.

 

[phil4383]

Sounds like a good idea but I’m pretty sure my problem isn’t old fuel. Any ideas?

 

[Talulah]

Sounds like a good idea but I’m pretty sure my problem isn’t old fuel. Any ideas?

New to you but not new. I would remove and clean the carb. Just had to do the carb on the lawnmower. YouTube is good for seeing how to do it.

 

[NormanS]

I have one of these, but I'm no expert. I treat my petrol with Briggs and Stratton "Fuel Set" which although it claims to keep petrol usable for five years, I give it new petrol every year. Re running out of the water, although I switch off the petrol before reaching my boat, the engine seems to run on for ever, so it's still running when it's been lifted aboard by davit onto its storage bracket.
If your motor has no compression, there is something wrong, maybe something like a valve stuck open. I don't think that that is anything to do with running it out of the water.

 

[fredrussell]

Might be worth putting a compression tester on it. Or at least, remove plug and pull starter cord whilst blocking spark plug hole with a finger or thumb. Running the motor as you did, not in water, for a short period of time is highly unlikely to have done any harm.

 

[Mark-1]

Hello, yesterday I ran my Honda 2.3hp briefly out of water. It started second pull and ran for about 30 seconds with the prop spinning before coughing and stopping. The motor is new to me and as it is air cooled thought it should be fine but have now become aware that I shouldn’t have run it out of water.

It wouldn’t start again so I gave it a routine service by
- cleaning the carb (bowl and jets)
- An oil change
- gear oil change
- cleaned the spark plug and checked the spark.

Now I gave the motor a pull and nothing happens. It feels as if there is no compression. I took the puller off and it works fine and turns the head wheel (not sure of proper name).

The motor pulls very easily and gives a little wining sound that makes you think that something isn’t right and it certainly won’t fire up.

Should the prop turn a little whilst pulling? I can’t remember. It doesn’t anyway.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks Phil

Running in out of water for 30 seconds will have done it any harm at all, I'm not sure how even extended running of an air cooled outboard out of water would harm it, what's your reasoning for that?

Low compression sounds like a smoking gun to me. Can you measure the compression to make sure you're not imagining it?

Did you see it run when you bought it? It ran for 30 seconds, which suggests the compression was OK at that point so sticky valve?

Let's hope you're mistaken and there is compression in which case can you try some Easy Start? If it runs briefly on that you can rule out HT circuit issues amd concentrate on the carb.

 

[fredrussell]

…also, check the pull starter is engaging correctly with engine when you pull it.

 

[wingcommander]

Same motor. Have run mine out of water briefly when maintaining, never been a problem. As previously mentioned, its nearly always a fuel issue if any . Is the plug wet , spark visible.

 

[Jes1]

Honda 2.3 is used on the majority of charterboats in the med and not without reason: it's a reliable outboard.
Honda 2.3 are well known for sensitivity for fuel, especially because of alcohol add in the fuel nowadays. Using Aspen will save you a lot of trouble.
Honda 2.3 are also well known to be sensitive to seawater (salt). This year we have to replace the carb chamber because the fuel drain screw was oxidized (3-years old motor). It's a pity Honda did not use a little bit more inox based material. Extended use of anti-rust is recommended.

 

[Alicatt]

I have the older Honda BF2, air cooled 2hp 4stroke, last time it was started was 19 years ago, new plug, oil, cleaned out the carb and started second pull, great little engines, they do have an impeller for water cooling the exhaust (well the BF2 does) I have had the engine since 1989 only used in fresh water. Never had any problems with it.
I use Aspen 4stroke petrol in it, works a treat, I also use Aspen 2stroke for my 2stroke power tools for the garden.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

My 2 pennies worth.
The outboard has a centrifuge clutch, the prop won't spin until you rev it.
As said you can run it out of water, but the external seawater water is used to cool the exhaust system, so don't run it too long or at high revs.
If it ran for 30sec, before you serviced it, there was compression at that point.
It probably didn't run for very long because the jets in the carb' were or got clogged.
Although you cleaned the carb' you may not have got all the Gunk out of it, and/or you've disturbed more detritus.
I've found that Wynns carb' cleaner on small outboard is very effective, strip the carb and blow everything out with Wynns.
I often try and fill the carb' bowel with Wynns before reconnecting the fuel line. It'll probably start on that.
Sillies to check:
Air vent on tank open?
Fuel flowing down the fuel line before you connect to the carb.
Safety stop clip in place/switch open circuit with the clip in place?
Nothing odd or corroded on the HT lead?
Too much oil?
I don't buy the old fuel argument. I regularly run a Suzuki 2.5 on 3 year old petrol.
But what is important is to ALWAYS completely empty the carb' when you leave for more than a day or two. By that I mean use the drain screw on the bottom of the carb bowl. If you don't the volatile part of the petrol evaporates and leaves a gum behind, which soon blocks the jets.
Again, for what it's worth, I think that the best use of a Honda 2.3, is an anchor, and it's not very good at that!
As far as I can see it a lawn mower engine with no attemp to marinise it.

 

[jamie N]

Now I gave the motor a pull and nothing happens. It feels as if there is no compression. I took the puller off and it works fine and turns the head wheel (not sure of proper name).
The motor pulls very easily and gives a little wining sound that makes you think that something isn’t right and it certainly won’t fire up.

The above is what makes me think that it's possible that the ratchets which 'actually' engage to spin the motor up, aren't engaging.
The OP states that the recoil starter wheel operates perfectly, which he observed with the item removed.
I attached the PDF indicating page 32, which is where the info concerning my theory is in post #02.
As others have stated, by far the most common problem with these motors is carb contamination, which is largely overcome by draining the carb completely each time the motor's put away at the end of the day.

 

[PetiteFleur]

After problems with my Honda 2.3, Honda lawnmower, 2T strimmer & small 2T generator - as recommended by Honda, I always use Premium E5 petrol + Honda fuel additive. My Honda 2.3 started 3rd pull after winter layup, as did the lawnmower.
The E5 petrol does not deteriate like E10 after a few weeks. Also the carb can be difficult to thoroughly clean properly, very small internal holes. A friend fitted a cheap Chinese carb to his 2.3 which now works well.

 

[ghostlymoron2]

Sounds like a good idea but I’m pretty sure my problem isn’t old fuel. Any ideas?

It's easy to test - just buy a few litres of new fuel (after draining old fuel of course )

 

[PeterBoater]

"Running in out of water for 30 seconds will have done it any harm at all, I'm not sure how even extended running of an air cooled outboard out of water would harm it, what's your reasoning for that?"

If it is run at an rpm sufficient to turn the prop , as mine needs before it warms up and will run at idle, the gearbox at the bottom of the leg needs to be in water or it will overheat.

 

[NormanS]

Mine is quite happy to tick over, either in or out of the water. The prop doesn't turn until it's revved up.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

There is a very small inline filter in the fuel pipe. This can get blocked too. Suggest you check flow of petrol tank to carb. There are 2 jets. The obvious one on the spigot, but also the slow running jet(minute) accessed from bottom of float chamber. That's usually the culprit.