Honda 2.3 problems - again....

[PetiteFleur]

Honda 2.3 - had problems earlier but now started again, started fine then when revved up promptly stopped. Would run with choke half out but kept stopping. Gave up and rowed back to shore as it was too windy to get to my mooring.
I use E5 fuel + Honda additive. Cleaned carb 3 TIMES and still not running well. Took carb completely to bits, cleaned out main jet which was fine, cleaned out idler jet, cleaned Idler adjustment screw(new as I managed to drop the carb last year!) squirted carb cleaner through all orifices which appeared fine, reassembled, started ok but only run well with choke half out. If trying to rev up from idling it promptly stopped. If careful would rev up but had to do it slowly.
Presumably a fuel problem but I'm stumped. Is it new carb time? Are the cheapy Chinese copies ok? Suggestions please.

 

[ghostlymoron2]

Clean again (thoroughly)

 

[Seastoke]

By two stroke

 

[PetiteFleur]

I cleaned it thoroughly 3 times! Even bought a new can of carb cleaner, poked out all holes, sprayed through all orifices etc etc. Reluctant to buy a genuine Honda carb as expensive, so may get a chinese copy. I used to have a suzuki 2t but decided to buy a new Honda.
Seriously considering the new ePropulsion eLite electric outboard.

 

[mrming]

I got rid of mine and got the ePropulsion e-lite. Life is too short!

 

[harvey38]

Aspen fuel cured all of my lightly used machinery issues, mowers, chain saws, strimmer and Zuki outboard etc.

Some will come along saying it's snake oil but it works for me, every time.

 

[MickToo]

Honda 2.3 - had problems earlier but now started again, started fine then when revved up promptly stopped. Would run with choke half out but kept stopping. Gave up and rowed back to shore as it was too windy to get to my mooring.
I use E5 fuel + Honda additive. Cleaned carb 3 TIMES and still not running well. Took carb completely to bits, cleaned out main jet which was fine, cleaned out idler jet, cleaned Idler adjustment screw(new as I managed to drop the carb last year!) squirted carb cleaner through all orifices which appeared fine, reassembled, started ok but only run well with choke half out. If trying to rev up from idling it promptly stopped. If careful would rev up but had to do it slowly.
Presumably a fuel problem but I'm stumped. Is it new carb time? Are the cheapy Chinese copies ok? Suggestions please.

That's precisely the problem I had earlier in the year - having zero prior experience with this engine and very limited time to sort it out I took mine to the main agent to sort out. It went very much against the grain but I needed to get it fixed and simply didn't have the time.

Report from the main agent was they'd found evidence of separated fuel (essentially traces of ethanol goop) in both the tank and the float chamber / carb bowl, probably present in the fuel line, so they ultrasonically cleaned the carb and drained and flushed the entire fuel system end to end.

In addition, they did a lubrication service, including the bottom end of the leg - the bill was around £160 in total which I didn't think too unreasonable given it must have been minimum an hour's work, probably more, and whilst it thoroughly irked me not to have done it myself, I don't have access to an ultrasonic carb cleaner.

Since then it's worked absolutely fine - for the future I'm going to be far more careful with the fuel in our O/B, ensuring no-one else buys or manages the fuel (as I suspect it was E10 that had separated), as well as totally draining it next month to start with fresh E5 plus stabiliser at the start of next season.

As others have indicated there is the availability of more pure forms of petrol - Coleman sell one for their camping stoves which is pretty much free of additives but also over £5 per litre last time I bought some, maybe Aspen fuel is cheaper - but it ought not be necessary.

 

[fredrussell]

…Seriously considering the new ePropulsion eLite electric outboard.

That’s what I did after my Honda 2.3 became the latest in a long line of small petrol outboards to start playing up. They all have the same weakness: VERY small jets that block at the slightest provocation.

 

[srm]

Have you cleaned the tank and fuel lines as their could be a blockage upstream?

Am rather surprised as I had a Honda lawn mower that never had any problems other than replace the starter cord every couple of years, oil change every year, with same spark plug for 20 years. It was neglected in a damp shed every winter and might only be run a few times in summer. Currently run a bigger Honda mower and brushcutter, expensive but totally reliable and start every time. Just run them on whatever petrol the local filling station uses but they do get used every couple of weeks or so throughout the year. Similar engines to the outboard.

We ran two stroke and four stroke outboards at work without problems, but they were in use three or four days a week through out the season. Stored in a heated workshop in the winter. Again whatever petrol the filling station had.

Once you get it running regular use every week might help keep it going. The alternative, that I preferred with my boats, was a rigid dinghy that could be rowed and a long pair of oars. Left the outboard in the shed.

 

[Metalicmike]

Check the resistance on your cutout switch, it could be faulty giving intermittent engine cut off.

 

[winch2]

Just been thru all this with our Mercury 5hp. Chucked the remaining E10 in the car and then scrupoulously cleaned the tanks, lines, carb, and filled up with E5 and, added fuel enhancer and she's been right as rain ever since...runs nicer too. Best of luck.,