Tips for servicing a Honda BF2D outboard

So I am nearly done! After a liberal spraying with WD40 the bolt freed up completely and is now nice and loose and locks the outboard in the up position as its design to. I loosened the bowl and turned it around so that the drain plug was now very easily accessible so I could drain the carb when I was leaving it.

The final thing I need to do is seal the end of the starting string. I cut the knot off to take the cover off the engine as the knot was solid. Its now all a bit frayed and grim, normally I'd burn the end of the string, however, the string is stiff with oil... oil and a lighter seem like a bad idea... go for it with bucket of water on hand...?
 
So I am nearly done! After a liberal spraying with WD40 the bolt freed up completely and is now nice and loose and locks the outboard in the up position as its design to. I loosened the bowl and turned it around so that the drain plug was now very easily accessible so I could drain the carb when I was leaving it.

The final thing I need to do is seal the end of the starting string. I cut the knot off to take the cover off the engine as the knot was solid. Its now all a bit frayed and grim, normally I'd burn the end of the string, however, the string is stiff with oil... oil and a lighter seem like a bad idea... go for it with bucket of water on hand...?

I seal the ends of ropes with a hot air gun. I have a dual heat gun. I use the low setting for polypropylene and the high setting for for polyester and polyamide.
 
be careful releasing the fixing bolt and refitting in situ. If you dont get the bowl seated correctly in the recess you will end up distorting the shape of the bottom of the bowl by overtightening.

likewise I found Steve66 good, though I found him at first on ebay!
I had a bowl from him & another one for a mate.
 
After reading this thread, I decided to give my Honda OB, a bit of TLC, as last year it would start but not idle, this year wouldn't start.

Removed Carb, sent it to steve66, returned in 24 hrs, all shiny and serviced, plus helpful advice on phone.

Fitted today, engine started second pull, and ran smoothly through full rev range, what luxury.

So many thanks to steve66, service above and beyond the call of duty. :-))

http://www.evansmarineservice.co.uk
 
After reading this thread, I decided to give my Honda OB, a bit of TLC, as last year it would start but not idle, this year wouldn't start.

Removed Carb, sent it to steve66, returned in 24 hrs, all shiny and serviced, plus helpful advice on phone.

Fitted today, engine started second pull, and ran smoothly through full rev range, what luxury.

So many thanks to steve66, service above and beyond the call of duty. :-))

http://www.evansmarineservice.co.uk

Thanks for the kind words....the cheque is in the post!!!!:D
 
So, first run on the water! Filled her up with fresh petrol, she started second pull, left it to warm up for a couple of minutes whilst I got the crew (my four year old), zoomed off up the marina. One minute later, it died suddenly. I didn't restart it, checked the oil, and yikes, it was off the gauge low (I was sure I had checked that when it was in the garage, foolishly I hadn't checked it before I started it). I rowed back (much to my sons disgust).

I had no four stroke oil on the boat, so I haven't had the opportunity to try again.

  • Do we think thats the reason it cut out? :confused:
  • Do we think I've murdered my outboard? :rolleyes:
 
Can you turn it over with the pull start? Be careful not to start it though, might be a good idea to remove the plug first. I wouldn't think you'd wreck it with 1 min running.
 
I didn't dare try! I'm pretty certain I could turn it over... I'll pop down in the week with some oil, top it up, and then try again :eek:

You haven't murdered it. Try to pull it over . If you can pull it over pop some more oil in it . If it's solid don't attempt to free it. Your gonna need a new con rod and possible crank ( probably be ok ). Worse case scenario it's a bottom end rebuild
 
So all was well after I put oil in the outboard. I tested it a bit around the marina, and then we took it on our summer cruise. We used the outboard with myself, the first mate, two children, a dog, a pushchair about about 5 bags in the dinghy, and it worked wonderfully getting us to the Ramsholt Arms and back. Thomas (four year old crew) wanted to go for an explore in the dinghy with the outboard, so after depositing dog and the rest of the crew back on the boat, we went for an (anti social) blast about the Deben. Thomas asked to go fast, so we went to full throttle, and the engine died again (in exactly the same way it had before in the marina, it only occurred to me then, I had done exactly the same thing then of using full throttle before it died). I checked the oil level, that was fine, started it up again, and all was okay to chug back to the boat.

Why would full throttle starve the fuel I wonder?
 
So all was well after I put oil in the outboard. I tested it a bit around the marina, and then we took it on our summer cruise. We used the outboard with myself, the first mate, two children, a dog, a pushchair about about 5 bags in the dinghy, and it worked wonderfully getting us to the Ramsholt Arms and back. Thomas (four year old crew) wanted to go for an explore in the dinghy with the outboard, so after depositing dog and the rest of the crew back on the boat, we went for an (anti social) blast about the Deben. Thomas asked to go fast, so we went to full throttle, and the engine died again (in exactly the same way it had before in the marina, it only occurred to me then, I had done exactly the same thing then of using full throttle before it died). I checked the oil level, that was fine, started it up again, and all was okay to chug back to the boat.

Why would full throttle starve the fuel I wonder?

Being starved of fuel, but more likely running too lean - you need to adjust the mixture on the carb.
 
Being starved of fuel, but more likely running too lean - you need to adjust the mixture on the carb.

Northwind is spot on. It's running too lean. If you pull the choke out slightly it should stop the flat spot. You can adjust the main jet mixture. It's a fixed jet. You need to either enlarge the main jet by buying a larger one or ream out slightly the one you have fitted now
 
Forgot to add, If you unscrew your main jet the jet size will be stamped on it. To run sweet the jet size needs to be between 0.55 - 0.60.

I will get my anorak.......

Steve
 
Forgot to add, If you unscrew your main jet the jet size will be stamped on it. To run sweet the jet size needs to be between 0.55 - 0.60.

I will get my anorak.......

Steve

Thanks Steve, when you serviced the carb you replaced the main jet with a bigger one already I think? I'll dig out your note to me...

edit: Your note read: "It's actually in very good condition. They usually start to corrode but yours is good. I increased the jet size to the next size up so you may see better throttle response and acceleration" :) Could it be anything else?
 
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Thanks Steve, when you serviced the carb you replaced the main jet with a bigger one already I think? I'll dig out your note to me...

edit: Your note read: "It's actually in very good condition. They usually start to corrode but yours is good. I increased the jet size to the next size up so you may see better throttle response and acceleration" :) Could it be anything else?

I remember now!! Is your fuel fresh, as in fresh from the filling station, did you replace the carb gasket. If so send it back and I will clean abs reset it for you.
Steve
 
Yup, I emptied the tank out completely and filled the tank up clean. I'm still sailing around a bit, so I'll hang on to it for now and refill again with fresh fuel just in case. If I could send it back for a quick check in the winter that would be great? As ever, awesome service Steve.
 
Yup, I emptied the tank out completely and filled the tank up clean. I'm still sailing around a bit, so I'll hang on to it for now and refill again with fresh fuel just in case. If I could send it back for a quick check in the winter that would be great? As ever, awesome service Steve.

Not a problem. Just let me know when your thinking of sending it up.
Regards Steve
 
I also have a Honda BF2D. 2 HP Outboard. Having a bit of a problem Perhaps someone has advice. Motor sat for several years. Decided to resurrect. Not surprisingly, the engine did not want to start. Most likely gas left in tank and carburetor. Decided best course would be to remove carb and attempt to clean. Did, unsuccessfully. Attempted to remove main jet and essentially ruined carb as it wouldn't budge. Purchased new honda carb after carefully determining part number. Installed new carb. Carefully drained tank and verified that tank filter was clear. Refueled with fresh gas. Changed spark plug with correct replacement.

After reassembly engine started on first pull with choke out. After choke in, the idle seemed somewhat rough but engine may not have been fully warmed up. The current issue is that the engine has a very distinct hesitation at higher RPMs. Engine is installed in a barrel of water so conditions are nearly as if on the lake. What is causing the hesitation or lag at higher RPMs? I am certain that gas flow is good. I have drained tank a couple of times through float bowl. I have considered buying another carb for $80 but why wouldn't new carb be good? I am certain that Honda put it on a jig to set it up properly. I did fiddle with the idle jet which only had about an 1/8 of an inch adjustment but that didn't help hesitation while reving engine.

What else could it be? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Oil level good. Not overfilled. I'm wondering about valve adjustment. Any thoughts on that. I originally bought motor used and never really gave it a good test. Perhaps it wasn't right early on? Could valves not closing properly cause higher RPM hesitation? What next anyone. Thanks for reading.
 
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