Honda 150 cutting out

Anita Marie · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 11:07 am Post subject: Honda 150 cutting out

On my way back from Bellingham I started to have problems with my engine cutting out. I was attempting to see how my new permatrim would react at speed so I took the boat to WOT. As I was adjusting the tabs/permatrim the engine just lost power for an instant.
I backed off and could not get it to do it again at 4500. About 10 minutes later at 4500 it did it again. I check for water in the separator, checked the fuel lines and did not find anything. It ran fine for the next 20 minutes at power when it did it again. It does not give me an alarm or any indications of an engine fault.
When I get a chance I am going to replace the engine fuel filters and racor filter. I was wondering if anyone has had this problem or has any ideas.

Thanks
Fred

Sarge · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 11:16 am Post subject:

Fred,

It's debatable whether or not I should even be replying but...

I have 2 Mercury Verado 150s and one of them was never running correctly and eventually just ran out of gas after the gas tank had been recently filled. Turned out to be an anti-siphon valve and fuel pump. The fuel filter looked fine, it just wasn't getting enough gas.

I offer this as simply a suggestion of something to think about when looking for a possible cause.

Best of luck,

journey on · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 11:50 am Post subject:

Remember that the 150 has 2 ea fuel filters, one high pressure and one low pressure. Change them both. Also Honda recommends changing the expensive spark plugs at some small interval.

Just for ducks, did the red light come on for overheating? I assume not because you certainly would have mentioned it.

Boris

drjohn71a · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 11:50 am Post subject:

Fred,

The only time I've had such problems was with some water in the tank/filter that caused no problem until some rough seas seemed to stir it up at high speeds.

John

dotnmarty · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 11:56 am Post subject:

Like Sarge, I don't know if this is relevant, but ...On the way back from Bellingham I was approaching Everett when the motor cut out. Thinking I had used the entire 6 gallons in the tank, I turned around to switch tanks and found that I hadn't opened the breather and the tank was "sucked up." so to speak. While I had made a stupid oversight, it was pleasant to find that there was still plenty of fuel in the tank after the long run from Everett. I love my 16 footer with 40 horses.

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:00 pm Post subject: Engine Cutout

Fred,

I've experienced something similar on a relative's boat. It's a 115 Merc 4 stroke, but occasionally it just seems to "de-power". It is a tiller steer, and I did not feel any thing like a miss, it just de-powered to maybe 60% of what it had been. Then, it would cut back in and wind up like a bat out of hell. (I'm not comfortable with tiller and big horsepower.)

My suspicion is that there is a plug or coil that is breaking down, but I am not sure if that is the case.

I would love to hear what you find on Anita Marie...

Regards,

Steve

pcator · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:56 pm Post subject:

I am in no way a mechanic but I can tell you that my son had a problem like that on a Johnson 115. To make a long story short, it turned out to the primer hand pump was causing all the trouble.

starcrafttom · Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:23 pm Post subject:

Yes I have had the same thing happen on a 70hp johnson and a 454 v8 jet pump inboard. A small air leak under demand will cause teh motor to loose fuel flow and cut out. As soon you back off on the demand the fuel flow will catch up and run full throttle again. Drove me nuts tracking it down. I replaced all the fuel lines and connectors. Have fun.

denny-o · Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:58 am Post subject:

Let me be the umpteenth person to relate that power drops like that with immediate recovery are 99 and 44/100% sure to be fuel flow restrictions or air bubbles in the fuel line...
My son and I are in the final stages of restarting some 1960's vintage Chrysler outboard engines and we have been having surging and power drops galore.. Our current episode, which started after an hour into the first splash in 20 years for both the boat and engine, has the engine cutting out for an instant, but only at low throttle settings... This one we are still trying to track down...

Anita Marie · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:12 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone,
I have been out of reach of an internet connection till now. I am going to take the boat out early next week. If it acts up again I am going to hook it up to a portable tank with a separate fuel line. If it continues to act up I can rule out the fuel line.
I will also stop by and talk to Les/Carl at EQ. I will keep this thread going as I check thing out.

Fred

Anita Marie · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 4:14 pm Post subject:

I finally got a chance to really sit down to figure this out. When I pulled the Racor filter that is less than a year old I found the filter totally clogged with dirt and debris. I believe this material came from the new tank that was installed in March.
The problem started when I trottled up to full WOT. I am sure that the flow rate pulled a large amount of debris into the filter. I changed the filter and got two new spares just in case. I now have over five hours on the engine and the problem has not returned.
Thanks for everyones help.

Fred

journey on · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:06 am Post subject:

Uh, Fred, would you tell us why you had to put a new fuel tank in Anna Marie? That boat is the same age as both Pats and mine, and if fuel tanks go out in 4 years, that's not a happy thought.

Also, I would think that someone would have looked inside the new tank, and at least vacuumed it out.

Anyway, do aluminum fuel tanks go bad in 4 yeaqrs/

Boris

TyBoo · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:51 am Post subject:

Hey Boris - Here's the thread where Fred tells about his new fuel tank.

A couple weeks ago I replaced the gauge sender unit in my 1996 aluminum fuel tank. I was pleased to find the inside of it was bright and shiny and I could see a good portion of the bottom through the 2" hole where the sender goes. No discoloration or any sign on debris or crud in it. I have no idea how long they should last. Mine is painted on the outside with a thick black undercoat-looking stuff; it is sitting up off the floor on strips of something; I never have water in my Racor filters; and since it looks so clean on the inside I guess I won't worry about it for another few years.

journey on · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:49 am Post subject:

Thanks TyBoo, don't know how I missed that.

Since Fluid Marine is, sadly, no more and we don't know where Frank Walters is employed, we'll never know if the tank leaked or what.

With respect to Journey On, all is well. I'll need to rebuild the water and poop pumps after the season, but those are standard rebuilds, same as on the Catalina sailboat.

Boris