Honda BF 150A wont start

[bobjarrard]

Great series of posts and along the way you became a master mechanic! Keep up the posts till all is well and then how about a video of your boat running!!!! Thanks again, Bob Jarrard

[Schuster]

I think I'll take that advice Steve and get the OEM replacement. I really don't want to do this again. I think Ill clean the injectors today after seeing the condition of the pump.
This engine only has 350 on it so it has seen a lot of idle time. Hasn't been started for almost 2 years. Always had marina gas in it with additives but apparently still had moisture in it. Part of the problem there is he never filled it full always only 1/2 full. That has the tendency to cause vaporization/sweating.
So we move forward from here.

[srbaum]

Did I mention that I purchased and installed 2 aftermarket units, before I learned my lesson? Fortunately, the aftermarket supplier refunded my $$, but that didn’t account for my labor, time delays in getting the parts and of course my frustration…

[bobjarrard]

I have a friend who has worn out the auto parts store "lifetime warranty" over and over on his Dodge diesel truck. It is like the story of oats - the cheap ones already went through the mule, the good ones come in the nice brown bag.
Bob Jarrard

[ssobol]

Not really the same issue but I recently had to replace the starter motor on my BF90D. The Honda part was ~US$750. There are plenty of off brand replacements for less than US$150.

I went with the OEM part.

[bobjarrard]

I have a friend who has worn out the auto parts store "lifetime warranty" over and over on his Dodge diesel truck. It is like the story of oats - the cheap ones already went through the mule, the good ones come in the nice brown bag.
Bob Jarrard

[hardee]

[journey on]

Well, aftermarket parts are certainly cheaper, but one might ask why. A $150 starter motor is $150 for a reason; could be weight (less copper), just quality or something.

Now, since one cannot be sure why that part is cheaper, start thinking about what is means to the engine, in other word, for instance, can you start that engine when you're anchored in a secluded place without that starter? If the answer is no, you've got a critical part and don't skimp. Consider a rebuilt, I've had good luck with them.

I bought a motor snubber from Rockwell?, the best aftermarket (most expensive) they had, but not a Toyota part. Built misaligned, forced a fit. So, be careful. If it's critical and it's worked from the factory, why wouldn't you buy a factory replacement? Boat.net gives a slight discount on outboard parts.

Boris

[ssobol]

[journey on]

ssbol, you've asked some very good questions. And the answer, as you've stated is one doesn't know. Unless one has had some experience with the cheap stuff. And, certainly the OEM equipment is priced high.

So, you have to make a judgement call. First, is the starter (for example) a brand that of which you've heard? Say Hitachi? Next is the component critical to your successful journey? If you're going the anchor in a remote anchorage where the towboat may or may not find you, the answer is yes. So, if you've never heard of the brand, I wouldn't buy it and I'd get the OEM.

As another example, there are a lot of generators made in China and people want to know if they're good enough to take on board. And the answer is (or should be) is how the heck should we know. My generator is a Honda which I've had for 15 years. So I know how Hondas last. And I've bought stuff from Harbor Freight, so I can evaluate how their stuff lasts in general. And I still chose Honda, because if the generator craps out in the aforementioned anchorage, it'll cost me a lot to recover from that and ruin the vacation.

You've asked logical questions, but given no specific way they can be answered but a good running outboard is critical to our successful vacation, so I buy the best parts I can. And it's paid off.

[T.R. Bauer]

I'm glad you got it figured out. You saved yourself a ton of money!

[baensch-ak]

There are only 2 things needed for a mechanically good motor to work, fuel and fire. To eliminate one means reducing your problem by 1/2. As others suggested, pull a plug, reconnect the wire to it, and with a thick rubber glove and in relative shade/darkness ground it solidly to the motor meta,l preferably not right over the plug hole. (Gas fumes can ignite.) If you have spark, you need to check for fuel to the motor. (It is unlikely that any of the individual ignition coils would fail. If one failed, the motor would still start, but run rough.) If the motor has fuel injection, the fuel goes to a high pressure pump that sends it under pressure to the common rail, which feeds the individual electro-magnetic injectors. If you have spark and fuel to the motor via line and bulb, your likely failure is the pump. If the connections to the pump are energized with the starter key on, the pump is dead and needs to be replaced. If the pump hums, the injectors are not operating, which shows a faulty engine computer.
Actually, I hope that by now your problem is in the past. Al B

[T.R. Bauer]