preventive maintenance, Honda 90

T

terraplane

New member
OK, thanks for all the input on my possible plan to trade my carbureted 90 for a new EFI....Decident "no"....partly weighing the input here, the cost with trade (at least 5,000 with trade), and the fact that my frustrations were minor.

So, seekint another line of advice. With my cars, my house, my body...i've always been a preventive maintenance guy....With the 90, i try to do that, to a degree. It now has 337 hours on it, it is a 2005. I get it serviced every 100 hours by Cutter...
But as it accumulates hours, i wonder if there are some things i should do to prevent possible failure..For instance, last year I replaced the impellor...Should i be thinking of hoses? batteries? what?

I'm going to take the "small $$" windfall and do some things to the boat..I'd like some help on what. Please remember, I am among the least mechancal of beings...

Terraplane
 
Can't help with the maintenance question. Sounds like your already doing what's necessary. Looking through your picutres it appears that you have one motor. You could put a kicker on there as a back up. Just a thought.
 
My only suggestion: Get the lightest outboard you can. And that's not a Honda. At least look at Tohatsu. Try Defender (marine supply.)

I still think a radar makes sense. It's also good at night. and cheaper than an kicker

Boris
 
terraplane":1x96o2zp said:
OK, thanks for all the input on my possible plan to trade my carbureted 90 for a new EFI....Decident "no"....partly weighing the input here, the cost with trade (at least 5,000 with trade), and the fact that my frustrations were minor.

So, seekint another line of advice. With my cars, my house, my body...i've always been a preventive maintenance guy....With the 90, i try to do that, to a degree. It now has 337 hours on it, it is a 2005. I get it serviced every 100 hours by Cutter...
But as it accumulates hours, i wonder if there are some things i should do to prevent possible failure..For instance, last year I replaced the impellor...Should i be thinking of hoses? batteries? what?

I'm going to take the "small $$" windfall and do some things to the boat..I'd like some help on what. Please remember, I am among the least mechancal of beings...

Terraplane
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Camshaft belt?? I don't know the Honda suggested service interval? :) :beer
 
tsturm":366gyuxr said:
Camshaft belt?? I don't know the Honda suggested service interval? :) :beer
Click to expand...

It's lifetime.

Terraplane...

Unless you're doing the work yourself there shouldn't be anything you have to point out specifically. If the dealership isn't doing the necesarry maintenance you should look elsewhere.

There's nothing unique about that Honda BF90...it's about as basic an engine as you can have and shares almost all the needs of all outboards. That is, the water passages should be clear, the thermostat should work, the impeller should pump water, the fuel filters should not be clogged, the plugs should look like they're firing well, the carbs should be clean and balanced. And being a four stroke the oil and filter should be changed regularly.

Other than keeping the thing clean (washing the salt off) and the lube points greased there isn't much more to do. On all outboards with a steering tube (most) the steering cable should be pulled annually and the tube cleaned and re-greased so the steering doesn't freeze up (not applicable to SeaStar steeering).
 
Les,
I had hoped you might pick up on my request..Thanks so much.
My mechanic at Cutter has done most of this each service...Not sure about the thermostat check and the greasing of steering cable...i'll be sure to ask about that this summer when i take it in.

Reassuring to we "non mechanical " types that you are out there.

Terraplane (tom) on the Chesapeake
 
And who is out there for the mechanical types?to save us from ourselves...By the way....what is a mechanical type
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a mechanical type is a guy you take your motor to when it's broken and he charges you a bunch of money and tells you to call the factory.

ryder :D
 
A "mechanical type" is a person (not necessarily a guy) who follows MORE, not less, of what it is that the engine mechanic just told him or her.
It's worth the effort to acquire the understanding for at least two reasons -you have a better chance of sorting out the "truth" from the B.S., and a better understanding of what's going on with your powerplant will raise your comfort level with the beast.

We find the simplicity and reliability of our BF90 pretty easy to live with (so far).

Paul Priest
Sequim, WA
 
My 90 HP Honda is a 1997, 10 yrs old, and has approx. 1000 hrs. on it.
I installed it when new myself and it has never seen a dealer. I do it all myself. The only thing that surprised me and I neglected was the thermostat. It failed last summer and the symptom is that the oil gets milky/frothy and looks like
butterscotch pudding. Just change the thermostat (approx. $40) and new oil & filter and you are back running. It is caused by the water vapors not evaporating because the engine is too cold.
I change my oil/filter every year or 200 hrs. Change the lower unit lube in the fall before storing. Also the fuel filter on the right hand side down in the shroud. A real bear to get at with big hands. Remove the prop. and clean/grease the shaft every year. Pump grease in all the zerks. Take the shroud off and spray engine down with WD40 or similar. Wash/wax the outside. File off the burrs and hammer out the dents on the prop or replace if really buggered up. I have replaced the plugs twice
 
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