Honda 15 HP spark

gss036

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Any ideas appreciated on what/how to check intermittent spark. Sometimes I go to start the motor (electric start) and it turns over but no spark. I play with the wires on the coil, the ones coming from the wiring harness, and it starts and stops the rest of the day. I am afraid that one os these days it just won't start when needed.
Last year a I had a few incidences that it would slow "way" down to just a chug-chug-chug, I play with it and then takes off and runs.
I don't want to just start changing at $100 ea module/coils.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

Pulled it out of the barn this afternoon, first attempt it would only turn over, no start, wiggled the wire on the coil(one toward the front of the engine) andit started right up, stooped and let it set for a couple hours, still fired up. I will try again tomorrow afternoon as I am going fishing on Tuesday and will neeed it for trollling.
 

hondon

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

It would help to know if we are dealing with a 15a or 15d.I suspect a 15a.If so sand the contacts at the cam pulley with a fine grained non metalic sand paper.Ignition problems on these units are rare.I have seen faulty spark plugs right out of the box.Chased my tail awhile on that one.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

The plate on the starboard side of frame/leg says BAAL-XXXXXXX.
Not sure where/what you are referring to a the "CAM" pulley.
At any rate, I just came back in from hooking up the muffs again and it started right up. I did squeezt the crimp for the flat pin a little, just maybe it wasn't getting full contact. I will see how it goes when I go out in the morning.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

Went out on the boat this AM. Motor would not fire, removed the cowling and just barley touched/moved the BLACK wire w/Blue stripe, (Fired up and ran all day) which runs up to the module on top which has a small sticker with ZV4 C1539 below it.
My common sense tells me maybe a broken wire, but no flex or soft spot.
Can buy just that wire and replace it? How is it attached to /in the plastic plug in that has 6-7 wire going to it?
I haven't had to touch the one w/ the green band on it.

SR # BAAL-1201675 BF15A I gues that makes it a 1997 engine, I thought it was a little older than that.
 
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gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

Checked contnuity on the wire this afternoon w/OHM Meter, checked OK and started up ok. I will just keep tinkering w/it. Can't be that complicated.
hondon, you referred to sanding some contacts at the CAM PULLEY, how do I access them?
 

hondon

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

At the back of the engine you will see the belt driven cam pulley.Mounted on the port side of that pulley you will see a sensor with wires going to it.You will also notice if you feel under that cam that there are two profound cogs on the underside of that pulley.Each time those cogs pass between the contacts of that magnetic switch it causes the coil to break down and short to the plugs giving us what we really want.Trouble is that that sensor ,pulsar,trigger,etc,is right out there and not immune to the elements even under that cover.Seen them need a little help from time to time by virtue of just cleaning the contacts up.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

hondon, you were correct about exposure to the elements, tip of the magnetic pickup was all rusty. I cleaned it up w/regular sandpaper. Tried starting it, no luck until I wiggled the wiring harness again. It started, then I started wiggleing the 4 wires that go into the plastic pin reciptle at the top. The motor died, then removed the 4 pin fitting and pushed the male end (don't think I even bent it any)that is inside the recieptle and put it back together and the motor started, killed it off and on several times. Wait until tomorrow and will try again after it has sat overnight.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

I think the plug-in at top of block by the pulley, where the wires plug in had a loose connection. Since bending the pin ever so slightly and getting a good contact the motor has started 4 days in a row now. Fished it all day today w/o a problem. Lessons learned.
 

hondon

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

That is what this is all about.I hope I helped you out a little.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

hondon you were a big help, got me looking in the right places. I have to take my boat back to the dealer who did the install on my new 225 Honda. Took some water over the transon from a big wake from a 50 ft boat who refused to slow down for fishing boats in a small pass. But, things worked good as my sump pump tried to come on and found out they had hooked the wires up wrong. The fuel guage goes to "0", the two switches next to the sump pump switch comes on (indicator lights) and none of the stuff works.
Good news is they can get me in tomorrow morning.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

I went this afternoon to get ready for tomorrow and wouldn't you know it, the motor turned over but would not start.
Wiggled the wiring harness for thes coming off the coil at the top where all the connections go to the ignition module and then it fired right up. I pushed a piece of round tooth pick into the plug-in to put a constant pressure on the puins. Maybe that will help?
Anybody ever had this type of thing happen? I am afraid to just start bending and crimping wires. I think it has to be in the harness but no idea what is involved in installing a new harness. Any suggestions or ideas would be welcome.
I am leaving very early in the morning for days salmon fishing.
 

hondon

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

We live in the northwest so of course I've seen this stuff.Changing the harness is no big deal and will certainly clean things up and may or may not solve your problem .Intermittant ignition problems can be a nightmare .Failures are rare but what I've seen on this unit are poor contacts under the cam pulley and an occasionally failed switchbox.If this thing fires off when things are nice and warm but will not when it is cold or visa versa you may well be looking at a coil issue.If you really believe you have an ignition problem put a timing light on it and watch for yourself.Salmon fishing in the northwest?I envy you.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

Same thing again this AM, no spark, played with the wires/connections under the ignition module and it fired right and ran great all day(4 hrs), came back to the harbor with our "TWO SALMON", not big, 1@12# and 1@8.5#.
 

hondon

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

Bon appeteit.Smoke some up and send it south.We are dry down here.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

Same problem again on Saturday, started and went chug-chug-chug until I messed with the wires, started running good and ran good for the rest of the day. Would coil or the ignition be the first to replaced??
 

hondon

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

Check all ignition connections and look very closely at all those grounds.Coils would be a longshot here as when you fire off it sounds like you are good.You might consider throwing a different set of spark plugs at this as I've had them come bad right out of the box and send me completely chasing my tail.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

Thanks, will do. Have you ever used Champion plugs? I happened to be cleaning out my old Merc parts and found a set of Champions marked Honda.
I installed the new Champion plugs, so will see if that changes anything, I also found that I also have new set of NKG, but will try the Champions since they are already installed.
 

zanko

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

I have a 1993 9.9 hp and I am having the same exact problem on the ZV4-c1539 module that has 2 plugs, 1 with 4 pins and the other with 2. with the engine idling fine, if I move the module a bit to one side it dies and if I move it back it contiues sparking. I have cleaned the contacts on the pulley and have good plugs and even replaced with new. Wiggling the module to one side or the other seems to get the spark going but this is a nightmare.

gss036 have you solved this issue by replacing anything? I am considering replacing that module as it may just be going bad.

Any help is appreciated.
 

gss036

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Re: Honda 15 HP spark

Yes, I solved the problem. I sold the motor to a guy and told him about the problem and have never heard back from him, so maybe he fixed or still using it the way it was.
 
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