Honda 150 just quits dead!

[joncherijc1283]

Bought new Honda 150 on new Hewes Craft in 2013. . Since then 5 or 6 times while running on plane engine has just died. No sputtering, just like a kill switch was hit. Typically starts right back up. Not reproducible. Very random. Can not figure out any pattern. Have had it into the dealer several times with no luck. Any thoughts?

 

[hondam]

Jon, where are you located? I sold Hewescrafts for a while, very familiar with them.

Ive seen simuliar problems before and 9 times out of 10 this problem is caused by a bad ignition switch. Although that helm is fairly well enclosed on those boats and failed ign switches are usually caused by being exposed to the elements. Does i happen every time you go out? I keep a spare wiring harness with a key panel plugged into it laying around the shop that i use either when problems like this occur or when working on larger boats so i dont have to climb in and out the boat so much. If i were working on it, i would hook the auxillary wiring harness and switch to the motor and see if i can get it to fail to narrow it down to a boat or engine problem. Its probably going to be a boat side problem, those Hewescrafts are great boats but the utility of them sometimes overshadows the attention to detail and i did occationally have problems with sharp edges wearing and breaking wires.

Has your dealer replaced the side mount control box? If he really cant figure it out and pinpont the cause thats probably the first step i would take.

 

[joncherijc1283]

Thanks for the note. I am in eastern Washington. The problem does not occur every time out. There is no pattern I can find. Dealer took it out, tried to reproduce problem but couldn't. Said they checked the wiring harness. Getting ready to take it back in again.

 

[hondam]

Yep, no where near eastern washington. The wiring harness comes with the control box, they should just replaced it under warranty. If you continue to have problems call Honda customer support directly and they will get involved.

 

[joncherijc1283]

Thanks for the Help. I will give it a try.

 

[iskwassum]

Hope you solved this last month. If not maybe this will help. I currently have a 2004 BF150 Honda on a 1800 Lund Fisherman and we had a similar problem with it a few years ago, also had a 2002 BF 90 on a 22' pontoon that did this as well. In both situations the problem was a bad ground. The 150 would die occasionally when you touched the power trim. the 90 it was related to the ignition. Both were sporadic and hard to trace but were eventually traced to bad grounds.