Honda BF115 won't start (won't turn over)

[sunedog]

My 2001 Honda BF115 outboard won't start. It won't even turn over. Ran like a Swiss watch yesterday. Went out today and I get two beeps at the console and not a peep from the motor. When I turn the key, all the indicator lights come on initially (I think that's normal), and only the battery icon indicator stays on after that. Read the manual and the troubleshooting section is weak (so is the starting procedure section). <br /><br />I've checked the obvious. I even disconnected and then reconnected the emergency cut off switch.<br /><br />And I'm sure it was in neutral. One answer is perhaps the neutral safety switch is bad. Can anyone tell me where to find this switch and how to test it?<br /><br />I checked voltage at the battery and it's 12.77 volts. Put a battery jump box on it for the heck of it and it was no different.<br /><br />Anyone care to suggest a debugging path?

 

[chuckdd]

Re: Honda BF115 won't start (won't turn over)

I would check to see if there is voltage at the starter motor when trying to crank. Dirty connector perhaps?<br /><br />Sometimes I have had to fiddle with throttle control to get her into the official neutral position. Maybe try moving this a bit while trying to crank. <br /><br />How about that silly safety switch with the lanyard. Is this working properly? <br /><br />ChuckD

 

[sunedog]

Re: Honda BF115 won't start (won't turn over)

I've fiddled with the throttle control. No change. And I disconnected/reconnected the safety swith with no change. Any way to test it?<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[sumrsalt]

Re: Honda BF115 won't start (won't turn over)

Check your oxygen sensor. By 7 hours on a new 225 engine, our engine wouldn't start. Ran great up until that point. No problems starting (although we only started it a couple of times in those 7 hours. The next time we went to start the engine, nothing happened. We went through similar troubleshooting as you listed above. Ended up, a bad oxygen sensor prevented the engine from starting.

 

[sunedog]

Re: Honda BF115 won't start (won't turn over)

Woo hoo. My assistant mechanic (five year old Teddy) and I got it running last evening. Checked the 3 fuses on the port side of the motor with an ohm meter. All good. Disconnected the negative battery cable (per the owners manual) and checked the 90A main fuse. Noticed some light corrosion on the battery cable as I did this but the fuse was good. Re-insalled the fuse and then re-connected the battery cable. Tried the key and she started right up.<br /><br />So I'm 99% sure it was the corrosion on the battery cable. I didn't check this earlier because I was getting some power. The indicator lights on the key panel were working. But evidently not enough power to activate the relay to the solenoid. Does this make sense? I say 99% sure becasue I think it is possible removing and then re-seating all the fuses could have possibly been the fix. But I highly doubt it.<br /><br />Also, I cleaned up all the battery connections with sandpaper when I installed the battery just about 6 weeks ago. But I didn't put anything on them. I guess the bare metal quickly corroded. I'll clean everything up again this weekend and put a thin coat of Vaseline on them.<br /><br />Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Honda BF115 won't start (won't turn over)

The symptoms you experienced are classic "bad battery cable connections". The instruments draw very little current but the starter circuit must pass very high current. Any corrosion represents resistance to current flow and hence, the no-start condition. One should also check the area of each connector where the cable enters. Corrosion in that area requires that the cable be replaced or the terminal cut off and a new one installed. Check and clean both ends of the cable, not just the battery end.