^%#*//(*#$$$ Honda BF8

I have a 2009 BF8 that won't idle properly, never has as I recall. I like to use my boat for trolling, beachcombing logs, and to generate electricity when running my electric trap puller. I can never get it to idle where I want it to.It either stalls out or runs up to where it sounds like it is going to fly apart.Sometimes when it stalls it restarts with a slick of carbon on the water. When I'm running at speed it generally works fine. It is a canadian model and the idle screw is set to self destruct if you try to adjust it (small movement ok).I've been running small hondas for years and never had anything like this.Any suggestions other than an expensive anchor?

The carburetor needs to be cleaned properly.-------------There are some very tiny holes in there that are often overlooked !!---------Pay particular attention to part # 20 on the carburetor.-----Look it up on ----boats .net---------and there is no need to mutter about the Honda.

Thanks for that.I have the manual. Any idea why it would get clogged up. I use it fairly regularly so I don't put any treatment in the gas.What do you do when you want to adjust the fuel mixture.

The fact is that when fuel is left in these carburetors then the jets will plug up !!------------My advice is to clean the carburetor as in the above post.---Adjusting the carburetor will not help if there are blockages.

Also consider adding Sea Foam or a similar de-carbonizer at every fill up.

BF 8 is one of the most bullet proof little outboards ever made! racerone is right on with his clean the carb advice. I would only add that, to get her to idle correctly, you will need to get the idle screw all the way out and clean that passage. Look at the link below and you can see that for $6.36 USD you can replace it. The little "idle limiter cap" that is "Loctite" bonded to the screw head will come off intact if you use a little heat from a soldering iron. I just destroy them and glue on a new one later. They are plastic and not worth much bothering with anyway.

Don't even try to clean part # 20 (jet set), just get a new one and install it very carefully with a new Oring at the top. Item 14 is the accelerator pump assembly. This little carb needs the circuit that feeds it from the bottom in the float bowl to be CLEAN. The float bowl is key to this thing working right. Make sure all float bowl passages are clear.

The circuit that is FED by the accelerator pump is also key to this carb being able to "breathe". Study how it works and clean that passage in the main body with spray cleaner and it's little plastic straw.

When you get it all back together and running correctly, USE THE DRAIN SCREW to remove all fuel from the carb before putting the engine up for more than a couple of days. Good luck.

http://www.boats.net/parts/search/H...IN# BAAJ-1600001/CARBURETOR (AUTO)/parts.html

Thank you for that good advice. The motor lives over at my cabin so I will take it off the boat and bring it home on the deck of my sailboat next trip over(more cursing). I guess I need to add a decarbonizer to the fuel from here on in and drain the carb after every use. Sounds like a lot of hassle and makes me long for the good ol days when you parked your motor and expected it to work next time you needed it. Has anyone ever thought of adapting a more reliable carb on to one of these engines. I remember back in my motorcycle days how the British amal carb was a finicky thing and we solved our woes by making a manifold adapter for a japanese Mikuni carb with great results. In the 80s I ran Honda O/Bs and the only time the carb acted up was if a bit of moisture clogged the idle jet passage,but that rarely occured after many years of service