Bf30D 2004 4 stroke honda hard starting. this fixed by service bulletin #60 May 2007?

I have a 2004 4 stroke BF30D which I purchased new in 2005. Starting over the years once in awhile, maybe a few tries, but never had much of a problem. Winterized this past year, and new gas this spring with sea foam in the gas. Gas is getting to carbs. This year it took many cranks to start the first two times. The third time it would not start, it would just crank. I pushed up on the rod for the dash pod, crank the engine and repeated that process a few times and it would start. Once started it ran great and restarts without issue.

I had a local honda authorized dealer tell me that Service Bulletin #60 May 2007 would fix this starting problem (resize fuel jets and thermal valve assembly) but I checked with Honda Marine (national support phone line) and was told that if the service bulletin was the issue the starting issue would have been a issue prior to now.

Any input as to what the starting issue may be?

TIA.

It should start right away. Depending on what the number of the thermal valve is on your motor and the fuel jets, the kit used in SB 60 would fix your problem and improve your starting overall.

I say that because the kit changes out the float bowl in the top carburator in addition to changing the thermal valve.

Your immediate problem is most likely clogged passages in that float bowl in that top carburator. So the top carb should be cleaned. The bowl has several passages that are hard to clean, especially if you do not know how the fuel flows through for starting. Thus, changing it to the updated bowl and updated thermal valve would be the easiest repair...fixing your starting issue.

Unfortunately, being out of warranty the cost of the change is on you.

Mike

Mike, thanks for the info. I called the number in my service manual and asked if they would cover part of the cost since issue is engineering related (designed with the wrong size jet). Honda indicated carbs need to be cleaned and the service bulletin fix is not the issue. With issue of ethanol in the gas the larger jet can't hurt.

Is the top carburator the critical once when starting? Could I get by with just having the top carburator being cleaned? Any gas stabalizer also clean out the carbs?

Thanks.

Paul.

If the motor is running good other than starting, then just cleaning the top carb should fix your starting problem. As I said, there are several passages in the bowl that will need to be cleaned as well as the rest of the carburator.

You can try a heavy dose of Sea Foam and let it sit in the carburator for a day or so. That may help, but there is nothing like actually cleaning and checking the passages for proper flow.

Mike

Thanks.
Is there a post on how to clean a carburator or is this not a job for a DIYer.

In itself, a carb is not hard to clean. However...these carbs have very small passages and the top carb that you have to clean has a float bowl that has several passages itself.

To remove the carbs, you have to remove the entire carb assembly at the intake manifold. Some have removed just one carburator, but I have found it is easier just to take them all off like the book says. That way you can see both sides. The assembly for the 30D have a lot of hoses that are interlaced between the carburetors.

I do not know of a post that goes through what you have to do for this engine. If someone else knows, please jump in.

If you are handy, have a decent knowledge of engines, I highly recommend the Honda Carburetor Manual to step you through the carb cleaning. It has great pictures of the various fuel flow paths in each type of Honda carb, and shows how to check to be sure that they are clean. It is $40, but well worth the money. http://www.helminc.com/helm/product2...044&itemtype=N

One thing to keep in mind. You say that it runs good after it starts...but does it really? I have found (and I will sound like a broken record...if anyone remembers records) that if one carb is having an issue, the others can not be far behind. If this was coming into our shop, I would insist on cleaning them all. Once you get the assembly off, clean up the gasket surfaces, and disassemble the assembly, most of the hard work is done. A couple more carbs are straight forward and it assures all are functioning as they should.

Once the carbs are cleaned, reassembled and back onto the engine, you have to vacuum balance the carbs to assure that they are all working in unison.

If you had another simpler engine I would encourage you to give it a try...but with this one....I just do not know what DiY experience you have.

If you do take it to a shop, I would suggest that you have them check the jet size and bystarter number against the Service Bulletin and have them change it out. I may cost a little more in parts, but it should start better in the long run if it does increase the jet size.

Mike