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2004 BF225 stalling at WOT

FishermanJ

New member
My 2004 225 has stalled twice on occasion. First time happend last Summer while very warm (90 degrees). Took off after fishing and motor stalled after about 10-20 seconds on plane. Started back up and no further issues. I deemed it to being very warm and possible fuel issue. Did not happen rest of last year.

Motor stalled twice on Saturday. It was warm once again (close to 90) and while on wide open throttle (5500 RPM) after getting on plane, the motor varied RPM's for a few seconds and then stalled. Started again and no problems until it did the same thing about an hour later. Possibly coincidental, but I was trimming the motor while the stalling occurred. No warning buzzers. Did not happen while in use Sunday, but did not go WOT.

Any ideas on where to begin?
 
Some places to start.

Check the fuel line from the tank to the engine for kinks, loose connections or deterioration.

Check the fuel bulb to be sure it is pointing up or at least horizontal.

If you have never changed the high pressure fuel filter, now might be the time.

Mike



Mike
 
Agree with Mike. While checking the fuel line from the tank to the engine, hopefully, you have an in-line fuel/water separator. (If not, install one - the Racor's with the clear sight bowl on the bottom are the best.) Drain the separator, and if the filter element has not been changed for awhile, change it out. Check that the pump-up bulb gets very firm after about 3 or 4 squeezes. If not, replace it, also.

If that all checks out, then following Mike's advice, replace the high pressure fuel filter. And while your are into that section of the engine, I would remove and clean thoroughly the VST.

At WOT, the 225 is burning about 20 gallons per hour - that's a bunch of fuel, and if is restricted in any manner, or gets air in the fuel line, you will get the stalling out you described.
 
FishermanJ, did you ever solve your problem with your BF225 stalling out? I have a 2007 BF225 that is doing almost the exact same thing as you describe; just did it 3 times again today. I'd appreciate learning anything you might have discovered or any advice others may have. Thanks..........Rod
 
FishermanJ, did you ever solve your problem with your BF225 stalling out? I have a 2007 BF225 that is doing almost the exact same thing as you describe; just did it 3 times again today. I'd appreciate learning anything you might have discovered or any advice others may have. Thanks..........Rod
Remove the clamp bracket that holds the grommet to the lower engine cover.(This is the grommet that holds all the cables, fuel line and wiring that enter the engine cover) You are checking for corrosion. The corrosion swells and pinches off the fuel line.
 
Sounds like all good info. I might add to check the oil level of the unit at the dip stick. If you have a Honda digitial tach, look in the lower left hand cornor of the screen and see if you don't have a DTC flashing. Itlooks like a small hour glass shape. If so have your tech inspect and repair. Thanks Martin
 
Thanks for the responses Chris and Martin; unfortunately it's not the clamp bracket, I've had that off to blow out the lines and it looks good. I've checked the oil and it's good, but do not have a digital tach to look for the DTC indication which you suggest Martin. Any other thoughts on what/how to check on that?

To provide some (more) background, the problem of cutting out at near WOT showed up last year, maybe even the year before, but only happened infrequently, and at times wouldn't occur for several outings, so a number of times I thought I'd fixed it with some of the things I've done; no such luck. The weird thing is that when it cuts out the bulb goes soft and sometimes takes as many as 8-10 pumps before it firms up, leading me to believe it's a source/supply problem from the tank. Thinking that my pick-up line was plugging or otherwise restricting; I effectively eliminated my Main-Off-Reserve valve from the fuel flow path and connected the main and reserve lines together so either/both supply fuel simultaneously; thinking both wouldn't restrict, but that didn't solve the problem either. I've replaced the bulb as well, and have double clamped all hose/line connections; problem persists. I've also cleaned the water separator and sediment/filter? bulb. I should also tell you that I have a large in-line canister type filter between the tank and the bulb which I've checked as well. There seems to be a time/temperature relationship to the problem in that it seems to run perfectly out of the gate and all morning, but then the problem shows up in the afternoon, then once it starts, it happens pretty consistently point forward. I've ordered a maintenace manual for the motor and plan to look into the high pressure fuel filter and VST as Mike suggests earlier in the thread, but I'll need the manual to even know where these devices are and what they look like. Can anyone tell me; does the BF225 have both high and low pressure fuel pumps? Thanks again for the responses, hopefully I can stumble on to a fix to what's been a very frustrating problem.
 
Yes, there is a LP fuel pump on the front of the engine, and a HP pump on the back, near the VST. There is a filter for each.

Based on my own experience, and a lot of posts on this forum, you likely have a HP filter problem. They tend to deteriorate. If yours hasn't been changed within the last 400 hours, then there is a high possibility that is your problem, as Mike suggested earlier.

One other thing you can do while you are waiting to get the shop manual - drain the VST. On the back of your engine, you will see a clear plastic tube that is in a clip on the right side of your engine, and open on one end. Un-clip it, and follow it down to it's base. Beside it, there is a set screw. Use a 10" flat blade screwdriver, and open it up about 3 or 4 turns while you have the end of the plastic tube in a clear 1 quart jar. The resident pressure in the VST will force the fuel in the VST out the tube, along with any gunk that has accumulated in there. Drain it all the way. If nothing comes out, then the channel is blocked. Turn the set screw in and out a couple of times to try to open it up. If that doesn't work, then try blowing compressed air into the plastic tube. If that still doesn't work, then you will need to remove the VST and clean it thoroughly. This is something you should do every 100 hours on your maintenance schedule.
 
Thanks a bunch CHawk, I'll check those things out and advise of results. One other tid-bit; this engine has very few (total) hours on it, probably less than 200.
 
Rodney - Well, that's always a problem - a 2004 engine with less than 200 hours! That engine is not even broken in yet. As suggested before, the way to go is to change out the filters, clean the fuel lines, drain and clean the VST. Also, if the external fuel/water separator has not been changed out, it should be. They have a tendency to clog up over time.

I would also change the plugs - NGK IZFR6F11 Only. Be careful doing that. They have a tendency to get stuck in the block after sitting for long periods. Plugs should be removed and threads greased annually or every 200 hours, whichever comes first.
 
Well, Looks like you have hit on all the high points and it's time to move on. The next test is crude, but could be the game changer. Remove the air box above the top pulley. Get the crow bar or very large pry bar. Locate a stable possion the you can install it between the crankcase cover and pully. apply downward pressure, enough to lift 30 poungs. (weight of crank shaft,flywheel and related components). If there IS vertical lift then that is not good. Max amount 0.14 If greater then Yea Ole thrust bearing has failed. Thanks Martin
 
Rodney - Well, that's always a problem - a 2004 engine with less than 200 hours!
CHawk, to clarify, my engine is a 2007; the title of the thread is not mine, I just piggy back on because the problem I am experiencing is very much the same as was FishermanJ's. Probably should have started my own thread to eliminate confusion.

Anyway, to update you; I drained the VST as you advised. When I opened the set screw nothing came out; I blew air in it and still nothing until I put of slight vacuum on it, then it 'siphoned' freely into the glass container. I didn't see any debri, sediment, etc. Ran the boat afterwards yesterday and it didn't cut out, but I suspect just draining the VST did not implement, or what do you think? My maintenance manual shipped yesterday so I'll pursue the other checks/fixes you suggested when I get that. Thanks again for sharing your expertise.
 
There is a float valve in the VST. It is possible that by draining it, you lossened up that valve, which could have been the source of your problem. But those filters do need to be changed.
 
Life got in the way of trying the above ideas. I changed out my brittle looking fuel line exposed on the transom. However, the motor stalled once during this past warm weather weekend. I will try the VST and will also "Remove the clamp bracket that holds the grommet to the lower engine cover.(This is the grommet that holds all the cables, fuel line and wiring that enter the engine cover) You are checking for corrosion. The corrosion swells and pinches off the fuel line."

Regarding the
high pressure filter, is this a job you need the Helm manual for? And would anyone know the part #? Thanks!
 
Any update to solving this? I have the exact same problem
I drained the VST tube a month or so ago and haven't had any issues since. Weather has been much cooler (don't know if it has anything to do with this though). I will replace the high pressure fuel filter replaced this Fall.
 
Those of us who own 200's or 225's should add draining the VST to our maintenance schedule, every 100 hours or every season, whichever comes first. I've peened in in on my 100 and 200 hour schedule.
 
I had the boat/2004 225hp out for the its first real outing of the year this weekend. Before this weekend, I've only run around area lakes with the longest run maybe 5 minutes.

Over the weekend, after about 30 seconds or so on plane (approx 3500 RPM's) the engine would sputter, reduce RPMs and die. No alarms or lights. It would take a a couple of starts after stalling and run fine afterwards. A couple times when it started sputtering, I could reduce the speed myself before the engine would do it itself, and it would idle fine in neutral. If I throttled, it would still sputter, so I had to turn off the ignition, restart, and it would run fine.

It would do this about every-other start up and cruising. The tank was full of last year's gas treated with Stabil. Drained VMC last fall along with other normal fall winterization.
 
Did you ever change out the high pressure fuel filter? If so, then check your pump up bulb when it stalls out and see if it is collapsed. If so, you have a restriction in the tank breather vent (open the fuel tank filler cap to check that) or you have a clogged pick up tube in your tank. If that, then blow compressed air back through the fuel line to clear temporarily.

Also, check the plug on the wires going to your high pressure fuel pump. They can get corroded and interrupt the functioning of the fuel pump.
 
Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've been on this board (which is a good thing I guess), but saw a few PM's asking about an update on this. A year ago, I did two things: 1) Added Ring-Free to each fill and 2) started using premium/non-oxygenated gas and the boat has not stalled since (knock on wood).

Any rationale on why this "may" have been the fix?
 
Speculation: The Yamalube Ring Free may have cleared either your HP fuel filter, or the screen under the HP fuel pump. Change that HP fuel filter annually - not the 400 hours it tells you in the owners manual.
 
Change water/fuel separator, fill it

Older fuel lines inner lining can seperate and collapse, starving the engine but remain operable at idle. If it continues to progressively get worse, I would start with the cheapest fix first. I chased my tail on this one and it was an easy and inexpensive fix

I learned a good lesson, K-I-S-S Keep It Simple Stupid
 
I haven't been on here for quite sometime but wanted to let you all know that I'm pretty sure I've resolved the problem with my BF225 stalling out at or near WOT when ambient temperatures are in the 90 degrees F range. Ends up that the problem really wasn't so much with the motor as it was the boat. I have a Trophy 205 Alumacraft which has (small) spring loaded, ball (bearing) type check valves at the top of the fuel tank where the fuel lines connect to the tank. When temperatures rise, vapor pressures increase, and fuel demand is high, these check valves are just too restrictive to the amount of fuel flow that my engine requires at WOT. I've removed these check valves and have had no problems since. In experience, the key indicator to understanding if this might be your problem is the number of times you have to pump your fuel bulb once the engine stall out. I was having to pump the bulb 10, 15, 20 times, which is indicative of a fuel supply problem ('upstream' of the bulb) as opposed to a motor (downstream) problem. Anyway, thought I'd pass it along as I suspect others may have the same issue and I hope that this helps to relieve trouble and frustration.
 
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