BF150 vs BF130

Hey guys, I posted the other day about my BF130 failure "How bad is the damage on my BF130". Some suggested to toss it, others said maybe it can be repaired. I called Honda and they said the BF130's and 115's had issues and recommended that I not repair it. I've been looking for a replacement engine in the 150HP range. There are a many Merc's out there but not many Honda's for sale used - at least reasonable close to me in the Atlanta area. However, I found a BF150 near me. I haven't even called the guy yet but I'm a little shell shocked from my 130 failure and not sure I want to go down the Honda road again. My question is does anyone see any significant difference in the 130 vs the BF150 that would give me any confidence?

Thanks guys!
Mark

150 is a much better motor,however,every used outboard whatever the make is as good as it has been maintained and cared for,especially in saltwater. Do your due diligence and have it properly checked put

Ditto on Ian's post. I've been on this forum since 2008 (I think) and it seems that the 150's have fewer serious issues than most. But as Ian said, maintenance is the key to keeping any outboard running well.

Download the free owner's manual from Honda Marine and familiarize yourself with operating and basic maintenance procedures.

Get the engine's serial number and check with Honda Marine to see what info that have on purchase and warranty repairs. Honda Customer Service Customer Service number is 770-497-6400.

See if the owner uses a particular outboard shop for maintenance and repair, and if so, contact them for a record on that engine. If the owner claims he does his own maintenance, ask for a record of it. If owner gets squirrelly about that, you have your answer.

If the engine is still mounted on a boat that's operational, take the boat out for a test run and observe how it runs through a range of speeds and conditions. Be especially observant of performance in the mid-ranges, say between 3800 to 5000 rpm - that's where a lot of issues show up. Observe the rpm's at wide open throttle. They should be around 5800 +/- 200.

Before purchase, I would recommend that you take the engine to a certified Honda Tech and have them do the following...

Dr. H or HDS readout which will ID any sensors that have been out of spec and will give you hours and usage a various RPM's.
Compression and leak down test. As part of that, check the plugs to make sure you have a good burn on all four cylinders.
Check engine oil and lower unit oil for any sign of metal flakes.
Look for evidence of any major disassembly or repair.

It is unfortunate that your experience with the turkey 130 is tainting your opinion about all Honda outboards. Honda has built and sold a lot of different four-stroke engines over the years, and have a really great reputation for their small engines, auto's, and outboards. The 130 was simply an ill-conceived and badly designed engine.

Good luck on this, and let us know the outcome.

Thank you Lang6766 and CHawk - both of you make me feel better - with the obvious caution about the motor maintenance and history. I'm about to call the guy to start the process. Its not on a boat unfortunately but I'll take it a step at a time.

You guys are great - thanks so much for taking your time!

Just make sure it has a valid serial number plate and check the sales history with Honda. There are some folks out there that like to steal those engines.

Update - I talked to the guy and he doesn't know any history. Seems he purchased it 8 months ago and its been setting. He had plans to put in on some boat he had but didn't follow through. He said its an 2008 motor but didn't have the SN available on him (he was at work). He said he had checked the compression on all cylinders before buying and they all had 125#. He said we could test run it but its on a stand and would have to use muffs. He's asking $4200 for it and says he's loosing on it. I am likely to go by and see it this afternoon. I forgot to ask him about the shaft length (I have a pontoon) but I can measure that if I go see it.

Thinking out loud here... with the motor sitting on a stand, is there any way to tell how many hours it has on it?

You need a Dr H or an HDS to tell the hours.

Compression is supposed to be
222 - 250 psi.

He may not have taken compression with the throttle wide open.

The good news about the 150 is that has more power but it weighs less than 130.

Mike

Also motors run way better on the stand than they do in water. Just keep that in mind.

Its interesting to know that the 115D has the same block and pistons ,conrods etc. as the 150hp ive noticed that the throttle bodies are not the same i havent gone into it full detail but have noticed a few things.

Hello guys - here's an update. I went an looked at the motor Friday afternoon. Ran great sitting on the stand but the guy knows no history of it. It shifted into forward and reverse and throttle seemed to work ok. No water in the oil but someone had over-filled the oil by 1/2 a quart. Top cover was very scratched up - maybe due to it being laid down on a pallet or something - who knows. Bottom line is I didn't buy it because I simply couldn't justify the money without knowing more about it. You guys gave me some good caution. He had 3 more folks lined up to come see it so it may or may not have sold since I looked at it. I may have made the right or wrong decision, who will ever know. I think I will reach back out to him tomorrow and see if he still has it. If he does, I may ask him if I can take it to a Honda shop and let someone inspect it. Even that is not an easy venture.....
So, that's the story for now. I'm still on the hunt for something between 150 and 200HP for my pontoon boat.

Thank you guys for the support!

that motor has been on CL for sometime i have been looking and got one in Florida!