2004 Honda 115hp Starts good, but blows 10amp Fuse when remote engaged

This happened 1st time as I was loading the boat. Spent about 4 hours on the lake the other evening, went to load the boat on to the trailer, during idle while in the water, it died. No power, no tilt. Found the 10amp fuse blown, and replaced it. Good to go. Today went back to the lake, as I was launching, the boat started flawlessly in the water, and idled well in neutral. When I engaged the remote into reverse, it died immediately. Pulled the boat out, fuse was blown again, and I replaced it. Tried one more time, and ditto. In the driveway moments ago, replaced the fuse again, with no engine running, I turned the key on (not to start). Moved the remote levers into Forward, and the fuse blowed again. I have searched these forums, and have not found anything that matches my problem. Any suggestions?

The 10 amp fuse feeds the key switch and the power tilt switch on your shifter. Most likely, the white/black wire going up to the trim switch is grounding against something...most likely the frame of the shifter... (and blowing the fuse) when you move the shifter. This will probably happen even without the key switch on.

A simple test....there is a three pin connector that connects your shifter trim switch with the wiring harness...it is about 11/2 ft long. Disconnect it....then see if you blow the fuse.

If you do not, then you have to remove the arm of the shifter (and possibly the shifter...depending on the type) and look carefully for a wire that is severely pinched or has a small cut. The problem area is probably somewhere around the base of the shifter.

Mike

Mike

Thank you very much. I was already on the same track before you responded. I want tell you what I have done before I read your post and after I posted, I was bascially exploring the mechanical action of the remote. I did note that someone had been in this remote before due to witness marks on the fasteners, some of the philipps heads were almost rounded out. Anyway, I did note that the plastic cover that covers the cables was not tight, espcially at the corner where the cables come in. Could not being in true neutral cause this problem? Everything else looked ok. I reinstalled. Now I can not repeat the blowing fuse situation. Fixed? I think so, but I am concerned I did not find the smoking gun.

This morning, I followed your instructions, can not repeat the blown fuse. I did remove the actual leaver and the tilt wires were wrapped 2-3 times around the lever bolt area, and the wires were tight. So I unwrapped the wires, loosened the tiny bracket for holding the wires, and pulled the slack out. Reinstalled. I turned the ignition on, moved the Forward and Reverse back and forth, used the tilt button, and can not repeat my problem. I am convinced its good to go, but I can not find the smoking gun. So I am fearful this can happen again while on the water.

The wire should be wrapped around the lever bolt area, but loose. That way it has flex as the shifter is moved full forward and full reverse.

If you think it has enough flex...go for it.

Mike

Just spend 3 hours on the lake. Not one hint of a problem. As I was coming in to the floating dock, I was a little to fast maybe, so I shifted to Reverse to slow down, and fuse blowed again. So I have not fixed the problem. I am going to repeat the steps that you (Mike) suggested again. One item I did notice, the wire going into the Inca fuel tank, goes in at a elbow. The rubber elbow has deteriated (2004 model) and two wires are showing (not *****). Do you suppose when I reversed, it caused a wake into that area and the short is there? I don't know, I am grasping at anything at this point.

Could the neutral switch on the engine side be the source of the problem? How to check. BTW I just determined my engine is a 2003 based upon the serial number.

The wires to the tank are probably to the sending unit....if so, if the wires short it will just peg the fuel gauge.

Not sure about the neutral switch on the engine....i am out of town and I have no access to manual.

I still think it is in the tilt switch wiring.

Mike

Okay here is what I have determined and what I discovered. The blowing of the fuse was actually happening when a wake a water was coming in the rear area of the boat like when reversing hard or semi-fast. I could reverse and go forward and reverse multiple times when going very slow and no fuse blowed. But if I was moving forward like 2-5 mph, then reversed suddenly and semi-fast, there was a lag from the moment reverse was engaged and the fuse blowed, but it would blow each and every time. When I took the engine cover off, there was a lot of unexpected water in the valley, maybe a 1/2"-1" deep. I checked if one of the water hoses was off, and none were. I did discover there was a rubber grommet or rubber drain cover about 1" in diameter in the engine cowl area in front of the engine directly below the neutral safety switch (green wires and connector) pushed in or out of place. In the area of the steering linkage area. So water was easily rushing through this uncovered hole each time I reversed hard. So I pushed the rubber drain cover back in place and no fuse has blown since. That was 6 days ago. My conclusion a rush of water was shorting out wires in this area (neutral safety switch) and blowing the fuse. I don't know if this is expected, but I believe problem solved. If not, I will be back.

That is a good one. Thanks for the feedback.

It just supports what they say in trouble shooting...."look over the engine first and see if you see anything obvious"

Miike

Wow! That was a good one! That's why I hang out and read these posts. Thanks for the blow-by-blow explanations of what you went through Runco. I hope you "got er done"!
jimmyd

Update, I had to replace the "TRIM" switch on the engine itself yesterday. In the past 2 weeks the switch started to not work intermittently and finally stopped working a few days ago. I suppose Hondadude (aka Mike) was probably 100% correct along, except instead of the control box trim switch short, it was probably the trim switch at the engine that was shorted and coupled with the water that was free flowing as explained earlier in the thread was probably the real culprit in my blowing fuse problem. I still have not blown a fuse since I found where water was entering, and that was 3 weeks ago, 10 outings ago, and about 20 run hours ago.

Runco said:

Update, I had to replace the "TRIM" switch on the engine itself yesterday. In the past 2 weeks the switch started to not work intermittently and finally stopped working a few days ago. I suppose Hondadude (aka Mike) was probably 100% correct along, except instead of the control box trim switch short, it was probably the trim switch at the engine that was shorted and coupled with the water that was free flowing as explained earlier in the thread was probably the real culprit in my blowing fuse problem. I still have not blown a fuse since I found where water was entering, and that was 3 weeks ago, 10 outings ago, and about 20 run hours ago.

Click to expand...

Hey all,
New to me 2006 Honda 225 ouboard is doing the same thing as explained here, only my engine quite doing full speed on water.....nothing to do with reverse. Changed the 10amp fuse once, it blew again, so i put a 15amp in and it was fine until I got back to the dock. Any thoughts would be great.
thanks
Mike

I have a new to me 98 Honda BF90 pushing a Cape Horn 17. I had the same 10 amp fuse problem. The first time it quite while making headway at a slow pace. Then it happened again while putting it into gear. Then it kept happening to the point where it would blow as soon as I moved the throttle handle. Now, I'm pretty sure I fried my regulator because I had to get back to the marina and I was out of 10amps so I used a 30 to limp in about 200 yards. I burned up the wire between the fuse and the regulator. However, after reading this thread and a few others, I traced it to the control handle. I pulled the handle apart and there it was.... chaffed red wire making contact with the metal handle behind the plastic... I plan to rerun some fresh wire and replace the regulator. I probably wouldn't have traced it through the tilt trim wires on the handle if it wasn't for this thread. Great resource and thanks to all that had input.

Well, my hero, hondadude has not posted here in a very long time now. But, every so often, his sage and accurate advice, still here, sprinkled about in the archives, awaits to help someone get the job done.

I know that he would be very happy that he could help you. I surely miss his presence.

Amen to that jgmo