Honda 15hp starting problems

I have a 2 year old Honda 15hp electric start tiller handle motor that I think has starting issues. This motor is cranked at least once a week. The fuel has Marine Stabil in it. This engine has the automatic choke. When you crank it, it will spit and sputter and usually dies. It usually takes three attempts to get it to stay cranked. Sometimes it will crank on the 1st try but not often. First would like to know if anyone else has this problem, would you consider it a problem (or is it just cold natured) and third any idea what needs to be done? Bought a Honda thinking it would be a dream. Just not impressed so far. Also, have had it bog down goin down the channel. Don't know how else to describe it.

So, are you saying it has done this since you got it...Quote"Bought a Honda thinking it would be a dream". Just not impressed so far.")

These outboards ARE DREAMS! Can't buy better! If it was spitting and bogging "goin down the channel" when you got it, it should have been immediately returned to the dealer for examination.

OR....was it just fine for the first year and 9 months and now you aren't happy with the way it starts?

Clarifying that might help with the "remote troubleshooting".

These engines are typically very good at cranking right up....when all is right. They start like a dream you might say.

BUT if you have not been draining the carburetor regularly and ALWAYS using fresh fuel, it may have some scale build up in the carb. Sta Bil can only do so much to keep the fuel fresh and poor quality fuel or watered fuel will cause problems Sta Bil or no Sta Bil.

Does your primer bulb pump right up and stay hard? Is the vent in your fuel tank clear? Is your battery fully charged and spinning the engine over rapidly? These are all some of the things that can trip you up.

While the by-starters (electric chokes) RARELY give any problems, it is a remote possibility that it could be stuck in the "off" or semi off (lean mix) position. It can be removed and tested fairly easily and if you think you'd like to try, I could tell you how.

But just so you know, the by-starter is in the RICH FUEL START position as a default and only becomes active and changes to LEAN FUEL after the engine is started. When they go bad, the symptom is usually great starting when cold and then the engine begins to sputter and run rough because it is TOO RICH. Anything is possible though with electro-mechanical devices.

I know, I know...too much information and too many questions. I will say... in a short sentence... that no, it is not normal to have starting problems with these outboards.

I have nothing to add to what jgmo said. You need to provide specific information and dialogue and this site will be your friend. If you pump the bulb till hard and the starting is hard then you may have an issue. My best starting results come from cranking the engine with the throttle closed, as I'm cranking I open the throttle to full open over about 3 seconds and then stop cranking when I hear it kick over but hold the throttle open, when it starts to rev Up I drop the throttle and let it idle. Let us know how you go.

Thanks so much for your replies! Jgmo - you described the situation when you said "the symptom is usually great starting when cold and then the engine begins to sputter and run rough because it is TOO RICH." That's what it does....you crank it fine then after about a minute it starts spitting, sputtering and trying to die. Drained the carb, hooked up the fuel line again and pumped the bubble to "flush" the carb. Seems to be running better now. Will try and take it to the water this weekend (depends on the weather) and see how it does. Hoping it had something in there stuck and just needed to be flushed out. If not, I'll get you to tell me how to remove and check the carb like you also suggested. Thank you both for your input!!!

Just tried it again. Cranked right off. One minute in it started sputtering and died. Had to re-crank motor three times to get it to start and give it throttle to keep it running. It happens when it is starting to idle itself down is when it starts sputtering and dying. Outside temp is 37. Jgmo if you can tell me how to remove the automatic choke to check and adjust it, I would really appreciate the info.

It's on top of the carby with 2 wires coming out of it. One screw holding the retainer and an o ring holding it in place. Remove screw and retainer then pull. If it's like other TE units I've seen then you can simply lay it on the bench and measure the little pin that sticks down. Then put 12v on the wires and watch and wait, the little pin should start to extend over a minute or so and the unit gets hot.

Once running does does your motor idle ok or still require throttle to stop it stalling? If it was previously running fine, Have you messed with idle mixture screw or idle speed adjustments on the carby since then? Could it be leaning out too much once the TE starts shutting off the enriched mixture at idle?

You can also try squirting cleaner into the carby holes, jets, bowl and leaving it a few minutes before flushing it with fuel and starting (if you don't want to remove it and clean it thoroughly) in case it's a little gummed up. The idle jets are very small and can clog easily.

does the bulb stay hard when it stalls?

BEFORE you do anything else,....open the link I'm sending and look at the parts page blow up of your fuel pump and fuel lines. Identify items 3 and 4. and then go locate them on your engine.

Item 3 is called a "fuel chamber". Item 4 is the rubber holder for the fuel chamber and it slides on to the engine oil dipstick tube.

Disconnect the lines going to the fuel chamber and slide the chamber, in it's holder, off of the dipstick tube. There will be liquid sloshing around in the chamber. Empty ALL the liquid (mostly gas...be careful) from the chamber. Reinstall the chamber and holder on the dipstick tube then reconnect the fuel lines.

Now go and reprime the pump and start the outboard to see if cleaning the chamber had a positive effect. If it does, then you know that the chamber should be dumped out once every two years. I would do that chore every 6 months if I were you. That chamber has a tendency to collect WATER and your outboard will not want to be fed WATER.


http://www.boats.net/parts/search/H... and Later/BFP15DK3 XHTA/FUEL PUMP/parts.html

Good luck.