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BF5 A advice

A

Anthonyexeter

New member
Just picked up a cheap BF5 A and although it starts and runs ok it won't idle very well, guessing its a dirty carb but I've also noticed a water leak coming from underneath the condenser, dribbles down when running. Is this likely to be head gasket or is there something else there that could be leaking?
one other thing is the manual start cog is just clipping/tinging the flywheel. Is this an easy fix?

Video in the link

https://photos.app.goo.gl/43MATHHV2DvCQM7H7
 
I do not believe there is a condenser on that motor.----Leaking head gasket or thermostat.-----You have to fix the water leak and test run.----Yes there were issues with recoils on those.
 
Ignition coil i meant. it's kinda under that where the water looks like its coming from.

Is there anything to worry about with the starting assembly? Just getting the odd ting ting sound as it hits the flywheel every so often.
 
I stated to repair the recoil.----Went to a dealer one time to order a new recoil gear.-----They said----" no need to order that , we have a couple in stock all the time "-----A known problem area.-----So in my opinion ( often does not count ) it is an easy repair.----Your opinion may be different.
 
ah ok, is it the plastic engagement gear that gets replaced due to wear or is it another part that's worn and needs replacing to remove that slop?
 
Sorry------I have a couple of these 5 HP motors.-----But I can not " tele-repair " or send you my expertise.----Up to you to investigate and repair this item !!
 
Hi,
I don't know these outboards very well. We had several of them in a rental fleet on a small lake but I didn't work on them much. I remember that they seemed very reliable though except for one thing: that danged recoil starter. They broke constantly but it was mostly because of the neutral lockout. The customers would forget to put the trans in neutral and, when they were ready to go again, "LOOK BOB, THIS DURNED THING IS LOCKED UP!!...WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO???..
THE SHORE IS 20 FEET AWAY!...WE'RE GONNA DIE!...."

At which time they would haul back in a panic or a rage and give it their MIGHTIEST PAUL BUNYAN (Vin Diesel if you prefer) YANK and... VOILA... problem solved!

Motor starts right up and didn't even hear that little "pop" as the pull start neutral lock-out mechanism snapped and broke.

Because?? It was plastic. As are many things on outboards these days.

I don't recall exactly that "failure" caused the pull start to begin giving trouble but I remember that we just had lots of problems with them. The company knew that I was probably in a different county most days and because we were a rental company, we HAD to have the neutral lock-out working properly. So...they just kept several in the store and would have the docklands change them out when necessary.

I think I actually ordered the parts and repaired the first one on the 2 week old shiny new outboard but don't remember the particulars
I think I do recall that a new plastic pinion gear was part of the replacement "proceedure". But...memory is fuzzy there...
...and here.....
...here and there actually....

Anyway...
I can't say why you have that water leak...I would suspect a bad flush valve if it were on a larger twin but I don't recall the 5hp having one.

The stalling after one minute run time might, I reiterate MIGHT, indicate that it's not cooling properly. But it could still be the carb too. If she seems to be a bit on the rich side, maybe you missed the float set up a tad?

Anyway, good little units but that pull start was a manufacturing mistake in my opinion.

Good luck.
 
Another thought about the stalling at idle would be to check/clean the crankcase breather filter. Item 2 in link below.

https://www.boats.net/catalog/honda/outboard/5hp/bf5a1-sa-vin-bads-1600001-to-bads-1699999/cylinder

If it's badly clogged it could allow crankcase pressure to build up until, possibly, it would be great enough to move the screen or allow the gasses to suddenly vent into the intake. That would result in the engine getting a GULP of something it doesn't really need.

Sort of "out there" as a cause but, you never know.

At any rate, keeping the breather clean keeps crankcase pressure low and will help prevent oil leaks. It's a regular maintenance item for most engines.

Good luck
 
I'm pretty sure it's not the safety lockout thats broken but i'll check it.
Just not sure why the plastic cog is so wobbly, took it off and doesnt appear to have any wear, all the surfaces look crisp and well defined. It's like there should be a weak hold down spring but exploded diagram shows exactly that i have there.
as for the idle, a good carb clean and mixture adjustment sorted that

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Dy7zkZEPZ76bJFAX7
 
So, is that where you think all that "clacking" noise is coming from in the video?

I watched the other video where you were moving the pinion with your hand and agree it seems too loose. I don't know. But if there's no missing/broken parts then you would probably have to consider excessive wear.

I don't want to "dark cloud" your situation but what concerns me more is the noise this engine is making. I didn't see the first video you posted initially until now.

That engine seems to be making entirely too much noise in my opinion. Sort of sounds like the flywheel is hitting the foot of the magneto coil or the piston is just kissing a valve. It's not plastic bouncing around. I have seen a couple of HONDAS where the flywheel nut was backed off completely. Maybe something like that is happening here? I guess another possibility would be the oil pump.

You might try using a long screwdriver or broom handle as a poor man's stethoscope to try and locate the source of that knocking/clacking noise.

Other than that I suggest that you closely inspect the valve train and adjustment along with possibly pulling the flywheel to see if something came loose under there.

Just my opinion.

I wish you good luck.
 
Yeah, definitely the plastic cog, I should have recorded that bit, you can actually watch it jump up every so often and that causes the tinging sound.
you can kinda see it in this video but the sound isn't as noticeable. I think because of the angle of the engine at the time, but you can see the cog making slight contact with the flywheel teeth.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NzgizCQX9RPN94wT6
 
Is the spring missing on the recoil ?-----The boat is floating quite high and the motor is not deep in the water.-----Other than that exhaust noise it sounds good to me.
 
Nothing missing, took it all apart to check and exactly as is on the exploded diagram. Even the internal on the cog seems unworn, all the surfaces are good. Almost like there should be a hold down spring but according to the diagrams there isnt one
recoil.jpg.

She sits slightly lower than that but not much. That was when the tide had come in enough to cover the water inlet.
IMG_20211129_140949_2.jpg
 
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Back when they started making wooden boats like that around here, it would have had a make and break single cylinder inboard. Neat boat.
 
That IS a nice boat! What I've always called a "lapstrake tender" or lapstrake rowboat. Is it wood or fiberglass?

Yeah, I guess I was wrong about the noise. racerone is right, it's just the exhaust noise I was hearing in the other videos.

I wish I could remember what the deal was with that plastic pinion gear for the pull start but it's just been too long ago. Sorry.
 
Yeah, it's wood. Just used for a little bit of Handline commercial fishing. Tend to use my cygnus 19 or Plymouth pilot more. Could do with a 10hp on the back but the 5 keeps the licence cost down
 
It does seem she's pushing you along pretty nicely there but rpm and speed is impossible to accurately judge from a video. I wouldn't expect a great deal of speed from a 5hp pushing a wooden hull. 10 to 15 mph would be tops in my opinion.
 
Ha ha...well at least you have REALISTIC expectations. I would say you're getting all she's got to give judging solely by the wake.

You might eek out another mph or two by making sure that the cavitation plate is riding as close to the stern keel depth as you can adjust it or by redistribution of the weight on board.

Since YOU are likely the heaviest item that you're carrying that might be hard to do. But I have successfully coaxed extra speed out of a couple of small boats in the past by using a tiller extension and shifting my weight forward. You need to be very careful doing that though as control gets a little less "positive" the farther that you move away from the outboard.
 
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