Honda BF225 Starting Issue

Hello All - I'm having trouble with intermittent starting issues on my 2005 Honda BF225 starboard motor. Boat is a 2005 26' Southport and motors have approximately 450 hrs.

It started last fall when the starboard throttle was locked up in neutral after not being used for 2-3 weeks. I could increase idle RPMs in neutral, but couldn't get boat in gear forward or reverse. With a little force, I was able to force shift it into gear (hindsight 20/20 I probably shouldn't have, but had never experienced stuck or even sticky throttle). Around this time I began having starting issues with the same motor. At times I could jiggle the throttle and it would crank and start. Over the winter, I swapped neutral safety switch with port motor and still was having similar issues starting. I put the boat in the water a couple weeks ago for the year planning to continue troubleshooting the starting issue. It hasn't been pretty, but still having starting issues at times and have limped home twice now on one motor at 7 knots.

2 weeks ago after running the boat for an hour or so and turning off motor, I was unable to restart. Tried everything with the throttles and messing with neutral safety switch did nothing for me. Ended up limping home on one (tried restarting multiple times throughout the trip both at speed and at drift and motor wouldn't even crank). Got back to the dock, motor cranked and started on a dime (and it runs fine when its running too).

Last weekend I replaced the key switch on it and it seemed like starting was better. The next day, the starting wasn't pretty again, but it started up eventually on 2nd or 3rd turn (throttle jiggle doesn't seem to do anything anymore). Ran the boat for 30 mins or so and turned it off for 20 mins. Couldn't restart and wouldn't crank (fiddled with connections, etc. for over an hour) and again limped home on one motor.

Tried messing around the next day at the dock to try to get some pattern. When motor won't start or crank (no matter how many key turns) I can hear a relay or fuse click on the motor when key is turned, but otherwise nothing. It finally started after 10 mins and idled it at 2500 RPMs for 10-15 mins. Shut it down for 10 mins and again, no crank or restart (I'm able to restart immediately after shutting it down, but not after waiting).

Any guesses what I should check next? Sounds electrical to me, but I'm not convinced I didn't break/stretch something when I forced the throttle into gear. Not sure if there is a way to eliminate or confirm problem with cable without replacing it and that sounds tedious if it's not the solution! Not to mention, sometimes it starts no problem and the throttle movement doesn't seem to help.

Planning on replacing main relay and 150 amp fuses this weekend if parts come in. Only the battery indicator light is continuously illuminated when attempting to start and no indicator lights are blinking or alarm. Boat has new batteries this year and putting them in parallel does nothing for starting either.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!

Hi,
Just a thought....
... You have swapped out the neutral safety switch so I'm guessing that you have good familiarity with it and it's relatively easy to access.

I'm just wondering if you might be able to jumper or bypass the switch to see what happens.

If you're right about something having gone fugazi with the cable or shifter, this might be a way to prove it.

It's dangerous to jumper or bypass the neutral safety switch so you need to be cautious. But I think it's a valid way to prove or disprove that the shifter isn't activating the switch at times.

If doing that doesn't have it starting every time, (hopefully never in gear) then you probably are looking at an intermittent electrical problem.

Good luck

Hmmmm - that's a tough one.

Try what JGMO recommended.

A few other things you might try...

1. Disconnect the kill switch for that motor and see what happens. Here is the electrical diagram which shows you which wire to disconnect. (Black/Red) View attachment Electrical Diagram Honda Digital Gauges Dual engines.pdf

2. Use an auto starter cable and connect battery ground directly to the engine frame to make sure you have a good ground.

3. If you have a battery selector switch, bypass it.

4. Pull each fuse, test it with an ohm meter (should be near zero resistance across the spades), clean the spades and check the spade seats for corrosion.

5. Pull the connector where the console harness connects to the engine and look for corrosion, bad pins, or recessed pins. Clean with electrical cleaner.

Did you ever fix this problem? If so, what was it?

Hey Chawk, sorry for the late reply and do appreciate your and jgmo input/help. The issue ended up being corrosion in my wiring harness in the flexible conduit at my transom. I wasn't getting consistent voltage to pins at motor for starter/ignition wire and was also experiencing intermittent issues with trimming up (corrosion/voltage issue as well). I ended up calling in a mechanic who spliced and ran a new jumper wire outside the conduit to get me through. I still have very slight issues and was planning on running new harnesses and cables this offseason...that was before I found the other engine flooding around the lower mid-section cowling last weekend from what I can tell is the block corroded out.

Sorry to hear you are having so many problems with these engines. Usually, they are very reliable.

However, only 450 hours on 17-year-old engines tells you something. They likely spent a lot of time just setting up. That's not good for any engine, especially these big Honda's. The more you run them, the better they run, and the fewer problems you have.