Seafarer226
New member
Hello everyone! I wanted to make this post to share an experience I’ve had with my new to me 2005 BF225. It came on my also new to me Seafarer 226. The motor has roughly 190 hours on it according to the hour meter, and from what I can tell was very well maintained by the original owner. This is my first Honda outboard (and my first 4 stroke outboard). I am, however an automotive technician by trade so I’m right at home working on this Honda V6.
Anyhow, my second time using the boat, I came off plane and down to idle, and was immediately greeted with an intermittent alarm and the engine began to miss. After cycling the key of and re-starting the engine my alarm and rough running engine were as good as new. Thought maybe it was a fluke and went about my day. Since then, every time I’d use the boat if I let it idle in the slip for any more than say 5 minutes, I’d get that same alarm, with the engine light illuminated. Cycle the key, and it’s gone and as long as I got underway it’d run like that for hours without a hickup. At first I thought it was the water in fuel alarm, but I’ve learned that is a very rapid alarm that isn’t accompanied with a solid MIL, and both my fuel/water separators show no water in the bowl.
I ended up doing some research and found how to get codes out of the motor. (shorting out the green and black wires on the red service connector). By doing that, I was greeted with 1 solid blink of the MIL. Ran to my local Honda marine dealer, spent $350 on a new oxygen sensor, cleared the code by using the kill switch, and my issue is resolved! I did learn that I have the old style exhaust manifolds with the larger oxygen sensor, and that Honda stopped paying for the repair just this passed January. If there’s anything I should know or be on the lookout for with this motor please let me know! I plan on keeping this boat for a while and would like to keep this motor running well for years to come. I plan on doing the timing belt and impeller at the end of the season, as I’m not sure when it was done last. Previous owner just did all the filters, oil, and lower unit service before the sale. Hopefully this post helps someone in the future!
Anyhow, my second time using the boat, I came off plane and down to idle, and was immediately greeted with an intermittent alarm and the engine began to miss. After cycling the key of and re-starting the engine my alarm and rough running engine were as good as new. Thought maybe it was a fluke and went about my day. Since then, every time I’d use the boat if I let it idle in the slip for any more than say 5 minutes, I’d get that same alarm, with the engine light illuminated. Cycle the key, and it’s gone and as long as I got underway it’d run like that for hours without a hickup. At first I thought it was the water in fuel alarm, but I’ve learned that is a very rapid alarm that isn’t accompanied with a solid MIL, and both my fuel/water separators show no water in the bowl.
I ended up doing some research and found how to get codes out of the motor. (shorting out the green and black wires on the red service connector). By doing that, I was greeted with 1 solid blink of the MIL. Ran to my local Honda marine dealer, spent $350 on a new oxygen sensor, cleared the code by using the kill switch, and my issue is resolved! I did learn that I have the old style exhaust manifolds with the larger oxygen sensor, and that Honda stopped paying for the repair just this passed January. If there’s anything I should know or be on the lookout for with this motor please let me know! I plan on keeping this boat for a while and would like to keep this motor running well for years to come. I plan on doing the timing belt and impeller at the end of the season, as I’m not sure when it was done last. Previous owner just did all the filters, oil, and lower unit service before the sale. Hopefully this post helps someone in the future!